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
with my boats they rowde to me alas And all they cri'd keep Humber keepe their King That to our Prince we may the traytor bring So with my boats beset poore Humber I Wist no refuge my wearie armes did ake My breath was short I had no power to crie Or place to stand while I my plaint might make The water colde made all my ioynts to shake My heart did beat with sorow griefe and paine And downe my cheeks salt tears they gusht amain O must thou yeeld and shall thy boats betray Thy selfe quoth I no mercie Britans haue O would to God I might escape away I wot not yet if pardon I may craue Although my deeds deserue no life to haue I will I nill death bondage beast am I In waters thus in forren soile to die With that I clapt my quauering hands abroad And held them vp to heauen and thus I said O Gods that know the paines that I haue bode And iust reuengement of my rashnes paid And of the death of Albanact betraid By me and mine I yeeld my life therefore Content to die and neuer greeue yee more Then straight not opening of my hands I bowde My selfe and set my head my armes betweene And downe I sprang with all the force I could So duckt that neither head nor foot were seene And neuer saw my foes againe I weene There was I drown'd the Britans to my fame Yet call that arme of sea by Humbers name Take heed by me let my presumption serue And let my folly fall and rashnesse be A glasse wherein to see if thou do swerue Thou mai'st thy selfe perceiue somewhat by me Let neither trust nor treason traine forth ye But be content with thine estate so shall No wrath of God procure thy haplesse fall If thou be forren bide within thy soile That God hath giuen to thee and thine to hold If thou oppression meane beware the foile Beare not thy selfe of thee or thine too bold Or of the feats thy elders did of old For God is iust iniustice will not thriue He plagues the proud preserues the good aliue HOW KING LOCRINVS the eldest son of Brutus liued vitiously and was slaine in battell by his wife Queene Guendoline the yeare before Christ 1064. IF euer any noble Prince might rue My haplesse deeds of yore the same may I That would to God it were not farre too true Or that I iustly could my faults denie * The truth of things the end or time doth trie As well by me is seene my haplesse fall Declares whence came my great misfortunes all I am Locrinus second Britaine King The eldest sonne of him that found this land Whose death to me my mischiefes all did bring And caus'd why first I tooke my death in hand He chiefely wil'd me when he gaue this land I should be rul'd by all his Counsels will And vse their iudgements in my dealings still But what do I accuse my fathers hest What meane I heere th' unfaultie for to blame All he commanded euen was for the best Though in effect of best the worst became So things oft times well ment vnfitly frame So often times the counsell of our frend Apparent good falles faultie in the end For as he wisht I vsde his Counsels aide In each thing that I deem'd was good for me I neuer ought that they desir'd denaide But did to all their minds and hests agree And Corinaeus saw my heart so 〈◊〉 By diuers meanes he sought the match to make That to my wife I might his daughter take So I that wist not then what mariage ment Did straight agree his Guendoline to haue Yet afterward suspecting his intent My friends to me this point of counsell gaue That * whoso doth of Prince alliance craue He meanes thereby to worke some point of ill Or else to frame the Prince vnto his will It may well be he ment no ill at all But * wise men alwaies vse to dread the worst And sith it was the fountaine of my fall From whence the spring of all my sorowes burst I may well thinke was some of vs accurst For why * the end doth alwaies proue the fact By end we iudge the meaning of the act I made no haste to wed my spoused wife I wist I could as yet without her bide I had not tasted ioyes of trained life I deem'd them fooles by Cupids dart that dide I Venus vile and all her feats defide I liu'd at rest and rul'd my land so well That men delighted of my facts to tell My brethren eke long weilded well their parts We fear'd no foes we thought our state would stand We gaue our selues to learned skilfull arts Wherein we either fruite or pleasure fand And we enioyd too fine a fertile land That few in earth might with our states compare We liu'd so void of noisome carke and care But see the chance when least we thought of ill When we esteem'd our state to be most sure Then came a flaw to bridle all our will For strangers farre gan vs to warre procure And euen when first they put their pranke in vre On Albaine shores my brother there they slew Whose death we after made the Hunnes to rue When he was dead they hop'd to winne the rest And ouer Aby streame with hast did hie But I and eke my brother Camber drest Our armies straight and came their force to trie We brake their raies and forc'd the King to flie Into the arme of sea they ouer came Where Humber drownde the waters tooke their name We either slew or tooke them captiues all Amongst the which O mischiefe great to tell The Gods to worke mine ouerthrow and fall Sent Ladies three whose beauties did excell Of which because I liked one so well I tooke her straight nor she did ought denie But ech thing granted so she might not die Thus Humber we this hatefull hungrie King In Humber drencht and him depriu'd of pride And of his louely Ladies he did bring He lost the pray and all his men beside And we the spoiles of all his host diuide But I that thought I had the greatest share Had caught the cause of all my wofull care They cal'd this Ladie Elstride whom I tooke Whose beautie braue did so my wits confound That for her sake my promise I forsooke Whereby I was to Guendoline first bound Me thought no Ladie else so high renound That might haue causde me change my conflate minde So was I caught by snares of Cupid blinde Was neuer none before so li'kd mine eye I lou'd her more then I could loue my life Her absence still me thought did cause me dye I surely ment to take her for my wife But see how beautie breedeth deadly strife Loe here began my whole confusion here Sprang out the shaft from whence this wound I beare For Corinaeus had no sooner heard That I did meane his daughter to forsake But straight as one that did nought else regard In hast
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
in time I wish them well HOW THE LADIE SAbrine daughter of King Locrinus and Elstride was drowned by Queene Guendoline the yeare before Christ 1064. BEhold me Sabrine orphane erst bereft Of all my friends by cruell case of warre When as not one to treate for me was left But ielousie did all their powers debarre When as my father eke was slaine in warre And when my mother euen before my sight Was drown'd to death O wretch in wofull plight Trust who so will the staffe of high estate And bring me word what stay thereby you haue For why if Fortune once displeasure take She giues the foile though lookes be neu'r so braue * T is wisdome when you winne to winne to saue For oft who trusts to get a Prince his traine Would at the length of beggers life be faine This might the Hunne erst Humber well haue said And this my mother Elstride prou'd too true When as his life by striuing streames was staid And when the tyrants her in waters threw What I may say my selfe reports to you Which had more terror shew'd then twice such twaine Giue eare and iudge if I abode no paine First when my fathers corps was stricken downe With deadly shaft I came to mourne and see And as he lay with bleeding brest in sowne He cast aside his watring eyes on me Flie flie quoth he thy stepdame seekes for thee My wofull child what flight maist thou to take My Sabrine poore I must thee needs forsake See heere mine end behold thy fathers fall Flie hence thy stepdame seekes thy staylesse life Thy mother eke ere this is wrapt in thrall You cannot scape of iealous griefe her knife Farewell my child mine Elstride and my wife Adue quoth he I may no longer bide And euen with that he gasped breath and dide What bird can flie and soare if stormes do rage What ship can saile if once the winds resist What wight is that can force of warres asswage Or else what warre can bridle fortunes list What man is he that dare an hoast resist What woman only dare withstand a field If not what child but must to enemies yeeld My fathers souldiers fled away for feare As soone as once their Captaines death they scand The Queene proclaim'd a pardon euery where To those would yeeld and craue it at her hand Excepting such as did her aye withstand For so the course alwaies of pardons goes As saues the souldier and entraps the foes Then wist I flight could nothing me preuaile I fear'd her pardon would not saue my life The storme was such I durst not beare a faile I durst not go t' intreate my fathers wife Although I neuer was the cause of strife For iealosie deuoid of reasons raigne With frenzies fume enragde her restlesse braine But see the chance thus compast round with feare In broiles of blood as in the field I stand I wisht to God my corps were any where As out of life or off this hatefull land No sooner wisht but there was euen at hand A souldier vile in haste quoth he come on Queene Elstride will before thou â—â—me begon The rascall rude the rogue the clubfist grept My slender arme and plucktme on in hast And with my robes the bloodie ground he swept As I drue backe he hal'd me on full fast Vnder his arme my carefull corps he cast Sith that quoth he thou put'st me to this paine Thou shalt thereby at length but little gaine So at the length we came where we descri'd A number huge of folkes about the Queene As when you see some wonder great betide Or else the place where some strange sight hath beene So might you there the people standing seene And gazed all when as they see me brought Then sure I deem'd I was not come for nought And in the prease some praisde my comely face In beautie Elstride which resembled right Some said I looked like my fathers grace But others said it was a piteous sight I should so die the Queene me pardon might They said the beast me bore did me abuse Which not so rudely ought a Princesse vse But what did this redresse my wofull care You wot the Commons vse such prouerbs still And yet the captiues poore no better are It rather helpes their pained hearts to kill * To pitie one in griefe doth worke him ill Bemone his woe and cannot ease his thrall It kils his heart but comforts none at all Thus past we through the prease at length we came Into the presence of the iealous Queene Who nought at all the rascall rude did blame That bare me so but askt if I had seene My father slaine that cause thereof had beene O Queene quoth I God knowes my whole intent Of slaughter guiltlesse I am innocent With that I saw the people looke aside To view a mourning voice I heard thereby It was my wofull mother by that cri'd Lo Sabrine bound at brinke of death I lie What pen or tongue or teares with weeping eie Could tell my woes that saw my mother bound On waters shoare wherein she should be drown'd With that I fell before the Queene and pray'd For mercie but with fierie eyes she bent Her browes on me out bastard vile she said Thou wot'st not yet wherefore for thee I sent O Queene quoth I haue pitie be content And if thou mind of mercie ought to show Drowne me and let my mother harmelesse go For why she was a Prince his daughter borne In Germany and thence was brought away Perforce by Humber who by warres forlorne Thy King as captiue tooke her for his pray Thou maist full well her case with reason way What could she do what more then she or I Thy captiues now thine owne to liue or die Take pitie then on Princely race O Queene Haue pitie if remorce may ought require Take pitie on a captiue thrice hath beene Let pitie pierce the rage of all thine ire But if thy breast burne with reuenging fire Then let my death quench out that fuming flame Sith of thy husbands blood and hers I came Much more I said while teares out streaming went But nought of ease at all thereby I gain'd My mother eke did as she lay lament Wherewith my heart a thousand fold she pain'd And though the Queene my plaints to fauour fain'd Yet at the last she bad she should prepare Her selfe to die and end her course of care Then all her friends my mother Elstride nam'd And pleasures past and bade them all adue Eke as she thus her last farewell had fram'd With losse of him from whom her sorowes grue At length to me which made my heart to rue She said farewell my child I feare thy fall Ten thousand times adue my Sabrine small And as the cruell caytiffes came to take Her vp to cast and drowne her in the floud I fast mine armes about her clipt did make And cri'd O Queene let mercie meeke thy mood Do rather reaue my
wealths abound Content your selues in peace to spend your daies By vertues good aloft your names to raise HOW KING PORREX WHICH SLEW HIS brother was slaine by his owne mother and her maidens about the yeare before Christ 491. CAn cursed Caine that caitiue scuse himselfe That slew his brother Abel innocent Or Typhon who for state and worldly pelfe His deare Osiris downe to Lymbo sent King Dardan then to do the like may trie They slew their brethren each and so did I. The witch Medaea rent in pieces small Absirtus limbes her brother did not she She threw him in the way dismembred all That so her fathers iourney stai'd might be Orodes slew his brother Mithridate And so did I my brother in debate Learchus slew his brother for the Crowne So did Cambrses fearing much the dreame Antiochus of infamous renowne His brother slew to rule alone the Realme Ardieus did the like for Kingdomes sake So I my brothers life away did take Mempricius Iewde of life likewise did kill His brother Manlius for the same intent These Princes vile were brother slayers ill For kingdomes sake vnnaturally bent But reade the stories thou shalt find it plaine The bloodie wretches all were after slaine Euen so I Porrex eke which slew my brother And ruled once the Britaine land with him Vnkindly kil'd was by my cruell mother Which with her maideus chopt me euery limme As I lay sleeping on my bed at rest Into my chamber full and whole they prest Appointed well they were with weapons sharpe And boldly laid on me with all their might Oft quite and cleane they thrust me through the hart And on my corps each where their weapons light They chopt me small I say as flesh to pot And threw me out my limbes yet trembling hot Can I complaine of this reuenge she raught Sith I procur'd the slaughter of her sonne Can I excuse my selfe deuoid of faut Which my deare Prince and brother had fordonne No t is too true that * who so slayes a King Incurres reproch and slaughter blood doth bring The traytors to their Prince haue alwaies bin As slayers of their parents vipers brood The killers of their brothers friends and kin In like degree well nigh of treason stood But what by this win they saue death defame Distaine their blood and shroud themselues with shame Example take you Princes of this land Beware of discord shun ambitious pride By right take ye the scepter in your hand Let not your sword with soueraignes blood be dide The mightie Ioue that raignes eternall aye Cuts off the Kings that enter in that waye Vsurpers may perswade themselues a while There is no God no lawes of sacred crowne No wrong they do no murther seemeth vile Nor no respect of Princely high renowne But if they could consider well the case They would not so aspire to Princes place They would example take by Lucifer That was cast downe the father first of pride And all his impes how high so ere they were Vsurping Realmes and Kingdomes far and wide From light to darke from throne to thrall they fell From bale to blisse and downe from heauen to hell Sufficient heere is said to warne the wise For he by prudence oft forecasts the doubt The foole is bent all warnings to despise He runneth headlong with the rascall rout Then if thou cast to liue at rest a subiect good Touch not the Prince crowne scepter nor his blood HOW KING PINNAR WAS SLAINE IN BATtaile by Mulmucius Donwallo about the yeare before Christ 441. MIght oftentimes right ouerrunnes too fast Right after comes and hopes to haue his owne And when he ouertakes might at the last Then is the truth of all the quarrell knowne Men neuer reape no other then was sowne If good be gaine the better comes the crop The grape growes on the vine and not the hop Of this now spoken this would I inferre Men may by might a kingdome long withhold Not due to them but they far better were To yeeld vnto the right what reason would Good mettals bides the touch which tries the gold When copper counted counterfeit in cast Is deem'd but drosse and called in at last I am that Pinnar who when Brutus blood Extincted was in bloodie Porrex raigne Amongst the Princes in contention stood Who in the Britaine throne by right should raigne Mongst whom by might a part I did obtaine That part of Albion call'd Logria hight I did long time vsurpe against all right Stater who stept into the Scottish throne And Rudacke that vsurpt the Cambrian crowne Their minds to mine did frame and ioyn'd in one To keepe the Cornish Prince stout Cloten downe Twixt whom and vs in fighting for renowne Faire Ladie Albion Europes wondred Ile Rob'd of her beautie was alas the while Duke Cloten though a man of worthie praise Who claim'd the crowne as due to him by right Could not preuaile till death did end his daies His sonne Mulmucius that vndaunted Knight Pursu'd his fathers claime with all his might And meeting vs in many a bloodie field At length in manly fight did make vs yeeld He Lion-like himselfe with his tall troope Of nimble Cornish met vs on the way And to his conquering arme did cause vs stoope The price of treason I with blood did pay My wrong deem'd right appear'd in my decay Who so by violence scales the throne of State Seldome sits sure but falles by violent fate HOW KING STATER OF SCOTLAND was slaine by Mulmucius Donwallo about the yeare before Christ 441. DEsist not in histories truly to tell The fall of vsurpers the mirrours of pride Recite of our treasons and how that we fell Intruders vntrustie the Realme for to guide Of wit and of reason recklesse and wide That tooke so vpon vs to rule all the land No Princes presum'd yet with scepter in hand How stately I Stater of Scotland the King Did beare me full stoutly when I had the crowne And what a great armie of Scots I did bring Against Lord Donwallo of noble renowne I deemed dame Fortune would neuer so frowne Who made me a Prince that kingdome my pray Of late but a subiect and simple of sway But heere now behold how steadie the state Of climbers aloft is aboue their degree And how they do fall from fortune to fate Example are such as my fellow and me The fruit giues a taste of the sap of the tree The seed of the herbe the grape of the vine The worke wrayes the man seeme he neuer so fine For when I had leuied an armie to fight I ioyned with Pinnar my power to preuaile And Rudacke of Wales came eke with his might Mulmucius Donwallo the King to assaile Our purpose the Prince by prowes did quaile Which came out of Corne wall vs vanquisht in field Our souldiers were slaughterd or forced to yeeld O fortune I blame thee my selfe more vn wise Thou gau'st me a kingdome with life I it lost My souldiers
from the world thou get'st no land of mine And sith likewise of Gods we came a Nation free We owe no tribute aide or pledge to Rome or thee Retract thy will or wage thy warre as likes thee best We are to fight and rather then to friendship prest To saue our countrey from the force of forren strife Each Britaine heere is well content to venter life We feare not of the end or dangers thou dost tell But vse thy pleasure if thou maist thus fare thou well Cassibellane When Caesar had receiu'd his answere so It vext him much he thereupon decreed To wage vs warre and worke vs Britaines woe Wherefore he hasted hitherward with speed The Britaines eke prepar'd themselues with heed To meete the Romans all in warlike guise With all the force and speed they might deuise And heere the wiser deem'd it meeter much T' assaile them first at th' entry on this land Then for to giue arriuall heere to such Might with our victuals aide our selues withstand T' is better far the enemies t'aband Quite from thy borders to a forren soile Then he at home thee and thy countrie spoile Wherefore we met him at his entrie in And pitcht our camps directly in his way We minded sure to lose or else to win The praise before we past from thence away So when that both the armies were in ray And trumpets blast on euery side was blowne Our minds to either each were quickly knowne We ioyned battaile fiercely both we fought The Romanes to enlarge their Empires fame And we with all the force and might we mought To saue our countrie and to keepe our name O worthie Britaines learne to do the same We brake the rayes of all the Romane hoast And made the mightie Caesar leaue his boast Yet he the worthiest Captaine euer was Brought all in ray and fought againe a new His skilfull souldiers he could bring to passe At once for why his traynings all they knew No sooner I his noble corps did view But in I brake amongst the captaines band And there I faught with Caesar hand to hand O God thou might'st haue giuen a Britaine grace T' haue slaine the Roman Caesar noble then Which sought the noble Britaines to deface And bring in bondage valiant worthie men He neuer should haue gone to Rome agen To fight with Pompey or his peeres to slay Or else to bring his countrie in decay It ioy'd my heart to strike on Caesars crest O Caesar that there had been none but wee I often made my sword to trie thy brest But Ladie fortune did not fauour mee I able was me thought with Caesars three To trie the case I made thy heart to quake When on thy crest with mightie stroke I strake The strokes thou strook'st me hurt me nought at all For why thy strength was nothing in respect But thou had'st bath'd thy sword in poyson all Which did my wound not deadly else infect Yet was I or I parted thence bewreckt I gate thy sword from thee for all thy fame And made thee flie for feare to eate the same For when thy sword was in my target fast I made thee flie and quickly leaue thy hold Thou neuer wast in all thy life so gast Nor durst againe be euer halfe so bold I made a number Romans hearts ful cold Fight fight you noble Britaines now quoth I We neuer all will vnreuenged die What Caesar though thy praise and mine bee od The ancient stories scarce remember me Though Poets all of thee doe make a God Such simple fooles in making Gods they bee Yet if I had my quarell try'd with thee Thou neuer hadst returnde to Rome againe Nor of thy faithfull friends bin beastly slaine A number Britaine 's mightst thou there haue seene Wounded in fight and spoile their spitefull foes My selfe maimde slew and mangled mo I weene When I was hurt then twenty more of those I made the Romanes stout their courage lose In all the campe no Romane scarce I spide Durst halfe the combate gainst a Britaine bide At length I met a noble man they cald Him Labienus one of Caesars friends A Tribune erst had many Britaines thrald Was one of Caesars Legats forth he sends Well met quoth I I minde to make th' amends For all thy friendships to our Country crew And so with Caesars sword his friend I slew What neede I name you euery Britaine here As first the King the nobles all beside Full stout and worthy wights in warre that were As euer erst the stately Romanes tride We fought so long they durst no longer bide Proude Caesar he for all his bragges and boast Flew backe to ships with halfe his scattered hoast If he had bene a God as sots him nam'd He could not of vs Britaines taken foile The Monarch Caesar might haue been asham'd From such an Iland with his ships recoile Or else to flie and leaue behind the spoile But life is sweete he thought it better flie Then bide amongst vs Britaines here to die I had his sword was named Croceamors With which he gaue me in the head a stroke The venime of the which had such a force It able was to pierce the heart of oke No medcines might the poyson out reuoke Wherefore though scarce he pierced had the skin In fifteene daies my braines it ranckled in And then too soone alas therefore I dide Yet would to God he had returnde againe So that I might but once the dastard spide Before he went I had the serpent slaine He plaide the coward cutthrote all too plaine A beastly serpents heart that beasts detects Which or he fight his sword with bane infects Well then my death brought Caesar no ronowne For both I gate thereby eternall fame And eke his sword to strike his friends adowne I slew therewith his Labiene by name With Prince against my Countrey foes I came Was wounded yet did neuer faint nor yeeld Till Caesar with his souldiers fled the field Who would not venture life in such a case Who would not fight at Countries whole request Who would not meeting Caesar in the place Fight for life Prince and Countrey with the best The greatest courage is by facts exprest Then for thy Prince with fortitude as I And Realmes defence is praise to liue or dy Now write my life when thou hast leasure and Will all thy countrymen to learne by me Both for their Prince and for their natiue land As valiant bold and fearelesse for to be A paterne plaine of fortitude they see To which directly if themselues they frame They shall preserue their Countrey faith and fame HOW THE LORD IRENGLAS COSIN TO KING CASSIBELLANE was slaine by the Lord Elimine cosin to Androgeus Earle of London about the yeare before Christ 51. AMongst the rest that whilome sate aloft Amongst the rest that once had happie chance Amongst the rest that had good fortune oft Amongst the rest that could themselues aduance Amongst the rest that led in
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
Baldwine M. Ferrers and others the composers of these Tragedies who continuing their methode which was by way of dialogue or interlocution betwixt euery Tragedie gaue it onely place before the Duke of Buckinghams complaint which order I since hauing altered haue placed the Induction in the beginning with euery Tragedie following according to succession and the iust computation of time which before was not obserued and lest any one thinke me enuious of others deserts I haue subscribed the names of all such as I could heare of vnder such Tragedies as each one particularlie hath written which at the request of the Printer I haue briefely perused as the former In which friendly Reader if I haue done amisse I craue pardon for my ouersight hoping if paines will in stead of penance pacifie thee to yeeld thee satisfaction and content in my additions following to which I refer thee R. N. Mr. SACKVILS INDVCTION THe wrathfull winter hastning on apace With blustring blasts had all ybard the treene And old Saturnus with his frosty face With chilling cold had pearst the tender greene The mantles rent wherein enwrapped beene The gladsome groues that now lay ouerthrowne The tapets torne and euery tree downe blowne The soile that erst so seemly was to seene Was all despoyled of her beauties hew And soote fresh flowers wherewith the summers Queene Had clad the earth now Boreas blasts downe blew And small fowles flocking in their fong did rew The winters wrath wherewith ech thing defaste In woefull wise bewaild the summer past Hawthorne had lost his motley liuery The naked twigs were shiuering all for cold And dropping downe the teares abundantly Ech thing me thought with weeping eye me told The cruell season bidding mee with hold My selfe within for I was gotten out Into the fields whereas I walkt about When loe the night with mistie mantels spred Gan darke the day and dim the azure skies And Venus in her message Hermes sped To bloudy Mars to will him not to rise While she her selfe approcht in speedy wise And Virgo hiding her disdainfull brest With Thetis now had laid her downe to rest Whiles Scorpio dreading Sagittarius dart Whose bowe prest bent in fight the string had slipt Downe slide into the Ocean floud apart The Beare that in the Irish seas had dipt His grizly feet with speed from thence he whipt For Thetis hasting from the Virgins bed Pursude the Beare that ere she came was fled And Phaeton now neere reaching to his race With glistring beames gold streaming where they bent Was prest to enter in his resting place Erythius that in the cart first went Had euen now attain'd his iourneys stent And fast declining hid away his head While Titan coucht him in his purple bed And pale-fac'd Cinthea with her borowed light Beginning to supplie her brothers place Was past the Noonesteed sixe degrees in sight When sparkling starres amid the heauens face With twinkling light shone on the earth apace That while they brought about the nights black chare The darke had dim'd the day ere I was ware And sorrowing I to see the summer flowers The liuely greene the lusty lease forlorne The sturdie trees so shattred with the showers The fields so fade that florisht so beforne It taught me well all earthly things be borne To dye the death for nought long time may last The summers beautie yeelds to winters blast Then looking vpward to the heauens leames With nights bright starres thick powdred euery where Which erst so glistred with the golden streames That chearfull Phoebus spred downe from his sphere Beholding darke oppressing day so neere The sudden sight reduced to my mind The sundry changes that in earth we find That musing on this worldly wealth in thought Which coms and goes more faster then we see The flickering flame that with the fire is wrought My busie minde presented vnto me Such fall of Peeres as in the realme had be That oft I wisht some would their woes descriue To warne the rest whom Fortune left aliue And strait forth stalking with redoubled pace For that I saw the night drew on so fast In black all clad there fell before my face A piteous wight whom woe had all forewast Forth on her eyes the crystall teares out brast And sighing sore her hands she wrung and fold Tare all her haire that ruth was to behold Her body small forwithered and forespent As is the stalke that summers drought opprest Her wealked face with woeful teares be sprent Her colour pale at it seemed her best In woe and plaint reposed was her rest And as the stone that drops of water weares So dented were her cheekes with fall of teares Her eies full swollen with flowing streames aflote Where with her lookes throwne vp full piteously Her forcelesse hands together oft she smote With dolefull shrikes that eckoed in the skye Whose plaint such sighs did straight accompany That in my doome was neuer man did see A wight but halfe so woe begone as shee I stood agast beholding all her plight Tweene dread and dolour so distraind in hart That while my haires vpstarted with the sight The teares outstreamd for sorow of her smart But when I saw no end that could appart The deadly dole which shee so sore did make With dolefull voice then thus to her I spake Vnwrap thy woes what euer wight thou bee And stint in time to spill thy selfe with plaint Tell what thou art and whence for well I see Thou canst not dure with sorrow thus attaint And with that word of sorrow all forfaint She looked vp and prostrate as she lay With piteous sound lo thus she gan to say Alas I wretch whom thus thou seest distrain'd With wasting woes that neuer shall aslake Sorrow I am in endlesse torments pain'd Among the Furies in th' infernall lake Where Pluto God of Hell so grizly black Doth hold his throne and Laetheus deadly tast Doth reue remembrance of each thing forepast Whence come I am the drery destiny And lucklesse lot for to bemone of those Whom Fortune in this maze of misery Of wretched chance most wofull Mirors chose That when thou seest how lightly they did lose Their pomp their power and that they thought most sure Thou mayst soone deeme no earthly ioy may dure Whose rufull voice no sooner had out-brayed Those wofull words wherewith she sorrowed so But out alas she shright and neuer stayed Fell downe and all to dasht her selfe for wo. The cold pale dread my limmes gan ouergo And I so sorrowed at her sorrowes eft That what with griefe and feare my wits were reft I stretcht my selfe and straight my heart reuiues That dread and dolour earst did so appale Like him that with the seruent feuer striues When sicknesse seekes his castell health to scale With gathred sprites so forst I feare t'auale And rearing her with anguish all foredone My sprits return'd and then I thus begon Sorrow alas sith Sorrow is thy name And that
to thee this drere doth well pertaiue In vaine it were to seeke to cease the same But as a man himselfe with sorrow slaine So I alas doe comfort thee in paine That here in sorrow art foresunke so deepe That at thy sight I can but sigh and weepe I had no sooner spoken of a stike But that the storme so rumbled in her brest As Eolus could neuer rore the like And showres downe rain'd from her eyes so fast That all bedreint the place till at the last Well eased they the dolour of her mind As rage of raine doth swage the stormie wind For forth she pased in her fearefull tale Come come quoth she and see what I shall show Come heare the plaining and the bitter bale Of worthy men by Fortunes ouerthrow Come thou and see them rewing all in row They were but shades that erst in mind thou rold Come come with me thine eyes shall them behold What could these words but make me more agast To heare her tell whereon I mus'd while ere So was I maz'd therewith till at the last Musing vpon her words and what they were All suddainly well lessoned was my feare For to my mind returned how she teld Both what she was and where her wun she held Whereby I knew that she a Goddesse was And therewithall resorted to my mind My thought that late presented me the glas Of brittle state of cares that here we find Of thousand woes to silly men assignd And how she now bid me come and behold To see with eye that earst in thought I told Flat downe I fell and with all reuerence Adored her perceiuing now that shee A Goddesse sent by godly prouidence In earthly shape thus shew'd her selfe to me To waile and rue this worlds vncertainty And while I honourd thus her Godheads might With plaining voice these words to me she shright I shall thee guide first to the griesly lake And thence vnto the blisfull place of rest Where thou shalt see and heare the plaint they make That whilome here bare swinge among the best This shalt thou see but great is the vnrest That thou must bide before thou canst attaine Vnto the dreadfull place where these remaine And with these words as I vpraised stood And gan to follow her that straight forth paste Ere I was ware into a desert wood We now were come where hand in hand imbraste She led the way and through the thicke so traste As but I had bene guided by her might It was no way for any mortall wight But loe while thus amid the desert darke We passed on with steps and pace vnmeete A rumbling rore confus'd with howle and barke Of Dogs shooke all the ground vnder our feete And strooke the din within our eares so deepe As halfe distraught vnto the ground I fell Besought returne and not to visit hell But she forthwith vplifting mee a pace Remou'd my dread and with a stedfast minde Bad me come on for here was now the place The place where we our trauailes end should finde Wherewith I rose and to the place assingde Astond I stalkt when straight we approched neere The dreadfull place that you will dread to heare And hideous hole all vaste withouten shape Of endlesse depth orewhelm'd with ragged stone With ougly mouth and griesly iawes doth gape And to our sight confounds it selfe in one Heere entred we and yeeding forth anone A dreadfull lothly lake we might discerne As blacke as pitch that cleped is Auerne A deadly gulfe where nought but rubbish growes With foule black swelth in thickned lumps that lies Which vp in th' aire such stinking vapors throwes That ouer there may flie no fowle but dies Choakt with the noysome lauours that arise Hither we come whence forth we still did pace In dreadfull feare amid the dreadfull place And first within the porch and iawes of hell Sate deepe Remorse of conscience all besprent With teares and to her selfe oft would she tell Her wretchednesse and cursing neuer stent To sob and sigh but euer thus lament With thoughtfull care as she that all in vaine Would weare and waste continually in paine Her eyes vnstedfast rolling here and there Whurl'd on each place as place that vengeance brought So was her mind continually in feare Tossed and tormented with tedious thought Of those detested crimes which she had wrought With dreadfull cheere and lookes throwne to the skie Wishing for death and yet she could not die Next saw we Dread all trembling how he shooke With foote vncertaine profered here and there Benum'd of speech and with a ghastly looke Searcht euery place all pale and dead for feare His cap borne vp with staring of his heare Soyn'd and amaz'd at his owne shade for dreed And fearing greater dangers then was need And next within the entrie of this lake Sate fell Reuenge gnashing her teeth for ire Deuising meanes how she may vengeance take Neuer in rest till she haue her desire But frets within so farforth with the fire Of wreaking flames that now determines she To die by death or veng'd by death to be When fell Reuenge with bloudie foule pretence Had shew'd her selfe as next in order set With trembling limbes we softly parted thence Till in our eyes another sight we met When from my heart a sigh forthwith I fet Ruing alas vpon the wofull plight Of Miserie that next appear'd in sight His face was leane and somedeale pin'd away And eke his hands consumed to the bone But what his bodie was I cannot say For on his carkas rayment had he none Saue clouts and patches pieced one by one With staffe in hand and scrip on shoulder cast His chiefe defence against the winters blast His food for most was wilde fruits of the tree Vnlesse sometime some crums fell to his share Which in his wallet long God workepthe As one the which full daintily would faire His drinke the running streame his cup the bare Of his palme closde his bed the hard cold ground To this poore life was Miserie ybound Whose wretched state when we had well beheld With tender ruth on him and on his feeres In thoughtfull cares forth then our pace we held And by and by another shape appeeres Of greedie Care still brushing vp the breers His knuckles knob'd his flesh deepe dented in With tawed hands and hard ytanned skin The morrow gray no sooner hath begun To spread his light euen peeping in our eyes When he is vp and to his worke yrun But let the nights blacke mistie mantles rise And with foule darke neuer so much disguise The faire bright day yet ceaseth he no while But hath his candles to prolong his toile By him lay heauie Sleepe cosin of Death Flat on the ground and still as any stone A very corps saue yeelding forth a breath Small keepe tooke he whom Fortune frowned on Or whom she lifted vp into the throne Of high renowne but as a liuing death So dead aliue of life he
drew the breath The bodies rest the quiet of the hart The trauailes ease the still nights feere was he And of our life in earth the better part Reuer of sight and yet in whom we see Things oft that tide and oft that neuer bee Without respect esteeming equally King Croesus pompe and Irus pouertie And next in order sad Old Age we found His beard all hoare his eyes hollow and blind With drouping cheere still poring on the ground As on the place where nature him assign'd To rest when that the sisters had vntwin'd His vitall thred and ended with their knife The fleeting course of fast declining life There heard we him with broke and hollow plaint Rew with himselfe his end approching fast And all for nought his wretched mind torment With sweete remembrance of his pleasures past And fresh delites of lustie youth forewast Recounting which how would he sob and shreek And to be yong againe of Ioue beseeke But and the cruell fates so fixed be That time forepast cannot returne againe This one request of Ioue yet prayed he That in such withred plight and wretched paine As eld accompanied with lothsome traine Had brought on him all were it woe and griefe He might a while yet linger forth his life And not so soone descend into the pit Where Death when he the mortall corps hath slaine With wretchlesse hand in graue doth couer it Thereafter neuer to enioy againe The gladsome light but in the ground ylaine In depth of darknesse waste and weare to nought As he had nere into the world been brought But who had seene him sobbing how he stood Vnto himselfe and how he would bemone His youth forepast as though it wrought him good To talke of youth all were his youth foregone He would haue musde and maruail'd much whereon This wretched Age should life desire so faine And knowes ful wel life doth but length his paine Crookebackt he was tooth shaken and blere eyde Went on three feete and sometime crept on foure With old lame bones that ratled by his side His scalpe all pil'd and he with eld forlore His withred fist still knocking at Deaths dore Fumbling and driueling as he drawes his breath For briefe the shape and messenger of Death And fast by him pale Maladie was plaste Sore sicke in bed her colour all foregone Bereft of stomacke sauour and of taste Ne could she brooke no meate but broths alone Her breath corrupt her keepers euery one Abhorring her her sicknesse past recure Detesting physicke and all physickes cure But oh the dolefull sight that then we see We turn'd our looke and on the other side A griesly shape of Famine mought we see With greedie lookes and gaping mouth that cried And roar'd for meate as she should there haue died Her bodie thin and bare as any bone Whereto was left nought but the case alone And that alas was gnawne on euery where All full of holes that I ne mought refraine From teares to see how she her armes could teare And with her teeth gnash on the bones in vaine When all for nought she faine would so sustaine Her staruen corps that rather seem'd a shade Then any substance of a creature made Great was her force whom stonewall could not stay Her tearing nailes snatching at all she saw With gaping iawes that by no meanes ymay Be satisfi'd from hunger of her mawe But eates her selfe as she that hath no law Gnawing alas her carcase all in vaine Where you may count each sinew bone and vaine On her while we thus firmely fixt our eyes That bled for ruth of such a driety sight Loe suddenly she shrinkt in so huge wise As made hell gates to shiuer with the might Wherewith a dart we saw how it did light Right on her brest and therewithall pale Death Enthrilling it to reaue her of her breath And by and by a dumbe dead corps we saw Heauie and cold the shape of death aright That dants all earthly creatures to his law Against whose force in vaine it is to fight Ne Peeres ne Princes nor no mortall wight No Towne ne Realmes Cities ne strongest Tower But all perforce must yeeld vnto his power His dart anon out of the corps he tooke And in his hand a dreadfull sight to see With great triumph eftsoones the same he shooke That most of all my feares affrayed mee His bodie dight with nought but bones perdie The naked shape of man there saw I plaine All saue the flesh the sinow and the vaine Lastly stood Warre in glittering armes yelad With visage grim sterne looks and blackely hewed In his right hand a naked sword he had That to the hilts was all with blood embrued And in his left that King and kingdomes rued Famine and fire he held and therewithall He raced townes and threw downe towers and all Cities he sackt and Realmes that whilome flowred In honor glorie and rule aboue the best He ouerwhelm'd and all their fame deuoured Consum'd destroy'd wasted and neuer ceast Till he their wealth their name and all opprest His face forehew'd with wounds and by his side There hung his targ with gashes deepe and wide In midst of which depainted there we found Deadly Debate all full of snakie heare That with a bloodie fillet was ybound Out breathing nought but discord euery where And round about were portrai'd heere and there The hugie hosts Darius and his power His Kings Princes his Peeres and all his flower Whom great Macedo vanquisht there in sight With deepe slaughter despoiling all his pride Pierst through his Realmes and danted all his might Duke Hannibal beheld I there beside In Cannas field victor how he did ride And wofull Romans that in vaine withstood And Consul Paulus couered all in blood Yet saw I more the fight at Trasimene And Treberie field and eke when Hannibal And worthie Scipio last in armes were sene Before Carthago gate to trie for all The worlds Empire to whom it should befall There saw I Pompey and Caesar clad in armes Their hosts allied and all their ciuill harmes With Conquerers hands forbath'd in their owne blood And Caesar weeping ouer Pompeyes head Yet saw I Scilla and Marius where they stood Their great crueltie and the deepe bloodshead Of friends Cyrus I saw and his host dead And how the Queene with great despite hath flong His head in blood of them she ouercome Xerxes the Persian King yet saw I there With his huge host that dranke the riuers drie Dismounted hilles and made the vales vprere His host and all yet saw I slaine perdie Thebes I saw all rac'd how it did lie In heapes of stones and Tyrus put to spoile With walles and towers flat euened with the soile But Troy alas me thought aboue them all It made mine eyes in very teares consume When I beheld the wofull werd befall That by the wrathfull will of God was come And Ioues vnmoued sentence and foredoome On Priam King and on his
Wales By Seuerne West I did inuade and burne Destroyed the townes in mountaines and in vales And rich in spoiles did home ward safe returne Was none so bold durst once against me spurne Thus prosperously doth Fortune forward call Those whom she minds to giue the sorest fall When same had brought these tidings to the King Although the Scots then vexed him right sore A mightie armie ' gainst me he did bring Where of the French King being warn'd afore Who mortall hate against King Henrie bore To grieue our foe he quickly to me sent Twelue thousand Frenchmen vnto the fight all bent A part of them led by the Earle of March Lord Iames of Burbon a renowned Knight Withheld by winds to Wales-ward forth to march Tooke land at Plimmouth priuily on night And when he had done all he durst or might After that many of his men were slaine He stole to ship and sailed home againe Twelue thousand moe in Milford did arriue And came to me then lying at Denbigh With armed Welchmen thousands double fiue With whom we went to Worcester well nigh And there encampt vs on a mount on high T' abide the King who shortly after came And pitched downe his field hard by the same There eight daies long our hosts lay face to face And neither others power durst assaile But they so stopt the passages the space That vitailes could not come to our auaile Where through constrain'd our hearts began to faile So that the Frenchmen shranke away by night And I with mine to 'th mountaines took our flight The King pursued greatly to his cost From hilles to woods from woods to valleyes plaine And by the way his men and stuffe he lost And when he saw he gained nought but paine He blew retreate and gate him home againe Then with my power I boldly came abroad Taken in my countrey for a very god Immediately there fell a iolly iarre Betweene the King and Percies worthie blouds Which grew at last vnto a deadly warre For like as drops engender mightie flouds And little seeds sprout forth great leaues and buds Euen so small strises if they be suffered run Breed wrath and warre and death or they be don The King would haue the ransome of such Scots As these the Percies tane had in the field But see how strongly Lucre knits her knots The King will haue the Percies will not yeeld Desire of goods some craues but granteth seeld Oh cursed goods desire of you hath wrought All wickednes that hath or can bee thought The Percies deemd it meeter for the King To haue redeemd their Cosin Mortimer Who in his quarell all his power did bring To fight with mee that tooke him prisoner Than of their pray to rob his souldier And therefore will'd him see some meane were found To quite forth him whom I kept vily bound Because the King misliked their request They came themselues and did accord with mee Complaining how the Kingdome was opprest By Henries rule wherefore wee did agree To plucke him downe and part the Realme in three The north part theirs Wales holy to be mine The rest to rest to th' Earle of Marches line And for to set vs hereon more agog A Prophet came a vengeance take them all Affirming Henry to be Gogmagog Whom Merline doth a Mould warpe euer call Accurst of God that must be brought in thrall By a Wolfe a Dragon and a Lion strong Which should diuide his Kingdome them among This crafty dreamer made vs three such beasts To thinke wee were the foresaid beastes indeed And for that cause our badges and our creasts Wee searched out which scarsly well agreed Howbeit the Herolds apt at such a need Drew downe such issues from old ancesters As prou'd these ensignes to bee surely ours Yee crafty Welehmen wherefore doe ye mocke The Noble men thus with your sained rimes Ye Noble men why flie yee not the flocke Of such as haue seduc'd so many times False Prophesies are plagues for diuers crimes Which God doth let the diuellish sort deuise To trouble such as are not godly wise And that appeard by vs three beasts indeed Through false perswasion highly borne in hand That in our feate we could not chuse but speed To kill the King and to enioy his Land For which exploit we bound our selues in band To stand contented ech man with his part So folly did assure our foolish hart But such they say as fish before the net Shall seldome surfet of the pray they take Of things to come the haps bee so vnset That none but fooles may warrant of them make The full assur'd successe doth oft forsake For Fortune findeth none so fit to flout As carelesse sots which cast no kinde of doubt How saist thou Henry Hotspur doe I lie For thou right manly gau'st the King a field And there wast slaine because thou wouldst not flie Thine vncle Thomas Percy forst to yeeld Did cast his head a wonder seene but seeld From Shrewsbury towne to 'th top of London Bridge Loe thus fond hope did both their liues abridge When Henry this great victory had wonne Destroid the Percies put their power to flight He did appoint Prince Henry his eldest sonne With all his power to meete me if he might But I discomfit through my partners fight Had not the heart to meete him face to face But fled away and he pursu'd the chase Now Baldwine marke for I cald Prince of Wales And made beleeue I should be he indeed Was made to fly among the hilles and dales Where all my men forsooke me at my need Who trusteth loiterers seeld hath luckly speed And when the Captaines courage doth him faile His souldiers harts a little thing may quaile And so Prince Henry chased me that loe I found no place wherein I might abide For as the dogges pursue the silly Doe The brache behinde the houndes on euery side So traste they me among the mountaines wide Whereby I found I was the hartles hare And not the beast the prophet did declare And at the last like as the little roach Must else be eat or leape vpon the shore When as the hungry picketell doth approach And there find death which it escapt before So double death assaulted me so sore That either I must vnto mine enmy yeeld Or starue for hunger in the barraine feeld Here shame and paine a while were at a strife Paine bad me yeeld shame bad me rather fast The one bad spare the other bad spend my life But shame shame haue it ouercame at last Then hunger gnew that doth the stone wall brast And made me eate both grauel durt and mud And last of all my dung my flesh and bloud This was mine end too horrible to heare Yet good enough for life that was so ill Where by O Baldwine warne all men to beare Their youth such loue to bring them vp in skill Bid Princes fly false prophets lying bill And not presume to climbe aboue
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
is no more but pray for me all Thus say I Edward that late was your King And twentie two yeares ruled this Imperiall Some vnto pleasure and some to no liking Mercie I aske of my misdoing What auaileth it friends to be my foe Sith I cannot resist nor amend your complaining Quia ecce nunc in puluere dormio I sleepe now in mould as it is naturall As earth vnto earth hath his reuerture What ordained God to be terrestriall Without recourse to the earth by nature Who to liue euer may himselfe assure What is it to trust to mutabilitie Sith that in this world nothing may endure For now am I gone that was late in prosperitie To presume thereupon it is but vanitie Not certaine but as a cherie faire full of wo. Raigned not I of late in great prosperitie Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Where was in my life such an one as I While Lady Fortune had with me continuance Granted not she me to haue victorie In England to raigne and to contribute France She tooke me by the hand and led me a dance And with her sugred lips on me she smiled But what for dissembled countenance I could not beware till I was beguiled Now from this world she hath me exiled When I was lothest hence for to go And am in age who saith but a child Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio I had enough I held me not content Without remembrance that I should die And moreouer to encroch readie was I bent I knew not how long I should it occupie I made the Tower strong I wist not why I knew not to whom I purchased Tartersoll I mended Douer on the mountaine high And London I prouoked to fortifie the wall I made Notingham a place full royall Windsore Eltam and many other mo Yet at the last I went from them all Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Where is now my conquest and victorie Where is my riches and royall array Where be my coursers and my horses hie Where is my mirth my solace and my play As vanitie to nought all is withered away O Lady Bes long for me may you call For I am departed vntill domes day But loue you that Lord that is Soueraigne of all Where be my Castles and buildings royall But Windsore alone now haue I no moe And of Eton the prayers perpetuall Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Why should a man be proud or presume high Saint Bernard thereof nobly doth treate Saying a man is but a sacke of stercorie And shall returne vnto wormes meat Why what became of Alexander the great Or else of strong Sampson who can tell Were not wormes ordain'd their flesh to freat And of Salomon that was of wit the Well Absolon preferred his haire for to sell Yet for his beautie wormes eat him also And I but late in honors did excell Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio I haue played my pageant now am I past Ye wot well all I was of no great elde Thus all things concluded shall be at the last When death approcheth then lost is the field Then seeing the world me no longer vpheld For nought would conserue me heere in this place In manus tuas Domine my spirit vp I yeeld Humblie beseeching thee O God of thy grace O you courteous Commons your hearts embrace Benignely now to remember me also For right well you know your King I was Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio HOW SIR ANTHONY WODVILE Lord Riuers and Scales gouernour of Prince EDVVARD was with his Nephew Lord Richard Gray and other causelesse imprisoned and cruelly murdered Anno 1483. AS silly suiters letted by delayes To shew their Prince the meaning of their mind That long haue bought their brokers yeas and nayes And nere the nigher do daily wait to find The Princes grace from waightie affaires vntwind Which time attain'd by attending all the yeare The wearied Prince will then no suiters heare My case was such not many daies ago For after bruite had blazed all abroad That Baldwine through the aide of other mo Of fame or shame fall'n Princes would vnload Out from our graues we got without abode And preased forward with the rufull rout That sought to haue their doings boulted out But when I had long tended for my turne To tell my tale as diuers other did In hope I should no longer while soiourne But from my suits haue speedily been rid When course and place both orderly had bid Me shew my mind and I prepar'd to say The hearers paus'd arose and went their way These doubtfull doings draue me to my dumpes Vncertaine what should moue them so to do I feared lest affections lothly lumpes Or inward grudge had driuen them thereto Whose wicked stings all stories truth vndo Oft causing good to be reported ill Or drown'd in suds of Laethes muddie swill For hitherto slie writers wilie wits Which haue engrossed Princes chiefe affaires Haue been like horses snaffled with the bits Of fancie feare or doubts full deepe despaires Whose raines enchained to the chiefest chaires Haue so been strain'd of those that bare the stroke That truth was forst to chow or else to choke This caused such as lothed loud to lie To passe with silence sundrie Princes liues Lesse fault it is to leaue then leade awrie And better droun'd then euer bound in giues For fatall fraud this world so fondly driues That whatsoeuer writers braines may brue Be it neuer so false at length is tane for true What harme may hap by helpe of lying pens How written lies may leaudly be maintain'd The lothly rites the diuellish idoll dens With guiltlesse blood of vertuous men bestain'd Is such a proofe as all good hearts haue plain'd The taly grounds of stories throughly tries The death of Martyrs vengeance on it cries The freshest wits I know will soone be wearie In reading long what euer booke it bee Except it be vaine matter strange or merrie Well saust with lies and glared all with glee VVith which because no graue truth may agree The closest stile for stories is the meetest In rufull meanes the shortest forme is sweetest And seeth the plaints alreadie by thee pen'd Are briefe enough the number also small The tediousnesse I thinke doth none offend Saue such as haue no lust to learne at all Regard none such no matter what they brall Warne thou the warie lest they hap to stumble As for the carelesse care not what they mumble My life is such as if thou note it well May cause the wittie wealthie to beware For their sakes therefore plainly will I tell How false and cumbrous worldly honors are How cankred foes bring carelesse folke to care How tyrants suffered and not quell'd in time Do cut their throats that suffer them to clime Nor will I hide the chiefest point of all VVhich wisest Rulers least of all regard That was and will be cause of many a fall This cannot be too
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