found me aliue Long was the talke of manie a farlye thoe Long did I looke for that which did not come But all those blasts in sine did ouerbloe I listned long to heere the sound of drumme Yet though I had the great good will of some God would not thâ—ell for one mans sake alone That broyles should cause a million make their mone When birde is limde farewell faire feathers all The fish in net maie bidde the sea adiew When world beholds a man is neere his fall It leaues him there and follows fancies newe When all is saide the olde prouerbe is true Who cannot swimme must sincke there is no boote Who hath no horse of force must goe on foote Thus â—yed to clogge and pende in prison fast My hope decaide my hart did heauie waxe So souldiers came and brought me foorth at last The butcher then began to whâ—t his axe All was on flame the fire was flowne in flaxe There was no choise I must a size abide Prooue foule or cleane and by my Peeres be tried To Edenbrough the captiue man was brought Along the fieldes where flockes of people were The sight of whom did trouble much my thought But when in deede I was ariued there Both streetes and stalles and windows euery where Were stuffed full to giue on me the gaze But that might not my manly mind amaze Yet neither one nor other small nor great Did me salute So turnde the moodes of men That colde deuice nay rather raging heate Could not appall my princely courage then For I did looke as I did nothing ken Yet knew the whole that some in secret bore So passed through the thronge what would ye more A russet cloake a garment rude and bare For such a state make what of mee they would With foule felt hat and robes but base I ware That people might my great disgrace beholde Alas poore lambe thy life was bought and soulde No force of weedes to couer clott of claye Morton was dead full longe before that daie Now Lawyers flockte and swarmde in ilke a place Now Lords repaird and Lardes came daily in Now learned heads did long debate my case Now did in deed my sorrowes all beginne Now was the time that I must lose or winne For I appeard before the iudgement seate And there maintainde my right with reasons great Made good defence to many matters sure Spake boldly still and did but iustice craue My pleading there did foure long houres endure And Lawyers then to me good leasure gaue But to what end did I long pleading haue I was condemnd the world would haue it so A thing there was but that the Lord doth know And I that héere confesse my former gylt A murther than was laide vnto my charge Which I concealde yet saw a Kings bloud spilt A fowle offence for which there is no targe Nor could not claime therefore to goe at large But byed the sence and censure of the lawes For fowle God wot and filthy was my cause The iudgement was a heauy thing to héere But what they did I could not call againe The sentence past too late my selfe to cleere Once iudgd to die condemnd I must remaine As silly shéepe in shopp must needes be slaine Then to the pot or pit our flesh must passe All flesh is dust vaine ashes earth and grasse Then thought I on some friend that absent was And spoke some words but askâ— not what they were So from the bench to prison did I pas And for to die did make me ready there The Preachers came and shed full many a teare To bring my soule in perfect patience than And make me die a faithfull christian man In secrete sort the Preachers there I told Great things of waight that in my conscience lay And so confest what right and reason would But thereon pawsde I would no further say Aske what they pleasde I did but troth bewray Whereat I knockt my troubled trembling brest And so desirde the Preachers let me rest O brethren mine your doctrine likes me well Qd. I good men bestow some praiers now In your beliefe looke that you daily dwell As you beganne so still continue through The bloud of Christ hath washt my blotted brow As white as snow I haue no doubt nor feare Shall be my sinnes that red as scarlet were The Preachers glad to bring my soule to rest Brought Scripture in and did the text vnfold And many a place and sentence they exprest Towardes the death to make my body bolde O my good Lord you may not now behold The pompe quoth they and glory that is past But you must thinke on that which aye shall last Both wealth and friends and worldly wisedome to Are banisht quite and blush to come in place When soule goes hence those things haue nought to doe With man that is then newly borne in grace The light of day hath darkenes still in chase The heauenly thoughts doe hate all earthly things And faith to clowdes doth flie with flittring wings They praide with me and wipt their wéeping eies My heauy sprite stood troubled sore that tide And as the sighes from panâ—ing heart did rise My groaning Ghost O Abba father cride The sobs flew forth the â—eares I could not hide As babe doth wéepe when he beholds the rod So then I feard the wrath of my good God Full soone reformde I was in godly wise Gaue ore the world forgot all earthly thing Heaud vp my hands and heart vnto the skies To God that did this plague vppon me bring And then I sued and sent vnto the King To scape the coard by losse of life and breath For heading was for me more Nobler death He graunted that and sad for my mishap He let me goe where God and man assignd Now euery fault lay open in my lap Each small offence came freshly to my minde The secret sinnes that we in conscience finde A muster made and passed for their pay Before great God that doth all things bewray The wrong I did to simple people plaine Bad heart â—orethinke the fury of mine ire The gréedy thirst of glory rule and gaine Made soule afeard of hote infernall fire My selfe I blamde for fleshly fond desire But falling thus full prostrate on my face From heauens hie I felt a sparke of grace Which warmd my sprites that waxed faint and cold The last conflict that in this life we haue Then comfort came and made weake body bold Care not for death for life mounts vp from graue Qd. knowledge then when Christ the soule shall saue With that I flong behinde all fearefull dread So cald for booke and many a Psalme did reade In lesse then halfe the time that I haue spoke Me thought I talkt with God whose face did shine Who from a cloude discende as thinne as smoke And entred in my breast by power diuine O mortall man said he come thou art mine Be strong and stout to fight the battell throw
For my right hand is here to helpe thée now Blush not to sée the raging worlds despite The bloudy are nor scaffolde full of bils My mercy seat shall be thy chiefe delihte And though on earth thine enimies haue their wils I am the God that stormes and tempests stils In quiet calme passe gently thou away And suffer much yet doe but little say Death is the end of all that beareth life Not one shall scape this world is but a dreame The seeds of sinne brings forth but flowres of strife In painted robes lies many a rotten seame It is but griefe to guide and rule a Realme Great charge and care a great accompt must make And when I frown the whole round world I shake I cause one wight to take anothers place To chop off heads to kill to hang and draw And when I take from rulers new my grace His head againe shall yeeld to sword and law Men blowes the cole but I put fire in straw And where doth fall the flame of my great â—e All things consumes to cinders in that fire Come Murton come and play thy pageant well Thou goest before perhaps a yeare or twaine But after thee shall passe to heauen or hell A number more that mercy now remaine World hath no stay I tell â—hee all is vaine Both raigne and rule and regall power most hie When bastards dreame in durt and dust shall lie My God thus sayd with that my sprites reuiude My wits were armde my sence redoubled than And with my flesh the holy Ghost he striude By Angels force but not by might of man A marulous stirre in stomacke then beganne For to subdue the â—arrein corps of care And burthend breast that sinfull body bare Now hope in hast made heauy heart full light The feare was fled that comes by course of law Gods promise wrought through mercy grace and might A noble worke in me cleare conscience saw A fig for death his force not worth a straw Qd. I a rush for worlds reproach and shame For written is in booke of life my name The Preachers then began to wéepe for ioy Your firme beliefe my Lord shall make you frée Qd they and sure your soule is from annoy Both in this world and where swéete Angels be And where right soone you shall Gods glory see Not with bare view but with immortall eies As body shall at latter day arise Then knéeld I downe and to the cloudes I looke The thought and care the while of world was past And I in God such ioy and pleasure tooke That at my héeles all earthly pompe I cast By this the houre of death approached fast The Gard gaue sign with halbards bright in hand I must prepare on Skaffold streight to stand The stréetes were full of souldiers armed well With shot and match and all belongs for warre I saw in house I could no lonâ—er dwell For people said the day was spent full farre Then ope the doore qd I draw backe the barre I will goe hence to better home I trust Here is no hope I see that die I must To comfort sence and strengthen vitall sprete I tasted foed and dranke a draught of wine And pawsde a while as I thought fit and méete But sure no dread of death within mine eine Was seene for God by speciall grace deuine Held vp my heart and head as high to shoe As when from home I did a walking goe Milde words I gaue when bitter spéech I hard So passed through them all with manly chéere And did no more this world nor earth regard Then though in deede I neuer had beene here But when in sight the Skaffold did appeare My minde was bent to fight the battle out And conquere death and banish feare and dout So stept I vp on Skaffold lightly than Where sundry came to aske me many a thing I lookte to God and made small count of man Saue that alowd I saide God blesse the King God giue him grace in peace the state to bring And shunne the harmes and dangers ore his head To finde on earth long life when I am dead Had I serud God aswell in euery sort As I did serue my king and maister still My scope had not this season beene so short Nor world haue â—ad the power to doe me ill But loe I liude against my makers will That feeles my flesh that feeles my soule alas That fault I feare where now my soule shall passe That that good Lord forgiue whilst breath I haue It is the sinne that to this world I brought It buried shall be with my flesh in graue It is a sore and sickenesse of the thought It is most vaine a wretched thing of nought A wicked wound that death doth heale alone Dwels last in flesh and first was bred in bone Pray you for me that sets your sinnes by mine And such as doe professe the faith I hold Marke who I am that here by power diuine Am forst this daie my conscience to vnfolde Looke neerely both to your owne Faults vntolde And pray as well for me with humble minde As for your selues that here I leaue behinde My matter stands before the iudge of all Men haue condemnd my body to the tort When that great iudge will for a reckning call Both you and I shut vp in sentence short Shall soone be known who gaines the best report There accuse ne small nor great this day My part is plaide and I must passe my way The faith this howre that all the Realme doth know I die in here and seale it with my blood To other faith beware bend not your bowe The râ—tten string will breake and doe no good Whilst in this land such trash aâ—d tromprie stood God was not pleasd the King not serude aright And we did walke in darkenes stead of light Good â—earers all my babes and children deere I brought you vp full long in this beliefe Your regent ones now preacheth to you here Chaunge not my barns religion to your griefe Serue first your God next honor King as chiefe This lesson keepe and so good friends adiew The dead from quicke so takes his leaue of you Thus full resolude temptation to resist Great time I stood and talkte in stoutest shoe Of sondry things as freely as I list But waying then that hence the soule must goe And that my necke must bide the blouddy bloe I stretched armes as hie as I could heaue So turnd my backe and did the audience leaue The heauenly hope that heart doth long vphold Did hale me hence and bad dispatch in haste As firme as rocke I stood say what they would For after this I spake no word in waste Then downe I lay and balefull blocke embraste And there receiude the blow as are did fall That cut me cleaue from cares and cumbers all The gasping head as in the Lorde I slept A vision had ye may the fame suppose I dreamde it saw how friende
shines so passing faire That sunne nor moone nor weather cannot staine If blastes of winde and stormes to beautie yelde And this well springe makes other fountaines drye Turnes tides and floodes to water baraine feeld Come sighes then home I liue and cannot die If her great giftes doth daunt dame fortunes might And she haue caught the hayres and head ot hap To others hard to her a matter light To mount the cloudes and fall in honours lap If shee her selfe and others conquers too Liues long in peace and yet doth warre defie As valiaunt kinges and vertuous victors doe Then sighe no more o heart I cannot die If such a prince abase her highnesse than For some good thing the world may gesse in mee And stoupes so low too like a sillie man That little knowes what Princes grace may bée If shee well waie my faith and seruice true And is the iudge and toutch that gold shall trie The colour cleere that neuer changeth hue Heart sigh no more I liue and may not dye If I doe vse her fauour for wy weale By reason off her gracious countenance still And from the sunne a little light I steale To keepe the life in lampe to burne at will If robberie thus a true man may commit Both I and mine vnto her merits flie If I presume it springes for want of wit Excuse mee than sad sighes or else I die If she do know her shape in heart I beare Engraude in breast her grace and figure is Yea day and night I thinke and dreame each where On nothing else but on that heauenly blisse If so transformde my mind and body liues But not consumde nor finde no cause to cry And waite on her that helpe and comfort giues Than come poore sighes your maister shall not die If she behold that here I wish no breath But liue all hers in thought in word and déede Whose fauour lost I craue but present death Whose grace attaind lean soule full fat shall féede If any cause doe keepe her from my sight I know no world my selfe I shall deny But if her torch doe lend my candle light Heart sigh no more the body doth not die But if by death or some disgrace of mine Through enuies sting or false report of foes My view be bard from that sweete face diuine Beleeue for troth to death her seruant goes And rather sure than I should ill conceiue Sighes mount to skies you know the cause and why How here below my lusty life I leaue Attend me there for wounded heart must die If shée beléeue without her presence héere That any thing may now content my minde Or thinke in world is sparke of gladsome cheere Where shée is not nor I her presence finde But all the ioyes that man imagine may As handmaides wayt on her héere vnder sky Then sighes mount vp to heauens hold your way And stay me there for I of force must die If I may feare that fragill beauty light Or semblance faire is to be doubted sore Or my vaine youth may turne with fancies might Or sighes full falles â—ains griefe or torment more Than heart doth féele then angry stars aboue Doe band your selues gainst me in heauens hie And rigor worke to conquer constant loue Mount vp poore sighes here is no helpe I die And so sad sighes the witnes of my thought If loue finde not true guerdon for good will Ere that to graue my body shalbe brought Mount vp to clowds and there abide me still But if good hope and hap some succour send And honor doth my vertuous minde supply With treble blisse for which I long attend Returne good sighes I meane not now to die Translated out of French for one that is bounde much to Fortune FINIS This is to be red fiue waies IN hat a fauour worne a bird of gold in Britaine land In loyall heart is borne yet doth on head like Phenix stand To set my Phenix forth whose vetues may theÌ„ al surmount An orient pearle more worth in value price good accounnt TheÌ„ gold or precious stone what tong or verse dare her distain A péerelesse paragon in whom such gladsome gifts remaine Whose séemly shape is wroght as out of war wer made y e mold By fine deuise of thought like shrined Saint in beaten gold Dame nature did disdaine and thought great scorn in any sort To make the like againe that should deserue such rare report Ther néeds no Poeâ—â—s pen nor painters peniel come in place Nor flatring frase of meÌ„ whose filed spech giues ech thing grace To praise this worthy dame a Nimph which Dian holds full déer That in such perfect frame as mirror bright christal cléer Is set out to our view thréefold as faire as shining Sunne For beauty grace and hue a worke that hath great glory won A Goddes dropt from sky for causes more then men may know To please both minde eie for those that dwels on earth below And shew what heauenly grace and noble secret power diuine Is séene in Prâ—ncely face that kind hath formd â—â—amd so fine Loe this is all I write of sacred Phenix ten times blest To shew mine own delite as fancies humor thinketh best FINIS TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull my Ladie Brocket wife to Sir Iohn Brocket knight one of the Lieutenants of Hartford Shire A Promise made to the good Ladie you Sister who died in the Towre good MadaÌ„ coÌ„mands me to shape somwhat of good will labour of pen to present your La withall for that I can not long liue in this world must needs take leaue therof sooner than I looke for I haue found out an old farewell that maie breed some new consideration and such a running and rouing rime it is I hope without offence as rather shall procure laughter than lowring it is enterlarded with conceits and mixed with familiar termes shortlie knit vp and without all curious circumstances as briefe to the Reader as vntedious to the writer hauing passed the censure of the world thirtie yeares agoe and is now put in print againe for a passing of the time and a farewell to the world So hoping your La receiues it in good part the matter beginneth I trust to your content and good likeing FINIS A FAREVVELL VVHEN I VVENT to studie written to the VVorld FArewell thou world that me betrayde so long Too dearly bought I find thy follies all Who shall thée serue is sure to suffer wronge Who scornes thy haps may shun thy sodaine fall Who fauwnes on thee shall drinke thy bitter gall Who flies thy toyes thy painted face shall finde Who sooner slides than those which at thy call Liues like thy slaues in bodie soule and minde First from a child with fancies was I fedd All at thy handes till I to manhoode grue Than in the darke loe blindfeld was I led So that my God my selfe nor man I knew Wild wit young blood olde vice new bred in bones