heart of vitall blood Then thus I liue with that they slackt my hold And drencht my mother in the waters cold For loue to aide her venter in would I That saw my mother striue aloft for wind To land shee lookt and said farewell I die O let me go quoth I like fate to find Said Guendoline come on likewise and bind This Sabrine heere likewise for so shall she At once receiue her whole request of me Eke as I wish to haue in mind her fame As Humbers is which should her father been So shall this floud of Sabrine haue the name That men thereby may say a righteous Queene Heere drown'd her husbands child of concubine Therefore leaue Sabrine heere thy name and life Let Sabrine waters end our mortall strife Dispatch quoth she with that they bound me fast My slender armes and feet with little need And sau's all mercie me in waters cast Which drew me downe and cast me vp with speed And downe me drencht the Sabrine fish to feed Where I abode till now from whence I came And there the waters hold as yet my name Lo thus this ielous Queene in raging sort With bloodie hate bereft her husbands health And eke my mother Elstrides life God wot Which neuer ment to hurt this Common-wealth And me Locrinus child be got by stealth Against all reason was it for to kill The child for that her parents erst did ill But heere you see what time our pompe doth bide Hereby you see th' vnsteadie trust in warre Hereby you see the stay of States etride Hereby you see our hope to make doth marre Hereby you see we fall from bench to barre From bench quoth I yea from the Princely seate You see how soone vs Fortune downe doth beate And heere you see how lawlesse loue doth thriue Hereby you see how ielous folkes doe fare Heere may you see with wisdome they that wiue Need neuer recke Cupidoes cursed snare Heere may you see diuorcement breedeth care Heere seldome thriue the children may you see Which in vnlawfull wedlocke gotten be Declare thou then our fall and great mishap Declare the hap and glory we were in Declare how soone we taken were in trap When we supposde we had most safest bin Declare what losse they haue that hope to win * When Fortune most doth sweetly seeme to smile Then will she frowne she laughes but euen a while HOW KING MADAN FOR HIS EVILL LIFE was slaine by Wolues the yeare before Christ 1009. AMong'st the rest that sate in hautie seat And felt the fall I pray thee pen for me A Tragedie may some such wisdome geat As they may learne and some what wiser be For in my glasse when as themselues they see They may beware my fall from Fortunes lap Shall teach them how t' eschew the like mishap I am that Madan once of Britaine King The third that euer raigned in this land Marke well therefore my death as strange a thing As some would deeme could scarce with reason stand Yet when thou hast my life well throughly scand Thou shalt perceiue not halfe so strange as true * Ill life worse death doth after still ensue For when my mother Guendoline had raign'd In my nonage full 15. yeares she dide And I but yong not well in vertues train'd Was left this noble Iland for to guide Whereby when once my mind was puft with pride I past for nought I vsde my lust for law Of right or iustiee reckt I not a straw No meane I kept but ruled all by rage No bounds of measure could me compasse in No counsell could my meekelesse mind asswage When once to fume I fiercely did begin And I exceld in nothing else but sin So that my subiects all did wish my end Saue such to whom for vice I was a friend And pleasures plung'd I tooke my whole repast My youth mee led deuoide of compasse quite And vices were so rooted in at last That to recure the ill it past my might For * who so doth with will and pleasure fight Though all his force doe striue them to withstand Without good grace they haue the vpper hand * What licour first the earthen pot doth take It keepeth still the sauour of that same Full hard it is a Cramocke straight to make Or crooked Logges with wainscot fine to frame T is hard to make the cruell Tiger tame And so it fares with those haue vices caught * Naught once they say and euer after naught I speake not this as though it past all cure From vices vile to vertue to retire But this I say if vice bee once in vre The more you shall to quite your selfe require The more you plunge your selfe in fulsome mire As hee that striues in soakte quicke sirts of sand Still sinkes scarce euer comes againe to land The gifts of grace may nature ouercome And God may graunt the time when we repent But I did still in laps of lewdnes runne At last my selfe to cruelty I bent But who so doth with bloudy acts content His minde shall sure at last finde like againe And feele for pleasures thousands pangs of paine For in the midst of those vntrusty toyles When as I nothing fearde but all was sure With all my traine I hunting rode for spoiles Of those who after did my death procure These lewd delights did boldly me allure To follow stil and to pursue the chase At last I came into a desert place Beset with hils and monstrous rockes of stone My company behinde mee lost or stayde The place was eke with hautie trees oregrowne So vast and wilde it made mee halfe afraid And straight I was with rauening wolues betraid Came out of caues and dens and rockes amaine There was Irent in peeces kilde and slaine Woe worth that youth in vayne so vily spent Should euer cause a King to feele such smart Woe worth that euer I should here lament Or shew the hurt of my poore Princely heart I thinke the clowne that driues the mixen cart Hath better hap then Princes such as I No storme of Fortune casts him downe so hie A man by grace and wit may shun the snare T is sayd * a wise-man all mishap withstands For though by starres we borne to mischieues are Yet grace and prudence bayles our carefull bands * Each man they say his fate hath in his hands And what he marres or makes to leese or saue Of good or euill is euen selfe doe selfe haue This thing is seene by me that led my daies In vitious sort for greedy wolues a pray I wish and will that Princes guide their wayes Lo here by this eschew like chance they may And vices such as worke their whole decay Which if they doe full well is spent the time To warne to write and eke to shun the crime HOW KING MALIN WAS SLAINE BY HIS BROther King Mempricius the yeare before Christ 1009. IF Fortune were so firme as shee is fraile Or glosing glorie
of Edmund Duke of Somerset slaine in the first battell at S. Albons in the 32. yeare of Henrie the sixt 350. 65 How Richard Plantagenet Duke of York was slaine through his rash boldnesse and his sonne the Earle of Rutland for his lacke of valiancie 360. 66 How the Lord Clifford for his strange and abominable crueltie came to as strange and sudden a death 365. 67 The infamous end of Lord Tiptoft Earle of Worcester for cruelly executing his Princes butcherly commandements 367. 68 How Sir Richard Neuil Earle of Warwicke and his brother Iohn Lord Marquesse Montacute through their too much boldnesse were slaine at Barnet 371. 69 How King Henry the sixt a vertuous Prince was after many other miseries cruelly murthered in the Tower of London 375. 70 How George Plantagenet third son of the Duke of Yorke was by his brother King Edward wrongfully imprisoned and by his brother Richard miserablie murthered 380. 71 How King Edward the fourth through his surfetting vntemperate life suddenly died in the midst of his prosperity 392. 72 How Sir Anthonie Wooduile Lord Riuers and Scales Gouernour of Prince Edward was with his nephew Lord Richard Grey and other causelesse imprisoned and cruelly murthered 394. 73 How the Lord Hastings was betraied by trusting too much to his euill counsellour Catesby and villanously murthered in the Tower of London by Richard Duke of Glocester 411. 74 The complaint of Henrie Duke of Buckingham 433. 75 How Colingborne was cruelly executed for making a Rime 455. 76 The wilfull fall of the Black-smith and the foolish end of the Lord Audley 463. 77 How the valiant Knight Sir Nicholas Burdet Chiefe Butler of Normandie was slaine at Pontoise 477. 78 How Shores wife King Edward the fourths Concubine was by King Richard despoiled of her goods and forced to do open penance 494. 79 How Thomas Woolsey did arise vnto great authoritie and gouernment his maner of life pompe and dignitie how he fell downe into great disgrace and was arrested of high treason 506. 80 How the Lord Cromwell exalted from meane estate was after by the enuie of the Bishop of Winchester and other his complices brought to vntimely end 520. The Additions 81 The life and death of King Arthur 561. 82 The life and death of King Edmund Ironside 585. 83 The life and death of Prince Alfred 603. 84 The life and death of Godwin Earle of Kent 617. 85 The life and death of Robert surnamed Curthose Duke of Normandie 631. 86 The life and death of King Richard the first surnamed Coeur de Lion 659. 87 The life and death of King Iohn 681. 88 The life and death of King Edward the second 703. 89 The life and death of the two yong Princes sonnes to Edward the fourth 736. 90 The life and death of King Richard the third 750. 91 The Poem annexed called Englands Eliza. 783. The end of the Contents THOMAS NEWTON TO THE Reader in the behalfe of this booke AS when an arming sword of proofe is made Both steele and iron must be tempred well For iron giues the strength vnto the blade And steele in edge doth cause it to excell As each good Blade-smith by his Art can tell For without iron brittle will it breake And without steele it will be blunt and weake So bookes that now their faces dare to show Must mettald be with nature and with skill For nature causeth stuffe enough to flow And Art the same contriues by learned quill In order good and currant method still So that if Nature frowne the case is hard And if Art want the matter all is mar'd The worke which heere is offred to thy view With both these points is full and fitly fraught Set forth by sundrie of the learned Crew Whose stately stiles haue Phoebus garland caught And Parnasse mount their worthy worke haue raught Their words are thundred with such maiestie As fitteth right each matter in degree Reade it therefore but reade attentiuely Consider well the drift whereto it tends Confer the times perpend the history The parties states and eke their dolefull ends With odde euents that diuine iustice sends For things forepast are presidents to vs Whereby we may things present now discusse Certes this world a Stage may well be call'd Whereon is plai'd the part of eu'ry wight Some now aloft anon with malice gal'd Are from high state brought into dismall plight Like counters are they which stand now in sight For thousand or ten thousand and anone Remoued stand perhaps for lesse then one Thomas Newtonus Cestreshyrius THE AVTHORS Induction WHen Sommer sweet with all her pleasures past And leaues began to leaue the shadie tree The winter cold encreased on full fast And time of yeare to sadnes moued me For moistie blasts not halfe so mirthfull be As sweet Aurora brings in spring-time faire Our ioyes they dimme as winter damps the aire The nights began to grow to length apace Sir Phoebus to th' Antarctique gan to fare From Libraes lance to th' Crab he tooke his race Beneath the line to lend of light a share For then with vs the daies more darkish are More short cold moist and stormie cloudie clit For sadnes more then mirths or pleasures fit Deuising then what bookes were best to reade Both for that time and sentence graue also For conference of friend to stand in stead When I my faithfull friend was parted fro I gate me straight the Printers shops vnto To seeke some worke of price I surely ment That might alone my carefull mind content Amongst the rest I found a booke so sad As time of yeare or sadnesse could require The Mirour nam'd for Magistrates he had So finely pen'd as heare could well desire Which when I read so set my heart on fire Eftsoones it me constrain'd to take the paine Not left with once to reade it once againe And as againe I view'd this worke with heed And marked plaine each partie paint his fall Me thought in mind I saw those men indeed Eke how they came in order Princely all Declaring well this life is but a thrall Sith those on whom for Fortunes gifts we stare Oft soonest sinke in greatest seas of care For some perdie were Kings of high estate And some were Dukes and came of regall race Some Princes Lords and Iudges great that sate In counsell still decreeing euery case Some other Knights that vices did embrace Some Gentlemen some poore exalted hie Yet euery one had plai'd his tragedie A Mirrour well it might be call'd a glasse As cleare as any crystall vnder Sun In each respect the Tragedies so passe Their names shall liue that such a worke begun For why with such Decorum is it done That Momus spight with more then Argus eies Can neuer watch to keepe it from the wise Examples there for all estates you find For Iudge I say what iustice he should vse The noble man to beare a noble mind And not himselfe ambitiously abuse The Gentleman vngentlenesse
were still permanent If no mishap mens doings did assayle Or that their acts and facts were innocent If they in hope no hurt nor hatred ment Or dealings aye were done with duty due They neuer neede their great misfortunes rue If pompe were paine and pride were not in price Or hautie seate had not the highest place If they could learne by others to be wise Or els eschew the daungers of their race If once they could the golden meane imbrace Or banish quite ambition from their breast They neuer neede to recke or reape vnrest But they doe thinke such sweetenes in renowne Vpon this earth is all the greatest hap They nothing feare the hurt of falling downe Or little roome in Lady Fortunes lap They giue no heede before they get the clap And then too late they wish they had bin wise When from the fall they would and cannot rise As if two twinnes or children at the teate Of nurce or mother both at once might bee And both did striue the better dugge to geat Till one were downe and slipt beside her knee Euen so it fares by others as by mee In fortunes lap they haue so little hold She cannot stay both striuing if shee would I am that Malm one of Madans sonnes Which thought to raigne and rule this noble I le And would so done but see what chaunce there comes Where bretheren loue and frendship quite exile * Who thinkes in trust no treason neither guile Is soonest cleane bereau'd of life and all In stead of rule hee reapes the crop of thrall My yongest brother then Mempricius hight Whose hautie minde and mine were still at square We euermore as foes hight other spite And deadly ire in hatefull hearts wee bare He sought all waies he might to worke mee care And each regarded others enuie so As after turned both to painfull woe Because my father lou'd him well therefore I fear'd my brother should obtaine my right Likewise on fauour boldned hee him bore And neither had in vertues wayes delight What neede I here our inward griefes recite Wee not as brethren liu'd in hatred still And sought occasion other each to kill I hauing hope for to preserue the crowne And hee for that he feard my title bred Such friendship as might alwaies keepe him downe And both depriue him of his crowne and head But when it chaunst our father once was dead Then straight appeared all his enuy plaine For he could not from his attempt refraine Some wisht we should diuide the realme in two And said my father eke was of that minde But neither of vs both that so would doe Wee were not each to other halfe so kinde And vile ambition made vs both so blinde We thought our raigne could not bee sure and good Except the ground thereof were laid with bloud At last a time of parle chosen was And truce concluded for our titles right Wherein I hoped might be brought to passe That I enioy in peace my kingdome might But secretly by policie and sleight He slew me with his sword before I wist Where crowne peace kingdome life and all I mist Thus was I by my wicked brother slaine Which with my death his cruell eyes did fill This oftentimes they vse to get and gaine That cannot shunne misfortune as they will Was neuer man pretended such an ill But God to him like measure shortly sent As he to others erst before had ment Vsurping wrong incurres the curse of heauen And blood cries out for vengeance at his hand Who still in care of humane good is giuen The good to aide and gracelesse to withstand If either vice or vertue we aband We either are rewarded as we serue Or else are plagued as our deeds deserue Let this my warning then suffice each sort Bid them beware example heere you see It passeth play t' is tragicall disport To clime the steps of stately high degree For though they thinke good fortune seru'd not mee Yet did she vse me as she vsde the rest And so full oft she serueth euen the best HOW KING Mempricius giuen to all lust was deuoured by VVolues the yeare before Christ 989. T Is often said a man should do likewise To other as he would to him they did * Do as thou would'st be done to saith the wise And do as conscience and as iustice bid Ther 's no man ought for Empire as I did His impious hands with cruell blood distaine For * blood doth alwaies crie for blood againe Eke lustfull life that sleepes in sinkes of sinne Procures a plague fie fie on Venus vile We little wot the mischiefes are therein When we with poisons sweet our selues beguile The pleasures passe the ioyes endure but while And naught thereby at all we get or gaine But dreadfull death and euerlasting paine Me thinkes thou harkenest for to heare my name And musest what I am that thus do come I would or this haue told it but for shame And yet to giue example heere to some I will no longer faine my selfe so dome But euen as others I will tell my fall Take heere my name my life my death and all I am Mempricius Madans yonger son Once King of Britaine that my brother slew Whereby the crowne and kingdome all I won And after nourisht vices moe that grew Not natures lawes nor Gods nor mans I knew But liu'd in lust not recking any thing I deemed all things lawfull for a King First when I had my brother brought on beare I thought in rest to keepe the Kingdome long I was deuoid of doubt I had no feare Was none durst checke me did I right or wrong I liu'd at large and thought my power so strong There could no man preuaile against my will I steede of law that vsed rigour still Then wickedly I fell to slothfull ease A vice that breeds a number moe beside I was so testie none durst me displease And eke so puft with glorie vaine and pride My sencelesse sence as ship without a guide Was tost with euery fancie of my braine Like Phoebus chariot vnder Phaëtons raigne I deem'd them foes that me good counsell gaue And those my chiefest friends could glose and lie I hated them that were so sage and graue And those I lou'd were lustie lewde and slie I did the wisest wits as fooles defie Such sots knaues ruffians roysters I embraste As were vnwise vnhonest rude vnchaste I lusted eke as lasie lechers vse My subiects wiues and daughters at my will I did so often as me pleasde abuse Perforce I kept them at my pleasure still Thus gate I queanes and concubines at fill And for their sakes I put away my wife Such was my lewdnesse lust and lawlesse life But shame forbids me for to tell the rest It me abhors to shew what did ensue And yet because it moueth in my breast Compunction still and was God wot too true I le farther tell whence my destruction grue To Sodome sinne I foulely fell and
happinesse At that they only fish with Fortunes hooke Ambition will not wisdomes counsell brooke Pride sets her thoughts on things that vade away Forsaking vertue which doth nere decay Mens vaine delights are wondrous to behold For that that reason nils nor nature sowes They take in hand on science far too bold Deceiu'd by suttle snares of diuelish showes From which attempts a floud of mischiefe flowes An heape of hurts a frie of foule decaies A flocke of feares and thrals a thousand waies If that the water fish forsake the streame Against his kind feeles he no hurt ensues Or if the brocke would learne to play the breame And leaue the lambes at land were this no newes A fethered fowle in th' earth a den to chuse Or flounder say to flie the larke to catch We might admire what monsters time did hatch But sith we see that nature hath assign'd The fowle to flie the aire as seemeth well The fish to swim the sea as fits his kind The earth for men and beasts to breed and dwell Of right a man which doth the rest excell Should euen so far surpasse in his degree As all the rest in wisdome weaker bee All this I speake to warne the rest that heare And eke to shew the blindnesse of delites Herein my folly vaine may plaine appeare What hap they heape which trie out cunning slights What hurt there hits at such vaine shewes and sights Where men for pleasure only take much paine To alter natures gifts for pleasure vaine Were not it strange thinke you a King to flie To play the tombler or some iugling cast To dresse himselfe in plumes as erst did I And vnder armes to knit on wings full fast A sport you thinke that might the wise agast But Magicke arte had taught me points of skill Which in the end did proue my future ill I deckt my corps with plumes I say and wings And had them set thou seest in skilfull wise With many feats fine poyseing equall things To aide my selfe in flight to fall or rise Few men did euer vse like enterprise Gainst store of wind by practise rise I could And turne and winde at last which way I would But ere the perfect skill I learned had And yet me thought I could do passing well My subiects hearts with pleasant toyes to glad From Temples top where did Apollo dwell I sayd to flie but on the Church I fell And in the fall I lost my life withall This was my race this was my fatall fall What vainer thing could any Prince deuise Then so himselfe a foolish fowle to show Learne you by me that count your selues so wise The worst to doubt of things what ere you know Flie not so high for feare you fall so low Be wise in artes exceed not wisdomes bound The depth of arte by wit may not be found These curious artes allurements haue alone They profer much in recompence of paine But yet among'st a thousand scarce is one In practise ought by them can saue or gaine In their effects they are but false and vaine Sophisticall deceitfull and vntrue That nothing haue yet promise all to you I speake not of the rest that are in vse Amongst the wiser sort Philosophie Nor of the parts thereof but of th' abuse That comes by magicke artes of Imagerie By vile inchauntments charmes and parnpestrie All which by nature are abhor'd as euill Practisde by fooles inuented by the diuell To make an end you noble Kings content Your selues with studies seruing for the State You Lords also with all your wits inuent What way t' eschew the Prince and peoples hate Yee Subiects loue your Prince eschew debate I wish you all beware of climing high Lest that you helpelesse fall as erst did I. HOW QVEENE CORDILA IN DESPAIRE SLEW her selfe the yeare before Christ 800. IF any wofull wight haue cause to waile her woe Or griefes are past do pricke vs Princes tell our fall My selfe likewise must needs constrained eke do so And shew my like misfortunes and mishaps withall Should I keepe close my heauie haps and thrall Then did I wrong I wrong'd my selfe and thee Which of my facts a witnesse true maistbee A woman yet must blush when bashfull is the case Though truth bid tell the tale and storie as it fell But sith that I mislike not audience time nor place Therefore I cannot keepe my woes in counsell well * No greater ease of heart then griefes to tell It daunteth all the dolours of our mind Our carefull hearts thereby great comfort find For why to tell that may recounted be againe And tell it as our cares may compasse ease That is the salue and med'cine of our paine Which cureth corsies all and sores of our disease It doth our pinching pangs and paines appease It pleads the part of an assured friend And telles the trade like vices to amend Therefore if I more willing be to tell my fall With my mishaps to ease my burdened breast and mind Some others haplie may auoid and shunne the thrall And thereby for distresse more aide and comfort find They keeping measure whereas I declin'd May be as prompt to flie like brute and blame As I to tell or thou to write the same Wherefore if thou wilt afterwards record What Queene Cordila telles to ease her inward smart I will recite my storie tragicall each word To thee that giu'st an eare and readie art But lest I set the horse behind the cart I mind to tell each thing in order so As thou maist see and shew whence sprang my woe My grandsire Bladud hight that found the bathes by skill A fethered King that practisde high to soare Whereby he felt the fall God wot against his will And neuer went road raign'd nor spake nor flew no more After whose death my father Leire therefore Was chosen King by right apparent heire Which after built the towne of Leircestere He had three daughters faire the first hight Gonerell Next after her his yonger Ragan was begot The third and last was I the yongest nam'd Cordell Vs all our father Leire did loue too well God wot But minding her that lou'd him best to note Because he had no sonne t' enioy his land He thought to guerdon most where fauour most he fand What though I yongest were yet men me iudg'd more wise Then either Gonerell or Ragan more of age And fairer farre wherefore my sisters did despise My grace and gifts and sought my wrecke to wage But yet though vice on vertue die with rage It cannot keepe her vnderneath to drowne For still she flittes aboue and reapes renowne My father thought to wed vs vnto Princely peeres And vnto them and theirs diuide and part the land For both my sisters first he call'd as first their yeares Requir'd their minds and loue and fauour t' vnderstand Quoth he all doubts of dutie to aband I must assay your friendly faithes to proue My daughters tell me how you
smile As though she did not turne her selfe within a while When with my Picts I came first to the Scotish shore I bare my selfe in hand that I could Britaine win Because that Scythes of whom I came had won before Right many noble Realmes which they had entred in Yet I no sooner could my conquest here begin But straight King Marius came with all his warlike band And met with me and mine in fruitfull Westmerland I trusted sure that Fortune would me guide so well As she before had done in battailes whilome fought But proofe doth teach me now the certaine truth to tell What I by Fortune false with death so dearely bought Whom she sometimes sets vp she bringeth soone to nought As I that thought this land from Britaines to regaine In field with all my Picts were vanquished and slaine T' is folly or the end for men to praise their chaunce Or brag what luck they haue or tell their happie fate Or boast how Lady Fortune doth their deedes aduance For vnto change of chaunce subiected is their state Whom first she loues she afterward doth hate She flings them headlong downe whom erst she made excell She makes them bare and poore whom she enriched well HOW SEVER VS THE EMPEROR of Rome and gouernour of Britaine was slaine at Yorke fighting against the Picts about the yeare after Christ 206. after others 213. THe stay of stately throne is nothing sure Where great estates on bribes or bloodshed build As Didius Iulian put for proofe in vre Th' Emperiall seate he bought and soone was kild So Niger after him assaide the same Albinus then from Britaine armed came These three stood in my way to high estate Which I sore thirsted for but yet at last I made therto by bloudshed bold a gate And vnresisted to the throne I past The souldiers Iulian slew for insufficient pay My seruants eke at Antioch Niger slay Then was my seate me thought assur'd to bide There could no tempest teare my sailes adowne No shower could cause my fixed foote to slide Nor vndercreeper take from me the Crowne Which had the guide of all Europaes might He needed not to feare the force of fight Encouraged with loue of lasting fame I entred with an armie into th' East Armenia can full well report the fame Whereas my warlike glory first increast Angarus I subdude by fight the noble King And did his sonnes to Rome for hostage bring Arabia foelix felt my force likewise Although those warres had not so good successe Yet made I them with bowes goood archers rise Or else they had ben driuen to greate distresse Their shafts from Arras shot made vs to smart They poysoned of my men by policie and art To Parthia thence against the law of armes We gate forgot the truce before was plight And when occasion fit we found to worke our harmes King Artabane we did subdue in fight With fire and sword we brent and spoil'd his land Tooke captiues slew his men that did withstand To Rome I came and caused mappes be drawne Of iournies mine by land and seas the plats Not erst before such expedition sawne Nor of those Countries seene so perfect maps The world did wonder at my heapes of haps Rome honourd mee with triumphs when I came They vnto me of Parthique gaue to name But when can princes best assure themselues What state without the stormes of strife doth stand What barke beares saile in tempest on the shelues What blisse abides and lasts by sea or land Who takes to raigne the scepter in his hand Is like to him in sterne to stirre that sits Commanding all the rest their race he fits For while that I abroad for glorie hunt My sonnes at home in pleasures spent the time And as their father erst before was wont Endeuourd how aloft they both might clime The elder fierce and cruell Antonine The yonger Geta far more milde then hee Could not at any time in peace agree So I endeuoured to appeaze the strife But nought at all I could therein preuaile This made me woe and weary of my life Which erst so many Kingdomes did assaile I had the hap mine enmies force to quaile To rule the Romanes well and all the rest But for to rule my sonnes I was vnblest Perceiuing then some persons leaud there were Which counsell'd oft my sonnes embracing vice As still is seene in Court enueiglers are Procurers of despite and auarice That flattery hold for gaine a gift of price I causde be put to death those Thrasoes vile And some were sent or banisht to exile My elder sonne did thinke my life too long The yonger lou'd the elders life as ill They studied both to make their parties strong Which griefe my griped heart well neere did kill Such are the mischiefes of the stately still In Britaine eke the Picts rebelling rose Some Britaines there became our secret foes First to be absent from the force at home And partly greater glorie to attaine My wicked children sought my death in Rome But chiefely Antonine tooke herein paine I should by guard or Physicke drugs be slaine That by my death the Empire he might sway T' obtaine the same he often gaue th' assay Yet no man would accomplish his intent For my Physitions bare me loyall hearts My seruants eke full true no treason ment But plai'd in each respect their faithfull parts They knew themselues so bound by due deserts They ought not seruants such a Lord betray That gaue so great rewards and gifts alway To Britaine ouer seas from Rome went I To quaile the Picts that ruffled in that I le And tame the stout that tribute did denie Which were withheld from Romans there a while And to be absent from my sonnes so vile But see what haps befall vs in the end Which so in throne to raigne alone contend For when I was to Britaine come that land Where people stout vntam'd vnuanquisht dwelt Although once Caesar Fortunes fauour fand That erst before their valiant valour felt I found the people nothing prest to pelt To yeeld or hostage giue or tributes pay Or couenants to accept or fearefully to fray They said that we did tributes sore exact Whereby their Isle impouerisht greatly was The Picts likewise them rob'd and spoil'd and sackt Whereof the Romans seemed nought to pas We ought they said to tame the Galloglasse The ranging Scythian Pict that them did spoile If we would reape our tribute of their toile On which at length I did conclude a peace And ioyn'd in league with them against the Pict But yet the wilfull people did not cease My Britaines good by inroads to afflict Whereon to wall them out I made edict Long six score miles and twelue the banke I made From sea to sea that Picts should not inuade By helpe of this I chaste the Picts away And draue them into Albany to dwell Whereon Fulgentius stout without delay To Scythia sail'd and there his chance did
famous in all Realmes A thousand times I mind you in my dreames And when I wake most griefe it is to mee That neuer more againe I shall you see In the night time when I should take my rest I weepe I waile I wet my bed with teares And when dead sleepe my spirits hath opprest Troubled with dreames I fantasie vaine feares Mine husbands voice then ringeth at mine eares Crying for helpe O saue me from the death These villaines heere do seeke to stop my breath Yea and sometimes me thinkes his drerie ghost Appeares in sight and shewes me in what wise Those fell tyrants with torments had embost His winde and breath to abuse peoples eyes So as no doubt or question should arise Among rude folke which little vnderstand But that his death came only by Gods hand I plaine in vaine where eares be none to heare But roring seas and blustering of the winde And of redresse am nere a whit the neare But with waste words to feed my mournfull minde Wishing full oft the Parcas had vntwinde My vitall strings or Atropose with knife Had cut the line of my most wretched life Oh that Neptune and Aeolus also Th' one god of Seas the other of weather Ere mine arriuall into that I le of woe Had sunke the ship wherein I sailed thither The shipmen saued so as I together With my good Duke might haue been dead afore Fortune had wroken her heart vpon vs so sore Or else that God when my first passage was Into exile along Saint Albons towne Had neuer let me further for to passe But in the street with death had strucke me downe Then had I sped of my desired bowne That my poore corps might there haue lien with his Both in one graue and so haue gone to blisse But I alas the greater is my griefe Am past that hope to haue my sepulture Neere vnto him which was to me most leefe But in an I le and countrie most obscure To pine in paine whilst my poore life will dure And being dead all honorlesse to lie In simple graue as other poore that die My tale is told and time it is to cease Of troubles past all which haue had their end My graue I trust shall purchase me such peace In such a world where no wight doth contend For higher place whereto all flesh shall wend And so I end vsing one word for all As I began that pride will haue a fall G. Ferrers HOW HVMFREY PLANTAGENET DVKE OF GLOCESTER Protector of England during the minoritie of his Nephew King Henry the sixt commonly called the good Duke by practise of enemies was brought to confusion AS highest hilles with tempests been most touched And tops of trees most subiect vnto winde And as great towers with stone strongly couched Haue heauie falles when they be vndermin'd Euen so by proofe in worldly things we find That such as climbe the top of high degree From feare of falling neuer can be free To proue this true good Baldwine hearken heere See and behold me Humfrey hight by name Englands Protector Duke of Glocester Who in the sixt King Henries rule with fame Twice ten yeares kept the troubled State in frame Note well the cause of my vnhappie case And'mongst thy mirrours let the same haue place In their most weale let men beware mishap And not to sleepe in slumbring sickernesse Whilst Fortune false doth lull them in her lap Drowned in dreames of brittle blessednesse But then to feare her freakes and ficklenesse Accounting still the higher they ascend More nigh to be to danger in the end And that vaine trust in blood or royall race Abuse them not with blind securitie To trust their state but weighing well my case When she most smiles to haue in memorie My sudden fall who in most certaintie Hauing most staies which men in state maintaine Haue found the same vntrustie and most vaine Better then I none may the same approue Who trusting all in height of high estate To bite on fawning flatteries bait did loue Which neuer Prince could banish from his gate Did little thinke on such a sudden mate Not heeding lesse dreading all vnaware By foes least fear'd was trapt in suddaine snare If noble birth or high autority Number of friends kinred or alliance If wisdome learning worldly policy Mought haue ben staiers to Fortunes variance None stood more strong in worldly countenance For all these helpes had I to high degree And yet in fine they all beguiled mee Of Henry fourth by name fourth sonne I was Brother to Henry fift of that same name To the sixt Henrie vncle but alas What cause had I to build vpon the same Or for vaine glory to aduance my fame My selfe to call in records and writings The brother sonne and vncle vnto Kings This was my boast which lastly was my bane Yet not this boast was it that brought me downe The very cause which made my weale to wane So neere of kin that I was to the Crowne That was the rock that made my ship to drowne A rule there is not failing but most sure Kingdome no kin doth know ne can indure When the fift Henry by his valiancie Wan by conquest the roiall Realme of France And of two Kingdomes made one Monarchy Before his death for better obeisance To his yong sonne not ripe to gouernance Protector of England I was by testament And Iohn my brother in France made Regent To whom if God had lent a longer life Our house t' haue kept from stormes of inward strife Or it had been the Lord Almighties will Plantagenet in state had standen still But deadly discord which all states do spill Bred by desire of high domination Brought our whole house to plaine desolation It is for truth in an history found That Henry Plantagenet first of our name Who called was King Henry the second Sonne of Dame Maude the Empresse of high fame Would oft report that his ancient Grandame Though seeming in shape a woman naturall Was a Feend of the kind that Succubae some call Which old fable so long time told before When this Kings sonnes against him did rebell He cald to minde and being greeued sore Loe now quoth he I see and proue full well The story true which folk of old did tell That from a feend descended all our race And now my children verify the case Whereof to leaue a long memoriall In minde of man for euermore to rest A Picture he made and hung it in his Hall Of a Pellicane sitting on his nest With foure yong birds three pecking at his brest With bloudy beakes and furder did deuise The yongest bird to pecke the fathers eyes Meaning hereby his rebell Children three Henry and Richard bet him on the breast Ieffrey onely from that offence was free Henry died of Englands Crowne possest Richard liued his father to molest Iohn the yongest pect his fathers eye Whose deeds vnkinde the sooner made him die This King
Beheaded vs before we were condemned My cosin Richard could not be content To leaue his life because he wist not why Good gentleman that neuer harme had ment Therefore he asked wherefore he should die The Priest his ghostly father did replie With weeping eyes I know one wofull cause The Realme hath neither righteous Lords not lawes Sir Thomas Vaughan chasing cried still This tyrant Glocester is the gracelesse G That will his brothers children beastly kill And lest the people through his talke might see The misciefes toward and thereto not agree Our tormentour that false periured Knight Bad stop our mouthes with words of high despight Thus di'd we guiltlesse processe heard we none No cause alleag'd no Iudge nor yet accuser No Quest empanel'd passed vs vpon That murdrer Ratcliffe law and rights refuser Did all to flatter Richard his abuser Vnhappie both that euer they were borne Through guiltlesse blood that haue their soules forlorne In part I grant I well deserued this Because I caus'd not speedie execution Be done on Richard for that murder of his When first he wrought King Henries close confusion Not for his brothers hatefull persecution These cruell murders painfull death deserued Which had he suffred many had been preserued Warne therefore all that charge or office beare To see all murdrers speedily executed And spare them not for fauour or for feare By guiltlesse blood the earth remaines polluted For lacke of Iustice kingdomes are transmuted They that saue murdrers from deserued paine Shall through those murdrers miserably be slaine HOW THE LORD HASTINGS WAS BETRAYED BY TRVSTING TOO MVCH to his euill Counseller Catesby and villanously murdered in the Tower of London by Richard Duke of Glocester the 13. of Iune Anno 1483. I Am that Hastings whose too hastie death They blame that know wherefore I lost my breath With others fearing lest my headlesse name Be wrong'd by partiall brute of flattering Fame Hearing O Baldwine that thou mean'st to pen The liues and falles of English Noblemen My selfe heere present do present to thee My life my fall and forced destinie Ne feare to staine thy credit by my tale In Laethes floud long since in Stigian vale Selfe loue I drown'd What time hath fin'd for true And ceaseth not though stale still to renue Recount I will whereof take this for proofe That blase I will my praise and my reproofe We naked ghosts are but the very man Nor of our selues more then we ought we scan The Heauens high and Earthly vale belowe Yet ring his Fame whose deedes so great did grow Edward the fourth ye know vnnam'd I meane Whose noble nature so to me did leane That I his staffe was I his onely ioy And euen what Pandare was to him of Troy VVhich mou'd him first to make me Chamberlaine To serue his sweets to my most sower paine VVherein to iustly prais'd for secretnesse For now my guilt with shriking I confesse To him too true too vntrue to the Queene Such hate I wan as lasted long betweene Our families Shores wife was my Nice cheat The holy whore and eke the wily peat I fed his lust with louely peeces so That Gods sharp wrath I purchast my iust wo. See here the difference of a noble minde Some vertue raiseth some by vice haue climde The first though onely of themselues begon Yet circlewise into themselues do ron VVithin themselues their force vnited so Both endlesse is and stronger gainst their foe For when end'th it that neuer hath begon Or how may that that hath no end b' vndone Th' other as by wicked meanes they grue And raigned by flatterie so soone they rue First tumbling step fro honours old is vice VVhich once stept downe some linger none arise To former type But they catch vertues spray VVhich raiseth them that climbe by lawfull way Beware to rise by seruing princely lust Surely to stand one meane is rising iust 〈◊〉 learne by me whom let it helpe t' excuse 〈◊〉 â—â—â—hfull now my selfe I do accuse 〈…〉 my Prince I euer pleas'd with such As harmed none and him contented much In vice some fauour or lesse hate let win That I ne wried to worser end my sin But vsde my fauour to the helpe of such As death in later warre to liue did grutch For as on durt though durtie shin'th the Sunne So euen amidst my vice my vertue shoane My selfe I spared with his cheate to staine For loue or reuerence so I could refraine Gisippus wife erst Titus would desire With friendships breach I quencht that brutish fire Manly it is to loth the pleasing lust Small vant to flie that of constraint thou must These faults except if so my life thou scan Lo none I hurt but furdred euery man My Chamber England was my staffe the law Whereby saunce rigour all I held in awe So kind to all and so belou'd of all As what ensued vpon my bloodie fall Though I ne felt yet surely this I thinke Full many a trickling teare their mouthes did drinke Disdaine not Princes easie accesse meeke cheare We know then Angels statelier port ye beare Of God himselfe too massie a charge for sprits But then my Lords consider he delights To vaile his grace to vs poore earthly wants To simplest shrubs and to the dunghill plants Expresse him then in might and mercies meane So shall ye win as now ye rule the Reame But all too long I feare I do delay The many meanes whereby I did bewray My zealous will to earne my Princes grace Lest thou defer to thinke me kind percase As nought may last so Fortunes changing cheare With pouting lookes gan lower on my sire And on her wheele aduanst high in his rome The Warwick Earle admir'd through Christendome Besides the tempting prowesse of the foe My Princes brother did him then forgoe The cause was lik'd I was his link'd allie Yet nor the cause nor brothers treacherie Nor enmies force nor band of mingled blood Made Hastings beare any other mind then good But tane and scap'd from Warwickes griping pawes With me he fled through Fortunes froward flawes To London come at large we might haue seemed Had not we then the Realme a prison deemed Each bush a bar each spray a banner splayed Each house a fort our passage to haue stayed To Lin we leape where while w'await the tide My secret friends in secret I suppli'd In mouth to further Henrie sixt their King And vse my best meanes Edward in to bring The restlesse tide to bar the emptie bay With waltring waues roames wambling forth Away The merrie Mariner hales The bragging boy To masts high top vp hies In signe of ioy The wauering flag is vanst The surging seas Their swelling cease to calmest euen peace Sinkes downe their pride With drunkennesse ' gainst all care The Seamen arm'd await their noble fare On bord we come The massie anchors wai'd One English ship two hulks of Holland aid In such a pinch So small though was the traine
Such his constraint that now that one with paine Command he might who late might many moe Then ghastly Greekes erst brought to Tenedo So nought is ours that we by hap may lose What nearest seemes is farthest off in woes As banished wights such ioyes we might haue made Eas'd of aye threatning death that late we drade But once our countries sight not care exempt No harbour shewing that might our feare relent No couert caue no shrub to shroud our liues No hollow wood no flight that oft depriues The mightie his prey no sanctuarie left For exil'd Prince that shrouds each slaue for theft In prison pent whose woodie walles to passe Of no lesse perill then the dying was With th' Ocean moated battred with the waues As chain'd at oares the wretched galley slaues At mercie sit of sea and enmies shot And shun with death that they with flight may not But greenish waues and heauie lowring skies All comfort else forclosed our exiled eies Lo lo from highest top the slauish boy Sent vp with sight of land our hearts to ioy Descries at hand a fleete of Easterlings As then hot enmies of the British Kings The Mouse may sometime helpe the Lion in need The bittle Bee once spilt the Aegles breed O Princes seeke no foes In your distresse The earth the seas conspire your heauinesse Our foe descried by flight we shun in hast And laid with canuas now the bending mast The ship was rackt to trie her sailing then As Squirels climbe the troupes of trustie men The steersman seekes a readier course to run The souldier stirs the Gunner hies to gun The Flemmings sweate the English ship disdaines To wait behind to beare the Flemmings traines Forth flieth the Barke as from the violent Goone The pellet breakes all staies and stops eftsoone And swift she swindg'th as oft in Sunnie day The Dolphin fleetes in seas in merrie May. As we for liues so th' easterlings for gaine Thwack on the sailes and after make amaine Though heauie they were and of burthen great A King to master yet what Swine nold sweat So mid the vale the Greyhound seeing start The fearefull Hare pursueth before she flert And where she turn'th he turn'th her there to beare The one prey pricketh th' other safeties feare So were we chas'd so fled we 'fore our foes Bet flight then fight in so vneuen close I end Some thinke perhaps too long he staieth In perill present shewing his fixed faith This ventred I this dread I did sustaine To trie my truth my life I did disdaine But loe like triall ' gainst his ciuill foe Faiths worst is triall which reserues to woe I passe our scape and sharpe returning home Where we were welcom'd by our wonted fone To battell maine descends the Empires right At Barnet ioyne the hosts in bloodie fight There ioyn'd three battels ranged in such array As might for terror Alexander fray What should I stay to tell the long discourse Who wan the Palme who bare away the worse Sufficeth say by my reserued band Our enemies fled we had the vpper hand My iron armie held her steadie place My Prince to shield his feared foe to chase The like successe befell in Tewkesbury field My furious force their force perforc'd to yeeld My Princes foe and render to my King Her only sonne lest he more bate might bring Thus hast a mirrour of a Subiects mind Such as perhaps is rare againe to find The caruing cuts that cleaue the trusty steele My faith and due allegeance could not feele But out alas what praise may I recount That is not stain'd with spot that doth surmount My greatest vaunt bloudy for VVarre to feete A Tiger was I all for peace vnmeete A souldiers hands must oft be died with goare Lest starke with rest they finewd waxe and hoare Peace could I win by VVarre but peace not vse Few daies liue he who VVarlike peace doth chuse VVhen Crofts a Knight presented Henries Heiro To this our Prince in furious moode enquere Of him he gan what folly or phrensy vaine With Arms forst him t' inuade his Realme againe Whom answering that he claim'd his fathers right With Gauntlet smit commanded from his sight Glocester Clarence I and Dorset slewe The guilt whereof we shortly all did rue Clarence as Cyrus drown'd in bloud like Wine Dorset I furthered to his speedy pine Of me my selfe am speaking president Nor easier fate the bristled Boare is lent Our blouds haue paid the vengeance of our guilt His bones shall broile for bloud which he hath spilt O deadly murther that attaint'th our fame O wicked Traytours wanting worthy name Who as mischieuously of men deserue As they merit well who doe mens liues preserue If those therefore we recken heauenly wights These may we well deeme Feendes and damned Sprits And while on earth they walke disguised deuils Sworne foes of vertue factours for all euils Whose bloudy hands torment their goared harts Through bloudsheds horrour in sound sleepe he starts O happy world were the Lions men All Lions should at least be spared then No suerty now no lasting league is bloud A meacocke is he who dreadth to see bloud shed Old is the Practise of such bloudy strife While ij weare Armies ij the Issues of first Wife With armed hart and hand the one bloudy brother With cruell chase pursueth and murdreth th' other Which who abhorreth not yet who ceaseth to sue The bloudy Caines their bloudy sire renue The horror yet is like in common fraies For in ech murther brother brother slaies Traytours to nature countrey kin and kinde Whom no band serueth in brothers loue to bind O simple age when slaunder slaughter was The tongues smal euil how doth this mischief passe Hopest thou to cloake thy couert mischiefe wrought Thy conscience Caitif shal proclaime thy thought A vision Chaucer sheweth difcloasd thy crime The Foxe descrie the crowes and chattring pien And shal thy fellow felons not bewray The guiltelesse death whom guiltie hands do slay Vnpunished scaped for hainous crime some one But vnaduenged in minde or body none Vengeance on minde the freating furies take The sinful corps like earth quake agues shake Their frowning lookes their troubled minds bewray In hast they runne and mids their race they staie As gidded Roe Amids their speech they whist At meate they muse No where they may persist But some feare netleth them Ay hang they so So neuer wanteth the wicked murtherer wo. An infant rent with Lions ramping pawes Why slaunder I Lions They feare the sacred lawes Of royall bloud Ay me more brute then beast With infants sides Lycaons pie to feast O tyrant Tigers O insaciate woolues O English courtesie monstrous mowes and gulfes Onely because our Prince displeas'd we saw With him we slue him straight before all law Before our Prince commanded once his death Our bloudie swords on him we did vnsheath Preuenting law and euen our Princes hest We hid our weapons in the young
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
Vpon my legend publikely shall lay Would you forbeare to blast me with defame Might I so meane a priuiledge but pray He that three ages hath endur'd your wrong Heare him a little that hath heard you long Since Romes sad ruine heere by me began Who her Religion pluckt vp by the root Of the false world such hate for which I wan Which still at me her poisned'st darts doth shoot That to excuse it do the best I can Little I feare my labour me will boot Yet will I speake my troubled heart to ease Much to the mind her selfe it is to please O powerfull number from whose stricter law Heart-mouing musicke did receiue the ground Which men to faire ciuilitie did draw With the brute beast when lawlesse he was found O if according to the wiser saw There be a high diuinitie in sound Be now abundant prosp'rously to aide The pen prepar'd my doubtfull case to pleade Putney the place made blessed in my brith Whose meanest cottage simplie me did shrowd To me as dearest of the English earth So of my bringing that poore village prou'd Though in a time when neuer lesse the dearth Of happie wits yet mine so well allow'd That with the best she boldly durst confer Him that his breath acknowledged from her Twice flow'd proud Thames as at my comming wood Striking the wondring borderers with feare And the pale Genius of that aged flood Vnto my mother labouring did appeare And with a countenance much distracted stood Threatning the fruit her pained wombe should beare My speedie birth being added thereunto Seem'd to foretell that much I came to do That was reserued for those worser daies As the great ebbe vnto so long a flow VVhen what those ages formerly did raise This when I liu'd did lastly ouerthrow And that great'st labour of the world did seaze Only for which immedicable blow Due to that time me dooming heauen ordain'd VVherein confusion absolutely raign'd Vainly yet noted this prodigious signe Often predictions of most fearefull things As plagues or warre or great men to decline Rising of Commons or the death of Kings But some strange newes though euer it diuine Yet forth them not immediatly it brings Vntill th' effects men afterward did learne To know that me it chiefly did concerne VVhil'st yet my father by his painfull trade VVhose laboured Anuile only was his fee VVhom my great towardnesse strongly did perswade In knowledge to haue educated mee But death did him vnluckily inuade Ere he the fruits of his desire could see Leauing me yong then little that did know How me the heauens had purpos'd to bestow Hopelesse as helpelesse most might me suppose Whose meannesse seem'd their abiect breath to draw Yet did my breast that glorious fire inclose VVhich their dull purblind ignorance not saw VVhich still is setled vpon outward showes The vulgars iudgement euer is so raw VVhich the vnworthiest sottishly do loue In their owne region properly that moue Yet me my fortune so could not disguise But through this cloud were some that did me know VVhich then the rest more happie or more wise Me did relieue when I was driuen low Which as the staier by which I first did rise When to my height I afterward did grow Them to requite my bounties were so hie As made my fame through euery eare to flie That height and Godlike puritie of minde Resteth not still where titles most adorne With any nor peculiarly confinde To names and to be limited doth scorne Man doth the most degenerate from kinde Richest and poorest both alike are borne And to be alwaies pertinently good Followes not still the greatnes of our blood Pitie it is that to one vertuous man That marke him lent to gentrie to aduance Which first by noble industrie he wan His baser issue after should inhance And the rude slaue not any good that can Such should thrust downe by what is his by chance As had not he been first that him did raise Nere had his great heire wrought his grandsires praise How weake art thou that makest it thy end To heape such worldly dignities on thee When vpon Fortune only they depend And by her changes gouerned must bee Besides the dangers still that such attend Liuel'est of all men purtraied out in mee When that for which I hated was of all Soon'st from me fled scarse tarrying for my fall You that but boast your ancestors proud stile And the large stem whence your vaine greatnes grew When you your selues are ignorant and vile Nor glorious thing dare actually pursue That all good spirits would vtterly exile Doubting their worth should else discouer you Giuing your selues vnto ignoble things Base I proclaime you though deriu'd from Kings Vertue but poore God in this earth doth place Gainst the rude world to stand vp in his right To suffer sad affliction and disgrace Not ceasing to pursue her with despight Yet when of all she is accounted base And seeming in most miserable plight Out of her power new life to her doth take Least then dismai'd when all do her forsake That is the man of an vndaunted spirit For her deare sake that offereth him to dye For whom when him the world doth disinherit Looketh vpon it with a pleased eye What 's done for vertue thinking it doth merit Daring the proudest menaces defie More worth then life how ere the base world rate him Belou'd of heauen although the earth doth hate him Iniurious time vnto the good vniust O how may weake posteritie suppose Euer to haue their merit from the dust Gainst them thy partialitie that knowes To thy report ô who shall euer trust Triumphant arches building vnto those Allow'd the longest memorie to haue That were the most vnworthie of a graue But my cleere mettle had that powerfull heat As it not turn'd with all that Fortune could Nor when the world me terriblest did threat Could that place win which my hie thoughts did hold That waxed still more prosperously great The more the world me stroue to haue control'd On my owne Columnes constantly to stand Without the false helpe of anothers hand My youthfull course thus wisely did I steere T' auoid those rockes my wracke that else did thret Yet some faire hopes from farre did still appeere If that too much my wants me did not let Wherefore my selfe aboue my selfe to beare Still as I grew I knowledge stroue to get To perfect that which in the Embryon was Whose birth I found time well might bring to passe But when my meanes to faile me I did finde My selfe to trauell presently betooke As much distastfull to my noble minde That the vile world into my wants should looke And of my selfe industriously inclinde To measure others actions with my booke I might my iudgement rectifie thereby In matters that were difficult and hie When loe it hapt that fortune as my guide Of me did with such prouidence dispose That th' English Merchants then who did reside At Antwerpe me their
the miners lap For I Lord Richard heire Plantagenet Was Earle of Cambridge and right fortunate If I had had the grace my wit to set To haue content me with mine owne estate But O false honors breeders of debate The loue of you our leaud hearts doth allure To lose our selues by seeking you vnsure Because my brother Edmund Mortimer Whose eldest sister was my wedded wife I meane that Edmund that was prisoner In Wales so long through Owens busie strife Because I say that after Edmunds life His rights and titles must by law be mine For he ne had nor could encrease his line Because the right of Realme and Crowne was ours I searched meanes to helpe him thereunto And where the Henries held it by their powers I sought a shift their tenures to vndoe Which being force sith force or sleight must doe I void of might because their power was strong Set priuie fleight against their open wrong But sith the death of most part of my kin Did dash my hope throughout the fathers daies I let it slip and thought it best begin When as the sonne should dread least such assayes For force through speed sleight speedeth through delayes And seeld doth treason time so fitly find As when all dangers most be out of mind Wherefore while Henrie of that name the fist Prepar'd his armie to go conquer France Lord Scroope and I thought to attempt a drift To put him downe my brother to aduance But wer 't Gods will my lucke or his good chance The King wist wholly whereabout we went The night before to shipward he him bent Then were we straight as traytours apprehended Our purpose spi'd the cause thereof was hid And therefore loe a false cause we pretended Where through my brother was from danger rid We said for hire of French Kings coine we did Behight to kill the King and thus with shame We stain'd our selues to saue our friend from blame When we had thus confest so foule a treason That we deseru'd we suffered by the law See Baldwine see and note as it is reason How wicked deeds to wofull ends do draw All force doth faile no craft is worth a straw To attaine things lost and therefore let them go For might rules right and will though truth say no. W. Baldwine HOW THOMAS MONTAGVE EARLE OF SALISBVrie in the middest of his glorie was chanceably slaine at Orleaunce with a piece of Ordinance the third of Nouember Anno Dom. 1428. WHat fooles be we to trust vnto our strength Our wit our courage or our noble fame Which time it selfe must needs deuour at length Though froward Fortune could not foile the same But seeing this Goddesse guideth all the game Which still to change doth set her only lust Why toile we so for things so hard to trust A goodly thing we deeme of good report Which noble hearts do seeke by course of kind But seeing the date so doubtfull and so short The way so rough whereby we do it find I cannot chuse but praise the Princely mind That preaseth for it though we find opprest By foule defame those that deserue it best Concerning whom marke Baldwine what I say I meane the vertuous hindred of their brute Among which number recken well I may My valiant father Iohn Lord Montacute Who lost his life I iudge through iust pursute I say the cause and not the casuall speed Is to be waighed in euery kind of deed This rule obseru'd how many shall we find For vertues sake with infamie opprest How some againe through helpe of Fortune blind For ill attempts atchieu'd with honor blest Successe is worst oft times when cause is best Therefore say I God send them sory haps That iudge the causes by their afterclaps The end indeed is Iudge of euery thing Which is the cause or latter point of time The first true verdict at the first may bring The last is slow or slipper as the slime Oft changing names of innocence and crime Duke Thomas death was Iustice two yeares long And euer since sore tyrannie and wrong Wherefore I pray thee Baldwine weigh the cause And praise my father as he doth deserue Because Earle Henry King against all lawes Endeuoured King Richard for to starue In iayle wherby the regall Crowne might swarue Out of the line to which it then was due Whereby God knowes what euill might ensue My Lord Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Which was deare cosin to this wretched King Did moue my Sire and th' Earle of Glocester With other Lords to ponder well the thing Who seeing the mischiefe that began to spring Did all consent this Henry to depose And to restore King Richard to the Rose And while they did deuise a prety traine Whereby to bring their purpose well about Which was in maske this Henry to haue slaine The Duke of Aumerle blew their counsaile out Yet was their purpose good there is no doubt What cause can be more worthy for a Knight Than saue his King and helpe true heires to right For this with them my father was destroid And buried in the dunghill of defame Thus euill chance their glory did auoid Whereas their cause doth claime eternall fame When deeds therefore vnluckily doe frame Men ought not iudge the authors to be naught For right through might is often ouerraught And God doth suffer that it should be so But why my wit is feeble to decise Except it be to heape vp wrath and we On wicked heads that iniuries deuise The cause why mischiefs many times arise And light on them that would mens wrongs redresse Is for the rancour that they beare I gesse God hateth rigour though it further right For sinne is sinne how euer it be vsed And therefore suffereth shame and death to light To punish vice though it bee well abused Who furthereth right is not therby excused If through the same he doe some other wrong To euery vice due guerdon doth belong What preach I now I am a man of warre And that my lims I dare say doth professe Of cured wounds beset with many a skarre My broken iaw vnheald can say no lesse O Fortune Fortune cause of all distresse My father had great cause thy fraud to curse But much more I abused ten times worse Thou neuer flatteredst him in all thy life But me thou dandledst like thy darling deare Thy gifts I found in euery corner rife Where ere I went I met thy smiling cheare Which was not for a day or for a yeare But through the raigne of three right worthy Kings I found thee forward in all kind of things The while King Henry conquered in France I sued the warres and still found victory In all assaults so happy was my chance Holds yeeld or won did make my enemies sory Dame Prudence eke augmented so my glory That in all treaties euer I was one When weighty matters were agreed vpon But when this King this mightie conquerour Through death vnripe was both
his Realmes berest His silly infant did receiue his power Poore little babe full yong in cradle left Where Crowne and Scepter hurt him with the heft Whose worthie vncles had the gouernance The one at home the other abroad in France And I which was in peace and warre well skilled With both these Rulers greatly was esteemed Bare rule at home as often as they willed And fought in France when they it needfull deemed And euery where so good my seruice seemed That English men to me great loue did beare Our foes the French my force fulfill'd with feare I alwaies thought it fitly for a Prince And such as haue the regiment of Realmes His subiects hearts with mildnes to conuince With Iustice mixt auoiding all extreames For like as Phoebus with his cheerefull beames Doth freshly force the fragrant flowres to florish So rulers mildnesse subiects loue doth norish This found I true for through my milde behauiour Their hearts I had with me to liue and die And in their speech be wrayer of their fauour They call'd me still good Earle of Salisburie The Lords confesse the Commons did not lie For vertuous life free heart and lowly mind With high and low shall alwaies fauour find Which vertues chiefe become a man of warre Whereof in France I found experience For in assaults due mildnes passeth farre All rigour force and sturdie violence For men will stoutly sticke to their defence When cruell Captaines couet after spoile And so enforst oft giue their foes the foile But when they know they shall be friendly vsed They hazard not their heads but rather yeeld For this my offers neuer were refused Of any towne or surely very seeld But force and furies fit be for the field And there indeed I vsed so the same My foes would flie if they but heard my name For when Lord Steward and Earle Vantadors Had cruelly besieged Crauant towne Which he had won and kept long time before Which lieth in Awxer on the Riuer Youne To raise the siege the Regent sent me downe Whereas I vsde all rigour that I might I killed all that were not sau'd by flight When th' Earle of Bedford then in France Lord Regent Knew in what sort I had remoued the siege In Brye and Champaine he made me Vicegerent And Lieutenant for him and for my Liege Which causde me go to Brye and there besiege Mountaguillon with twentie weekes assaut Which at the last was yeelded me for naught And for the Duke of Britaines brother Arthur Both Earle of Richmond and of Yuerie Against his oath from vs had made departure To Charles the Dolphin our chiefe enemie I with the Regent went to Normandie To take his towne of Yuerie which of spight Did to vs daily all the harme they might They at the first compounded by a day To yeeld if rescues did not come before And while in hope to fight we at it lay The Dolphin gathered men two thousand score With Earles with Lords and Captaines iolly store Of which the Duke of Alanson was guide And sent them downe to see if we would bide But they left vs and downe to Vernoile went And made their vaunt they had our armie slaine And through that lie that towne from vs they hent Which shortly after turned to their paine For there both armies met vpon the plaine And we eight thousand whom they flew before Did kill of them ten thousand men and more When we had taken Vernoile thus againe To driue the treacherous Dolphin out of France The Regent sent me t' Aniow and to Mayne Where I besieg'd the warlike towne of Mawns There Lord of Toysers Baldwins valiance Did well appeare which would not yeeld the towne Till all the Towres and walles were battered downe But heere now Baldwine take it in good part Though that I brought this Baldwine there to yeeld The Lion fierce for all his noble heart Being ouermatch'd is forst to flie the field If Mars himselfe there had been with his shield And in my stormes had stoutly me withstood He should haue yeeld or else haue shed my blood This worthie Knight both hardie stout and wise Wrought well his feat as time and place require When Fortune failes it is the best aduise To strike the saile lest all lie in the mire This haue I said to th' end thou take no ire For though no cause be found so nature frames Men haue a zeale to such as beare their names But to returne in Mayne wan I at length Such townes and sorts as might or helpe or hurt I manned Mayne and Suzans towne of strength Fort Barnard Thanceaur and S. Cales the curt With Lile sues Bolton standing in the durt Eke Gwerland Suze Loupeland and Mount sure With Malycorne these wan I and kept full sure Besides all this I tooke neere fortie holds But those I raced euen with the ground And for these deeds as sillie sheepe in folds Do shrinke for feare at euery little sound So fled my foes before my face full round Was none so hardie durst abide the fight So Mars and Fortune furthered me their Knight I tell no lie so gastfull grew my name That it alone discomfited an host The boldest Frenchmen well confesse the same Else will the towne which they like cowards lost For when they sieged Beauron with great boast Being fortie thousand well arm'd in field Fiue hundred men enforced them to yeeld For while the Frenchmen fresh assaulted still Our Englishmen came boldly forth at night Crying Saint George Salisbury kill kill And offered freshly with their foes to fight And they as Frenchly tooke themselues to flight Supposing surely that I had been there See how my name did put them all in feare Thus was the Dolphins power discomfited Foure thousand slaine their Campetane as it stood Whereby our towne and souldiers profited For there were vitailes plentifull and good This while was I in England by the rood T' appease a strife that was right foule befall Betweene Duke Humfrey and the Cardinall The Duke of Exeter soone after died Which of the King at home had gouernance Whose roome the Earle of Warwicke then supplied And I tooke his and sped me into France Where in good hope to conquer Orliance With much adoe I got the Regents aid And marched forth and siege about it laid But in the way I tooke the towne of Yaine Where murdered were for stoutnes many a man But Baugencey I tooke with little paine For which to shew them fauour I began This causde the townes of Mewne and Iargeman That stood on Loyer to profer me the keyes Ere I came neere them welnigh by two daies See heere how Fortune froward can allure What baits she layeth to bring men to their ends Who hauing hap like this but hopeth sure To bring to bale what euer he entends But soone is sower the sweet that Fortune sends When hope and hap when health and wealth is highest Then woe and wracke disease and need