combine And Yorks sweet branch with Lancasters entwine And in one stalke did happily vnite The pure vermilion Rose with purer white I the vntimely slip of that rich stem vvhose golden bud brings forth a Diadem But oh forgiue me Lord it is not I Nor doe I boast of this but learne to die vvhilst we were as our selues conioyned then Nature to nature now an alien The purest blood polluted is in blood Neerenes contemn'd if soueraignty withstood A Diadem once dazeling the eye The day too darke to see affinitie And where the arme is stretch'd to reach a Crowne Friendship is broke the deerest things throwne downe For what great Henry most stroue to auoyde The heauens haue built where earth would haue destroyd And seating Edward on his regall throne He giues to Mary all that was his owne By death assuring what by life is theyrs The lawfull claime of Henries lawfull heyres By mortall lawes the bound may be diuorc'd But heauens decree by no meanes can be forc'd That rules the case when men haue all decreed vvho tooke him hence foresaw who should succeede In vaine be counsels statutes humaine lawes vvhen chiefe of counsailes pleades the iustest cause Thus rule the heauens in theyr continuall course That yeelds to fate that doth not yeeld to force Mans wit doth build for time but to deuoure But vertu's free from time and fortunes power Then my kinde Lord sweet Gilford be not grieu'd The soule is heauenly and from heauen relieu'd And as we once haue plighted troth together Now let vs make exchange of mindes to eyther To thy faire breast take my resolued minde Arm'd against blacke dispayre and all her kinde And to my bosome breathe that soule of thine There to be made as perfect as is mine So shall our faith as firmely be approued As I of thee or thou of me beloued This life no life wert thou not deere to mee Nor this no death were I not woe for thee Thou my deere husband and my Lord before But truly learne to die thou shalt be more Now liue by prayer on heauen fixe all thy thought And surely finde what ere by zeale is sought For each good motion that the soule awakes A heauenly figure sees from whence it takes That sweet resemblance which by power of kinde Formes like it selfe an Image in the minde And in our faith the operations bee Of that diuinenes which by fayth we see vvhich neuer errs but accidentally By our fraile fleshes imbecillitie By each temptation ouer-apt to slide Except our spirit becomes our bodies guide For as our bodies prisons be these towers So to our soules these bodies be of ours vvhose fleshly walls hinder that heauenly light As these of stone depriue our wished sight Death is the key which vnlocks miserie And lets them out to blessed libertie Then draw thy forces all vnto thy hart The strongest fortresse of this earthly part And on these three let thy assurance lie On fayth repentance and humilitie Humilitie to heauen the step the staire Is for deuotion sacrifice and Prayer The next place doth to true repentance fall A salue a comfort and a cordiall He that hath that the keyes of heauen hath That is the guide that is the port the path Faith is thy fort thy shield thy strongest ayde Neuer controld nere yeelded nere dismaid vvhich doth dilate vnfold fore-tell expresseth vvhich giues rewards inuesteth and possesseth Then thanke the heauen preparing vs this roome Crowning our heads with glorious martirdome Before the blacke and dismall dayes begin The dayes of all Idolatry and sin Not suffering vs to see that wicked age vvhen persecution vehemently shall rage vvhen tyrannie new tortures shall inuent Inflicting vengeance on the innocent Yet heauen forbids that Maries wombe shall bring Englands faire Sceptâ—r to a forraine King But vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it vvhich broken hurt and wounded shall receaue it And on her temples hauing plac'd the Crowne Roote out the dregs Idolatry hath sowne And Syons glory shall againe restore Layd ruine wast and desolate before And from black sinders and rude heapes of stones Shall gather vp the Martyrs scattred bones And shall extirpe the power of Rome againe And cast aside the heauy yoke of Spayne Farewell sweet Gilford know our end is neere Heauen is our home we are but strangers heere Let vs make hast to goe vnto the blest vvhich from these weary worldly labours rest And with these lines my deerest Lord I greete thee Vntill in heauen thy Iane againe shall meete thee Notes of the Chronicle Historie They which begot vs did beget this sin SHewing the ambition of the two Dukes their Fathers whose pride was the cause of the vtter ouerthrow of theyr chyldren At Durham Pallace where sweet Hymen sang The buildings c. The Lord Gilford Dudley fourth sonne to Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland married the Lady Iane Gray daughter to the duke of Suffolke at Durham house in the Strand When first mine eares were persed with the fame Of Iane proclaimed by a Princesse name Presently vpon the death of King Edward the Lady Iane was taken as Queene conueyed by water to the Tower of London for her safetie and after proclaimed in diuers parts of the Realme as so ordained by King Edwards Letters-pattents and his will My Grandsire Brandon did our house aduaunce By princely Mary dowager of Fraunce Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk married Frauncis the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk by the French queene by which Frauncis he had this Lady Iane this Mary the French Queene vvas daughter to king Henry the seauenth by Elizabeth his Queene which happy mariage coÌ„ioyned the two noble families of Lancaster York For what great Henrie most stroue to auoyde Noting the distrust that King Henry the eyght euer had in the Princesse Mary his daughter â—earing she should alter the state of Religion in the Land by matching with a stranger confessing the right that King Henries issue had to the Crowne And vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it A prophecy of queene Maries barrenâ—es of the happy glorious raigne of Queene Elizabeth her restoring of Religion the abolishing of the Romish seruitude casting aside the yoke of Spayne The Lord Gilford Dudley to the Lady Iane Gray AS Swan-like singing at thy dying howre Such my reply returning from this tower O if there were such power but in my verse As in these woes my wounded hart doe pierce Stones taking sence th' obdurate flint that heares Should at my plaints dissolue it selfe to teares Lend me a teare I le pay thee with a teare And interest to if thou the stocke forbeare vvoe for a woe and for thy interest lone I will returne thee frankly two for one And if thou thinke too soone one sorrow ends Another twice so long shall make amends Perhaps thow'lt iudge in such extreames as these That words of comfort might far better please But such strange power in thy perfection
sencelesse stones were with such musick drownd As many yeeres they did retaine the sound Let not the beames that greatnes doth reflect Amaze thy hopes with timerous respect Assure thee Tudor maiestie can be As kinde in loue as can the mean'st degree And the embraces of a Queene as true As theyrs might iudge them much aduaunc'd by you vvhen in our greatnes our affections craue Those secret ioyes that other women haue So I a Queene be soueraigne in my choyse Let others fawne vpon the publique voyce Or what by this can euer hap to thee Light in respect to be belou'd of mee Let peeuish worldlings prate of right and wrong Leaue plaints and pleas to whom they doe belong Let old men speake of chaunces and euents And Lawyers talke of titles and discents Leaue fond reports to such as stories tell And couenaunts to those that buy and sell Loue my sweet Tudor that becomes thee best And to our good successe referre the rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie Great Henry sought to accomplish his desire Armed c. HEnry the fift making clayme vnto the Crowne of Fraunce first sought by Armes to subdue the French and after sought by marriage to confirme what he got by conquest the heate and furie of which inuasion is alluded to the fixtion of Semele in Ouid which by the craftie perswasion of Iuno requested Ioue to come vnto her as he was wont to come vnto his wife Iuno who at her request hee yeelding vnto destroyed her in a tempest Incamp'd at Melans in wars hote alarmes First c. Neere vnto Melans vpon the Riuer of Scyne was the appoynted place of parley betweene the two Kings of England and Fraunce to which place Isabell the Queene of Fraunce and the Duke of Burgoyne brought the young Princesse Katherine where King Henry first saw her And on my temples set a double Crowne Henry the fift and Queene Katherine vvere taken as King and Queene of Fraunce and during the life of Charles the French King Henry was called King of England and heire of Fraunce after the death of Henry the fift Henry the sixt his son then being very young was crowned at Paris as true and lawfull king of England Fraunce At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy Troy in Champayn was the place where that victorious king Henrie the fift maried the Princesse Katherine in the presence of the chiefe nobilitie of the Realmes of England and Fraunce Nor these great tytles vainely will I bring Wife daughter Mother c. Few Queenes of England or Fraunce were euer more princelie alied then this Queene as it hath been noted by Historiographers Nor thinke so Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne◠c. Noting the descent of Henry her husband frō Iohn Duke of Lancaster the fourth son of Edward the third which Duke Iohn was sirnamed Gaunt of the citty of Gaunt in Flaunders where he was borne Nor stir the English blood the sunne and Moone T'repine c. Alluding the greatnes of the English line to Phoebus Phoebe fained to be the children of Latona whose heauenly kind might scorne to be ioyned with any earthlie progenie yet withall boasting the blood of Fraunce as not inferiour to theirs And with this allusion followeth on the historie of the strife betwixt Iuno and the race of Cadmus whose issue was afflicted by the wrath of heauen The chyldren of Niobe slaine for which the wofull mother became a Rock gushing forth continually a fountaine of teares And Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied Lhewellin or Leolin ap Iorwerth married Ioane daughter to King Iohn a most beautifull Lady Some Authours affirme that shee was base borne Lhewellin ap Gryfith maried Ellenor daughter to Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester and Cosin to Edward Longshanks both which Lhewellins were Princes of Wales Of Camilot and all her Pentecosts A Nephewes roome c Camilot the auncient Pallace of King Arthur to which place all the Knights of that famous order yeerely repaired at Penticost according to the lawe of the Table and most of the famous home-borne Knights were of that Countrie as to this day is perceiued by theyr auncient monuments When bloody Rufus sought your vtter sacke Noting the ill successe which that William Rufus had in two voyages he made into Wales in which a number of his chiefe Nobilitie were slaine And oft return'd with glorious victorie Nothing the diuers sundry incursions that the Welchmen made into England in the time of Rufus Iohn Henry the second Longshankes Owen Tudor to Queene Katherine WHen first mine eyes beheld your princely name And found from whence this friendly letter came As in excesse of ioy my selfe forgot vvhether I saw it or I saw it not My panting hart doth bid mine eyes proceede My dazeled eye inuites my tongue to reede Mine eye should guide my tongue amazed mist it My lips which now should speake are dombe and kist it And leaues the paper in my trembling hand vvhen all my sences so amazed stand Euen as a mother comming to her child vvhich from her presence hath beene long exil'd vvith tender armes his gentle necke doth straine Now kissing him now clipping him againe And yet excessiue yoy deludes her so As still she doubts if this be hers or no At length awak'ned from this pleasing dreame vvhen passion som-what leaues to be extreame My longing eyes with their faire obiect meete vvhere euery letter 's pleasing each word sweete It was not Henries conquests nor his Court That had the power to win me by report Nor was his dreadfull terror-striking name The cause that I from VVales to England came For Christian Rhodes and our religious truth To great atchieuements first had wone my youth Before aduenture did my valour proue Before I yet knew what it was to loue Nor came I hether by some poore euent But by th' eternall Destinies consent vvhose vncomprised wisedomes did fore-see That you in marriage should be linck'd to mee By our great Merlin was it not fore-told Amongst his holy prophecies enrold vvhen first he did of Tudors fame diuine That Kings and Queenes should follow in our line And that the Helme the Tudors auncient Crest Should with the golden Flower-delice be drest And that the Leeke our Countries chiefe renowne Should grow with Roses in the English Crowne As Charles fayre daughter you the Lilly weare As Henries Queene the blushing Rose you beare By Fraunce's conquest and by Englands oth You are the true made dowager of both Both in your crowne both in your cheeke together Ioyne Tethers loue to yours and yours to Tether Then make no future doubts nor feare no hate vvhen it so long hath beene fore-told by Fate And by the all-disposing doome of heauen Before our births vnto one bed were giuen No Pallas heere nor Iuno is at all vvhen I to Venus giue the golden ball Nor when the Graecians wonder I enioy None in reuenge to kindle fire in
first Marques and after created Duke of Suffolke beeing sent into Fraunce by King Henry the sixt concludeth a marriage betweene the King his Maister and Margaret daughter to Rayner Duke of Aniou who onely â—ad the title of the King of Cicily and Ierusalem This marriage beeing made contrare to the lyking of the Lordes and Counsell of the Realme by reason of the yeelding vp Aniou and Maine into the Dukes hands which shortly after proued the losse of all Aquitaine they euer after continually hated the Duke and after by meanes of the Commons banished him at the parlement at Berry where after he had the iudgment of his exile beeing then ready to depart hee writeth backe to the Queene this Epistle IN my disgrace deere Queene rest thy content And Margarets health from Suffolkes banishment Not one day seemes fiue yeeres exile to mee But that so soone I must depart from thee VVhere thou not present it is euer night All be exil'd that liue not in thy sight Those Sauages which worship the suns rise vvould hate theyr God if they beheld thine eyes The worlds great light might'st thou be seene abroad vvould at our noone-â—tead euer make aboade And make the poore Antipodes to mourne Fearing least he would neuer more returne VVer 't not for thee it were my great'st exile To liue within this Sea-inuirond I le Poles courage brookes not limmitting in bands But that great Queene thy soueraignty commandsâ— Our Falcons kinde cannot the cage indure Nor buzzard-like doth stoope to euery lure Theyr mounting broode in open ayre doth roue Nor will with Crowes be coop'd within a groue VVe all doe breath vpon this earthly ball Likewise one heauen encompasseth vs all No banishment can be to him assign'd vvho doth retaine a true resolued minde Man in himselfe a little world doth beare His soule the Monarch euer ruling there vvhere euer then his body doth remaine He is a King that in himselfe doth raigne And neuer feareth Fortunes hot'st alarmes That beares against her Patience for his Armes This was the meane proude VVarwicke did inuent To my disgrace at Leister parlement That onely my base yeelding vp of Maine Should be the losse of fertile Aquitaine vvith the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the heire of good Duke Humfreys name And so by treason spotting my pure blood Make this a meane to raise the Neuels brood VVith Salisbury his vile ambitious Syer In Yorkes sterne brest kindling long hidden fyer By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt And to this end did my exile conclude Thereby to please the rascall multitude Vrg'd by these enuious Lords to spend theyr breath Calling reuenge on the Protectors death That since the old decrepit Duke is dead By me of force he must be murthered If they would know who rob'd him of his life Let them call home Dame Ellinor his wife vvho with a Taper walked in a sheet To light her shame at no one through London street And let her bring her Negromantick booke That foule â—ag Iordane Hun and Bullenbrooke And let them call the spirits from hell againe To know how Humfrey died and who shall raigne For twenty yeeres and haue I seru'd in Fraunce Against great Charles and bastard Orleance And seene the slaughter of a world of men Victorious now and conquered agen And haue I seene Vernoylas batfull fields Strew'd with ten thousand Helmes ten thousandâ— shields VVhere famous Bedford did our fortune try Or Fraunce or England for the victory The sad inuesting of so many Townes Scor'd on my brest in honourable wounds vvhen Mountacute and Talbot of such name Vnder my Ensigne both first won theyr fame In heate and cold all fortunes haue indur'd To rouze the French within their walls immur'd Through all my life these perrils haue I past And now to feare a banishment at last Thou know'st how I thy beauty to aduance For thee refusd the infant Queene of Fraunce Brake the contract Duke Humfrey first did make Twixt Henry and the Princesse Arminacke Onely sweet Queene thy presence I might gaine I gaue Duke Rayner Aniou Mauns and Maine Thy peerelesse beautie for a dower to bring To counterpoize the wealth of Englands King And from Aumerle with-drew my warlike powers And came my selfe in person first to Towers Th' Embassadors for truce to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungarie and Spayne And telling Henry of thy beauties story I taught my tongue a Louers oratory As the report it selfe did so indite And make it rauish teares with such delight And when my speech did cease as telling all My lookes shew'd more that was Angelicall And when I breath'd againe and paused next I left mine eyes to comment on the text Then comming of thy modestie to tell In musicks numbers my voyce rose and fell And when I came to paint thy glorious stile My speech in greater cadenâ—es to file By true descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicils and Ierusalem And from the Gods thou didst deriue thy birth If heauenly kinde could ioyne with broode of earth Gracing each title that I did recite vvith some mellifluous pleasing Epithete Nor left him not till he for loue was sicke Beholding thee in my sweet Rhetoricke A fifteenes taxe in Fraunce I freely spent In triumphs at thy nuptiall Tournament And solemniz'd thy marriage in a gowne Valu'd at more then was thy fathers Crowne And onely striuing how to honour thee Gaue to my King what thy loue gaue to mee Iudge if his kindnes haue not power to moue vvho for his louesâ— sake gaue away his loue Had he which once the prize to Greece did bring Of whom old Poets long agoe did sing Seene thee for England but imbarqu'd at Deepe vvould ouer-boord haue cast his golden sheepe As too vnworthy ballace to be thought To pester roome with such perfection fraught The briny seas which saw the ship enfold thee vvould vaute vp to the hatches to behold thee And falling backe themselues in thronging smother Breaking for griefe enuying one another vvhen the proud Barke for ioy thy steps to feele Scorn'd the salt waues should kisse her furrowing keele And trick'd in all her flags her selfe she braues Capring for ioy vpon the siluer waues vvhen like a Bull from the Phenician strand Ioue with Europa tripping from the land Vpon the bosome of the maine doth scud And with his swannish breast cleauing the floud Tow'rd the faire fields vpon the other side Beareth Agenors ioy Phenicias pride All heauenly beauties ioyne themselues in one To shew their glory in thine eye alone VVhich when it turneth that celestiall ball A thousand sweet starres rise a thousand fall VVho iustly saith mine banishment to bee vvhen onely Fraunce for my recourse is free To view the plaines where I haue seene so oft Englands victorious Engines raisd aloft vvhen this shall be my comfort in my way To see the place where I may boldly say Heere mightie Bedford forth the
it that time celestiall signes hath done 2 VVhilst our ill thriuing in those Scottish broyles Theyr strength and couâ—age greatly doth aduaunce That beeing made fat and wealthy by our spoyles vvhen we still weakned by the iarres in Fraunce And thus dishartned by continuall foyles Yeelds other cause whereat our Muse may glaunce And Herckleys treasons lastly brings to view vvhose power of late the Barrons ouerthrew 3 Now when the Scot with an inuasiue hand By daily inroads on the borders made Had spoyld the Country of Northumberland The buildings leuell with the ground weare layd And finding none that dare his power withstand vvithout controlement eu'ry where had pray'd Bearing with pride what was by pillage got As our last fall appointed to theyr lot 4 For vvhich false Herckley by his Soueraigne sent T' intreate this needfull though dishonored peace Cloking his treasons by this fayn'd intent Kinling the warre which otherwise might cease And with the Scot new mischiefes doth inuent T' intrap King Edward and their feare release For which their faith they constantly haue plight In peace and warre to stand for eithers right 5 For which the King his sister doth bestow Vpon this false Lord which to him affy'd Maketh too plaine and euident a show Of what before his trust did closely hide But beeing found from whence this match should grow By such as now into their actions pry'd Displayes the treasons which not quickly crost vvould shed more blood then all the warres had cost 6 VVhether the Kings weake counsels causes are That eu'ry thing so badly forteth out Or that the Earle did of our state despaire vvhen nothing prosper'd that was gone about And therefore carelesse how these matters fare I le not define but leaue it as a doubt Or some vaine title his ambition lackt Hatch'd in his breast this treasonable act 7 VVhich now reueal'd vnto the iealous King For apprehension of this tray't rous Peere To the Lord Lucy leaues the managing One whose knowne faith he euer held so deere By whose dispatch and trauell in this thing He doth well worthy of his trust appeare In his owne Castell carelesly defended The trecherous Herckley closely apprehended 8 For which ere long vnto his tryall led In all the roabes befitting his degree VVhere Scroope chiefe Iustice in King Edwards sted vvas now prepar'd his lawfull Iudge to be Vrging the proofes by his enditement red vvhere they his treasons euidently see vvhich now themselues so plainly doe expresse As might at first declare his bad successe 9 His honor'd title backe againe restord Noted with tearmes of infamie and scorne And then disarmed of his knightly sword On which his faith and loyaltie was sworne And by a varlet of his spurres dispur'd His coate of Armes in peeces hal'd and torne To tast deserued punishment is sent T'a trayterous death that trayterously had ment 10 VVhen such the fauorers of this fatall war vvhom this occasion doth more sharply whet Those for this cause thet yet impris'ned are Boldly attempt at liberty to set vvhose purpose frustrate by the others care Doth greater wounds continually beget vvarning the King more strictly looke about These secret fires still daily breaking out 11 And Hereford in Parlement accusd Of treasons which apparantly were wrought That with the Queene and Mortimers were vsd vvhereby subuersion of the Realme was sought And both his calling and his trust abusd vvhich now to aunswere when he should be brought Ceaz'd by the Clergy in the Kings despight Vnder the colour of the Churches right 12 VVhilst now the Queene from England day by day That of these troubles still had certaine word vvhose friends much blam'd her tedious long delay vvhen now the time occasion doth afford vvith better hast doth for herselfe puruay Bearing prouision presently abord Ships of all vses daily rigging are Fit'st for inuasion to transport a warre 13 The Earle of Kent by 's soueraigne brother plac'd As the great Generall of his force in Gwine vvho in his absence here at home disgra'st And frustrated both of his men and coyne By such lewd persons to maintaine theyr wast From the Kings treasúres ceas'd not to proloyne Th'lasciuious Prince though mou'd regardlesse still Both of his owne losse and his brothers ill 14 VVhos 's discontentment beeing quickly found By such as all aduantages await That still apply'd strong corsiues to the wound And by their sharpe and intricate deceit Hindred all meanes might possibly redound This fast-arising mischiefe to defeate Vntill his wrongs vvere to that fulnesse growne That they haue made him absolute their owne 15 VVhose selfe-like followers in these faithlesse warres Men most experienc'd and of worthiest parts vvhich for their pay receaued onely scarres vvhilst the inglorious reap'd their due desarts And Mineons hate of other hope debarres vvith too much violence vrg'd their grieued harts On Iohn of Henault wholy doe rely vvho led a great and valiant company 16 That in this conquest doe themselues combine The Lords Pocelles Sares and Boyseers Dambretticourt the young and valiant Heyn Estoteuill Comines and Villeers Others his Knights Sir Michaell de la Lyne Sir Robert Balioll Boswit and Semeers Men of great power whom spoile and glory warmes Such as were wholly dedicate to Armes 17 Three thousand souldiers mustred men in pay Of French Scotch Almaine Swiser and the Dutch Of natiue English fled beyond the Sea vvhose number neere amounted to asmuch VVhich long had look'd for this vnhappy day vvhom her reuenge did but too neerely tuch Her friends now ready to receaue her in And new commotions eu'ry day begin 18 VVhen she for England fitly setting forth Spreading her proud sayles on the watry plaine Shaping her course directly to the North vvith her young Edward Duke of Aquitaine vvith th' other three of speciall name and worth The destain'd scurges of his lawlesse raine Her souldier Beumount with the Earle of Kent And Mortimer that mighty malcontent 19 A for-wind now for Harwich fitly blowes Blow not too fast to kindle such a fire vvhilst with full saile and fairer tide she goes Turne gentle wind and force her to retire The fleet thou driu'st is fraughted with our woes But winds and seas doe Edwards wracke conspire For when iust heauen to chastice vs is bent All things conuert to our due punishment 20 Thy coasts be kept with a continuall ward Thy Beacons watch'd her comming to discry O had the loue of subiects beene thy guard T 'had beene t' effect that thou didst fortifie But whilst thou stand'st gainst for raine foes prepard Thou art betrayd by thy home enemy Small helpe by this thou art but like to win Shutting death out thou keep'st destruction in 21 VVhen Henry brother to that haplesse Prince The first great engine of this ciuill strife Deere Lancaster whom law did late conuince And that at Pomfret left his wretched life This Henry in whose great hart euer since Reuenge lay couer'd smoother'd vp in griefe Like fire in some fat
euen all things as it list And with vniust men to debate of lawes Is to giue power to hurt a rightfull cause vvhilst parlements must still redresse theyr wrongs And we must starue for what to vs belongs Our wealth but fuell to theyr fond excesse And we must fast to feast theyr wantonnesse Think'st thou our wrongs then insufficient are To moue our brother to religious war And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquytaine And if not that yet hath he broke the truce Thus all accur to put backe all excuse The sisters wrong ioynd with the brothers right Me thinks might vrge him in this cause to fight Be all those people sencelesse of our harmes vvhich for our country ought haue manag'd armes Is the braue Normans courage now forgot Or the bold Brittaines lost the vse of shot The big-bon'd Almaines and stout Brabanders Theyr warlike Pikes and sharp-edg'd Semiters Or doe the Pickards let theyr Crosbowes lie Once like the Centaurs of old Thessalie Or if a valiant Leader be theyr Lacke vvhere thou art present who should driue them backe I doe coniure thee by what is most deere By that great name of famous Mortimer By auncient VVigmors honourable Crest The Tombes where all thy famous Grandsires rest Or if then these what more may thee approue Euen by those vowes of thy vnfained loue That thy great hopes may moue the Christian King By forraine Armes some comfort yet to bring To curbe the power of traytors that rebell Against the right of princely Isabell. Vaine vvitlesse woman why should I desire To adde more heate to thy immortall fire To vrge thee by the violence of hate To shake the pillers of thine owne estate vvhen whatsoeuer we intend to doe To our misfortune euer sorts vnto And nothing els remaines for vs beside But teares and coffins onely to prouide VVhen still so long as Burrough beares that name Time shall not blot out our deserued shame And whilst cleere Trent her wonted course shall keepe For our sad fall her christall drops shall weepe All see our ruine on our backs is throwne And to our selues our sorrowes are our owne And Torlton now whose counsell should direct The first of all is slaundred with suspect For dangerous things dissembled sildome are vvhich many eyes attend with busie care VVhat should I say my griefes doe still renew And but begin when I should bid adiew Few be my words but manifold my woe And still I stay the more I striue to goe As accents issue forth griefes enter in And where I end mee thinks I but begin Till then fayre time some greater good affoords Take my loues payment in these ayrie words Notes of the Chronicle Historie O how I feard that sleepie drinke I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent MOrtimer beeing in the Tower and ordayning a feast in honour of his byrth-day as hee pretended and inuiting there-vnto sir Stephen Segraue Constable of the Tower with the â—est of the officers belonging to the same he gaue them a sleepie drinke prouided him by the Queene by which meanes he got libertie for his escape I steale to Thames as though to take the ayre And aske the gentle streame as it doth glide Mortimer being got out of the Tower swam the riuer of Thames into Kent whereof she hauing intelligence doubteth of his strength to escape by reason of his long imprisonment being almost the space of three yeeres Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Naeuarre Edward Carnaruan the first Prince of Wales of the English blood married Isabell daughter of Phillip the faire at Bulloyne in the presence of the Kings of Almaine Nauarre and Cicile with the chiefe Nobilitie of Fraunce and England which marriage was there solemnized with exceeding pompe and magnificence And in my place vpon his regall throne To set that girle-boy wanton Gaueston Noting the effeminacie luxurious wantonnesse of Gaueston the Kings Minion his behauiour and attire euer so womanlike to please the eye of his lasciuious Prince That a foule Witches bastard should thereby It was vrged by the Queene and the Nobilitie in the disgrace of Piers Gauestone that his mother was conuicted of witchcraft burned for the same and that Piers had bewitched the King Albania Gascoyne Cambria Ireland Albania Scotland so called of Albanact the second sonne of Brutus and Cambria Wales so called of Camber the third son the foure Realmes countries brought in subiection by Edward Longshankes When of our princely Iewels and our dowers We but enioy the least of what is ours A complaint of the prodigalitie of King Edward giuing vnto Gaueston the iewels treasure which was left him by the auncient Kings of England and enriching him with the goodly Manor of Wallingford assigned as parcel of the dower to the queens of this famous I le And ioyn'd with the braue issue of our blood Alie our kingdome to their crauand brood Edward the second gaue to Piers Gaueston in mariage the daughter of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester begot of the Kings sister Ione of Acres maried to the said Earle of Glocester Should giue away all that his Father won To backe a stranger King Edward offered his right in Fraunce to Charles his brother in law and his right in Scotland to Robert Bruse to be ayded against the Barrons in the quarrell of Piers Gaueston And did great Edward on his death-bed giue Edward Longshanks on his death-bed at Carlile commanded yong Edward his sonne on his blessing not to call backe Gaueston which for the misguiding of the Princes youth was before banished by the whole counsell of the Land That after all this fearefull massaker The fall of Beuchamp Lasy Lancaster Thomas Earle of Lancaster Guy Earle of Warwick Henry Eaâ—le of Lincolne who had taken their oaths before the deceased King at his death to withstand his sonne Edward if hee should call Gauestone from exile being a thing which he much feared now seeing Edward to violate his Fathers coÌ„maundement rise in Armes against the king which was the cause of the ciuill war the ruine of so many Princes And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That now a Spenser should succeed in all The two Hugh Spensers the Father the sonne after the death of Gaueston became the great fauourites of the King the sonne beeing created by him lord Chamberlaine the father Earle of Winchester And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homaage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquitaine Edward Longshanks did homage for those Citties and Territories to the French King which Edward the second neglecting moued the French King by the subornation of Mortimer to cease those Countries into his hands By auncient Wigmors honourable Crest Wigmore in the marches of Wales was the auncient house of the Mortimers that noble and couragious familie That still so long as Borrough beares that name The Queene remembreth the great
ouerthrowe giuen to the Barrons by Andrew Herckley Earle of Carlill at Borrough bridge after the battaile at Burton And Torlton now whose counsels should direct This was Adam Torlton Bishop of Herford that great Polititian who so highly fauoured the faction of the Queene and Mortimer whose euill counsell afterward wrought the destruction of the King Mortimer to Queene Isabell. AS thy salutes my sorrowes doe adiourne So backe to thee their interest I returne Though not in so great bountie I confesse As thy heroicke princely lines expresse For how should comfort issue from the breath Of one condemn'd and long lodg'd vp in death From murthers rage thou didst me once repriue Now in exile my hopes thou doost reuiue Twice all was taken twice thou all didst giue And thus twice dead thou mak'st me twice to liue This double life of mine your onely due You gaue to me I giue it back to you Nere my escape had I aduentur'd thus As did the skie-attempting Daedalus And yet to giue more safety to my flight Haue made a night of day a day of night Nor had I backt the proud aspiring wall vvhich held without my hopes within my fall Leauing the cords to tell where I had gone For gazing eyes with feare to looke vpon But that thy beauty by a power diuine Breath'd a new life into this spirit of mine Drawne by the sunne of thy celestiall eyes vvith fiery wings made passage through the skies The heauens did seeme the charge of me to take And sea and land befriend me for thy sake Thames stopt her tide to make me way to go As thou hadst charg'd her that it should be so The hollow murmuring winds their due time kept As they had rock'd the world whilst all things slept One billow bore me and another draue me This stroue to helpe me and that stroue to saue me The brisling Reedes mou'd with the ayre did chide me As they would tell me that they meant to hide me The pale-fac'd night beheld thy heauie cheere And would not let one little starre appeare But ouer all her smokie mantle hurl'd And in thick vapours muffled vp the world And the pure ayre became so clame and still As it had beene obedient to my will And euery thing disposd vnto my rest As when on Seas the Alcâ—on builds her nest VVhen those rough waues which late with fury rusht Slide smoothly on and sodainly are husht Nor Neptune lets his surges our so long As Nature is in bringing forth her yong Nor let the Spensers glory in my chance That I should liue an exile heere in France That I from England banished should be But England rather banished from me More were her want France our great blood should beare Then Englands losse should be to Mortimer My Grandsire was the first since Arthurs raigne That the Round-table rectifi'd againe To whose great Court at Kenelworth did come The peerelesse knighthood of all Christendome vvhose Princely order honoured England more Then all the conquests she atchiu'd before Neuer durst Scot set foote on English ground Nor on his backe did English beare a wound vvhilst VVigmore flourisht in our Princely hopes And whilst our Ensigne march'd with Edwards troupes vvhilst famous Longshanks bones in fortunes scorne As sacred reliques to the field were borne Nor euer did the valiant English doubt vvhilst our braue battailes guarded them about Nor did our wiâ—es and wofull mothers mourne The English blood that stained Banocksburne vvhilst with his Minions sporting in his Tent vvhole dayes and nights in banquetting were spent Vntill the Scots which vnder safegard stood Made lauish hauocke of the English blood And battered helmes lay scattered on the shore vvhere they in conquest had beene borne before A thousand Kingdoms will we seeke from far As many Nations wast with ciuill war vvhere the disheuel'd gastly Sea-nimph sings Or well-rigd ships shall stretch their swelling wings And drag their ankors through the sandy foame About the world in euery Clime to roame And those vnchristned Countries call our owne vvhere scarce the name of England hath beene knowne And in the dead-sea sinke our houses fame From whose sterne waues we first deriu'd our Name Before foule black-mouth'd infamie shall sing That Mortimer ere stoop'd vnto a King And we will turne sterne-visag'd furie backe To seeke his spoile who sought our vtter sacke And come to beard him in our natiue Ile Ere he martch forth to follow our exile And after all these boistrous stormie shocks Yet will we grapple with the chaulkie Rocks Nor will we come like Pyrats or like theeues From mountaine Forrests or sea-bordering Cleeues But fright the ayre with terror when we come Of the sterne trumpet and the bellowing drum And in the field aduance our plumy Crest And martch vpon faire Englands flowrie brest And Thames which once we for our life did swim Shaking our dewy tresses on her brim Shall beare my Nauie vaunting in her pride Falling from Tanet with the powerfull tide vvhich fertile Essex and faire Kent shall see Spreading her flags along the pleasant lee vvhen on her stemming poope she proudly beares The famous Ensignes of the Belgicke peeres And for the hatefull sacreligious sin vvhich by the Pope he stands accursed in The Cannon text shall haue a common glosse Receits in parcels shall be paid in grosse This doctrine preach'd who from the Church doth take At least shall treble restitution make For which Rome sends her curses out from farre Through the sterne throate of terror-breathing warre Till to th' vnpeopled shores she brings supplies Of those industrious Romaine Colonies And for his homage by the which of old Proud Edward Guyne and Aquitaine doth hold Charles by inuasiue armes againe shall take And send the English forces o're the Lake vvhen Edwards fortune stands vpon this chaunce To loose in England or expuls'd from Fraunce And all those townes great Longshanks left his son Now lost againe which once his father won VVithin their strong perculliz'd Ports shall lie And from their walls his sieges shall defie And by that firme and vndissolued knot Betwixt the neighbouring French and bordering Scot Bruse now shall bring his redshanks from the seas From th'Iled Orcad's and the Hebrydes And to his VVesterne Hauens giue free passe To land the vvarlike Irish Galiglasse Marching from Tweede to swelling Humber sands vvasting along the Northerne netherlands And wanting those which should his power sustaine Consum'd with slaughter in his bloody raigne Our warlike sword shall driue him from his throne vvhere he shall lie for vs to tread vpon And those great Lords now after theyr attaints Canonized amongst the English Saints And by the superstitious people thought That by their Reliques miracles are wrought And thinke that flood much vertue doth retaine vvhich tooke the blood of famous Bohun slaine Continuing the remembrance of the thing To make the people more abhor theyr King Nor shall a Spenser be he nere so great Possesse our VVigmore
treason Th'vnlawfull meanes doth make his lawfull gaine Hee speakes most true when he the most doth faine Pardon the faults that haue escap'd by mee Against fayre vertue chastitie and thee If Gods can theyr owne excellence excell It is in pardoning mortalls that rebell VVhen all thy tryalls are enroul'd by fame And all thy sexe made glorious by thy name Then I a captiue shall be brought hereby To adorne the tryumph of thy chastitie I sue not now thy Paramore to be But as a husband to be linck'd to thee I am Englands heyre I thinke thou wilt confesse VVert thou a Prince I hope I am no lesse But that thy birth doth make thy stocke diuine Else durst I boast my blood as good as thine Disdaine me not nor take my loue in scorne vvhose brow a crowne heereafter may adorne But what I am I call mine owne no more Take what thou wilt and what thou wilt restore Onely I craue what ere I did intend In faithfull loue now happily may end Farewell sweet Lady so well maist thou fare To equall ioy with measure of my care Thy vertues more then mortall tongue can tell A thousand thousand times farewell farewell Notes of the Chronicle Historie Receaue these papers from thy wofull Lord. BAndello by whom this history was made famous being an Italian as it is the peoples custome in that climbeâ— rather to faile sometime in the truth of circumstance then toforgoe the grace of their 〈◊〉 in like manner as the Grecians of whom the Satyrist Et quicquid Graecia mendax Audet in historia Thinking it to be a greater tryall that a Countesse should be sude vnto by a King then by the sonne of a King and consequently that the honor of her chastitie should be the more hath causd it to be generally taken so but as by Polidore Fabian and Froisard appeares the contrarie is true Yet may Bandello be very well excused as beeing a stranger whose errors in the truth of our historie are not so materiall that they should neede an inuectiue least his wit should be defrauded of any part of his due which were not lesse were euery part a fiction Howbeit least a common errour should preuaile against a truth these Epistles are conceiued in those persons who were indeed the actors to wit Edward surnamed that Black Prince not so much of his complexion as of the dismall battels which he fought in Fraunce in like sence as we may say a black day for some tragicall euent though the sunne shine neuer so bright therein And Alice the Countesse of Salisbury who as it is certaine was beloued of Prince Edward so it is as certaine that many points now current in the receiued story can neuer hold together with likelihood of such enforcement had it not been shewed vnder the title of a King And when thou let'st downe that transparent lid Not that the lid is transparent for no part of the skin is transparent but for the gemme which that closure is sayd to containe is transparent for otherwise how could the mind vnderstand by the eye should not the images slide through the same and replenish the stage of the fantasie but this belongs to Opticks The Latines call the eye lid cilium I will not say of celande as the eye brow supercilium and the haire on the eye lyds palpebra perhaps quod palpitet all which haue their distinct and necessary vses Alice Countesse of Salisburie to the blacke Prince AS one would grant yet gladly would denie Twixt hope and feare I doubtfully reply A womans weakenes least I should discouer Answering a Prince and writing to a louer And some say loue with reason doth dispence And wrest our plaine words to another sence Thinke you not then poore women had not neede Be well aduis'd to write what men should reede vvhen being silent moouing but awry Giues cause of scandall and of obloquy vvhilst in our harts our secret thoughts abide Th'inuenom'd tongue of slaunder yet is tide But if once spoke deliuered vp to fame Hers the report but ours returnes the shame About to write yet newly entring in Me thinks I end ere I can well begin VVhen I would end then somthing makes me stay And then me thinks I should haue more to say And some one thing remaineth in my brest For want of words that cannot be exprest vvhat I would say and said to thee I faine Then in thy person I reply againe Then in thy cause vrge all I can obiect Then what againe mine honour must respect O Lord what sundry passions doe I try Striuing to hate you forcing contrarie Being a Prince I blame you not to proue The greater reason to obtaine your loue That greatnes which doth challenge no deniall The onely rest that doth allow my triall Edward so great the greater were his fall And my offence in this were capitall To men is granted priuiledge to tempt But in that charter women be exempt Men win vs not except we giue consent Against our selues except our selues are bent VVho doth impute it is a fault to you You proue not false except we be vntrue It is your vertue being men to trie And it is ours by vertue to denie Your fault it selfe serues for the faults excuse And makes it ours though yours be the abuse Beauty a begger fie it is too bad vvhen in it selfe sufficiencie is had Not made a lure t' intice the wandring eye But an attire t' adorne sweet modestie If modestie and women once doe seuer Farewell our fame farewell our name for euer Let Iohn and Henry Edwards instance be Matilda and faire Rosamond for me A like both woo'd alike â—u'd to be wonne Th' one by the Father th' other by the Sonne Henry obtaining did our weakenes wound And layes the fault on wanton Rosamond Matilda chaâ—t in life and death all one By her deniall layes the fault on Iohn By these we proue men accessarie still But women onely principals of ill VVhat prayse is ours but what our vertues get If they be lent so much we be in debt vvhilst our owne honours vertue doth defendâ— All force too weake what euer men pretend If all the world else should suborne our fame T is we our selues that ouerthrow the same And how so ere although by force you win Yet on our weakenes still returnes the sin You are a vertuous Prince so thought of all And shall I then be guiltie of your fall Now God forbid yet rather let me die Then such a sinne vpon my soule should lie VVhere is great Edward whether is he led At whose victorious name whole Armies fled Is that braue spirit that conquer'd so in France Thus ouercome and vanquish'd with a glance Is that great hart that did aspire so hie So soone transpersed with a womans eye He that a King at Poycters battell tooke Himselfe led captiue with a wanton looke Twice as a bride to Church I haue beene led Twice haue two Lords enioy'd
to accept this Epistle which I dedicate as zealously as I hope you will patronize willingly vntill some more acceptable seruice may be witnesse of my loue to your honour Your Lordships euer Michaell Drayton Queene Isabell to Richard the second ¶ The Argument Queene Isabell the daughter of Charles King of Fraunce being the second wife of Richard the second the sonne of Edward the blacke Prince the eldest sonne of King Edward the third After the said Richard her husband was deâ—osed from his crowne and kingly dignitie by Henry Duke of Herford the eldest sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lankaster the fourth sonne of Edward the third this Lady beeing then very young was sent backe againe into Fraunce without dowre at what time the deposed King her husband was senâ— from the Tower of London as a prisoner vnto Pomfret Castle VVhether this poore Lady bewailing her husbands misfortunes writeth this Epistle from Fraunce AS doth the yeerely Auger of the spring In depth of woe thus I my sorrow sing vvords tun'd with sighs teares falling oft among A dolefull burâ—hen to a heauie song VVords issue forth to finde my griefe some way Teares ouertake them and doe bid them stay Thus whilst one striues to keepe the other back Both once too forward now are both too slack If fatall Pomfret hath in former time Nurrish'd the griefe of that vnnaturall Clime Thether I send my sorrowes to be fed But where first borne where fitter to be bred They vnto Fraunce be aliens and vnknowne England from her doth challenge these her own They say al mischiefe commeth from the North It is too true my fall doth set it forth But why should I thus limmit griefe a place vvhen all the world is fild with our disgrace And we in bounds thus striuing to containe it The more resists the more we doe restraine it Oh how euen yet I hate these wretched eyes And in my glasse oft call them faithlesse spies Prepard for Richard that vnwares did looke Vpon that traytor Henry Bollingbrooke But that excesse of ioy my sence bereau'd So much my sight had neuer been deceau'd Oh how vnlike to my lou'd Lord was hee vvhom rashly I sweet Richard tooke for thee I might haue seene the Coursers selfe did lack That princely rider should bestride his back Hee that since nature her great work began Shee made to be the mirrhor of a man That when she ment to forme som matchles lim Still for a patterne tooke some part of him And ielous of her cunning brake the mould In his proportion done the best she could Oh let that day be guiltie of all sin That is to come or heeretofore hath bin vvherein great Norfolkes forward course was staid To proue the treasons he to Herford layd vvhen with sterne furie both these Dukes enrag'd Theyr vvarlike gloues at Couentry engag'd vvhen first thou didst repeale thy former grant Seal'd to braue Mowbray as thy Combatant From his vnnumbred houres let time deuide it Least in his minutes he should hap to hide it Yet on his brow continually to beare it That when it comes all other dayes may feare it And all ill-boding Planets by consent That day may hold theyr dreadfull parlement Be it in heauens Decrees enroled thus Blacke dismall fatall inauspitious Proude Herford then in height of all his pride Vnder great Mowbrayes valiant hand had dy'de Nor should not thus from banishment retyre The fatall brand to set our Troy on fire O why did Charles relieue his needie state A vagabond and stragling runnagate And in his Court with grace did entertaine This vagrant exile this abiected Caine VVho with a thousand mothers curses went Mark'd with the brands of ten yeeres banishment VVhen thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell Millions of knees vpon the pauements fell And euery where th' applauding ecchoes ring The ioyfull shouts that did salute a King Thy parting hence what pompe did not adorne At thy returne who laugh'd thee not to scorne VVho to my Lord a looke vouchsaf'd to lend Then all too few on Herford to attend Princes like sunnes be euermore in sight All see the clowdes betwixt them and their light Yet they which lighten all downe from theyr skies See not the cloudes offending others eyes And â—eeme their noone-tide is desir'd of all VVhen all expect cleere changes by theyr fall VVhat colour seemes to shadow Herfords claime vvhen law and right his Fathers hopes doth maime Affirm'd by Church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegittimate vvhom his reputed Mothers tongue did spot By a base Flemish Boore to be begot vvhom Edwards Eglets mortally did shun Daring with them to gaze against the sun VVhere lawfull right and conquest doth allow A triple crowne on Richards princely brow Three kingly Lyons beares his bloody field No bastards marke doth blot his conquering shield Neuer durst hee attempt our haplesse shore Nor set his foote on fatall Rauenspore Nor durst his slugging Hulkes approch the strand Nor stoope a top as signall to the land Had not the Percyes promisd ayde to bring Against theyr oath vnto theyr lawfull King Against theyr faith vnto our Crownes true heyre Theyr valiant kinsman Edmond Mortimer VVhen I to England came a world of eyes Like starrs attended on my faire arise At my decline like angry Planets frowne And all are set before my going downe The smooth-fac'd aâ—re did on my comming smile But with rough stormes are driuen to exile But Bullingbrooke deuisd we thus should part Fearing two sorrowes should possesse one hart To make affliction stronger doth denie That one poore comfort left our misery He had before diuorc'd thy crowne and thee vvhich might suffice and not to widow mee But that to proue the vtmost of his hate To make our fall the greater by our state Oh would Aumeâ—le had sunck when he betraid The complâ—t which that holy Abbot layd vvhen he infring'd the oath which he first tooke For thy reuenge on periur'd Bullingbrooke And been the raunsome of our friends deere blood Vntimely lost and for the earth too good And we vntimely mourne our hard estate They gone too soone and we remaine too late And though with teares I from my Lord depart This curse on Herford fall to ease my hart If the foule breach of a chast nuptiall bed May bring a curse my curse light on his head If muâ—thers guilt with blood may deeply staine Greene Scroope and Bushie die his fault in graine If periurie may heauens pure gates debar Damn'd be the oath he made at Doncaster If the deposing of a lawfull King Thy curse condemne him if no other thing If these disioynd for vengeance cannot call Let them vnited strongly curse him all And for the Percyes heauen may heare my prayer That Bullingbrooke now plac'd in Richards chaire Such cause of woe vnto theyr wiues may be As those rebellious Lords haue beene to me And that proude Dame which now controlleth all And in her pompe
As many minutes as in the houres there be So many houres each minute seemes to me Each houre a day morne noone-tide and a set Each day a yeare with miseries complet A vvinter spring-time sommer and a fall All seasons varying but vnseasoned all In endlesse woe my thred of life thus weares By minutes houres dayes monthes and ling'ring yeares They praise the Sommer that enioy the South Pomfret is closed in the Norths cold mouth There pleasant Sommer dwelleth all the yeere Frost-starued-winter doth inhabite heere A place wherein dispaire may fitly dwell Sorrow best suting with a clowdie Cell VVhen Herford had his iudgement of exile Saw I the peoples murmuring the while Th' vncertaine Commons touch'd with inward care As though his sorrowes mutually they bare Fond women and scarse speaking children mourne Bewaile his parting wishing his returne Then being forc'd t' abridge his banish'd yeeres vvhen they bedew'd his footsteps with their teares Yet by example could not learne to know To what his greatnes by this loue might grow vvhilst Henry boasts of our atthieuements done Bearing the trophies our great fathers wone And all the storie of our famous warre Now grace the Annalls of great Lancaster Seuen goodly siens in their spring did flourish vvhich one selfe root brought forth one stocke did nourish Edward the top-braunch of that golden tree Nature in him her vtmost power did see vvho from the bud still blossomed so faire As all might iudge what fruit it meant to beare But I his graft of eu'ry weede ore-growne And from the kind as refuse forth am throwne From our braue Grandsire both in one degree Yet after Edward Iohn the young'st of three Might princely VVales beget an Impe so base That to Gaunts issue should giue soueraigne place That leading Kings from Fraunce returned home As those great Caesars brought their spoyles to Rome vvhose name obtayned by his fatall hand vvas euer fearefull to that conquered land His fame increasing purchasd in those warres Can scarcely now be bounded with the starres VVith him is valour quite to heauen fled Or else in me is it extinguished vvho for his vertue and his conquests sake Posteritie a demie God shall make And iudge this â—ile and abiect spirit of mine Could not proceed from temper so diuine VVhat earthly humor or what vulgar eye Can looke so low as on our miserie VVhen Bulling brook is mounted to our throne And makes that his which we but call'd our owne Into our Counsels he himselfe intrudes And who but Henry with the multitudes His power disgrad's his dreadfull frowne disgraceth He throwes them downe whom our aduancement placeth As my disable and vnworthie hand Neuer had power belonging to command He treads our sacred tables in the dust And proues our acts of Parlament vniust As thougâ— he hated that it should be said That such a law by Richard once was made VVhilst I depresd before his greatnes lie Vnder the waight of hate and infamie My back a foot-stoole Bulling brook to raise My loosenes mock'd and hatefull by his praise Out-liu'd mine honour buried my estate And nothing left me but the peoples hate Sweet Queene I le take all counsell thou canst giue So that thou bid'st me neither hope nor liue Succour that comes when ill hath done his worst But sharpens greefe to make vs more accurst Comfort is now vnpleasing to mine eare Past cure past care my bed become my Beere Since now misfortune humbleth vs so long Till heauen be growne vnmindfull of our wrong Yet they forbid my wrongs shall euer die But still remembred to posteritie And let the crowne be fatall that he weares And euer wet with wofull mothers teares Thy curse on Percie angry heauens preuent vvho haue not one cuise left on him vnspent To scourge the world now horrowing of my store As rich of woe as I a King am poore Then cease deere Queene my sorrowes to bewaile My wounds too great for pittie now to heale Age stealeth on whilst thou complainest thus My greefes be mortall and infectious Yet better fortunes thy fayre youth may trie That follow thee which still from me doth flie Notes of the Chronicle Historie This tongue which first denounc'd my regall flate RIchard the second at the resignation of the Crowne to the Duke of Herford in the Tower of London deliuering the lame with his owne hand there confessed his disabilitie to gouerne vtterly denouncing all kingly dignitie And left'st great Burbon for thy loue to me Before the Princesse Isabell was married to the King Lewes Duke of Burbon sued to haue had her in mariage which was thought hee had obtained if this motion had not fallen out in the meane time This Duke of Burbon sued againe to haue receiued her at her comming into Fraunce after the imprisonment of King Richard but King Charles her Father then crost him as before and gaue her to Charles sonne to the Duke of Orleance When Herford had his iudgement of exile When the combate should haue beene at Couentrie betwixt Henâ—ie Duke of Herford and Thomas Duke of Norfolke where Herâ—ord was adiudged to banishment for tenne yeares the Commons exceeding lamented so greatly was he euer fauoured of the people Then being forc'd t' abridge his banish'd yeeres When the Duke came to take his leaue of the King being then at Eltham the King to please the Commons rather then for any louâ— he beare to Herford repleaded foure yeeres of his banishment Whilst Henry boasts of our atchieuements done Henry the eldest Sonne to Iohn Duke of Lancaster at the first Earle of Darby then created Duke of Herford after the death of the Duke Iohn his Father was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford Earle of Darby Leicester and Lincolne and after he had obtained the Crowne was called by the name of Bullingbrooke which is a towne in Lincolneshire as vsually all the Kings of England bare the name of the places where they were borne Seauen goodly syens in their spring did flourish Edward the third had seuen Sonnes Edward Prince of Wales after called the blacke Prince William of Hatfield the second Lionell Duke of Clarence the third Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth Edmond of Langley Duke of Yorke the Fifth Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Gloster the sixth William of Windsore the seuenth Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Truly boasting himselfe to bee the eldest Sonne of Edward the blacke Prince Yet after Edward Iohn the young'st of three As disabling Henry Bullingbrooke being but the sonne of the fourth brother William and Lionell beeing both before Iohn of Gaunt That leading Kings from Fraunce returned home Edward the black Prince taking Iohn King of Fraunce prisoner at the battell of Poictâ—â—s brought him into England where at the Sauoy he died Whose name atchiued by his fatall hand Called the black Prince not so much of his complexion as of the famous battell hee fought as is shewed before in the Glosse vppon the Epistle of Edward
to the Countesse of Salisburie And proues our acts of Parlement vniust In the next Parlement after Richards resignation of the Crowne Henry caused to be annihilated all the lawes made in the Parlament called the wicked Parlement helde in the twenty yeere of king Richards raigne FINIS Queene Katherine to Owen Tudor The Argument After the death of that victorious Henry the fift Queene Katherine the dowager of England and Fraunce daughter to Charles the French King holding her estate with Henrie her sonne then the sixt of that name falleth in loue with Owen Tuder a VVelshman a braue and gallant Gentleman of the VVardrope to the young King her son yet greatlie fearing if her loue shoulde bee discouered the Nobilitie would crosse her purposed marriage or fearing that if her faire princely promises should not assure his good successe this high and great attempt might perhaps daunt the forwardnesse of his modest and shamefast youth wherefore to breake the Ice to her intent shee writeth vnto him this Epistle following IVdge not a Princesse worth impeach'd heereby That loue thus tryumphs ouer maiestie Nor thinke lesse vertue in this royall hand vvhich now intreats that wonted to commaund For in this sort though humbly now it wooe The day hath beene thou would'st haue kneeld vnto Nor thinke that this submission of my state Proceedes from frailty rather iudge it fate Alcides nere more fit for wars sterne shock Then when for loue sate spinning at the rock Neuer lesse clowdes did Phoebus glory dim Then in a clownes shape when he couered him â—oues great commaund was neuer more obey'd Then when a Satyres anticke parts he plai'd He was thy King that sued for loue to mee Shee is thy Queene that sues for loue to thee VVhen Henry was what 's Tudors now was his vvhilst vet thou art what 's Henries Tudors is My loue to Owen him my Henry giueth My loue to Henry in my Owen liueth Henry woo'd me whilst wars did yet increase I wooe my Tudor in sweet calmes of peace To force affection he did conquest proue I fight with gentle arguments of loue Incampt at Melans In warres hote alarmes First saw I Henry clad in princely Armes At pleasant VVindsore first these eyes of mine My Tudor iudg'd for wit and shape diuine Henry abroade with puissance and with force Tudor at home with courtship and discourse He then thou now I hardly can iudge whether Did like me best Plantaginet or Tether A march a measure battell or a daunce A courtly rapier or a conquering Launce His princely bed hath strengthned my renowne And on my temples set a double crowne vvhich glorious wreath as Henries lawfull heire Henry the sixt vpon his brow doth beare At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy My bridal-rites to England brought from Troy In England now that honour thou shalt haue vvhich once in Champaine famous Henry gaueâ— I seeke not wealth three kingdoms in my power If these suffise not where shall be my dower Sad discontent may euer follow her vvhich doth base pelfe before true loue prefer If â—itles still could our affections tie vvhat is so great but maiestie might buy As I seeke thee so Kings doe me desire To what they would thou easily mai'st aspire That sacred fire once warm'd my hart before The fuell fit the flame is now the more And meanes to quench it I in vaine doe proue vve may hide treasure but not hide our loue And since it is thy fortune thus to gaine it It were too late nor will I now restraine it Nor these great titles vainely will I bring vvife daughter mother sister to a King Of grandsire father husband sonne brother More thou alone to me then all the other Nor feare my Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne great Lancastrian linâ— Nor stir the English blood the Sunne and Moone T'repine at Loraine Burbon Alansoon Nor doe I thinke there is such different ods They should alone be numbred with the Gods Of Cadmus earthly issue reckoning vs And they from â—oue Mars Neptune Eolus Of great Latonas of-spring onely they And we the brats of wofull Niobe Our famous Grandsires as theyr owne bestrid That horse of fame that God-begotten steed vvhose bounding hoofe plow'd that Boetian spring vvhere those sweet maides of memory doe sing Not onely Henries Queene but boast as well To be the childe of Charles and Isabell. Nor doe I know from whence their griefe should grow They by this match should be disparag'd so vvhen Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied And to the Kings of VVales in wedlocke tyed Showing the greatnes of your blood thereby Your race and royall consanguinitie And VVales as well as haughty England boasts Of Camilot and all her Penticosts A nephewes roome in great Pondragons race At Arthurs table held a princely place If by the often conquest of your land They boast the spoyles of theyr victorious hand If these our auncient Chronicles be true They altogether are not free from you VVhen bloody Rufus fought your vtter sack Twice entring VVales yet twice was beaten back VVhen famous Cambria wash'd her in the flood Made by th' effusion of the English blood And oft return'd with glorious victorie From VVorster Herford Chester Shrowesbury vvhose power in euery conquest so preuailes As once expuls'd the English out of VVales Although my beautie made my Countries peace And at my bridall former broyles did cease Yet more then power had not his person beene I had not come to England as a Queene Nor tooke I Henry to supply my want Because in Fraunce that time my choise was scant vvhen we had robd all Christendome of men And Englands flower remain'd amongst vs then Gloster whose counsels Nestor-like assist Couragious Bedford that great martiallist Clarence for vertue honoured of his foes And Yorke whose fame yet daily greater growes VVarwicke the pride of Neuels haughtie race Great Salisburie so fear'd in euery place That valiant Poole whom no atchiuement dares And Vere so famous in the Irish warres vvho though my selfe so great a Prince were borne The worst of these my equall neede not scorne But Henries rare perfections and his parts As conquering kingdoms so he conquer'd harts As chast was I to him as Queene might bee But freed from him my chast loue vow'd to thee Beautie doth fetch all fauour from thy face All perfect courtship resteth in thy grace If thou discourse thy lips such accents breake As loue a spirit foorth of thee seem'd to speake The Brittish language which our vowels wants And iarrs so much vpon harsh consonants Comes with such grace from thy mellifluous tongâ—e As doe the sweet notes of a well set song And runnes as smoothly from those lips of thine As the pure Thuskan from the Florantine Leauing such seasoned sweetnes in the eare As the voyce past yet still the found is there In Nisus Tower as when Apollo lay And on his golden viall vs'd to play vvhere
ouerthrowne by the Welchmen which word Croggen hath since beene vsed to the Welchmens disgrace which was at first begun with their honour And old Caer-Merdin Merlins famous towne Caer-Merdin or Merlins Towne so called of Merlins beeing found there This was Ambrose Merlin whose prophecies weâ— haue There was another of that name called Merlin Siluestris borne in Scotland surnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophecied And kept our natiue language now thus long The Welchmen be those auncient Brittaines which when the Picks Danes and Saxons inuaded heere were first diuen into those parts where they haue kept their language euer fince the first without commixion with any other language FINIS To my worthy and deerely esteemed Friend Maister Iames Huish SIR your owne naturall inclination to vertue your loue to the Muses assure mee of your kinde acceptance of my dedication It is seated by custome from which wee are now bolde to assume authoritie to beare the names of our friends vpon the fronts of our bookes as Gentlemen vse to set theyr Armes ouer theyr gates Some say this vse beganne by the Heroes and braue spirits of the old world which were desirous to bee thought to patronize learning and men in requitall honour the names of those braue Princes But I thinke some after put the names of great men in their bookes for that men shoulde say there was some thing good onely because indeed their names stoode there But for mine owne part not to dissemble I find no such vertue in any of theyr great titles to doe so much for anie thing of mine and so let them passe Take knowledge by this I loue you in good faith worthy of all loue I thinke you which I pray you may supply the place of further complement Yours euer M. Drayton Elinor Cobham to Duke Humfrey The Argument Elinor Cobham daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough and wife to Humfry Plantaginet Duke of Glocester the son of Henry the fourth King of England sirnamed Bullingbrooke This noble Duke for his great wisedome and iustice called the good was by King Henry the fift brother to this Duke at his death appointed Protector of the Land during the nonage of Henry the sixt this Elinor Duches of Glocester a proud and ambitious woman knowing that if young Henry died without issue the duke her husband was the neerest of the blood conspired with one Bullenbrooke otherwise called Onely a great Magitian Hun a priest and Iourdane witch of Eye by sorcery to make away the king by coniuration to know who should succeede Of this beeing iustly conuicted she was adiudged to do penance three seuerall times openly in London then to perpetuall banishment in the I le of Man from whence she writeth this Epistle ME thinks not knowing who these lines should send Thou straight turn'st ouer to the latter end VVhere thou my name no sooner hast espi'd But in disdaine my letters casts aside VVhy if thou wilt I will my selfe denie Nay I 'le affirme and sweare I am not I Or if in that thy shame thou doost perceiue I le leaue that name that name my selfe shall leaue And yet me thinks amaz'd thou shouldst not stand Nor seeme so much appauled at my hand For my misfortunes haue inur'd thine eye Long before this to sights of misery No no read on t is I the very same All thou canst read is but to reade my shame Be not dismaid nor let my name afright The worst it can is but t' offend thy sight It cannot wound nor doe thee deadly harme It is no dreadfull spell nor magique charme If shee that sent it loue Duke Humfrey so I st possible her name should be his foe Yes I am Elnor I am very shee vvho brought for dower a virgins bed to thee Though enuious Beuford slaunder'd me before To be Duke Humfreys wanton Paramore And though indeed I can it not denie To magique once I did my selfe apply I won thee not as there be many thinke vvith poysoning Philters and betwitching drinke Nor on thy person did I euer proue Those wicked potions so procuring loue I cannot boast to be rich Hollands heyre Nor of the blood and greatnes of Bauier Yet Elnor brought no forraine Armies in To fetch her backe as did thy Iacomin Nor clamorous husbands folowed me that fled Exclaiming Humfrey to defile his bed Nor wast thou forc'd the slaunder to suppresse To send me backe as an adulteresse Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force Nor su'd to Rome to hasten my deuorce Nor Belgias pompe defac'd with Belgias fire The iust reward of her vniust desire Nor Bedfords spouse your noble sister Anne That princely-issued great Burgunnian Should stand with me to moue a womans strife To yeeld the place to the Protectors wife If Cobhams name my birth can dignifie Or Sterborough renowne my familie VVhere 's Greenewich now thy Elnors Court of late vvhere she with Humfrey held a princely state That pleasant Kent when I abroade should ride That to my pleasure layd forth all her pride The Thames by water when I tooke the ayre Daunc'd with my Barge in lanching from the stayre The anchoring ships that when I pass'd the roade vvere wont to hang their chequered tops abroad How could it be those that were wont to stand To see my pompe so goddesse-like on land Should after see mee mayld vp in a sheete Doe shamefull penance three times in the streete Rung with a bell a Taper in my hand Bare-foote to trudge before a Beedles wand That little babes not hauing vse of tongue Stoode poynting at me as I came along VVher 's Humfreys power where was his great command vvast thou not Lord-protector of the Land Or for thy iustice who can thee denie The title of the good Duke Humfrey Hast thou not at thy life and in thy looke The seale of Gaunt the hand of Bullingbrooke VVhat blood extract from famous Edwards line Can boast it selfe to be so pure as thine vvho else next Henry should the Realme prefer If it allow of famous Lancaster But Rayners daughter must from Fraunce be fet And with a vengeance on our throne be set Mauns Maine and Aniou on that begger cast To bring her home to England in such hast And what for Henry thou hast laboured there To ioyne the King with Arminacks rich heyre Must all be dash'd as no such thing had been Poole needs must haue his darling made a Queen How should he with our Princes else be plac'd To haue his Earleship with a Dukedome grac'd And raise the ofspring of his blood so hie As Lords of vs and our posteritie O that by Sea when he to Fraunce was sent The ship had sunck wherein the traytor went Or that the sands had swallowed her before Shee ere set foote vpon the English shore But all is well nay we haue store to giue vvhat need we more we by her lookes can liue All that great Henries conquests
euer heap'd That famous Bedford to his glory kept Be giuen backe to Rayner all in post And by this meanes rich Normandy be lost Those which haue comen as Mistresses of ours Haue into England brought their goodly dowers vvhich to our Coffers yeerely tribute brings The life of subiects and the strength of Kings The meanes whereby faire England euer might Raise power in Fraunce to back our auncient right But she brings ruine heere to make aboad And cancels all our lawfull claime abroade And shee must recapitulate my shame And giue a thousand by-words to my name And call me Beldam Gib VVitch Night-mare Trot vvith all despight that may a woman spot O that I were a VVitch but for her sake I fayth her Queeneship little rest should take I would scratch that face that may not feele the ayre And knit whole ropes of vvitch-knots in her hayre O I would hag her nightly in her bed And on her breast sit like a lumpe of led And like a Fayerie pinch that daintie skin Her wanton blood is now so cockerd in Or take me some such knowne familiar shape As she my vengeance neuer should escape vvere I a garment none should neede the more To sprinkle me with Nessus poysned gore It were enough if she once put me on To teare both flesh and sinewes from the bone vvere I a flower that might her smell delight Though I were not the poysning Aconite I would send such a fume into her brow Should make her mad as mad as I am now They say the Druides once liu'd in this I le This fatall Man the place of my exile vvhose powerfull charmes such dreadfull wonders wrought vvhich in the gothish Island tongue were taught O that theyr spels to me they had resign'd vvherewith they raisd and calm'd both sea and wind And made the Moone pause in her palid spheare vvhilst her grim Dragons drew them through the ayre Theyr hellish power to kill the plow mans seede Or to forespeake the flocks as they did feede To nurse a damned spirit with humaine blood To carry them through earth ayre fire and flood Had I this skill that time hath almost lost How like a Goblin I would haunt her ghost O pardon pardon my misgouern'd tongue A womans strength cannot endure my wrong Did not the heauens her comming in withstand As though affrighted when she came to land The earth did quake her comming to abide The goodly Thames did twice keepe backe her tyde Paules shooke with tempests and that mounting spire vvith lightning sent from heauen was set on fire Our stately buildings to the ground were blowne Her pride by these prodigious signes were showne More fearefull visions on the English earth Than euer were at any death or birth Ah Humfrey Humfrey if I should not speake My breast would split my very hart would breake I that was wont so many to commaund vvorse now then with a clapdish in my hand A simple mantle couering me withall A very leaper of Cares hospitall That from my state a presence held in awe Glad heere to kennell in a pad of straw And like an Owle by night to goe abrode Roosted all day within an Iuy tod Amongst the sea cliffes in the dampie caues In charnell houses or among the graues Saw'st thou those eyes in whose sweet cheerfull looke Duke Humfrey once such ioy and pleasure tooke Sorrow hath so dispoyl'd me of all grace Thou couldst not say this was my Elnors face Like a foule Gorgon whose disheuel'd hayre vvith euery blast flies glaring in the ayre Some standing vp like hornes vpon my head Euen like those women that in Coos are bred My lanke breasts hang like bladders left vnblowne My skinne with lothsome Iaundize ouer-growne So pin'd away that if thou long'st to see Ruins true picture onely looke on mee Sometime in thinking of what I haue had Euen in a suddaine extasie am mad Then like a Bedlam forth thy Elnor runs Like one of Bacchus raging frantick Nuns Or like a Tartar when in strange disguise Prepar'd vnto a dismall sacrifice That Prelate Beâ—ford a foule ill befall him Prelate said I nay deuill I should call him Ah God forgiue me if I thinke amisse His very name me thinks my poyson is Ah that vile Iudas our professed foe My curse pursue him where so ere he goe That to my iudgement when I did appeare Layd to my charge those things which neuer were I should pertake with Bullenbrookes intents The hallowing of his magique instruments That I procured Southwell to assist vvhich was by order consecrate a Priest That it was I should couer all they did That but for him had to this day beene hid Ah that vile bastard that himselfe dare vaunt To be the sonne of thy braue Grandsire Gaunt vvhom he but fatherd of meere charitie To rid his mother of that infamie vvho if report of Elder times be true Vnto this day his father neuer knew He that by murthers blacke and odious crime To Henries throne attempted once to clime Hauing procur'd by hope of golden gaine A fatall hand his soueraigne to haue slaine vvho to his chamber closely he conuaid And for that purpose fitly there had layd Vpon whose sword that famous Prince had died If by a dogge he had not beene discried But now the Queene her Minion Poole and he As it please them so now must all things be England's no place for any one beside All is too little to maintaine their pride Henry alas thou but a Kings name art For of thy selfe thou art the lesser part And I pray God I doe not liue the day To see thy ruine and thy Realmes decay And yet as sure as Humfrey seemes to stand He be preseru'd from that vile Traytors hand From Glosters seate I would thou wert estrang'd Or would to God that Dukedoms name were chang'd For it portends no goodnes vnto vs Ah Humfrey Humfrey it is ominous Yet rather then thy hap so hard should be I would thou wert heere banished with me Humfrey adue farewell true noble Lord My wish is all thy Elnor can afford Notes of the Chronicle Historie I sought that dreadfull Sorceresse of Eye ELinor Cobham was accused by some that sought to withstand and mislik'd her marriage with Duke Humfrey that shee practised to giue him Philters and such poysoning potions to make him loue her as she was slandered by Cardinall Beuford to haue liued as the Dukes Lemmon against the which Cardinall she exelaimeth in this Epistle in the verse before Though enuious Beuford slaundered me before Noting the extreame hate he euer bore her Nor Elnor brought thee forraine Armies in To fetch her backe as did thy Iacomin This was the chiefe and onely thing that euer tuched the reputation of this good Duke that dotingly he marred Iacomin or as some call her Iaquet daughter and heire to William Bauier Duke of Holland married before and lawfull wife to Iohn Duke of Brabant then liuing which after as it
through then the Thames Much is reported of the Graund Canale in Venice for that the Fronts on eyther side are so gorgeous That might intice some foule-mouth'd Mantuan Mantuan a pastorall Poet in one of his Eglogs bitterly inucyeth against woman-kinde some of the which by way of an Appendex might be heere inserted seeing the fantasticke insolent humors of many of that sexe deserue much sharper phisick were it not that they are growne wiser then to amende for such an idle Poets speech as Mantuan yea or for Euripides himselfe or Senecas inflexible Hippolitus The circuite of the publique Theater Ouid a most fit Authour for so dissolute a Sectarie calls that place Chastities ship wracke for though Shores wife wantonly pleade for libertie which is the true humor of a Curtizan yet much more is the prayse of modestie then of such libertie Howbeit the Vestall Nunnes had seates assigned them in the Romaine Theater whereby it should appeare it was counted no impeachment to modestie though they offending therein were buried quicke a sharpe lawe for them who may say as Shores wife doth When though abroad restrayning vs to rome They very hardly keepe vs safe at home FINIS To the Right Worshipfull Sir Henry Goodere of Powlesworth Knight SIR this Poeme of mine which I imparted to you at my being with you at your lodging at Lōdon in May last brought at length to perfection emboldned by your wonted fauors I aduenture to make you Patron of Thus Sir you see I haue aduentured to the world with what like or dislike I know not if it please which I much doubt of I pray you then be partaker of that which I shall esteeme not my least good if dislike it shal lessen some part of my griefe if it please you to allow but of my loue howsoeuer I pray you accept it as kindly as I offer it which though without many protestations yet I assure you with much desire of your honor Thus vntil such time as I may in some more larger measure make knowne my loue to the happy generous familie of the Gooderes to which I confesse my selfe to be beholding to for the most part of my education I wish you al happinesse Mich Drayton Mary the French Queene to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke The Argument Mary the daughter of that renowned Prince King Henry the seauenth being very young at her Fathers death after by her brother King Henry the eyght was giuen in marriage to Lewes King of Fraunce beeing a man olde and decrepit This faire and beautifull Lady long before had placed her affection on Charles Brandon Duke of suffolke a braue and couragious young Gentleman and an especiall fauorite of the King her brother and a man raised by him King Lewes the husband of this beautifull Queene liued not long after he was married and Charles Brandon hauing commission from the King to bring her backe into England but being delayed by some sinister meanes the French Queene writeth this Epistle to hasten the Duke forward on his intended voyage to Fraunce SVch health from heauen my selfe may wish to mee Such health from Fraunce Queen Mary sends to thee Brandon how long mak'st thou excuse to stay And know'st how ill we women brooke delay If one poore Channell thus can part vs two Tell me vnkind what would an Ocean do Leander had an Hellespont to swim Yet this from Hero could not hinder him His barke poore soule his breast his armes his oares But thou a ship to land thee on our shores And opposite to famous Kent doth lie The pleasant fields of flowry Picardie vvhere our faire Callice walled in her sands In kenning of the clifie Douer stands Heere is no Beldame Nurse to pout or lower vvhen wantoning we reuell in my Tower Nor neede I top my Turret with a light To guide thee to me as thou swim'st by night Compar'd with me wert thou but halfe so kind Thy sighs should stuffe thy sailes though wanting wind But thy breast is becalm'd thy sighs be slacke And mine too stiffe and blow thy broad sailes backe But thou wilt say that I should blame the stood Because the wind so full against thee stood Nay blame it not it did so roughly blow For it did chide thee for thou wast so slow For it came not to keepe thee in the Bay But came from me to bid thee come away But that thou vainely lett'st occasion slide Thou might'st haue wafted hether with the tide If when thou com'st I knit mine angrie brow Blame me not Brandon thou hast broke thy vow Yet if I meant to frowne I might be dombe For this may make thee stand in doubt to come Nay come sweet Charles haue care thy ship to guide Come my sweet hart in faith I will not chide VVhen as my brother and his louely Queene In sad attire for my depart were seene The vtmost date expired of my stay vvhen I from Douer did depart away Thou know'st what woe I suffered for thy sake How oft I fain'd of thee my leaue to take God and thou know'st with what a heauie hart I tooke my farewell when I should depart And being ship'd gaue signall with my hand Vp to the Cliffe where I did see thee stand Nor could refraine in all the peoples view But cried to thee sweet Charles adiew adiew Looke how a little infant that hath lost The things where-with it was delighted most vveary with seeking to some corner creepes And there poore soule it sits it downe and weepes And when the Nurse would faine content the mind Yet still it mournes for that it cannot find Thus in my carefull Cabin did I lie vvhen as the ship out of the Road did slie Think'st thou my loue was faithfull vnto thee vvhen young Castile to England su'd for mee Be judge thy selfe if it were not of power vvhen I refus'd an Empire for my dower To Englands Court when once report did bring◠How thou in Fraunce didst reuell with the King vvhen he in triumph of his victory Vnder a rich imbrodered Canapy Entred proud Tournay which did trembling stand To beg for mercy at his conquering hand To heare of his enderements how I ioy'd But see this calme was sodainly destroy'd VVhen Charles of Castile there to banquet came vvith him his sister that ambitious Dame Sauoys proud Dutches knowing how long she By her loue sought to win my loue from me Fearing my absence might thy vowes acquite To change thy Mary for a Margarite vvhen in King Henries Tent of cloth of gold Shee often did thee in her armes enfold vvhere you were feasted more deliciously Then Cleopatra did Marke-Anthony vvhere sports all day did entertaine your sight And then in maskes you pass'd away the night But thou wilt say t is proper vnto vs That we by nature all are iealous I must confesse t is oft found in our sexe But who not loue not any thing suspects True loue doth looke with pale suspicious eye Take
away loue if you take iealousie VVhen Henry Turwin and proud Turnay won Little thought I the end when this begun vvhen Maximilian to those wars adrest vvare Englands Crosse on his imperiall brest And in our Armie let his Eagle flie And had his pay from Henries treasurie Little thought I when first began these wars My marriage day should end those bloody iars From which I vow I yet am free in thought But this alone by VVoolseys wit was wrought To his aduise the King gaue free consent That will I nill I I must be content My virgins right my state could not aduance But now enriched with the dower of Fraunce Then but poore Suffolkes Dutches had I beene Now the great Dowager the most Christian Queene But I perceiue where all thy griefe doth lie Lewes of Fraunce had my virginitie He had indeed but shall I tell thee what Beleeue me Brandon he had scarcely that Good feeble King he could not doe much harme But age must needs haue something that is warme Smal drops God knowes doe quench that heatlesse fire vvhen all the strength is onely in desire And I could tell if modesty might tell There 's somewhat else that pleaseth Louers well To rest his cheeke vpon my softer cheeke vvas all he had and more he did not seeke So might the little babie clip the nurse And it content she neuer a whit the worse Then thinke this Brandon if that makes thee frowne For mayden-head he on my head set a Crowne vvho would exchaunge a Kingdome for a kisse Hard were the hart that would not yeeld him this And time yet halfe so swiftly doth not passe Not full fiue months yet elder then I was VVhen thou to Fraunce conducted was by fame vvith many Knights which from all Countries came Installed at S. Dennis in my throne vvhere Lewes held my coronation VVhere the proud Dolphin for thy valour sake Chose thee at tilt his princely part to take vvhen as the staues vpon thy caske did light Greeued there-with I turn'd away my sight And spake aloud when I my selfe forgot T is my sweet Charles my Brandon hurt him not But when I fear'd the King perceiued this Good silly man I pleas'd him with a kisse And to extoll his valiant sonne began That Europe neuer bred a brauer man And when poore King he simply praised thee Of all the rest I ask'd which thou should'st be Thus I with him dissembled for thy sake Open confession now amends must make VVhilst this old King vpon a pallet lies And onely holds a combat with mine eyes Mine eies from his by thy sight stolne away vvhich might too well their Mistres thoughts bewray But when I saw thy proud vnconquered Launce To beare the prize from all the flower of Fraunce To see what pleasure did my soule imbrace Might easily be discerned in my face Looke as the dew vpon a Damaske-Rose How through that clearest pearle his blushing showes And when the soft ayre breathes vpon his top From those sweet leaues falls easilly drop by drop Thus by my cheeke downe rayning from mine eyes One teare for ioy anothers roome supplies Before mine eye like touch thy shape did proue Mine eye condemn'd my too too partiall loue But since by others I the same doe trie My loue condemnes my too too partiall eye The precious stone most beautifull and rare vvhen with it selfe we onely doe compare vvee deeme all other of that kind to be As excellent as that we onely see But when we iudge of that with others by Too credulous we doe condemne our eye vvhich then appeares more orient more bright As from their dimnes borrowing great light Alansoon a fine timbered man and tall Yet wants the shape thou are adornd withall Vandon good carriage and a pleasing eye Yet hath not Suffolkes Princely maiestie Couragious Burbon a sweet manly face But yet he wants my Brandons courtly grace Proud Long auile our Court iudg'd had no peere A man scarce made was thought whilst thou wast heere County S. Paule brau'st man aâ— armes in Fraunce vvould yeeld himselfe a Squire to beare thy Launce Galleas and Bounearme matchlesse for their might Vnder thy towring blade haue coucht in fight If with our loue my brother angrie bee I le say for his sake I first loued thee And but to frame my liking to his mind Neuer to thee had I beene halfe so kind Should not the sister like as doth the brother The one of vs should be vnlike the other VVorthy my loue the vulgar iudge no man Except a Yorkist or Lancastrian Nor thinke that my affection should be set But in the line of great Plantaginet I passe not what the idle Commons say I pray thee Charles make hah and come away To thee what 's England if I be not there Or what to me is Fraunce if thou not heere Thy absence makes me angry for a while But at thy presence I must needlsy smile VVhen last of me his leaue my Brandon tooke He sware an oath and made my lips the booke He would make hast which now thou doo'st deny Thou art forsworne ô wilfull periury Sooner would I with greater sinnes dispence Then by intreaty pardon this offence But yet I thinke if I should come to shriue thee Great were the fault that I should not forgiue thee Yet wert thou heere I should reuenged be But it should be with too much louing thee I that is all that thou shalt feare to tast I pray thee Brandon come sweet Charles make hast Notes of the Chronicle Historie The vtmost date expired of my stay When I for Douer did depart away KIng Henry the 8. with the Queene and Nobles in the 6. yeere of his raigne in the moneth of September brought this ladie to Douer where she tooke shipping for Fraunce Think'st thou my loue was faithfull vnto thee When young Castile ' to England su'd for me It was agreed and concluded betwixt Hen. the 7. and Phillip King of Castile Sonne to Maximilean the Emperour that Charles eldest sonne of the said Phillip should marry the Lady Mary daughter to King Henry when they came to age which agreement was afterward in the 8. yeere of Henry the 8. annihilated When he in triumph of his victory Vnder a rich embrodered Canapy Entred proud Turney which did trembling stand c. Henry the 8. after thâ— long siege of Turnay which was deliuered to him vpon composition entred the Citty in triumph vnder a Canâ—py of cloth of gold borne by foure of the chiefe and most noble Citizens the King himselfe mounted vpon a gallant courser barbed with the Armes of England Fraunce and Ireland When Charles of Castile there to baâ—quet came With him his sister that ambitious Dame Sauoys proud Dutches. The King beeing at Tournay there came to him the Prince of Castile the Lady Margaret Dutches of Sauoy his sister to whom King Henry gaue great entertainment Sauoys proude Dutches knowing how long shee By her
loue sought to win my loue from mee At this time there was speech of a marriage to be concluded betweene Charles Brandon then L. Lisle the Dutches of Sauoy the L. Lisle being highly fauoured exceedingly beloued of the Dutches. When in King Henrieâ— Tent of cloth of gold The King caused a rich Tent of cloth of gold to be erected where he feasted the Prince of Castile the Dutches and entertained them with sumptuous maskes and banquets during their aboad When Maximilian to those wars addrest Wâ—re Englands Crosse on his imperiall breast Maximilian the Emperour with all his souldiours which serued vnder King Henry wore the crosse of S. George with the Rose on their breasts And in our Armiâ— let his Eagle flie The blacke Eagle is the badge imperiall which here is vsed for the displaying of his ensigne or standard And had his pay from Henries treasurie Henry the 8. at his wars in Fraunce retained the Emperour all his Souldiours in wages which serued vnder him during those warres But this alone by Wolseys wit was wrought Thomas Wolsey the Kings Almoner then Bishoppe of Lincolne a man of great authoritie with the king afterward Cardinall was the thiefe cause that the Lady Mary was married to the old French king with whom the French King had dealt vnderhand to be friend him in that match When the proude Dolphin for thy valour sake Chose thee at tylt his prâ—ncely part to take Frauncis Duke of Valoyes and Dolphin of Fraunce at the mariage of the Lady Mary in honour thereof proclaimed a Iusts where hee chose the Duke of Suffolke and the Marques Dorset for his aydes at all martiall exercises Galeas and Bounarme matchles for their might This County Galeas at the Iusts ran a course with a Speare which was at the head fiue inches square on euery side and at the But nine inches square whereby here shewed his wondrous force and strength This Bounarme a Gentleman of Fraunce at the same time came into the field armed at all points with tenne speares about himâ— in each stirrop three vnder each thigh one one vnder his left arme and one in his hand and putting his horse to the careere neuer stopped him till he had broken euery staffe Hall Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk to Mary the French Queene BVt that thy fayth commaunds me to forbeare The fault thine owne if I impatient were vvere my dispatch such as should be my speed I should want time thy louing lines to reede Heere in the Court Camelion like I fare And as that creature onely liue by ayre All day I waite and all the night I watch And starue mine eares to heare of my dispatch If Douer were th'Abydos of my rest Or pleasant Callice were my Maries Cest Thou should'st not neede fayre Queene to blame me so Did not the distance to desire say no No tedious night from trauell should be free Till through the waues with swimming vnto thee A snowy path I made vnto thy Bay So bright as is that Nectar-stayned way The restlesse sunne by trauailing doth weare Passing his course to finish vp the yeare But Paris locks my loue within the maine And London yet they Brandon doth detaine Of thy firme loue thou put'st me still in mind But of my faith not one word can I finde VVhen Longauile to Mary was affied And thou by him wast made King Lewis bride How oft I wish'd that thou a prize might'st bee That I in Armes might combat him for thee And in the madnes of my loue distraught A thousand times his murther haue â—ore-thought But that th'all-seeing powers which sit aboue Regard not mad mens oathes nor faults in loue And haue confirm'd it by the graunt of heauen That Louers sinnes on earth should be forgiuen For neuer man is halfe so much distrest As he that loues to see his loue possest Comming to Richmond after thy depart Richmond where first thou stol'st away my hart Me thought it look'd not as it did of late But wanting thee forlorne and desolate In whose fayere walkes thou often hast beene seene To sport with Katherine Henries beautious Queeneâ— Astonishing sad vvinter with thy sight As for thy sake the day hath put back night That the byrds thinking to approach the spring Forgot themselues and haue begun to sing So oft I goe by Thames so oft returne Me thinks for thee the Riuer yet doth mourne vvho I haue seene to let her streame at large vvhich like a Hand-maide waited on thy Barge And if thou hapst against the flood to row vvhich way it ebd before now would it flow vveeping in drops vpon thy labouring oares For ioy that it had got thee from the shoares The Swans with musick that the Roothers make Ruffing theyr plumes come gliding on the lake As the fleet Dolphins by Arions strings were brought to land with their sweet rauishings The flocks heards that pasture neer the flood To gaze vpon thee haue forborne theyr food And sate downe sadly mourning by the brim That they by nature were not made to swimâ— VVhen as the Post to Englands royall Court Of thy hard passage brought the true report How in a storme thy well rigg'd ships were tost And thou thy selfe in danger to be lost I knew t was Venus loth'd that aged bed vvhere beautie so should be dishonoured Or fear'd the Sea-Nimphs haunting of the Lake If thou but seene theyr Goddesse should forsake And whirling round her Doue-drawne Coach about To view thy Nauie now in launching out Her ayrie mantle loosely doth vnbind VVhich fanning forth a rougher gale of winde vvafted thy failes with speede vnto the land And runnes thy ship on Bullins harbouring strand How should I ioy of thy ariue to heare But as a poore sea-faring passenger After long trauaile tempest-torne wrack'd By some vnpitting Pyrat that is sack'd Heare 's the false robber that hath stolne his wealth Landed in some safe harbour and in health Enriched with inualuable store For which he long hath trauailed before VVhen thou to Abuile held'st th' appointed day vvee heard how Lewes met thee on the way vvhere thou in glittering Tissue strangely dight Appear'dst vnto him like the Queene of light In cloth of siluer all thy virgine traine In beautie sumptuous as the Northerne waine And thou alone the formost glorious star vvhich lead'st the teame of that great VVagoner VVhat could thy thought be but as I doe thinke vvhen thine eyes tasted what mine eares did drinke A cripple King layd bedrid long before Yet at thy comming crept out of the dore T' was well he rid he had no legs to goe But this thy beautie forc'd his body to For whom a cullice had more fitter beene Then in a golden bed a gallant Queene To vse thy beauty as the miser gold vvhich hoards it vp but onely to behold Still looking on it with a iealous eye Fearing to lend yet louing vsurie O Sacriledge if beautie be diuine The prophane hand