to the morning mist And straight againe the teares how they down rold Alongst his cheekes as if the riuers hist Whose flowing streames ne were no sooner whist But to the stars such dreadfull shouts he sent As if the throne of mighty Ioue should rent And I the while with sprits welny bereft Beheld the plight and pangs that did him straine And how the bloud his deadly colour left And straight returnd with flaming red againe When suddenly amid his raging paine He gaue a sigh and with that sigh hee said Oh Banastaire and straight againe he staid Dead lay his corps as dead as any stone Till swelling sighs storming within his breast Vpraisd his head that downeward fell anon With lookes vpcast and sighs that neuer ceast Forth streamd the teares records of his vnrest When he with shrikes thus groueling on the ground Ybraied these words with shrill and dolefull sound Heauen and earth and ye eternall lamps That in the heauens wrapt will vs to rest Thou bright Phoebe that clearest the nights damps Witnesse the plaints that in these pangs opprest I wofull wretch vnlade out of my brest And let me yeeld my last words ere I part You you I call to record of my smart And thou Alecto feede mee with thy food Let fall thy serpents from thy snaky heare For such reliefe well fits mee in this mood To feede my plaint with horrour and with feare While rage afresh thy venomd worme areare And thou Sibylla when thou seest mee faint Addresse thy selfe the guide of my complaint And thou O Ioue that with the deepe fordoome Dost rule the earth and raigne aboue the skies That wreakest wrongs and giu'st the dreadful doome Against the wretch that doth thy name despise Receiue these words and wreake them in such wise As heauen and earth may witnesse and behold Thy heapes of wrath vpon this wretch vnfold Thou Banastaire gainst thee I clepe and call Vnto the Gods that they iust vengeance take On thee thy bloud thy stained stocke and all O Ioue to thee aboue the rest I make My humble plaint guide me that what I speake May be thy will vpon this wretch to fall On thee Banastaire wretch of wretches all O would to God the cruell dismal day That gaue me light first to behold thy face With foule eclipse had reft my sight away Th' vnhappy hower the time and eke the day The Sunne and Moone the Stars and all that was In their aspects helping in ought to thee The earth and aire and all accursed be And thou caitiffe that like a monster swarued From kind and kindnes hast thy master lorne Whom neither trueth nor trust wherein thou serued Ne his deserts could moue nor thy faith sworne How shall I curse but wish that thou vnborne Had beene or that the earth had rent in tway And swallowed thee in cradle as thou laie To this did I euen from thy tender youth Vouchsafe to bring thee vp did I herefore Beleeue the oth of thy vndoubted truth Aduance thee vp and trust thee euermore By trusting thee that I should die therfore O wretch and worse then wretch what shall I say But clepe and curse gainst thee and thine for aye Hated be thou disdaind of euery wight And pointed at where euer that thou goe A traiterous wretch vnworthy of the light Be thou esteemd and to encrease thy woe The sound be hatefull of thy name also And in this sort with shame and sharp reproch Lead thou thy life till greater griefe approch Dole and despaire let those be thy delight Wrapped in woes that cannot be vnfold To waile the day and weepe the weary night With rainy eine and sighes cannot be told And let no wight thy woe seeke to withhold But count thee worthy wretch of sorowes store That suffering much oughtst still to suffer more Deserue thou death yea be thou deem'd to die A shamefull death to end thy shamefull life A sight longed for ioifull to euery eye When thou shalt be arraigned as a theefe Standing at bar and pleading for thy life With trembling tongue in dread and dolours rage Lade with white lockes and fourscore yeares of age Yet shall not death deliuer thee so soone Out of thy woes so happy shalt not be But to th' eternall Ioue this is my boone That thou maist liue thine eldest sonne to see Reft of his wits and in a soule Bores stye To end his daies in rage and death distrest A worthy tombe where one of thine should rest Yet after this yet pray I more thou may Thy second sonne see drowned in a dike And in such sort to close his latter day As heard or seene erst hath not been the like Ystrangled in a puddle not so deepe As halfe a foot that such hard losse of life So cruelly chanst may be the greater griefe And not yet shall thy dolefull sorrowes cease Ioue shall not so withhold his wrath from thee But that thy plagues may more and more encrease Thou shalt still liue that thou thy selfe maist see Thy daughter strucken with the leprosie That she that erst was all thy whole delight Thou now maist loath to haue her come in sight And after that let shame and sorrowes griefe Feed forth thy yeares continually in woe That thou maist liue in death and die in life And in this sort forwaild and wearied so At last thy ghost to part thy bodie fro This pray I Ioue and with this latter breath Vengeance I aske vpon my cruell death This said he flung his retchlesse armes abroad And groueling flat vpon the ground he lay Which with his teeth he all to gnasht and gnaw'd Deepe grones he fet as he that would away But loe in vaine he did the death assay Although I thinke was neuer man that knew Such deadly paines where death did not ensue So stroue he thus a while as with the death Now pale as lead and cold as any stone Now still as calme now storming forth a breath Of smokie sighes as breath and all were gone But euery thing hath end so he anon Came to himselfe when with a sigh outbrayed With woefull cheere these woefull words he said Ah where am I what thing or whence is this Who rest my wits or how do I thus lie My limbes do quake my thought agasted is Why sigh I so or whereunto do I Thus groule on the ground and by and by Vprais'd he stood and with a sigh hath stai'd When to himselfe returned thus he said Sufficeth now this plaint and this regrete Whereof my heart his bottome hath vnfraught And of my death let Peeres and Princes were The worlds vntrust that they thereby be taught And in her wealth sith that such change is wrought Hope not too much but in the mids of all Thinke on my death and what may them befall So long as Fortune would permit the same I liu'd in rule and riches with the best And past my time in honor and in fame
take reuengement of our mortall strife I longed long to bring thee to this day And thou likewise hast sought to suck my bloud Now art thou taken in my spoiles a pray For thee my life full long in daunger stood I will both teach thy selfe and others good To breake the bands of faithfull wedlocke plight And giue thee that which thou deseruest right O harlot whore why should I stay my hands O paynted picture shall thy lookes thee saue Nay bind her fast both hand and foote in bands And let her some straunge kinde of torments haue What strumpet think'st for that thou seemest braue Or for thy teares or sighes to scape my sight My selfe will rather vanquish thee by fight Thou rather should'st my vitall breath depriue Then euer scape if none were here but wee But now I will not file my hands to striue Or else to touch so vile a drab as she Come on at once and bring her after me With hand and feete as I commaunded bound And let mee see her here as Humber drown'd A thousand things beside she spake in rage While that a caitiffe did with cords me binde No teares nor sobs nor sighes might ought asswage The ielous Queene or mollifie her minde Occasions still her franticke head did finde And when she spake her eies did seeme as fire Shee lookt as pale as chalke with wrathfull ire Ne stood she still but fearcely me defide Raung'd vp and downe and oft her palmes shee strooke Locrinus now quoth she had not thus dide If such an harlot whore he had not tooke And therewithall shee gaue a Tigers looke That made me quake what lettes quoth she my knife To ridde this whore my husbands second wife H 'is dead I liue and shall I saue her life O Queene quoth I if pitie none remayne But I be slaine or drown'd as Humber was Then take thy pleasure by my pinching payne And let me hence as thou appointest passe But take some pitie on my childe alas Thou know'st the infant made no fault but hee That 's dead and I therefore reuenge on mee No bastards here shall liue to dispossesse My sonne she sayd but sith thou soughtest same I will prouide for her a kingdome lesse Which shall hereafter euer haue her name Thou know'st whereof the name of Humber came Euen so Sabrina shall this streame bee cal'd Sith Sabrine me as Humber Locrine thral'd With that my childe was Sabrine brought in sight Who when she saw mee there in bandes to lie Alas she cri'd what meanes this piteous plight And downe shee fell before the Queene with cry O Queene quoth shee let me more rather die Than she that 's guiltlesse should for why thy king Did as his captiue her to leaudnes bring Which when I saw the kindnes of the childe It burst my heart much more then doome of death Poore little lambe with countenance how milde See pleaded still and I for want of breath With woefull teares that lay her feete beneath Could not put foorth a word our liues to saue Or if therefore I might a kingdome haue Her piteous plaints did somwhat death withdraw For as shee long beheld the Queene with teares Quoth shee let me haue rigour void of law In whome the signe of all thy wrath appeares And let me die my fathers face that beares Sith he is dead and we are voide of stay Why should I thee for life or mercy pray My mother may to Germany returne Where shee was borne and if it please thy grace And I may well lie in my fathers tombe If thou wilt grant his childe so good a place But if thou think my bloud is farre too bace Although I came by both of princely line Then let me haue what shroud thou wilt assigne With that the Queene replied with milder cheere And sayd the childe was wonderous feate and wittie But yet shee would not her reuenge forbeare For why quoth shee the prouerbe sayes * that pittie Hath lewdly lost full many a noble Cittie Here Elstride now I le wreke my greefes on thee To die take leaue but talke no more to mee On this my leaue I tooke and thus I sayd Farewell my countrey Germany farewell Adew the place from whence I was conueyd Farewell my father and friends there dwell My Humber drown'd as I shall be farewell Adew Locrinus dead for thee I die Would God my corps might by thy coffine lie Adew my pleasures past farewell adew Adew the cares and sorrowes I haue had Farewell my friends that earst for me did sue Adew that were to saue my life full glad Farewell my fauning friends I lately had And thou my beauty cause of death farewell As oft as heart can thinke or tongue can tell Adew you heauens my mortall eyes shall see No more your lights and planets all farewell And chiefly Venus faire that paintedst me When Mercury his tale to me did tell Eke afterwards when Mars with vs did dwell And now at last thou cruell Mars adew Whose dart my life and loue Locrinus slew And must I needes depart from thee my childe If needs I must ten thousand times farewell Poore little lambe thy friends are quite exilde And much I feare thou shalt not long doe well But if they so with boyling rancour swell As thee to slea which neuer wroughtest ill How can they stay my stayned corps to kill With that my Sabrines slender armes imbrast Me round and would not let me so depart Let me quoth she for her the waters tast Or let vs both together end our smart Yea rather rip you forth my tender heart What should I liue But they the child withdrew And me into the raging streame they threw So in the waters as I striu'd to swimme And kept my head aboue the waues for breath Me thought I saw my child would venter in Which cri'd amaine O let me take like death The waters straight had drawne me vnderneath Where diuing vp at length againe rose I And saw my child and cri'd farewell I die Then as my strength was wasted downe I went Eke so I plunged twice or thrice yet more My breath departed needs I must relent The waters pierst my mouth and eares so sore And to the bottome with such force me bore That life and breath and mind and sense was gone And I as dead and cold as marble stone Lo thus you heare the race of all my life And how I past the pikes of painfull woe How twice I thought to be a Princes wife And twice was quite depriu'd my honor fro The third time Queene and felt foule ouerthro Let Princely Ladies view mine historie Mine haps and woes and hatefull destinie Bid them beware lest beautie them abuse Beware of pride for haue a fall it must And bid them Fortunes flatterie refuse Her turned wheele is void of steadie trust Who reckes no meane but leaueth all to lust Shall find my words as true as I them tell Bid them beware
tell And with an host of Picts appointed well He did returne with speed to Britaine strand That time I lay by North to guide the land At length to Yorke with all his host he came Besieging it full sharpe assaults he gaue Where I likewise for to defend the same And from our foes the castell good to saue Came with my power as destnies on me draue But in that field it was my chance to fall I tooke my deadly wound there ended all The Scythian eke receiu'd a deadly wound Which came to conquer vs and lost his feeld Thus fortune fares her children to confound Which on her wheele their bastiles brauely beeld Let noble Princes then to reason yeeld The dainefull Ladie daintie and demure Dame Fortunes fauour fickle and vnsure Some say that I return'd to Rome againe Sore troubled with the gout desiring death And that I would haue taken poison faine Which me deni'd to reaue my vitall breath I tooke a surfet great which wrought my death The Britaines say at Yorke my bones do lie The Romans say at Rome in Italie But this I wish all noble wights to view How I by slaughter gate the throne at first My souldiers noble men for Empire slew This way to rise of all I proued worst For why his hand of gods and men is curst To rise aloft that layes the ground with blood The states of such vnstable still haue stood HOW FVLGENTIVS A SCYTHIAN OR PICT WAS slaine at the seige of Yorke about the yeare of Christ 206. or 213. I Am that valiant Scythian Prince the Pict That vanquisht oft the Britaines in this I le Against the noble Romans power I kickt And kept them play in Britaine both long while I forst them make a wall an hundred mile From sea to sea with towers to keepe me out Which of vs Picts did daily stand in doubt Our ancient race as I can shew with skill Had right by due descent to claime this land Of which repeate some proofe therefore I will That so thou maist our title vnderstand When all mankind felt Ioues almightie hand That drencht all nations quite for their foule sin Then straight in Scythia did the world begin Th' Egyptians hold forsooth that they restord The world againe but how vnlikely see For Scythiaes site is high as all accord From vs the fountaines great'st deriued bee The ancient writers all likewise agree That on Armenia mount the Arke did rest Till Ioue againe the earth with drowth addrest But they alledge againe their Zone is milde And fertill temperate meete to foster men Our Scythian hilles they say are frostie wilde Which cannot breed but ruder people then To which I may well answere make agen As God did make the Zones hot milde and cold So did he make like men the same to hold They say we are nigh neighbours to the Pole Or frozen point more neere the fire are they What poysons breed with them and Lybians sole In parching sands the writers wise display Can nature fraine mankind more deepe decay Where parching heat where serpents vglie breed Is no fit clime whence man should first proceed But now I le tell why Scythians should possesse This noble Isle first Lord Neptunus gaue The Islands to his sonnes both more and lesse Eke Albion first of all this Isle should haue He not with this content the Firme did craue Wherefore in France him Hercules dispatcht When as he would a Kingdome there haue catcht Now as from Noah of Scythia by descent Downe vnto Albions time they held the land From Scythe to Scythian as of right it went And after him no Scythian Prince it fand When as vsurpers tooke the raigne in hand Was it not reason we should vndertake This noble Realme our owne againe to make The Romans this deny but euen themselues likewise If they from vertue stray as they do vse And do Iehouaes lawes and hests despise And right and truth and iustice so refuse Shall find how much their Scepter they misuse The Scythian shall their loftie seate assaile The Prince of Picts against them shall preuaile But of Proud Romes Seuerus now I tell When he the wall had made to keepe me out To Scythia hence I sail'd and stor'd me well With men munition good a warlike rout Of youthfull Picts full strong in armout stout A Nauie good I brought and taking land Of stately Yorke I tooke the siege in hand The Emperour great Seuerus Parthique proud With Romans Galles and Britaine souldiers came To make me raise the siege of Yorke he vow'd And I likewise to win and race the same To win the prize we both our armies frame But he was slie his souldiers skilfull train'd My men to flie by ambush he constrain'd Againe to fight we fell afresh the battell grew About I brought my wings and now they sound Tantara teares alarme the fluits fight fight anew And there a while the Romans fell to ground The cries and shouts of men to skies resound They fall fall flie the fluits downe downe the droms do crie Whereon the Romans sound retraite and saine to flie My souldiers all too rash had broke array The Romane rereward cast about with speed And both their wings enclosed vs each way Their maine likewise to keepe array gaue heed Which when I saw it made my heart to bleed And to Seuerus selfe I made my way Where with my Picts the Parthique I did stay So when the Emperour fell a shout arose The Romans blancke amazed wofull were Fulgentius fast recoil'd death wounded goes And of my crew a troupe to aide me there I bought my British conquest all too deere No conquest yet for as I conquest sought With my life blood the conquest deare was bought You noble men yee see what trust there is In Fortunes gifts how mischiefe makes the marts And how our hoped haps in warres do misse When backe the braue and blinded Ladie starts High reaching heads swim oft in seas of smarts The man content is blest and best at ease Which in meane state both God and man do please HOW GETA THE YONGER SONNE OF THE EMPErour Seuerus once Gouernour of Britaine was slaine in his mothers armes by his brother ANTONINE Emperour of Rome about the yeare of Christ 214. IF euer Prince had cause his state to rue Or by his end might moue men mone his chance My wofull tale may shew the like to you Whom fortune erst and birth did high aduance In Rome in Britaine Germanie and France I fauour had and liu'd belou'd alway I Emprour was what need I more to say In Britaine while my father waged fight By North against the Picts I rul'd the South Seuerus so appointed it my right And Britaine Iustice had from Getaes mouth I gaue not then my selfe to idle slouth But gaue an end to causes great of strife With doome so iust that men reioyst my life The Senate honor'd me for vertues sake Abroad the Britaines blest me
for their blisse The souldiers stout of me account did make Let stories tell if I do faine in this Lest some suspect that I report amisse For what is he which is not counted vaine When for himselfe he speakes though nere so plaine In peace I prudent was and graue of grace In warres as stout but not so fierce withall Not forst with feare to turne from foes my face Nor bought with bribes to let Dame Iustice fall I not opprest the weaker sort with thrall But sought to pleasure all both neare and farre More prone to peace I was then bent to warre What heart so hard but will for pitie bleed To heare a Prince which meant to each so well Should haue such cause to liue in feare and dreed Of sword of bane of force or poison fell Not daring Emprour nere his brother dwell Whom Romans lou'd and strangers honor'd still But brothers treason caused all our ill Hight Antonine I hate his name and facts Sith he my butcher was as may appeare The world detests his vile and viprous acts And subtill shifts to kill his father deare So void of grace so void of honest feare He durst attempt the guard to bribe and fee That so by them his fire might poisoned bee This when our Sire Seuerus wist and saw How Antonine that bloodie beast was bent Against the order quite of natures law Eke how to take the Empire whole he ment For both of vs at Yorke he often sent Perswading vs true concord for to hold And of the fruits of discord oft he told Yet Antonine regarded nought his hest Nay yet the charge of warres he had in hand T' enlarge his power for th' Empire he addrest Which when Seuerus old did vnderstand All pleasures quite and ioyes he did aband Pursuing warre neere Yorke he tooke his end By sword of Picts or by some traytour friend Then Antonine made spoile of all his men Physitions nil'd before at his request Dispatch their Lord to death he put them then And so he seru'd of faithfull guard the rest What villanie was in this vipers brest Was not content with death of those he sought But after brings their friends likewise to nought I was foretold my life he thirsted sore And that the Empire sole he sought to haue As we to Rome did passe I feared more I from his courts and diets did me saue I knew my life and th' Empire he did craue Wherefore in Rome my court I kept likewise Apart from his that did my death deuise My seruants were allur'd by sundrie gifts By poyson to procure my lifes decay He tri'd to cut me off a thousand shifts What maruell since he sought his sire to slay He made his Fathers friends for spite away Because they would not to his will be wrought To bring them vnto death he daily sought His sleights for me could take no sure successe For still his traines and treasons were descri'd In danger I was forst to seeke redresse By like attempts but that likewise was spide * Pretended murder no man close can hide But out it flies the rumor runnes a pace The spot thereof all vertues else deface When this was knowne that I likewise assai'd His life to reaue though t' were my life to saue Not long to wrecke the same the butcher stai'd He had the thing so long he sought to haue Cause of reuenge the rumor small him gaue That in the euen he came to spill my blood As I vnarmed with my mother stood There she perceiuing him with sword approch In armes me caught to saue my life and blood But he deseruing all the worlds reproch No whit in doubt to end my slaughter stood She him besought as seem'd an Empresse good While he without remorse of her request Betweene her armes did run me through the brest These were the acts of that vile monster then For Empire sake to raigne alone aloft Despisde that was abhor'd of Gods and men And curst to hell by all good men so oft You see the fall of Geta milde and soft Whose line of life no longer fates could stretch Cut off by sword of Antonine that wretch Now maist thou deeme of my deserts and his He to his sire of sonnes was most vnkind His mothers ioyes he reau'd away her blisse That Dame which bare to both so milde a mind And let my dealings aye due fauour find Whose murder may giue plaine prospect and show What monster wrought his faithfull friends such woe HOW AVRELIVS AN TONIVS BASSIANVS CARACALLA Emperour of Rome was slaine by one of his owne seruants about the yeere of Christ 209. WHo thirsts to throng vnto the highest throne Ne wisely windes Dame Fortunes subtile snare Or who in Court would rule the rost alone And sees not what he heapes himselfe of care Let him well weigh my case and then beware Whom forth the stately seate did first allure Which after did my hastie death procure And Higgins here in purpose sith thou hast The haplesse hauen where Fortunes impes arriue A mirour make likewise of me thou maist If thou my life and dealings wilt discriue It may perhaps much profit some aliue Which when themselues plaine painted forth they see They may presage their fatall falles in me I am that Antonine Seuerus sonne That once of mightie Rome did beare the sway Which in my fathers life a strife begone With Geta thirsting often him to slay I sought to haue my father made away To raigne alone so great desire I had Nought but their deathes my wicked hart could glad My father oft exhorted both to peace Declar'd by stories olde what came by strife Dehorted both from ciuill discord cease But I sought meanes to rid him of his life I banisht to Sycilia Isle my wife Encreast mine host reckt not my British charge But how I might enioy the Empire large And first when as my father once was dead I gaue my selfe to all reuenge of foes The seruants late which stood mee not in stead And some who did my trecherie disclose Or such to saue their Prince themselues dispose Or reconcile vs brethren tooke sore paine I causde them all without respect be slaine The captaines all my friends I sought to make In Britaine then desiring them to chuse Me Emprour sole and Geta to forsake Which they to doe for duties sake refuse Our mother eke all meanes with vs did vse Perswading vs to loue and concord bend To which in shew I granted in the end We both in Empire like from Britaine passe A truce concluded there and hostage take His reliques shrinde as then the custome was To Rome therewith our voyage fast we make And yet the malice could not so aslake For in our iournies we durst neither trust But seuerall Courts and Diets keepe we must Both fearing poyson force or treason wrought Both crauing all the Empire to enioy Both working all the waies that might be sought To worke to each some secret great
and well apaid If women thus had walked in my time I had not stoopt vnto that painted lure Which did intice me to commit the crime Which to the pearch of leaudnesse ti'd me sure For her disport my Ladie could procure The wretched wings of this my muting mind Restlesse to seeke her emptie fist to find I thus arriu'd in Pleasures cursed court I lothed Mars I hated Mercurie It was me thought a passing pleasant sport Leauing the fields at Bacchus brauerie Sometime to sit vpon my mistresse knee Where that I might be at my pleasure plaste I sent the Duke away to warres in haste You which haue plaid with pleasures banding balles You know the life which lingring louers lead You know how sweet it is to scale the walles Of her good will who liu'd in feare and dread You know right well how well those wights haue sped Who haue at last by drifts of long delay Their hoped meed and wished pleasant pray Vnconquered beautie whence had'st thou that power To make stout Vter stoope to his owne shame That neuer stoopt to foes why for that flower Of sweete delight in Igren that faire Dame Did I forgoe the golden flower of fame Victorious beautie and base yeelding lust Did cast great Vters conquests in the dust Yet no such blame as writers do record Do I deserue for this vnhappie deed Proud Gorolus the bright-cheekt Igrens Lord Receiu'd no wrong but his owne merits meed When in the field I made his heart to bleed If thoughts of treason merit death and shame His trecherous deeds did well deserue the same His gracelesse treason he in act did show For when I sent him to Nathaliod hight In bloodie field against the Saxon foe He swolne in heart with enuie and despight Of his associates good did leaue the fight And leauing stout Nathaliod for a pray Vnto the foes from field he fled away By which enforc'd I was with Mars to rise From Venus bed and arme me for the field Where like a storme in thunder clad from skies Vpon my foes I fell they could not shield Themselues from death few scap't that did not yeeld Occa and Ossa both I downe did bring And led them captiue like a conquering King Againe I then gan thinke vpon my loue Vpon mine Igren deare against whose Lord I finding cause for that he late did proue Faithlesse to me did with my lust accord Gainst him as ' against my foe to draw my sword Whom by his castle called Dunilioc I slew with blade in battailes bloodie stroke Then did I take mine Igren as mine owne And crown'd her Queene in my Emperiall chaire On whom great Arthur I begot anone And after him my Anna hight the faire In seeming blisse I long liu'd void of care For thrice nine yeares with Igren I did raigne And ' gainst the Saxons did my state maintaine But for the rape of Gorolus his wife The heauens did powre downe vengeance on my head I by vntimely death did end my life My said soule hence enforc'd by poison fled By Saxons wrought who often wish'd me dead And left behind for all my deeds of fame Iust cause for writers pens to speake my shame Learne they which liue in high or low degree To flee the foile which I by folly felt Let them refraine those loftie Dames to see They know how loftie lookes with me haue delt You see how sight did make my honor melt Let all men know mans heart did neuer rue The thing which he with sight did neuer view But how may men the sight of Beautie shun In England at this present dismall day All void of veiles like Layes where Ladies run And rome about at euery feast and play They wandring walke in euery streete and way With loftie luring lookes they bounsing braue The highest place in all mens sight must haue With pride they pranke to please the wandring eye With garish grace they smile they iet they iest O English Dames your lightnesse verily The Curtizans of Rome do much detest In closets close to liue they count it best They giue not grace to euery wandring wight Your smiling cheere doth euery man delight The Poets gods Saturne and Iupiter To Beauties becke their highnesse did obay Pluto of hell did plead at Beauties bar And Phillis causde Demophoon to stay Pasiphäe a Bull brought to the bay So gods and diuels both men and beasts they all By womens wiles are slaues to Beauties thrall What gaine is got by light and wanton waies You reape reproch a guerdon got thereby Men by your meanes do cause their owne decay And you your selues all soust in sinne must die Refraine therefore to please mans gazing eie Let men likewise the baited hookes refraine Of luring lookes their vanting vowes be vaine Thomas Blener Hasset HOW CADWALLADER THE LAST KING OF THE Britaines was expelled by the Saxons went to Rome and there liued in a religious house YOu mourning Muses all where euer you remaine Assist my sobbing soule this driery tale to tell You furious Furies fierce of Lymbo Lake below Helpe to vnlade my brest of all the bale it beares And you who felt the fall from honors high renowne From graues you grizlie ghosts send forth to helpe me mourne O Pallas giue thou place that mourning Clio may On Lute lamenting sound and sing my dolefull dumps Let riming meetered lines and pleasant musike cease Let Satyres solemne sound send forth the fall I felt And when the truth of all my Tragedie is knowne Let them that liue then learne all things must haue an end The Persian Monarch and the Medes it downe did fall That of Assyria in tract of time did end Yea Alexanders force in fight subdu'd them both And brought the world so wide into one Monarchie What though the fretting force of Fate did him dismay He felt at last the foile his vanting was in vaine He dead the world it was diuided as before The Roman Emperie came tumbling downe at last And where is Troy and Greece and mightie Macedon They flourisht for a time like this my little I le The Soldion brought them downe and did their states destroy Euen so the Saxons brought the Britaine 's to the bay Euen these mine eyes did see that hatefull hidious sight These feeble hands when long they labour'd had in vaine Did yeeld their interest then thus I did complaine Who can refraine the force of mightie mounting seas When billowes make a breach and beate the bankes adowne Doth not the saltish surge then beat the bankes adowne Then man may not withstand the rigor of their rage But wisdome would haue kept the waues within their bounds Counsell doth come too late when hope of helpe is past Such was my filthie fate my leaud and lothsome lucke I sought a salue to cure and helpe the helpelesse wound For long before my time seuen Kings were setled heere The Saxons such as dwelt by East Sibertus rul'd The Angles in
their states For they bee faults that foile men not their fates Th. Phaer HOW HENRY PERCY Earle of NORTHVMBERLAND was for his couetous and traiterous attempt put to death at Yorke Anno 1407. O Morall Senec true finde I thy saying That neither kinne riches strength or fauour Are free from Fortune but are aie decaying No worldly wealth is ought saue doubtfull labour Mans life in Earth is like vnto a tabour Which now to mirth doth mildly men prouoke And straight to warre with a more sturdy stroke All this full true I Percy finde by proofe Which whilom was Earle of Northumberland And therefore Baldwine for our peeres behoofe To note mens falles sith thou hast tane in hand I would thou should my state well vnderstand For few there were that were so much redoubted Whom double Fortune lifted vp and louted As for my kinne their noblenesse is knowen My valiant acts were folly for to praise Where through our foes so oft were ouerthrowen That who but I was doubted in my daies And that King Richard found at all assaies For neuer foes rebelled in his raigne But through my force were either caught or slaine A brother I had was Earle of Worcester Alwaies in office and fauour with the King And by my wife Dame Elenor Mortimer A sonne I had which so the foes did sting That being yong and but a very spring Henry Hotspur they gaue him vnto name And though I say it he did deserue the same We three triumphed in King Richards time Till Fortune ought both him and vs a spite But chiefly mee whom cleere from any crime My King did banish from his fauour quite Proclaiming mee a most disloyall Knight Where through false slander forced mee to bee That which before I did most deadly flee Let men beware how they true folke defame Or threaten on them the blame of vices nought For infamy breedeth wrath wreke followeth shame Eke open slander often times hath brought That to effect that erst was neuer thought To bee misdeem'd men suffer in a sort But none can beare the griefe of misreport Because my King did shame mee wrongfully I hated him and soone became his foe And while he did at warre in Ireland lie I did conspire to turne his weale to woe And through the Duke of Yorke and other moe All royall power from him wee quickly tooke And gaue the same to Henry Bolenbrooke Neither did we this onely for this cause But to say truth force draue vs to the same For he despising God and all his lawes Slew whom hee would made sinne a very game And seeing nor age nor consell could him tame We thought it well done for the Kingdomes sake To leaue his rule that did all rule for sake But when Sir Henry had attaind his place Hee straight became in all points worse then he Destroied the Peeres and slew King Richards grace Against his oth made to the Lords and me And seeking quarrels how to disagree He shamelesly requir'd me and my sonne To yeeld him foes which we in field had wonne My nephew also Edmund Mortimer The very heire apparent to the crowne Whom Owen Glendour held as prisoner With chaines fast bound in dungeon deepe cast downe He would not ransome but did felly frowne ' Gainst Mortimer and me which for him spake And him proclaimed traytour for our sake Thus foule despite did cause vs to conspire To put him downe as we did Richard erst And that we might this matter set on fire From Owens Iaile our cosin we remerst And vnto Glendour all our griefes rehearst Who made a bond with Mortimer and mee To priue the King and part the Realme in three But when King Henrie heard of this deuice To Owen Glendour he sped him very quicke Minding by force to stop our enterprise And as the diuell would then fell I sicke Howbeit my brother and sonne more politicke Then prosperous with an host from Scotland brought Encountred him at Shrewesbury where they fought The one was tane and kill'd the other slaine And shortly after was Owen put to flight By meanes whereof I forced was to faine That I knew nothing of the former fight Fraud oft auailes more then doth sturdie might For by my faining I brought him in beliefe I knew not that wherein my part was chiefe And while the King thus tooke me for his friend I sought all meanes my former wrong to wreake Which that I might bring to the sooner end To the Bishop of Yorke I did the matter breake And to th' Earle Marshall likewise did I speake Whose father was through Henries cause exiled The Bishops brother with trayterous death defiled These straight assented to do what they could So did the Lord Hastings and Lord Faueonbridge Which altogether promised they would Set all their power the Kings daies to abridge But see the spite before the birds were flidge The King had word and seased on the nest Whereby alas my friends were all opprest The bloodie tyrant brought them all to end Excepted me which into Scotland fled To George of Dunbar th' Earle of March my friend Who in my cause with many more made head And when on hope of greater aid I fed Both at the Frenchmen and the Flemmings hand And could get none I tooke such as I fand And with the helpe of George my very friend I did inuade Northumberland full bold Whereas the folke drew to me still on end Bent to death my partie to vphold Through helpe of these full many a fort and hold The which the King right manfully had man'd I easely wonne and seased in my hand Not so content for vengeance draue me on I entred Yorkshire there to waste and spoile But ere I had far in the countrie gone The Shiriffe thereof Raph Rokesbie did assoile My troubled host of much part of our toile For he assaulting freshly tooke through power Me and Lord Bardolph both at Bramham moore And thence conueyed vs to the towne of Yorke Vntill he knew what was the Kings intent There loe Lord Bardolph kinder then the Storke Did lose his head which was to London sent With whom for friendship mine in like case went This was my hap my fortune or my faut This life I led and thus I came to naught Wherefore good Baldwine will the Peeres take heed Of slander malice and conspiracie Of couetise whence all the rest proceed For couetise ioynt with contumacie Doth cause all mischiefe in mens hearts to breed And therefore this to esperance my word Who causeth bloodshed shall not scape the sword HOW RICHARD PLANTAGENET EARLE OF CAMBRIDGE INTENding the Kings destruction was put to death at Southhampton Anno Dom. 1415. HAste maketh waste hath commonly been said And secret mischiefe selde hath luckie speed A murdering mind with proper poyze is way'd All this is true I find it in my creed And therefore Baldwine warne all states take heed How they conspire another to betrap Lest mischiefe ment light in
some write in his sicknes last Said as it were by way of prophecie How that the Diuell a Darnell graine had cast Among his kin to encrease enmity Which should remaine in their posterity Till mischiefe and murder had spent them all Not leauing one to pisse against the wall And yet from him in order did succeed In England here of crowned Kings fourteene Of that surname and of that line and seed With Dukes and Earles and many a noble Queene The number such as all the world would weene So many impes could neuer so be spent But some heire male should be of that descent Which to be true if any stand in doubt Because I meane not further to digresse Let him pursue the histories throughout Of English Kings whom practise did oppresse And he shall find the cause of their distresse From first to last vnkindly to begin Alwaies by those that next were of the kin Was not Richard of whom I spake before A rebell plaine vntill his father died And Iohn likewise an enmy euermore To Richard againe and for a rebell tried After whose death it cannot be denied Against all right this Iohn most cruelly His brothers children caused for to die Arthur and Isabell I meane that were Ieffreies children then duke of Britaine Henries third sonne by one degree more neere Then was this Iohn as stories shew most plaine Which two children were famisht or els slaine By Iohn their Eame cald Saunzterre by name Of whose foule act all countries speake great shame Edward and Richard second both by name Kings of this Land fell downe by fatall fate What was the cause that Princes of such fame Did leese at last their honour life and state Nothing at all but discord and debate Which when it haps in kinred or in bloud Erynnis rage was neuer halfe so wood Be sure therefore ye Kings and Princes all That concord in Kingdoms is chiefe assurance And that your families doe neuer fall But where discord doth lead the doubtfull dance With busie brawles and turnes of variance Where malice is minstrel the pipe ill report The maske mischiefe and so ends the sport But now to come to my purpose againe VVhilst I my charge applied in England My brother in France long time did remaine Cardinal Beauford tooke proudly in hand In causes publique against me to stand VVho of great malice so much as he might Sought in all things to doe me despite VVhich proud prelate to me was bastard Eame Sonne to Duke Iohn of Gaunt as they did faine VVho being made high Chancellour of the Realme Not like a Priest but like a Prince did raigne Nothing wanting which might his pride maintaine Bishop besides of VVinchester he was And Cardinall of Rome which Angels brought to passe Not Gods Angels but Angels of old Gold Lift him aloft in whom no cause there was By iust desert so high to be extold Riches except whereby this golden asse At home and abroad all matters brought to passe Namely at Rome hauing no meane but that To purchase there his crimz in Cardinall hat Which thing the King my father him forbad Plainly saying that he could not abide Within his Realme a subiect to be had His Princes peere yet such was this mans pride That he forth with after my father di'd The King then yong obtained of the Pope That honor high which erst he could not hope Whose proud attempts because that I withstood My bound dutie the better to acquite This holy father waxed well neere wood Of meere malice deuising day and night To worke to me dishonor and despight Whereby there fell betweene vs such a iarre As in this land was like a ciuill warre My brother Iohn which lay this while in France Heard of this hurle and past the seas in haste By whose trauell this troublesome distance Ceased a while but nerethelesse in waste For rooted hate will hardly be displaste Out of high hearts and namely where debate Happeneth amongst great persons of estate For like as a match doth lie and smoulder Long time before it commeth to the traine But yet when fire hath caught in the poulder No art is able the flames to restraine Euen so the sparkes of enuie and disdaine Out of the smoke burst forth in such a flame That France and England yet may rue the same So when of two Realmes the regiment royall Betweene brothers was parted equally One placed in France for affaires Martiall And I at home for ciuill policie To serue the state we both did so applie As honor and same to both did encrease To him for the warre to me for the peace Whence enuie sprang and specially because This proud prelate could not abide a Peere Within the land to rule the state by lawes Wherefore sifting my life and acts most neere He neuer ceast vntill as you shall heare By practise foule of him and his allies My death was wrought in most vnworthie wise And first he sought my doings to defame By rumors false which he and his did sow Letters and billes to my reproch and shame He did deuise and all about bestow Whereby my troth in doubt should daily grow In England first and afterward in France Mouing all meanes to bring me to mischance One quarell was that where by common law Murder and theft been punisht all alike So as manslayers which bloodie blades do draw Suffer no more then he that doth but pike Me thought the same no order politike In setting paines to make no difference Betweene the lesser and greater offence I being seene somewhat in ciuill law The rules thereof reputed much bitter Wherefore to keepe offenders more in awe Like as the fault was smaller or greater So set I paines more easier or bitter Weghing the qualitie of euery offence And so according pronounced sentence Among'st my other Delicta Iuuentutis Whil'st rage of youth my reason did subdue I must confesse as the very truth is Driuen by desire fond fancies to ensue A thing I did whereof great trouble grew Abusing one to my no small rebuke Which wife was then to Iohn of Brabant Duke Called she was Ladie Iaquet the faire Delitefull in loue like Helene of Troy To the Duke of Bauier sole daughter and heire Her did I marrie to my great annoy Yet for a time this dame I did enioy With her whole lands withholding them by force Till Martin the Pope betweene vs made diuorce Yet all these blasts not able were to moue The anchor strong whereby my ship did stay Some other shift to seeke him did behoue Whereto ere long ill Fortune made the way Which finally was cause of my decay And cruell death contriued by my foes Which fell out thus as now I shall disclose Eleanor my wife my Duchesse only deare I know not how but as the nature is Of women all aye curious to enquire Of things to come though I confesse in this Her fault not small and that she did amisse By witches skill which
at Lord Stanley whose braine he had surely cleft Had he not downe beneath the table crept But Ely Yorke and I were taken straight Imprisoned they I should no longer wait But charged was to shriue me and shift with hast My Lord must dine and now midday was past The Bores first dish not the bores head should be But Hastings head the borish beast would see VVhy stay I his dinner vnto the chappel ioineth A greenish hil that body and soule oft twineth There on a blocke my head was stricken off As Baptists head for Herod bloudy gnoffe Thus liu'd I Baldwine thus dide I thus I fel This is the summe which al at large to tel VVould volumes fil whence yet these lessons note Ye noble Lords to learne and ken by rote By filthie rising feare your names to staine If not for vertues loue for dread of paine VVhom so the mindes vnquiet state vpheaues Be it for loue or feare when fancie reaues Reason her right by mocking of the wit If once the cause of this affection flit Reason preuailing on the vubridled thought Downe falth he who by fancie climbe aloft So hath the riser foule no staie from fall No not of those that raisd him first of all His suretie stands in mainteining the cause That heau'd him first which rest by reasons sawes Not onely falth he to his former state But liueth for euer in his princes hate And marke my Lords God for adulterie sleath Though ye it thinke too sweete a sinne for death Serue trulie your Prince and feare not rebels might On Princes halues the mightie God doth fight O much more then forsweare a forrein foe Who seeketh your realme and country to vndo Murther detest haue hands vnstaind with bloud Aie with your succour do protect the good Chace treason where trust should be wed to your frend Your heart and power to your liues last end Flie tickle credit shun alike distrust Too true it is and credit it you must The iealous nature wanteth no stormie strife The simple soule aye leadeth a sower life Beware of flatterers friends in outward show Best is of such to make your open foe What all men seeke that all men seeke to saine Some such to be some such to seeme them paine Marke Gods iust iudgements punishing sin by sinne And slipperie state wherein aloft we swimme The prouerbe all day vp if we ne fall Agreeth well to vs high heaued worldlings all From common sort vprais'd in honors weed We shine while Fortune false whom none erst feed To stand with stay and forsweare ticklenesse Sowseth vs in mire of durtie brittlenesse And learne ye Princes by my wronged sprite Not to misconster what is meant aright The winged words too oft preuent the wit When silence ceaseth afore the lips to sit Alas what may the words yeeld worthie death The words worst is the speakers stinking breath Words are but winde why cost they then so much The guiltie kicke when they too smartly touch Forth irreturnable flieth the spoken word Be it in scoffe in earnest or in bourd Without returne and vnreceiu'd it hangs And at the takers mercie or rigour stands Which if he sowerly wrest with wrathfull cheare The shiuering word turnes to the speakers feare If friendly courtefie do the word expound To the speakers comfort sweetly it doth redound Euen as the vapour which the fire repels Turnes not to earth but in mid aire dwels Where while it hangeth if Boreas frostie flawes With rigour rattle it not to raine it thawes But thunder lightnings ratling haile or snow Sends downe to earth whence first it rose below But if faire Phoebus with his countenance sweete Resolue it downe the dew or Manna sleete The Manna dew that in the Easterne lands Excell'th the labour of the bees small hands Else for her Memnon gray Auroras teares On the earth it stilleth the partener of her feares Or sendeth sweet showers to glad their mother earth Whence first they tooke their first inconstant birth To so great griefes ill taken words do grow Of words well taken such delights do flow This learned thus be heere at length an end What since ensued to thee I will commend Now farewell Baldwine shield my torne name From slanderous trumpe of blasting blacke defame But ere I part hereof thou record beare I claime no part of vertues reckoned heere My vice my selfe but God my vertues take So hence depart I as I entred nak'd Thus ended Hastings both his life and tale Containing all his worldly blisse and bale Happie he liued too happie but for sinne Happie he died whom right his death did bring Thus euer happie For there is no meane Twixt blissefull liues and mortall deaths extreame Yet feared not his foes to staine his name And by these slanders to procure his shame In rustie armour as in extreame shift They clad themselues to cloake their diuellish drift And forth with for substantiall citizens sent Declaring to them Hastings forged intent Was to haue slaine the Duke and to haue seised The Kings yong person slaying whom he had pleas'd But God of Iustice had withturn'd that fate Which where it ought light on his proper pate Then practised they by proclamation spread Nought to forget that mought defame him dead Which was so curious and so clerkely pend So long withall that when some did attend His death so yong they saw that long before The shroud was shaped then babe to die was bore So wonteth God to blind the worldly wise That not to see that all the world espies One hearing it cried out A goodly cast And well contriued foule cast away for hast Whereto another gan in scoffe replie First pend it was by enspiring prophecie So can God rip vp secret mischiefes wrought To the confusion of the workers thought My Lords the tub that dround the Clarence Duke Dround not his death not yet his deaths rebuke Your politique secrets gard with trustie loyaltie So shall they lurke in most assured secrecie By Hastings death and after fame ye learne The earth for murder crieth out vengeance sterne Flie from his faults and spare to hurt his fame The eager hounds forbeare their slaine game Dead dead auaunt Curs from the conquered chase Ill might he liue who loueth the dead to race Thus liued this Lord thus died he thus he slept Mids forward race when first to rest he stept Enuious death that bounceth as well with mace At Kesars courts as at the poorest gates When nature seem'd too slow by this sloape meane Conueighed him sooner to his liues extreame Happie in preuenting woes that after happ'd In slumber sweete his liuing lights he lapp'd Whose hastie death if it do any grieue Know he he liu'd to die and dide to liue Vntimely neuer comes the liues last met In cradle death may rightly claime his det Straight after birth due is the fatall beere By deaths permission the aged linger heere Euen in the swathbands out commission goeth To
gaine the mightie men when they be dead By all the spoile and blood that they haue shed The loftie towre where honor hath his seat Is high on rockes more slipper then the ice VVhere still the whirling winde doth roare and beat VVhere sudden qualmes and perils still arise And is beset with many sundrie vice So strange to men when first they come thereat They be amas'd and do they wot not what He that preuailes and to the towre can clime VVith toile and care must needs abridge his daies And he that slides may curse the houre and time He did attempt to giue so fond assaies And all his life to griefe and shame obaies Thus slide he downe or to the top ascend Assure himselfe repentance is the end Baldwine therefore do thou record my name For president to such as credit lies Or thirst to suck the sugred cup of fame Or do attempt against their Prince to rise And charge them all to keepe within their sise VVho doth assay to wrest beyond his strength Let him be sure he shall repent at length At my request admonish thou all men To spend the talent well which God hath lent He that hath one let him not toile for ten For one's too much vnlesse it be well spent I haue had proofe therefore I now repent Thrice happie are those men yea blest is hee VVho can contented serue in his degree M. Cauil HOW THE VALIANT KNIGHT SIR NICHOLAS Burdet Chiefe Butler of Normandie was slaine at Pontoise Anno Dom. 1441. IF erst in Kings affaires we counted were of trust To fight in waged warres as Captaines gainst the foes And might therefore aliue receiue the guerdon iust Which aye his Maiestie employ'd on those Why should we so keepe silence now and not disclose Our noble acts to those remaine aliue T' encourage them the like exploits t' atchiue For if when as we warr'd for Prince and publike weale We might to each for both haue time and place to speake Then why not now if we to both appeale Sith both well know our dealings were not weake We claime as right in truth our minds to breake The rather eke we thinke to speake we franchiz'd are Because we seru'd for peace and di'd in Princes warre VVhich granted so and held deserued due I may full well on stage supplie the place a while Till I haue plainly laid before your view That I haue cause as these to plaine of Fortunes guile VVhich smirking though at first she seeme to smooth and smile If Fortune be who deem'd themselues in skies to dwell She thirleth downe to dread the gulfes of gastly hell But heere I let a while the Ladie Fortune stay To tell what time I liu'd and what our warres were then The great exploits we did and where our armies lay Eke of the praise of some right honorable men VVhich things with eyes I saw call'd now to mind agen VVhat I performed present in the fight I will in order and my fall recite In youth I seru'd that roiall Henry fift the King Whose praise for martiall feats eternall fame reteines When he the Normanes stout did in subiection bring My selfe was vnder then his ensignes taking paines With loial hart I fought pursu'd my Prince his gaines There dealt I so that time my fame to raise French writers yet my name and manhood praise And erst as Burdets diuers warlike wights In Warwicke shire their lands in Arrow ar Were for good seruice done made worthy Knights Whose noble acts be yet recounted far Euen so my selfe well fram'd to peace or war Of these the heire by due discent I came Sir Nicholas Burdet Knight which had to name That time the noble Iohn of Bedford Duke bare sway And feared was in France for courage stout and fell He lou'd me for my fight and person though I say And with reuenues me rewarded yearely well I plaid the faithfull subiects part the truth to tell And was accounted loiall constant still Of stomack worship great and warlike skill But then O greefe to tell ere long this peerelesse King When he restored had his right vnto the Crowne The Duchie all of Normandy eke subiect bring The Frenchemen all and set Lieutenants in each towne High Regent made of France then Fortune gan to frowne He then departed life too soone alas Some men suppose his grace empoisond was Thou Fortune slie what meanst thou thus these prancks to play False Fortune blere ey'd blind vnsteady startling still What meanst thou turning thus thy flattering face away Inconstant where thou bearest most good will Is it thy nature then or i st thy wonted skill It cost thee nought they say it comes by kind As thou art bisme so are thine actions blind I nothing doubt then thou thy selfe shalt fall I trust to see the time when thou shalt be forgot For why thy pride and pompe and power must vanish all Thy name shall die for aye and perish quite I wot And when thou shalt be counted but a sot The noble wights which liu'd and dide in worthy fame In heauen and earth shall find an euerlasting name But words of course are these of Fortune had When vnto Princes haps chance good or ill God sends to euery sort these tempests sad VVhen from his word they swarue and heauenly will Men must endeuour then to please his goodnesse still And then come life or death come ioy come smart No Fortunes frowne can daunt the doughty hart The famous King so dead his son but nine months old Henry the sixt of England was proclaimed King And then the Frenchmen waxt more stout and bold His youth occasion gaue them to conspire the thing Which might them all from due subiection bring On which the Counsell cald a Parliament Of French that might the treasons high preuent VTherein the Duke of Bedford my good Lord and frend VVas Regent made the Prince his deputy in France The Duke of Glocester Protectour was to th' end To rule in cases such at home might hap to chance They chose to gard the Prince in honour to aduance Henry Benford Bishop of VVinchester And Thomas the noble Duke of Excester But here before those things could well be setled sure As great affaires of Kingdomes longer time doe take The Frenchmen did by treason force and coine procure Some townes which English were in France their faith forsake A long discourse it were of all recitall make But of my chance that time recite will I VVhich seru'd in warres my Prince in Normandy Before the Mount S. Michael as in siege I lay In confines of the Normans and the Britons land From townesmen famisht nigh we vitailes kept away And made them oft in danger of dis-Mounting stand But it being strong and also stoutly man'd Euen by our losses they gate heart of grasse And we declining saw what Fortune was Yet nerethelesse we thought by famine make them yeeld Eke they by fight or succours hopte the siege to
vnfolded wrapt in deadly smarts VVhen he the death of Clitus sorowed so VVhom erst he murdred with the deadly blow Raught in his rage vpon his friend so deare For which behold loe how his pangs appeare The launced speare he writhes out of the wound From which the purple bloud spins in his face His heinous guilt when he returned found He throwes himselfe vpon the corps alas And in his armes how oft doth he imbrace His murdred friend and kissing him in vaine Forth flow the flouds of salt repentant raine His friends amaz'd at such a murder done In fearefull flocks begin to shrinke away And he therat with heapes of grief fordone Hateth himselfe wishing his latter day Now he likewise perceiued in like stay As is the wilde beast in the desert bred Both dreading others and him selfe adred He calles for death and loathing longer life Bent to his bane refuseth kindly food And plung'd in depth of death and dolours strife Had queld himselfe had not his friends withstood Loe he that thus hath shed the guiltlesse bloud Though he were King and Kesar ouer all Yet chose he death to guerdon death withall This Prince whose Peere was neuer vnder sunne Whose glistening fame the earth did ouerglide Which with his power welny the world had wonne His bloudy hands himselfe could not abide But folly bent with famine to haue dide The worthy Prince deemed in his regard That death for death could be but iust reward Yet we that were so drowned in the depth Of deepe desire to drinke the guiltlesse bloud Like to the Wolfe with greedy lookes that lepth Into the snare to feed on deadly food So we delighted in the state we stood Blinded so far in all our blinded traine That blind we saw not our destruction plaine We spared none whose life could ought forlet Our wicked purpose to his passe to come Foure worthy Knights we headed at Pomfret Guiltelesse God wot withouten law or dome My heart euen bleedes to tell you all and some And how Lord Hastings when he feared least Dispiteously was murdred and opprest These rocks vpraught that threatned most our wreck We seemd to saile much surer in the streame And Fortune faring as she were at becke Laid in our lap the rule of all the Realme The Nephues straight deposde were by the Eame And we aduanst to that we bought full deere He crowned King and I his chiefest Peere Thus hauing won our long desired pray To make him King that he might make me chiefe Downe throw we straight his silly Nephues tway From Princes pompe to wofull prisoners life In hope that now stint was all further strife Sith he was King and I chiefe stroke did beare Who ioied but we yet who more cause to feare The guiltles bloud which we vniustly shed The roiall babes deuested from their throne And we like traytours raigning in their stead These heauy burdens passed vs vpon Tormenting vs so by our selues alone Much like the felon that pursu'd by night Starts at ech bush as his foe were in sight Now doubting state now dreading losse of life In feare of wrack at euery blast of winde Now start in dreames through dread of murders knife As though euen then reuengement were assinde With restles thought so is the guilty minde Turmoild and neuer feeleth ease or stay But liues in feare of that which followes aye Well gaue that Iudge his doome vpon the death Of Titus Celius that in bed was slaine When euery wight the cruell murder laieth To his two sonnes that in his chamber laine The Iudge that by the proofe perceiueth plaine That they were found fast sleeping in their bed Hath deemd them guiltles of this bloud yshed He thought it could not be that they which brake The lawes of God and man in such outrage Could so forth with themselues to sleepe betake He rather thought the horrour and the rage Of such an heinous guilt could neuer swage Nor neuer suffer them to sleepe or rest Or dreadles breath one breth out of their brest So gnawes the griefe of conscience euermore And in the heart it is so deepe ygraue That they may neither sleepe nor rest therefore Ne thinke one thought but on the dread they haue Still to the death foretossed with the waue Of restles woe in terrour and despeare They lead a life continually in feare Like to the Deere that stricken with the dart Withdrawes himselfe into some secret place And feeling greene the wound about his hart Startles with pangs till he falt on the grasse And in great feare lies gasping there a space Forth braying sighes as though ech pang had brought The present death which 〈…〉 dread so oft So we deepe wounded with the bloodie thought And gnawing worme that grieu'd our conscience so Neuer tooke ease but as our heart out brought The stayned sighes in witnes of our woe Such restlesse cares our fault did well beknow Wherewith of our deserued fall the feares In euery place rang death within our eares And as ill graine is neuer well ykept So fared it by vs within a while That which so long with such vnrest we reapt In dread and danger by all wit and wile Loe see the fine when once it felt the whele Of slipper Fortune stay it might no stowne The wheele whurles vp but straight it whurleth downe For hauing rule and riches in our hand Who durst gaine say the thing that we auer'd Will was wisdome our lust for law did stand In sort so strange that who was not afeard When he the sound but of King Richard heard So hatefull waxt the hearing of his name That you may deeme the residue of the same But what auail'd the terrour and the feare Wherewith he kept his lieges vnder awe It rather wan him hatred euery where And fained faces forc'd by feare of law That but while Fortune doth with fauour blaw Flatter through feare for in their heart lurkes aye A secret hate that hopeth for a day Recordeth Dionysius the King That with his rigour so his Realme opprest As that he thought by cruell feare to bring His subiects vnder as him liked best But loe the dread wherewith himselfe was strest And you shall see the fine of forced feare Most Mirrour like in this proud Prince appeare All were his head with crowne of gold yspread And in his hand the royall scepter set And he with princely purple richly clad Yet was his heart with wretched cares orefret And inwardly with deadly feare beset Of those whom he by rigour kept in awe And fore opprest with might of tyrants law Against whose feare no heapes of gold and glie No strength of guard nor all his hired powre Ne proud high towres that preased to the skie His cruell heart of safetie could assure But dreading them whom he should deeme most sure Himselfe his beard with burning brand would seare Of death deseru'd so vexed him the feare This might suffice to represent the fine Of
tyrants force their feares and their vnrest But heare this one although my heart repine To let the sound once sinke within my brest Of fell Phereus that aboue the rest Such crueltie vpon his people wrought As oh alas I tremble with the thought Some he encased in the coats of Beares Among wilde beasts deuoured so to be And some for prey vnto the hunters speares Like sauage beasts withouten ruth to die Sometime t' encrease his horrid crueltie The quicke with face to face engraued hee Each others death that each might liuing see Loe what more cruell horror might be found To purchase feare if feare could stay his raigne It booted not it rather strake the wound Of feare in him to feare the like againe And so he did full oft and not in vaine As in his life his cares could witnesse well But most of all his wretched end doth tell His owne deare wife whom as his life he loued He durst not trust nor proch vnto her bed But causing first his slaue with naked sword To go before himselfe with trembling dread Straight followeth fast and whurling in his head His rolling eyne he searched heere and there The danger deepe that he so sore did feare For not in vaine it ran still in his brest Some wretched hap should hale him to his end And therefore alway by his pillow prest Had he a sword and with that sword he wend In vaine God wot all perils to defend For loe his wife foreirking of his raigne Sleeping in bed this cruell wretch hath slaine What should I more now seeke to say in this Or one iot further linger forth my tale With cruell Nero or with Phalaris Caligula Domitian and all The cruell rout or of their wretched fall I can no more but in my name aduert All earthly powres beware of tyrants heart And as our state endured but a throw So best in vs the stay of such a state May best appeare to hang on ouer throw And better teach tyrants deserued hate Then any tyrants death tofore or late So cruell seem'd this Richard third to me That loe my selfe now loth'd his crueltie For when alas I saw the tyrant King Content not only from his nephewes twaine To riue worlds blisse but also all worlds being Sauns earthly guilt ycausing both be slaine My heart agrieud that such a wretch should raigne Whose bloodie breast so sauag'd out of kind That Phalaris had nere so foule a mind Nay could I brooke him once within my brest But with the thought my teeth would gnash withall For though I erst were his by sworne behest Yet when I saw mischiefe on mischiefe fall So deepe in blood to murder Prince and all Aye then thought I alas and welaway And to my selfe thus mourning would I say If neither loue kindred nay knot of blood His owne allegeance to his Prince of due Nor yet the state of trust wherein he stood The worlds defame nor nought could forme him true Those guiltlesse babes could they not make him rue Nor could their youth nor innocence withall Moue him from reauing them their life and all Alas it could not moue him any iot Nay make him once to rue or wet his eye Stir'd him no more then that that stirreth not But as the rocke or stone that will not plie So was his heart made hard with crueltie To murder them alas I weepe in thought To thinke on that which this fell wretch hath wrought That now when he had done the thing he sought And as he would complisht and compast all And saw and knew the treason he had wrought To God and man to slay his Prince and all Then seem'd he first to doubt and dread vs all And me in chiefe whose death all meanes he might He sought to worke by malice and by might Such heapes of harmes vpharbar'd in his brest With enuious heart my honor to deface And knowing he that I which wotted best His wretched drifts and all his wretched case If euer sprang within me sparke of grace Must needs abhorre him and his hatefull race Now more and more gan cast me out of grace Which sudden change when I by secret chance Had well perceiu'd by proofe of enuious frowne And saw the lot that did me to aduance Him to a King that sought to cast me downe Too late it was to linger any stowne Sith present choice lay cast before mine eye To worke his death or I my selfe to die And as the Knight in field among his foes Beset with swords must slay or there be slaine So I alas lapt in a thousand woes Beholding death on euery side so plaine I rather chose by some sly secret traine To worke his death and I to liue therby Then he to liue and I of force to dye Which heauy choice so hastened me to chose That I in part agrieu'd at his disdaine In part to wreake the dolefull death of those Two tender babes his silly nephewes twaine By him alas commanded to be slaine With painted cheere humbly before his face Straight tooke my leaue and rode to Brecknocke place And there as close and couert as I might My purposde practise to his passe to bring In secret drifts I lingred day and night All how I might depose this cruell King That seemd to all so much desirde a thing As therto trusting I emprisde the same But too much trusting brought me to my bane For while I now had Fortune at my becke Mistrusting I no earthly thing at all Vnwares alas least looking for a checke She mated me in turning of a ball When least I feard then neerest was my fall And when whole Hosts were prest to stroy my fone She changed her cheare and left me post alone I had vprais'd a mightie band of men And marched forth in order of array Leading my power amid the forrest Dene Against the tyrant banner to display But loe my souldiers basely shranke away For such is Fortune when she list to frowne Who seemes most sure him soonest whurles she downe O let no Prince put trust in Commontie Nor hope in faith of giddie peoples mind But let all noble men take heed by me That by the proofe too well the paine do find Loe where is truth or trust or what could bind The vaine people but they will swerue and sway As chance brings change to driue and draw that way Rome thou that once aduanced vp so hie Thy stay Patron and flowre of excellence Hast now throwne him to depth of miserie Exiled him that was thy whole defence Nay count'st it not an horrible offence To reuen him of honor and of fame That wan it thee when thou hadst lost the same Behold Camillus he that erst reuiued The state of Rome that dying he did find Of his owne state is now alas depriued Banisht by them whom he did thus debt-bind That cruell folke vnthankfull and vnkind Declared well their false vnconstancie And Fortune eke her mutabilitie And