of famous Willoughby Here Montacute rang'd his unconquer'd Band Here march'd we out and here we made a stand What should we sit to mourn and grieve all day For that which Time doth easily take away What Fortune hurts let Suff'rance only heal No wisdom with Extremities to deal To know our selves to come of humane Birth These sad Afflictions cross us here on Earth A punishment from the eternal Law To make us still of Heav'n to stand in awe In vain we prize that at so dear a rate Whose long'st assurance bear 's a Minutes date Why should we idly talk of our Intent When Heav'ns Decree no Counsel can prevent When our fore-sight not possibly can shun That which the Fates determine shall be don Henry hath Power and may my life depose Mine Honour 's mine that none hath power to lose Then be as chearful beautious Royal Queen As in the Court of France we oft have been * As when arriv'd in Porcesters fair Road Where for our coming Henry made aboad When in mine Arms I brought thee safe to Land And gave my Love to Henry's Royal Hand The happy Hours we passed with the King At fair Southampton long in Banqueting With such content as lodg'd in Henries Breast When he to London brought thee from the West Through golden Cheap when he in Pomp did ride To Westminster to entertain his Bride ANNOTATIONS on the Chronicle History Our Faulkons kind cannot the Cage endure HE alludes in these Verses to the Faulcon which was the ancient Device of the Pools comparing the greatness and haughtiness of his spirit to the nature of this Bird. This was the mean proud Warwick did invent To my disgrace c. The Commons at this Parliament through Warwicks means accused Suffolk of Treason and urged the Accusation so vehemently that the King was forced to exile him for five years That only I by yielding up of Main Should be the loss of fertile Aquitain The Duke of Suffolk being sent into France to conclude a Peace chose Duke Rayners Daughter the Lady Margaret whom he espoused for Henry the sixth delivering for her to her Father the Countries of Anjou and Main and the City of Mauns Whereupon the Earl of Arminack whose Daughter was before promised to the King seeing himself to be deluded caused all the Englishmen to be expulsed Aquitain Gascoyne and Guyne With the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the Heir of good Duke Humphry's name This Richard that was called the great Earl of Warwick when Duke Humphry was dead grew into exceeding great favour with the Commons With Salisbury his vile ambitious Sire In York's stern Breast kindling long hidden fire By Clarence Title working to supplant The Eagle-Airy of great John of Gaunt Richard Plantaginet Duke of York in the time of Henry the Sixth claymed the Crown being assisted by this Richard Nevil Earl of Salisbury and Father to the great Earl of Warwick who favoured exceedingly the House of York in open Parliament as Heir to Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son of Edward the Third making his Title by Ann his Mother Wife to Richard Earl of Cambridge Son to Edmund of Langley Duke of York Which Ann was Daughter to Roger Mortimer Earl of March which Roger was Son and Heir to Edmund Mortimer that married the Lady Philip Daughter and Heir to Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son of King Edward to whom the Crown after King Richard the Seconds Death lineally descended he dying without Issue and not to the Heir of the Duke of Lancaster that was younger Brother to the Duke of Clarence Hall cap. 1. Tit. Yor. Lanc. Urg'd by these envious Lords to spend their breath Calling revenge on the Protectors death Humphry Duke of Glouster and Lord Protector in the five and twentieth year of Henry the Sixth by means of the Queen and the Duke of Suffolk was arrested by the Lord Beaumont at the Parliament holden at Bury and the same Night after murthered in his Bed If they would know who rob'd him c To this Verse To know how Humphry dy'd and who shall reign In these Verses he jests at the Protectors Wife who being accused and convicted of Treason because with John Hun a Priest Roger Bullenbrook a Necromancer and Margery Jordan called the Witch of Eye she had consulted by Sorcery to kill the King was adjudged to perpetual Imprisonment in the Isle of Man and to do Penance openly in three publick places in London For twenty years and have I serv'd in France In the sixth year of Henry the Sixth the Duke of Bedford being deceased then Lieutenant General and Regent of France this Duke of Suffolk was promoted to that Dignity having the Lord Talbot Lord Scales and the Lord Mountacute to assist him Against great Charles and Bastard Orleance This was Charles the Seventh who after the death of Henry the Fifth obtained the Crown of France and recovered again much of that his Father had lost Bastard Orleance was Son to the Duke of Orleance begotten of the Lord Cawnies Wife preferred highly to many notable Offices because be being a most valiant Captain was a continual Enemy to the Englishmen dayly infesting them with divers Incursions And have I seen Vernoyla's batful Fields Vernoyle is that noted place in France where the great Battle was fought in the beginning of Henry the Sixth his Reign where most of the French Chivalrie were overcome by the Duke of Bedford And from Aumerle withdrew my Warlike Powers Aumerle is that strong defenced Town in France which the Duke of Suffolk got after four and twenty great Assaults given unto it And came my self in person first to Tours Th'Embassadours for Truce to entertain From Belgia Denmark Hungary and Spain Tours is a City in France built by Brutus as he came into Brittain where in the one and twentieth year of the Reign of Henry the Sixth was appointed a great Diet to be kept whither came Embassadors of the Empire Spain Hungary and Denmark to intreat for a perpetual Peace to be made between the two Kings of England and France By true descent to wear the Diadem Of Naples Cicil and Jerusalem Rayner Duke of Anjou Father to Queen Margaret called himself King of Naples Cicily and Jerusalem having the Title alone of the King of those Countries A fifteenth Tax in France I freely spent The Duke of Suffolk after the Marriage concluded between King Henry and Margaret Daughter to Rayner asked in open Parliament a whole Fifteenth to fetch her into England Seen thee for England but imbarqu'd at Deep Deep is a Town in France bordering upon the Sea where the Duke of Suffolk with Queen Margaret took Ship for England As when arriv'd at Porchesters fair Rhoad Porchester a Haven Town in the South-West part of England where the King tarried expecting the Queens arrival whom from thence be conveyed to Southampton Queen MARGARET TO WILLIAM DE-LA-POOLE Duke of SUFFOLK WHat news sweet Pool look'st
Harford and the faithfull assurance of his Victory Oh why did Charles relieve his needy state A Vagabond c. Charles the French King her Father received the Duke of Harford and relieved him in France being so nearly allied 〈◊〉 Cousin German to King Richard his Son in Law which he did simply little thinking that he should after return to England and dispossess King Richard of the Crown When thou to Ireland took'st thy last Farewell King Richard made a Voyage with his Army into Ireland against Onell and Mackmur who rebelled at what time Henry entred here at home and robbed him of all Kingly Dignity Affirm'd by Church-men which should bear no Hate That John of Gaunt was illegitimate William Wickham in the great Quarrel betwixt John of Gaunt and the Clergy of meer Spight and Malice as it should seem reported That the Queen confessed to him on her Death-Bed being then her Confessor That John of Gaunt was the Son of a Flemming and that she was brought to Bed of a Woman-Child at Gaunt which was smothered in the Cradle by mischance and that she obtained this Child of a poor Woman making the King believe it was her own greatly fearing his displeasure Fox ex Chron. Alban No Bastards Mark doth blot his conq'ring Shield Shewing the true and indubitate Birth of Richard his Right unto the Crown of England as carrying the Arms without Blot or Difference Against their Faith unto the Crowns true Heir Their valiant Kinsman c. Edmund Mortimer Earl of March son of Earl Roger Mortimer which was Son to Lady Philip Daughter to Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son to King Edward the â—hird which Edmund King Richard going into Ireland was proclaimed Heir apparent to the Crown whose Aunt called Elinor this Lord Piercy had married Oh would Aumerl had sunk when he betray'd The Plot which once that Noble Abbot laid The Abbot of Westminster had plotted the Death of King Henry to have been done at a Tilt at Oxford Of which Confederacy there was John Holland Duke of Excester Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey the Duke of Aumerl Montacute Earl of Salisbury Spencer Earl of Gloucester the Bishop of Carlile Sir Thomas Blunt these all had bound themselves one to another by Indenture to perform it but were all betrayed by the Duke of Aumerl Scroop Green and Bushy dye his Fault in grain Henry going towards the Castle of Flint where King Richard was caused Scroop Green and Bushy to be executed at Bristow as vile Persons which had seduced the King to this lascivious and wicked life Damn'd be the Oath he made at Doncaster After Henries exile at his return into England he took his Oath at Doncaster upon the Sacrament not to claim the Croâ—… or Kingdom of England but only the Dukedome of Lancaster his own proper Right and the Right of his Wife And mourn for Henry Hotspur her dear Son As I for my c. This was the brave couragious Henry Hotspur that obtained so many Victories against the Scots which after falling 〈◊〉 right with the Curse of Queen Isabel was slain by Henry the Battel at Shrewsbury FINIS RICHARD the Second TO Queen ISABEL WHat can my Queen but hope for from this Hand That it should write which never could command A Kingdoms Greatness think how he should sway That wholesome Counsel never could obey Ill this rude Hand did guide a Scepter then Worse now I fear me it will rule a Pen. How shall I call my self or by what Name To make thee know from whence these Letters came Not from thy Husband for my hateful Life Makes thee a Widdow being yet a Wife Nor from a King that Title I have lost Now of that Name proud Bullenbrook may boast What I have been doth but this comfort bring No words so wofull as I was a King This lawless Life which first procur'd my Hate * This Tongue which then renounc'd my Regal State This abject Soul of mine consenting to it This Hand that was the Instrument to doe it All these be witness that I now deny All Princely Types all Kingly Soveraignty Didst thou for my sake leave thy Fathers Court Thy famous Country and thy Princely Port And undertook'st to travel dang'rous Ways Driven by aukward Winds and boyst'rous Seas * And left'st great Burbon for thy love to me Who su'd in Marriage to be link'd to thee Offering for Dower the Countries neighb'ring nigh Of fruitfull Almaine and rich Burgundie Didst thou all this that England should receive thee To miserable Banishment to leave thee And in my Down-fall and my Fortunes wrack Thus to thy Country to convey thee back When quiet Sleep the heavey Hearts Relief Hath rested Sorrow somewhat less'ned Grief My passed Greatness into mind I call And think this while I dreamed of my Fall With this Conceit my Sorrows I beguile That my fair Queen is but with drawn a while And my Attendants in some Chamber by As in the height of my Prosperity Calling a loud and asking who is there The Eccho answ'ring tels me Woe is there And when mine Arms would gladly thee enfold I clip the Pillow and the place is cold Which when my waking Eyes precisely view 'T is a true token that it is too true As many Minutes as in the Hours there be So many Hours each Minute seems to me Each Hour a Day Morn Noon-tide and a Set Each Day a Year with Miseries compleat A Winter Spring-time Summer and a Fall All Seasons varying but unseasoned all In endless Woe my thred of Life thus wears In Minutes Hours Days by Months to lingring Years They praise the Summer that enjoy the South Pomfret is closed in the Norths cold Mouth There pleasant Summer dwelleth all the Year Frost-starved-Winter doth inhabit here A place wherein Despair may fitly dwell Sorrow best suiting with a cloudy Cell * When Harford had his Judgement of Exile Saw I the People's murmuring the while Th' uncertain Commons touch'd with inward Care As though his Sorrows mutually they bare Fond Women and scarce-speaking Children mourn Bewayle his parting wishing his return * That I was forc'd t'abridg his banish'd Years When they be dew'd his Foot-steps with their Tears Yet by example could not learn to know To what his Greatness by their Love might grow * But Henry boasts of our Atchievements don Bearing the Trophies our great Fathers won And all the story of our famous War Must grace the Annals of Great Lancaster * Seven goodly Siens in their Spring did flourish Which one self-Root brought forth one Stock did nourish * Edward the top-Branch of that golden Tree Nature in him her utmost power did see Who from the Bud still blossomed so fair As all might judge what Fruit it meant to bare But I his Graft of ev'ry Weed o'er-grown And from our kind as Refuse forth am thrown * We from our Grandsire stood in one Degree But after Edward John the young'st of three Might Princely Wales beget a
Son so base That to Gaunt's Issue should give Soveraign place * He that from France brought John his Prisoner home As those great Caesars did their Spoyls to Rome * Whose Name obtained by his fatal Hand Was ever fearfull to that conquer'd Land His Fame encreasing purchas'd in those Wars Can scarcely now be bounded with the Stars With him is Valour from the base World fled Or here in me is it extinguished Who for his Vertue and his Conquests sake Posterity a Demy-god shall make And judge this vile and abject Spirit of mine Could not proceed from temper so divine What Earthly Humour or what vulgar Eye Can look so low as on our Misery When Bullenbrook is mounted to our Throne And makes that his which we but call'd our own Into our Counsels he himself intrudes And who but Henry with the Multitudes His Power desgrades his dreadfull Frown disgraceth He throws them down whom our Advancement placeth As my disable and unworthy Hand Never had Power belonging to Command He treads our sacred Tables in the dust * And proves our Acts of Parliment unjust As though he hated that it should be said That such a Law by Richard once was made Whilst I deprest before his Greatness lye Under the weight of Hate and Infamy My Back a Foot-stool Bullenbrook to raise My Looseness mock'd and hatefull by his praise Out-live mine Honour bury my Estate And leave my self nought but my Peoples Hate Sweet Queen I le take all Counsel thou canst give So that thou bidst me neither hope nor live Succour that comes when Ill hath done his worst But sharpens Grief to make us more accurst Comfort is now unpleasing to mine Eare Past cure past care my Bed become my Bier Since now Misfortune humbleth us so long Till Heaven be grown unmindfull of our Wrong Yet it forbid my Wrongs should ever dye But still remembred to Posterity And let the Crown be fatal that he wears And ever wet with wofull Mothers Tears Thy Curse on Percy angry Heavens prevent Who have not one Curse left on him unspent To scourge the World now borrowing of my store As rich of Woe as I a King am poor Then cease dear Queen my Sorrows to bewaile My Wound 's too great for Pity now to heale Age stealeth on whilst thou complainest thus My Grief be mortal and infectious Yet better Fortunes thy fair Youth may try That follow thee which still from me doth fly ANNOTATIONS on the Chronicle History This Tongue which then denounc'd my Regal State RIchard the Second at the Resignation of the Crown to the Duke of Harford in the Tower of London delivering the same with his own hand there confessed his disability to govern vtterly denouncing all Kingly Authority And left'st great Burbon for thy love to me Before the Princess Isabel was married to the King Lewes Duke of Burbon sued to have had her in Marriage which was thought he had obtained if this Motion had not fallen out in the mean time This Duke of Burbon sued again to have received her at her coming into France after the imprisonment of King Richard but King Charles her Father then crossed him as before and gave her to Charles son to the Duke of Orleans When Harford had his Judgement of Exile When the Combate should have been at Coventry betwixt Henry Duke of Harford and Thomas Duke of Norfolk where Harford was adjudged to Banishment for ten years the Commons exceedingly lamented so greatly was be ever favoured of the People Then being forc'd t' abridge his banish'd years When the Duke came to take his leave of the King being then at Eltham the King to please the Commons rather then for any love he bare to Harford repealed four years of his Banishment But Henry boasts of our Atchievements done Henry the eldest son of John Duke of Lancaster at the first Earle of Darby then created Duke of Harford after the death of Duke John his father was Duke of Lancaster and Hartford Earl of Darby Liecester and Lincoln and after he had obtained the Crown was called by the name of Bullenbrook which is a Town in Lincolnshire as vsually all the Kings of England bare the name of the place where they were born Seven goodly Siens in their Spring did flourish Edward the third had seven sons Edward Prince of Wales after called the Black-Prince William of Hatfield the second Lionel Duke of Clarence the third John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth Edmund of Langley Duke of York the fifth Thomas of Woodstock Dukes of Glocester the sixt William of Windsor the seventh Edward the top-branch of that golden Tree As disabling Henry Bullenbrook being but Son of the fourth Brother William and Lionel being both before John of Gaunt He that from France brought John his Prisoner home Edward the Black-Prince taking John King of France Prisoner at the Battel of Poictiers brought him into England where at the Savoy he died Whose Name atchieved by his fatal hand Called the Black-Prince not so much of his Complexion as of the famous Battels he fought as is shewed before in the Gloss upon the Epistle of Edward to the Countess of Salisbury And proves our Acts of Parliament unjust In the next Parliament after Richard's Resignation of the Crown Henry caused to be annihilated all the Laws made in the Parliament called the Wicked Parliament held in the twentieth year of King Richards Reign FINIS Queen KATHERINE TO OWEN TUDOR The ARGUMENT After the Death of Henry the fifth Queen Katherine Dowager of England and France Daughter to Charles the French King holding her Estate with Henry her Son then Sixth of that name falleth in Love with Owen Tudor a Welchman a brave and gallant Gentleman of the Wardrobe to the young King her Son yet fearing if her Love should be discov'red the Nobility would cross her purposed Marriage or if her Princely promise should not assure his good success the high and great Attempt might perhaps daunt the forwardness of this modest and shamefull Youth She therefore writes to him this following Epistle JUdge not a Princes worth impeach'd hereby That Love thus triumphs over Majesty Nor think less Vertue in this Royal Hand That it intreats and wonted to command For in this sort tho' humbly now it woo The day hath been thou would'st have kneel'd unto Nor think that this submission of my State Proceeds from Frailty rather judge it Fate Alcides ne'r more fit for Wars stern Shock Then when with Women spinning at the Rock Never less Clouds did Phoebus glory dim Then in a Clowns shape when he covered him Joves great Command was never more obey'd Then when a Satyrs Antick parts he play'd He was thy King who su'd for love to me And she his Queen who sues for love to thee When Henry was my love was only his But by his death it Owen Tudors is My love to Owen him my Henry giveth My love to Henry in my Owen liveth Henry
woo'd me whilst Wars did yet increase I woo my Tudor in sweet calms of Peace To force Affection he did Conquest prove I come with gentle Arguments of Love * Incamp'd at Melans in Wars hot Alarms First saw I Henry clad in Princely Arms At pleasant Windsor First these Eyes of mine My Tudor judg'd for wit and shape divine Henry abroad with Puissance and with Force Tudor at home with Courtship and Discourse He then thou now I hardly can judge whether Did like me best Plantaginet or Tether A March a Measure Battel or a Dance A Courtly Rapier or a conqu'ring Launce His Princely Bed hath strength'ned my Renown * And on my Temples set a double Crown Which glorious Wreath as Henrys lawfull Heir Henry the sixth upon his Brow doth bear * At Troy in Champain he did first enjoy My Bridal Rites to England brought from Troy In England now that Honour thou shalt have Which once in Champain famous Henry gave I seek not Wealth three Kingdoms in my Power If these suffice not where shall be my Dower Sad Discontent may ever follow her Which doth base Pelf before true Love prefer If Titles still could our Affections tye What is so great but Majesty might buy As I seek thee so Kings doe me desire To what they would thou eas'ly may'st aspire That sacred Fire once warm'd my Heart before The Fuell fit the Flame is now the more And means to quench it I in vain doe prove We may hide Treasure but not hide our Love And since it is thy Fortune thus to gain it It were too late nor will I now restrain it * Nor these great Titles vainly will I bring Wife Daughter Mother Sister to a King Of Grandfire Father Husband Son and Brother More thou alone to me then all these other * Nor fear my Tudor that this love of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-born great Lancastrian Line * Or make the English Blood the Sun and Moon Repine at Lorain Burdon Alanson Nor doe I think there is such different ods They should alone be numbred with the Gods Of Cadmus Earthly Issue reck'ning us And they from Jove Mars Neptune Eolus Of great Latonas O'ff-spring onely they And wee the Brats of wofull Niobe Our famous Grandsires as their own bestrid That Horse of Fame that God-begotten Steed Whose bounding Hoof plow'd that Boetian Spring Where those sweet Maids of Memory doe sing I claim not all from Henry but as well To be the Child of Charles and Isabel Nor can I think from whence their Grief should grow That by this Match they be disparag'd so * When John and Longshanks Issue were affy'd And to the Kings of Wales in Wedlock ty'd Shewing the greatness of your Blood thereby Your Race and Royal Consanguinity And Wales as well as haughty England boasts * Of Camilot and all her Pentecosts To have precedence in Pendragons Race At Arthur's Table challenging the Place If by the often Conquest of your Land They boast the Spoiles of their victorious Hand If these our ancient Chronicles be true They altogether are not free from you * When bloody Rufus sought your Towns to sack Twice entring Wales yet twice was beaten back When famous Cambria wash'd her in the Flood Made by th' effusion of the English Blood * And oft return'd with glorious Victory From Worcester Her'ford Chester Shrewsbury Whose Power in ev'ry Conquest so prevails As once expuls'd the English out of Wales Although my Beauty made my Countries Peace And at my Bridal former Broils did cease More then his Power had not his Person been I had not come to England as a Queen Nor took I Henry to supply my want Because in France that time my choice was scant When it had robb'd all Christendom of Men And Englands Flower remain'd amongst us then Gluoster whose Counsels Nestor-like assist Couragious Bedford that great Martiallist Clarence for Vertue honour'd of his Foes And York whose Fame yet daily greater grows Warwick the pride of Nevil's haughty Race Great Salisbury so fear'd in ev'ry place That valiant Pool whom no Atchievement dar's And Vere so famous in the Irish Wars Who though my self so great a Princess born The best of these my equal need not scorn But Henry's rare Perfections and his parts As conqu'ring Kingdoms so he conquer'd Hearts As chaste was I to him as Queen might be But freed from him my chaste love vow'd to thee Beauty doth fetch all Favour from thy Face All perfect Court-ship resteth in thy Grace If thou discourse my Lips such Accents break As Love a Spirit forth of thee seem'd to speak The Brittish Language which our Vowels wants And jarrs so much upon harsh Consonants Comes with such grace from thy mellifluous Tongue As the sweet Notes doe of a well-set Song And runs as smoothly from those Lips of thine As the pure Tuskan from the Florentine Leaving such seas'ned sweetness in the Ear That the Voyce past the sound abides still there In Nisus Tower as when Apollo lay And on his golden Viol us'd to play Where senceless Stones were with such Musick drown'd As many years they did retain the Sound Let not the Beams that Greatness doth reflect Amaze thy Hopes with timerous respect Assure thee Tudor Majesty can be As kind in love as can the mean'st degree And the embraces of a Queen as true As theirs which think them much advanc'd by you When in our Greatness our Affections crave Those secret Joyes that other Women have So I a Queen be soveraign in my choice Let others fawn upon the publick voice Or what by this can ever hap to thee Light in respect to be belov'd of me Let pevish Wordlings prate of Right and Wrong Leave Plaints and Pleas to whom they doe belong Let old Men speak of Chances and Events And Laywers talk of Titles and Descents Leave fond Reports to such as Stories tell And Covenants to those that buy and sell Love my sweet Tudor that becomes thee best And to our good success refer the rest ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History Incamp'd at Melans in Wars hot Alarms First c. NEar unto Melans upon the River of Seyne was the appointed place of Parley between the two Kings of England and France to which place Isabel the Queen of France and the Duke of Rurgoyne brought the young Princess Katherine where King Henry first saw her And on my Temples set a double Crown Henry the fifth and Queen Katherine were taken as King Queen of France and during the life of Charles the French King Henry was called King of England and Heir of France and after the death of Henry the fift Henry the fixth his son then being very young was crown'd at Paris as true and lawfull King of England and France At Troy in Champaine he did first enjoy Troy in Champaine was the place where that victorious King Henry the fift married the Princess Katherine in the presence of the chief Nobility of the Realms of
conquer'd France Yet if my Fortunes be thus rais'd by thee This may presage a further good to me And our Saint David in the Britains Right May joyn with George the Sainted English Knight * And old Caermarden Merlin's famous Town Not scorn'd by London though of such renown Ah would to God that Hour my Hopes attend Were with my Wish brought to desired end Blame me not Madam though I thus desire Many there be that after you enquire Till now your Beauty in Nights Bosome slept What Eye durst stir where awfull Henry kept Who durst attempt to sail but near the Bay Where that all-conqu'ring great Alcides lay Your Beauty now is set a Royal Prize And Kings repair to cheapen Merchandize If you but walk to take the breathing Ayre Orithia makes me that I Boreas fear If to the Fire Jove once in Lightning came And fair Egina makes me fear the flame If in the Sun then sad Suspicion dreams Phoebus should spread Lucothoe in his Beams If in a Fountain you do cool your Blood Neptune I fear which once came in a Floud If with your Maids I dread Apollo's Rape Who cous'ned Chion in an old Wives shape If you do banquet Bacchus makes me dread Who in a Grape Erigone did feed And if my self your Chamber-door should keep Yet fear I Hermes coming in a Sleep Pardon sweet Queen if I offend in this In these Delays Love most impatient is And Youth wants pow'r his hot Spleen to suppress When Hope already banquets in Excess Though Henry's Fame in me you shall not find Yet that which better shall content your mind But onely in the Title of a King VVas his advantage in no other thing If in his love more pleasure you did take Never let Queen trust Britain for my sake Yet judge me not from Modesty exempt That I another Phaetons Charge attempt My Mind that thus your Favours dare aspire Shews that 't is touch't with a celestial fire If I 'm in fault the more is Beauties blame VVhen she her self is author of the same All Men to some one quality incline Onely to Love is naturally mine Thou art by Beauty famous as by Birth Ordain'd by Heav'n to cheer the drooping Earth Add faithfull Love unto your greater State And be alike in all things fortunate A King might promise more I not deny But yet by Heav'n he lov'd not more then I. And thus I leave till time my Faith approve I cease to write but never cease to love ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History And that the Helm the Tudors antient Crest THE Arms of Tudor was three Helmets whereof he speaketh as a thing prophetically foretold of Merlin When in thy presence I was call'd to dance Owen Tudor being a courtly and active Gentleman commanded once to dance before the Queen in a Turn not being able to recover himself fell into her Lap as she sat upon a little Stool with many of her Ladies about her And yet with them in Wales that famous be Our learned Bards c. This Berdh as they call it in the Brittish Tongue or as we more properly say Bard or Bardus be their Poets which keep the Records of Pedigrees and Descents and sung in Odes and Measures to their Harps after the old manner of the Lyrick Poets And boast my Blood from great Cadwallader Cadwallader the last King of the Britains descended of the Noble and ancient Race of the Trojans to whom an Angel appeared commanding him to goe to Rome to Pope Sergius where he ended his Life From old Caer-Septon in Mount Palador Caer-Septon now called Shaftsbury at whose Building it was said an Eagle prophesied or rather one named Aquila of the fame of that Place and of the recovery of the Isle by the Britains bringing back with them the Bones of Cadwallader from Rome And from Encons Line the South-Wales King From Theodor c. This Encon was slain by the Rebels of Gwentland he was a notable and worthy Gentleman who in his life did many noble Acts and was Father to Theodor or Tudor Maur of whom descended the Princes of South-Wales From her great Grandam fair Gwenellian Gwenellian the daughter of Rees ap Grisseth ap Theodor Prince of South-Wales married Ednivet Vaughan Ancestor to Owen Tudor By true descent from Leolin the Great This is the Lowhelin called Leolinus Magnus Prince of North-Wales Nor that word Croggen Nick-name of disgrace In the Voyage that Henry the Second made against the Welshmen as his Souldiers passed Offas Ditch at Croggen Castle they were overthrown by the Welshmen which word Croggen hath since been used to the Welshmen's Disgrace which was at first begun with their Honour And kept our Native Language now thus long The Welshmen be those ancient Britains which when the Picts Danes and Saxons invaded here were first driven into those parts where they have kept their Language ever since the first without commixtion with any other And old Caer-Marden Merlins famous Town Caer-Marden or Merlin's Town so called of Merlin's being found there This was Ambrose Merlins whose Prophesies we have There was another of that Name called Merlin Sylvestris born in Scotland sirnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophesied FINIS ELINOR COBHAM TO Duke HVMPHREY The ARGUMENT Elinor Daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough and Wife to Humphrey Plantaginet Duke of Gloucester the Son of Henry the fourth King of England sirnamed Bullingbrook This noble Duke for his great wisdom and justice called the good was by King Henry the fifth Brother to the Duke at his Death appointed Protector of the Land during the nonage of Henry the sixth this Elinor Dutchess of Gloucester a Proud and Ambitious Woman knowing that if young Henry died without issue the Duke her Husband was the nearest of the blood Conspired with one Bullingbrook a Great Magitian Hun a Priest and Jourdan Witch of Eye by sorcery to make away the King and by conjuration to know who should succeed Of this being justly convicted she was adjudged to do pennance three several times openly in London and then to perpetual banishment to the Isle of Man from whence she writes this Epistle MEthinks not knowing who these Lines should send Thou straight turn'st over to the latter end Where thou my Name no sooner hast espy'd But in disdain my Letter casts aside Why if thou wilt I will my self deny Nay I 'll affirm and swear I am not I Or if in that thy shame thou do'st perceive For thy dear sake loe I my Name will leave And yet methinks amaz'd thou shouldst not stand Nor seem so much appalled at my Hand For my Misfortunes have inur'd thine Eye Long before this to Sights of Misery No no read on 't is I the very same All thou canst read is but to read my shame Be not dismay'd nor let my Name affright The worst it can is but t' offend thy sight It cannot wound nor doe thee deadly harm It is no dreadfull Spell
to Modesty though they offending therein were buried quick A sharp Law for them who may say as Shores Wife does When though abroad restraining us to rome They very hardly keep us safe at home FINIS Mary the French Queen TO Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk The ARGUMENT Mary the Daughter of that Renowned Prince King Henry the Seventh being very young at her Fathers death was after by her Brother King Henry the Eight given in marriage to Lewis King of France being a man old and decrepit This fair and beautiful Lady long before had placed her Affections on Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk a brave and couragious young Gentleman and an especial Favorite of the King her Brother and a Man raised by him King Lewis the Husband of the beautiful Queen died not long after he was married and Charles Brandon having Commission from the King to bring her back to England but being delayed by some sinister means the French Queen writeth this Epistle to hasten the Duke forward on his intended voyage to France SUch health from Heav'n my self may wish to me Such health from France Queen Mary sends to thee Brandon how long mak'st thou excuse to stay And know'st how ill we Women brook delay If one poor Channel thus can part us two Tell me unkind what would an Ocean do Leander had an Hellespont to swim Yet this from Hero could not hinder him His Bark poor Soul his Breast his Arms his Oares But thou a Ship to land thee on our Shores And opposite to famous Kent doth lie The pleasant Fields of flowry Picardy Where our fair Callice walled in her Sands In kenning of the Cliffy Dover stands Here is no Bedlam Nurse to pout nor lour When wantoning we revel in my Towre Nor need I top my Turret with a Light To guide thee to me as thou swim'st by Night Compar'd with me wert thou but half so kind Thy Sighs should stuff thy Sails though wanting Wind But ah thy Breast's becalm'd thy Sighs be slack And mine too stiff and blow thy broad Sayls back Perhaps thou'lt say that I should blame the Flood Because the Wind so full against thee stood Nay blame it not that it did roughly blow For it did chide thee that thou wast so slow Think not it came to keep thee in the Bay T' was sent from me to bid thee come away But that thou vainly let'st occasion slide Thou might'st have wasted hither with the Tide If when thou com'st I knit mine angry Brow Blame me not Brandon thou hast broke thy Vow Yet if I meant to frown I might be dumb For this may make thee stand in doubt to come Nay come sweet Charles have care thy Ship to guide Come my sweet Heart in Faith I will not chide When as my Brother and his lovely Queen In sad Attire for my depart were seen * The utmost date expired of my stay * When I from Dover did depart away Thou know'st what Woe I suff'red for thy sake How oft I fain'd of thee my leave to take God and thou know'st with what an heavy heart I took my farwel when I should depart And being ship'd gave signal with my Hand Up to the Cliff where I did see thee stand Nor could refrain in all the peoples view But cry'd to thee Sweet Charles adieu adieu Look how a little Infant that hath lost The thing wherewith it was delighted most Weary with seeking to some corner creeps And there poor Soul it sits it down and weeps And when the Nurse would fain content the mind Yet still it mourns for that it cannot find Thus in my careful Cabbin did I lye When as the Ship out of the Road did flie * Think'st thou my Love was faithful then to thee When young Castle to England su'd for me Be judge thy self if it were not of power When I refus'd an Empire for my Dower To Englands Court when once report did bring How thou in France didst revel with the King * When he in triumph of his victory * Under a rich imbroid'red Canopy * Entred proud Tournay which did trembling stand To beg for mercy at his conqu'ring hand To hear of his endearments how I joy'd But see this calm was suddenly destroy'd * When Charles of Castile there to banquet came * With him his Sister that ambitious Dame * Savoy's proud Dutches knowing how long she * All means had try'd to win my love from me Fearing my absence might thy vows acquite To change thy Mary for a Margarite * When in King Henries Tent of Cloth of Gold She often did thee in her Arms enfold Where you were feasted more deliciously Than Cleopatra did Mark Anthony Where sports all day did intertain your sight And then in Masks you pass'd away the night But thou wilt say 't is proper unto us That we by nature all are jealous I must confess 't is oft found in our Sex But who not love not any thing suspects True love doth look with pale suspitious eye Take away love if you take jealousie Turwin and Turney when King Henry took For this great change who then did ever look * When Maximilian to those wars addrest * Wore Englands Cross on his Imperial breast * And in our Army let his Eagle flie * That view'd our Ensigns with a wond'ring Eye Little thought I when Bullen first was won Wedlock should end what angry War begun From which I vow I yet am free in thought * But this alone by Wolseies wit was wrought To his advice the King gave free consent That will I nill I I must be content My Virgins right thy state could not advance But now enriched with the Dower of France Then but poor Suffolk's Dutchess had I been Now the great Dowager the most Christian Queen But I perceive where all thy grief doth lie Lewis of France had my Virginity He had indeed but shall I tell thee what Believe me Brandon he had scarcely that Good feeble King he could not do much harm But Age must needs have something that is warm Small drops God knows do quench that heatless fire When all the strength is only in desire And I could tell if Modesty might tell There 's somewhat else that pleaseth Lovers well To rest his Cheek upon my softer Cheek Was all he had and more he did not seek So might the little Baby clip the Nurse And it content she never a whit the worse Then think this Brandon if that make thee frown He on my Head for Maydenhead set a Crown Who would not change a Kingdom for a Kiss Hard were the Heart that would not yield him this And time yet half so swiftly doth not pass Nor yet full five Months elder then I was When thou to France conducted wast by Fame With many Knights which from all Countries came To see me at Saint Dennis on my Throne Where Lewes held my Coronation * Where the proud Dolphin for thy valour sake * Chose thee at Tilt
forreign King * But unto fair Elizabeth shall leave it Which broken hurt and wounded shall receive it And on her Temple having plac'd the Crown Root out the Dregs Idolatry hath sown And Sion's Glory shall again restore Laid ruine wast and desolate before And from Cinders and rude heap of Stones Shall gather up the Martyrs sacred Bones And shall extirp the power of Rome again And cast aside the heavy yoke of Spain Farewell sweet Gilford know our end is near Heaven is our home we are but Strangers here Let us make haste to go unto the blest Which from these weary worldly labours rest And with these lines my dearest Lord I greet thee Until in Heaven thy Jane again shall meet thee ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History They which begot us did beget this sin SHewing the ambition of the two Dukes their Fathers whose pride was the cause of the utter overthrow of their Children At Durham Pallace where sweet Hymen sang The buildings c. The Lord Gilford Dudley fourth Son to John Dudley Duke of Northumberland married the Lady Jane Gray Daughter to the Duke of Suffolk at Durham house in the Strand When first mine ears were pierced with the same Of Jane proclaimed by a Princess name Presently upon the death of King Edward the Lady Jane was taken as Queen conveyed by Water to the Tower of London for her safety and after proclaimed in divers places of the Realm as so ordained by King Edward's Letters-Patents and his Will My Grandsire Brandon did our House advance By Princely Mary Dowager of France Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk married Frances the eldest Daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk by the French Queen by which Frances he had this Lady Jane This Mary the French Queen was Daughter to King Henry the Seventh by Elizabeth his Queen which happy Marriage conjoyned the Noble Families of Lancaster and York For what great Henry most strove to avoid Noting the distrust that King Henry the Eighth ever had in the Princess Mary his Daughter fearing she should alter the state of the Religion in the Land by matching with a Stranger confessing the right that King Henry's Issue had to the Crown * But unto fair Elizabeth shall leave it A Prophesie of Queen Mary's Barrenness and of the happy and glorious Reign of Queen Elizabeth her restoring of Religion the abolishing of the Romish Servitude and casting aside the Yoke of Spain The Lord Gilford Dudley TO The Lady JANE GRAY AS the Swan singing at his dying hour So I reply from my imprisoning Tow'r Oh could there be that pow'r in my Verse T' express the grief which my sad Heart doth pierce The very Walls that straitly thee inclose Would surely weep at reading of my Woes Let your Eyes lend I l'e pay you ev'ry tear And give you interest if you do forbear Drop for a drop and if you 'll needs have lone I will repay you frankly two for one Perhaps you 'll think your sorrows to appease That words of Comfort fitter were than these True and in you when such perfection liveth As in most grief me now most comfort giveth But think not Jane that cowardly I faint To beg man's mercy by my sad complaint That Death so much my Courage can controle At the departing of my living Soul For if one life a thousand lives could be All those too few to consummate with thee When thou this cross so patiently dost bear As if thou wert incapable of fear And do'st no more this dissolution fly Than if long Age constrained thee to dye Yet it is strange thou art become my Foe And only now add most unto my Woe Not that I loath what most did me delight But that so long depriv'd I'm of thy sight For when I speak complaining of my wrong Straightways thy name possesseth all my Tongue As thou before me evermore did'st lie The present Object to my longing Eye No ominous Star did at thy Birth-tide shine That might of thy sad destiny divine 'T is only I that did thy fall perswade And thou by me a Sacrifice art made As in those Countries where the loving Wives With their kind Husbands end their happy lives And crown'd with Garlands in their Brides Attire Burn with his body in the fun'ral fire And she the worthiest reck'ned is of all Whom least the peril seemeth to appall I boast not of Northumberland's great name * Nor of Ket conquer'd adding to our fame When he to Norfolk with his Armies sped And thence in chains the Rebels Captive led And brought safe peace returning to our dores Yet spread his glory on the Eastern Shores * Nor of my Brothers from whose natural grace Vertue may spring to beautifie our Race * Nor of Gray's match my Children born by thee Of the great bloud undoubtedly to be But of thy Virtue only do I boast That wherein I may justly glory most I crav'd no Kingdoms though I thee did crave It me suffic'd thy only self to have Yet let me say however it befell Methinks a Crown should have become thee well For sure thy Wisdom merited or none * To have been heard with wonder from a Throne When from thy Lips the Counsel to each deed Doth as from some wise Oracle proceed And more esteem'd thy Vertues were to me Than all that else might ever come by thee So chast thy love so innocent thy life As being a Virgin when thou wast a Wife So great a gift the Heav'n on me bestow'd As giving that it nothing could have ow'd Such was the good I did possess of late Er'e worldly care disturb'd our quiet state Er'e trouble did in ev'ry place abound And angry War our former Peace did wound But to know this Ambition us affords One Crown is guarded with a thousand swords To mean Estates mean sorrows are but show'n But Crowns have cares whose workings be unknown * When Dudley led his Armies to the East Of our whole Forces gen'rally possest What then was thought his enterprise could let * Whom a grave Council freely did abet That had the judgment of the pow'rful Laws In ev'ry point to justifie the cause The holy Church a helping hand that laid Who would have thought that these could not have swaid But what alas can Parliaments avail Where Mary's Right must Edward's Acts repeal * When Suffolk's pow'r doth Suffolk's hopes withstand Northumberland doth leave Northumberland And they that should our greatness undergo Us and our Actions only overthrow Er'e greatness gain'd we give it all our heart But being once come we wish it would depart And indiscreetly follow that so fast Which overtaken punisheth our hast If any one do pity our offence Let him be sure that he be far from hence Here is no place for any one that shall So much as once commiserate our fall And we of mercy vainly should but think Our timeless tears th' insatiate Earth doth drink All Lamentations utterly forlorn Dying before they fully can be born Mothers that should their wofull Children rue Fathers in death so kindly bid adieu Friends their dear farewell lovingly to take The faithfull Servant weeping for our sake Brothers and Sisters waiting on our Bier Mourners to tell what we were living here But we alas deprived are of all So fatal is our miserable fall And where at first for safety we were shut Now in dark prison wofully are put And from the height of our ambitious state Lie to repent our arrogance too late To thy perswasion thus I then rely Hold on thy course resolved still to dy And when we shall so happily begone Leave it to Heav'n to give the rightful Throne And with that Health I thee regreet again Which I of late did gladly entertain ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History Nor of Ket conquer'd adding to our fame JOhn Duke of Northumberland when before he was Earl of Warwick in his expedition against Ket overthrow the Rebels of Norfolk and Suffolk encamped at Mount Surrey in Norfolk Nor of my Brothers from whose natural grace Gilford Dudley as remembring in this place the towardness of his Brothers which were all likely indeed to have raised that House of the Dudleys of which he was a Fourth Brother if not suppressed by their Fathers overthrow Nor of Gray's Match my Children born by thee Noting in this place the Alliance of the Lady Jane Gray by her Mother which was Frances the Daughter of Charles Brandon by Mary the French Queen Daughter to Henry the Seventh and Sister to Henry the Eighth To have been heard with wonder from a Throne Seldom hath it ever been known of any woman endued with such wonderful gifts as was this Lady both for her Wisdom and Learning of whose skill in Tongues one reporteth by this Epigram Miraris Janam Graio sermone valere Quo primum nata est tempore Graia fuit When Dudley led his Army to the East The Duke of Northumberland prepared his power at London for his expedition against the Rebels in Norfolk and making hast away appointed the rest of his forces to meet him at New-Market-Heath of whom this saying is reported that passing through Shoreditch the Lord Gray in his company seeing the people in great numbers came to see him he said The people press to see us but none bid God speed us Whom a grave Council freely did abet John Dudley Duke of Northumberland when he went out against Queen Mary had his Commission sealed for the Generalship of the Army by the consent of the whole Council of the Land insomuch that passing through the Council-Chamber at his departure the Earl of Arundel wished that he might have gone with him in that expedition and spend his bloud in the quarrel When Suffolk's pow'r doth Suffolk's hopes withstand Northumberland doth leave Northumberland The Suffolk men were the first that ever resorted to Queen Mary in her distress repairing to her succors whilst she remained both at Keningal and at Fermingham Castle still increasing her Aids until the Duke of Northumberland was left forsaken at Cambridge FINIS