assayle And with the shot came shafts like stormy showres of Hayle The like they sent againe which beat the other sore Who with the Ordnance stroue the Yorkists to outrore And still make good their ground that whilst the Peeces play The Yorkists hasting still to hand-blowes doe assay In strong and boystrous crowds to scale the combrous Dykes But beaten downe with Bills with Poleaxes and Pykes Are forced to fall off when Richard there that led The Vaward saw their strength so little them to sted As he a Captaine was both politique and good The stratagems of warre that rightly vnderstood Doth seeme as from the field his forces to withdraw His sudden strange retire proud Somerset that saw A man of haughtie spirit in honour most precise In action yet farre more aduenturous then wise Supposing from the field for safetie he had fled Straight giueth him the chase when Richard turning head By his incounter let the desperate Duke to know T was done to traine him out when soone began the show Of slaughter euery where for scarce their equall forces Began the doubtfull fight but that three hundred horses That out of sight this while on Edwards part had stayd To see that neere at hand no ambushes were layd Soone charg'd them on the side disordring quite their Ranks Whilst this most warlike King had wonne the climing Banks Vpon the equall earth and comming brauely in Vpon the aduerse power there likewise doth begin A fierce and deadly fight that the Lancastrian side The first and furious shocke not able to abide The vtmost of their strength were forced to bestow To hold what they had got that Somerset below Who from the second force had still expected ayd But frustrated thereof euen as a man dismaid Scarce shifts to saue himselfe his Battell ouerthrowne But faring as a man that frantique had beene growne With Wenlock hap'd to meet preparing for his flight Vpbraiding him with tearmes of basenesse and despight That cow'rdly he had faild to succour him with men Whilst Wenlock with like words requiteth him agen The Duke to his sterne rage as yeelding vp the raines With his too pondrous Axe pasht out the Barons braines The partie of the Queene in euery place are kild The Ditches with the dead confusedly are fild And many in the flight i' th neighbouring Riuers drown'd Which with victorious wreaths the conquering Yorkists crownd Three thousand of those men on Henries part that stood For their presumption paid the forfeit of their blood Iohn Marquesse Dorset dead and Deuonshire that day Drew his last vitall breath as in that bloody fray Delues Hamden Whittingham and Leuknor who had there Their seuerall braue commands all valiant men that were Found dead vpon the earth Now all is Edwards owne And through his enemies tents he march'd into the towne Where quickly he proclaimes to him that foorth could bring Young Edward a large Fee and as he was a King His person to be safe Sir Richard Crofts who thought His prisoner to disclose before the King then brought That faire and goodly Youth whom when proud Yorke demands Why thus he had presum'd by helpe of traytrous hands His kingdome to disturbe and impiously display'd His Ensignes the stout Prince as not a iot dismay'd With confidence replies To claime his ancient right Him from his Grandsires left by tyranny and might By him his foe vsurp'd with whose so bold reply Whilst Edward throughly vext doth seeme to thrust him by His second brother George and Richard neere that stood With many a cruell stab let out his princely blood In whom the Line direct of Lancaster doth cease And Somerset himselfe surprized in the prease With many a worthy man to Gloster prisoners led There forfeited their liues Queene Margaret being fled To a religious Cell to Tewksbury too neere Discouerd to the King with sad and heauy cheere A prisoner was conuey'd to London wofull Queene The last of all her hopes that buried now had seene But of that outrage here by that bold Bastard sonne Of Thomas Neuill nam'd Lord Falkonbridge which wonne A rude rebellious Rout in Kent and Essex rais'd Who London here besieg'd and Southwarke hauing seas'd Set fire vpon the Bridge but when he not preuaild The Suburbs on the East he furiously assayl'd But by the Cities power was lastly put to flight Which being no set Field nor yet well ordred fight Amongst our Battels here may no way reckoned be Then Bosworth here the Muse now lastly bids for thee Thy Battell to describe the last of that long warre Entit'led by the name of Yorke and Lancaster Twixt Henry Tudor Earle of Richmond onely left Of the Lancastian Line who by the Yorkists reft Of libertie at home a banish'd man abroad In Britany had liu'd but late at Milford Road Being prosperously ariu'd though scarce two thousand strong Made out his way through Wales where as he came along First Griffith great in Blood then Morgan next doth meet Him with their seuerall powers as offi ing at his feet To lay their Lands and liues Sir Rice ap Thomas then With his braue Band of Welsh most choyce and expert men Comes lastly to his ayd at Shrewsbury ariu'd His hopes so faint before so happily reuiu'd He on for England makes and neere to Newport towne The next ensuing night setting his Army downe Sir Gilbert Talbot still for Lancaster that stood To Henry neere Alli'd in friendship as in Blood From th' Earle of Shrewsbury his Nephew vnder age Came with two thousand men in warlike Equipage Which much his power increas'd when easily setting on From Lichfield as the way leads foorth to Atherston Braue Bourcher and his friend stout Hungerford whose hopes On Henry long had laine stealing from Richards troups Wherewith they had been mix'd to Henry doe appeare Which with a high resolue most strangely seem'd to cheere His oft-appauled heart but yet the man which most Gaue sayle to Henries selfe and fresh life to his host The stout Lord Stanley was who for he had affide The mother of the Earle to him so neere allide The King who fear'd his truth which he to haue compeld The yong Lord Strange his sonne in hostage strongly held Which forc'd him to fall off till he fit place could finde His sonne in law to meet yet he with him combinde Sir William Stanley knowne to be a valiant Knight T' assure him of his ayd Thus growing tow'rds his hight A most selected Band of Chesshire Bow-men came By Sir Iohn Sauage led besides two men of name Sir Brian Sanford and Sir Simon Digby who Leauing the tyrant King themselues expresly show Fast friends to Henries part which still his power increast Both Armies well prepar'd towards Bosworth strongly preast And on a spacious Moore lying Southward from the towne Indifferent to them both they set their Armies downe Their Souldiers to refresh preparing for the fight Where to the guiltie King that black fore-running
Seas are dasht Against each others waues that all the plaines were washt With showers of sweltring blood that downe the furrowes ran Ere it could be discern'd which either lost or wan Earle Baldwin and Fitzvrse those valiant Knights were seene To charge the Empresse Horse as though dread Mars had beene There in two sundry shapes the day that beautious was Twinckled as when you see the Sunne-beames in a glasse That nimbly being stirr'd flings vp the trembling flame At once and on the earth reflects the very same With their resplendent swords that glistred gainst the Sunne The honour of the day at length the Empresse wonne King Stephen prisoner was and with him many a Lord The common Souldiers put together to the sword The next the Battell neere Saint Edmundsbury fought By our * Fitz-Empresse force and Flemings hither brought By th' Earle of Leister bent to moue intestine strife For yong King Henries cause crown'd in his fathers life Which to his kingly Syre much care and sorrow bred In whose defiance then that Earle his Ensignes spred Back'd by Hugh Bigots power the Earle of Norfolke then By bringing to his ayd the valiant Norfolke men Gainst Bohun Englands great high Constable that swayd The Royall forces ioyn'd with Lucy for his ayd Chiefe Iustice and with them the German powers to expell The Earles of Cornewall came Gloster and Arundell From Bury that with them Saint Edmonds Banner bring Their Battels in aray both wisely ordering The Armies chanc'd to meet vpon the Marshy ground Betwixt Saint Edmunds towne and Fornham fitly found The bellowing Drummes beat vp a thunder for the charge The Trumpets rend the ayre the Ensignes let at large Like wauing flames farre off to either hoste appeare The bristling Pykes doe shake to threat their comming neere All clouded in a mist they hardly could them view So shaddowed with the Shafts from either side that flew The Wings came wheeling in at ioyning of whole forces The either part were seene to tumble from their horses Which emptie put to rout are paunch'd with Gleaues and Pyles Lest else by running loose they might disranke their 〈◊〉 The Bilmen come to blowes that with the cruell thwacks The ground lay strew'd with Male and shreds of tatterd Iacks The playnes like to a shop lookt each where to behold VVhere limbes of mangled men on heaps lay to be sold Sterne discontented Warre did neuer yet appeare With a more threatning brow then it that time did there O Leicester alas in ill time wast thou wonne To ayd this gracelesse youth the most ingratefull sonne Against his naturall Syre who crown'd him in his dayes VVhose ill requited loue did him much sorrow raise As Le'ster by this warre against King Henry show'd Vpon so bad a cause O courage ill bestow'd VVho had thy quarrell beene as thou thy selfe was skild In braue and martiall feats thou euermore hadst fild This I le with thy high deeds done in that bloody field But Bigot and this Lord inforc'd at length to yeeld Them to the other part when on that fatall plaine Of th' English and the Dutch ten thousand men lay slaine As for the second Fight at Lincolne betwixt those VVho sided with the French by seeking to depose Henry the sonne of Iohn then young and to aduaunce The Daulphin Lewes sonne to Philip King of France VVhich Lincolne Castle then most straightly did besiege And William Marshall Earle of Pembroke for his Liege Who led the faithfull Lords although so many there Or in the conflict slaine or taken prisoners were Yet for but a surprize no field appointed fight Mongst our set Battels here may no way claime a right The Field at Lewes then by our third Henry fought VVho Edward his braue sonne vnto that Conflict brought VVith Richard then the King of Almaine and his sonne Young Henry with such Lords as to his part he wonne VVith him their Soueraigne Liege their liues that durst engage And the rebellious league of the proud Barronage By Symon Mounford Earle of Le'ster their chiefe Head And th' Earle of Gloster Clare against King Henry led For th' ancient Freedomes here that bound their liues to stand The Aliens to expulse who troubled all the land Whilst for this dreadfull day their great designes were meant From Edward the young Prince defiances were sent To Mountfords valiant sonnes Lord Henry Sim and Guy And calling vnto him a Herauld quoth he Flie To th' Earle of Leisters Tents and publikely proclame Defiance to his face and to the Montfords name And say to his proud sonnes say boldly thus from me That if they be the same that they would seeme to be Now let them in the field be by their Band roules knowne Where as I make no doubt their valour shall be showne Which if they dare to doe and still vphold their pride There will we vent our spleenes where swords shall it decide To whom they thus replide Tell that braue man of Hope He shall the Mountfords find in t'head of all their Troupe To answere his proud braues our Bilbowes be as good As his our Armes as strong and he shall find our blood Sold at as deare a rate as his and if we fall Tell him wee le hold so fast his Crowne shall goe withall The King into three fights his forces doth diuide Of which his princely * sonne the Vaward had to guide The second to the King of Almaine and his sonne Young Henry he betooke in the third Legion Of Knights and Men of Armes in person he appeares Into foure seuerall Fights the desperate Barons theirs I' th first those valiant youths the sonnes of Leister came Of leading of the which Lord Henry had the name The Earle of Gloster brought the second Battell on And with him were the Lords Mountchency and Fitz-Iohn The third wherein alone the Londoners were plac'd The stout Lord Segraue led the greatest and the last Braue Leicester himselfe with courage vndertooke The day vpon the host affrightedly doth looke To see the dreadfull shocke their first encounter gaue As though it with the rore the Thunder would out-braue Prince Edward all in gold as he great Ioue had beene The Mountfords all in Plumes like Estriges were seene To beard him to his teeth toth' worke of death they goe The crouds like to a Sea seemd wauing to and fro Friend falling by his friend together they expire He breath'd doth charge afresh he wounded doth retyre The Mountfords with the Prince vye valour all the day Which should for Knightly deeds excell or he or they To them about his head his glistring blade he throwes They waft him with their swords as long with equall showes Now Henry Simon then and then the youngest Guy Kept by his brothers backe thus stoutly doth reply What though I be but young let death me ouerwhelme But I will breake my sword vpon his plumed helme The younger Bohun there to high atchiuements bent With whom two other Lords
neere me any one To Neptunes Court I come for note along the Strond From Hartlepoole euen to the poynt of Sunder land As farre as * Wardenlaws can possibly suruey There 's not a Flood of note hath entrance to the sea Here ended shee her Speech when as the goodly Tyne Northumberland that parts from this Shire Palatine Which patiently had heard looke as before the Wer Had taken vp the Teis so Tyne now takes vp her For her so tedious talke Good Lord quoth she had I No other thing wherein my labor to imply But to set out my selfe how much well could I say In mine owne proper praise in this kind euery way As skilfull as the best I could if I did please Of my two Fountaines tell which of their sundry wayes The South and North are nam'd entitled both of Tyne As how the prosperous Springs of these two Floods of mine Are distant thirty miles how that the South-Tyne nam'd From Stanmore takes her Spring for Mines of Brasse that 's fam'd How that nam'd of the North is out of Wheel-fell sprung Amongst these English Alpes which as they runne along England and Scotland here impartially diuide How South-Tyne setting out from Cumberland is plide With Hartley which her hasts and Tippall that doth striue By her more sturdy Streame the Tyne along to driue How th' Allans th' East and West their bounties to her bring Two faire and full-brim'd Floods how also from her Spring My other North-nam'd Tyne through Tyndale maketh in Which She le her Hand-mayd hath and as she hasts to twin With th' other from the South her sister how cleere Rhead With Perop comes prepar'd and Cherlop me to lead Through Ridsdale on my way as farre as Exham then Dowell me Homage doth with blood of Englishmen VVhose Streame was deeply dy'd in that most cruell warre Of Lancaster and Yorke Now hauing gone so farre Their strengths me their deare Tyne doe wondrously enrich As how cleere Darwent drawes downe to Newcastle which The honour hath alone to entertaine me 〈◊〉 As of those mighty ships that in my mouth I beare Fraught with my country Coale of this * Newcastle nam'd For which both farre and neere that place no lesse is fam'd Then India for her Mynes should I at large declare My glories in which Time commands me to bee spare And I but slightly touch which stood I to report As freely as I might yee both would fall too short Of me but know that Tyne hath greater things in hand For to tricke vp our selues whilst trifling thus we stand Bewitch'd with our owne praise at all we neuer note How the Albanian Floods now lately set afloat With th' honour to them done take heart and lowdly crie Defiance to vs all on this side Tweed that lye And hearke the high-brow'd Hills alowd begin to 〈◊〉 With sound of things that Forth prepared is to sing When once the Muse ariues on the Albanian shore And therefore to make vp our forces here before The on-set they begin the Battels wee haue got Both on our earth and theirs against the valiant Scot I vndertake to tell then Muses I intreat Your ayd whilst I these Fights in order shall repeat When mighty Malcolme here had with a violent hand As he had oft before destroy'd Northumberland In Rufus troubled Raigne the warlike Mowbray then This Earledome that 〈◊〉 with halfe the power of men For conquest which that King from Scotland hither drew At Anwick in the field their Armies ouerthrew Where Malcolme and his sonne braue Edward both were found Slaine on that bloody field So on the English ground When Dauid King of Scots and Henry his sterne sonne Entitled by those times the Earle of Huntingdon Had forradg'd all the North beyond the Riuer Teis In Stephens troubled raigne in as tumultuous dayes As England euer knew the Archbishop of Yorke Stout Thurstan and with him ioynd in that warlike work Ralfe both for wit and Armes of Durham Bishop then Renownd that called were the valiant Clergy men With th' Earle of Aubemarle Especk and Peuerell Knights And of the Lacies two oft try'd in bloody fights Twixt Aluerton and Yorke the doubtfull battell got On Dauid and his sonne whilst of th' inuading Scot Ten thousand strew'd the earth and whilst they lay to bleed Ours followed them that fled beyond our sister Tweed And when * Fitz-Empresse next in Normandy and here And his rebellious sonnes in high combustions were William the Scottish King taking aduantage then And entring with an Host of eighty thousand men As farre as Kendall came where Captaines then of ours Which ayd in Yorkshire raisd with the Northumbrian powers His forces ouerthrew and him a prisoner led So Long shanks Scolands scourge him to that Country sped Prouoked by the Scots that England did inuade And on the Borders here such spoyle and hauock made That all the land lay waste betwixt the Tweed and me This most coragious King from them his owne to free Before proud Berwick set his puisant army downe And tooke it by strong siege since when that warlike towne As Cautionary long the English after held But tell me all you Floods when was there such a Field By any Nation yet as by the English wonne Vpon the Scottish power as that of Halidon Seauen Earles nine hundred Horse and of Foot-souldiers more Neere twenty thousand slaine so that the Scottish gore Ranne downe the Hill in streames euen in Albania's sight By our third Edwards prowesse that most renowned Knight As famous was that Fight of his against the Scot As that against the French which he at Cressy got And when that conquering King did afterward aduance His Title and had past his warlike powers to France And Dauid King of Scots heere entred to inuade To which the King of France did that false Lord perswade Against his giuen Faith from France to draw his Bands To keepe his owne at home or to fill both his hands With warre in both the Realmes was euer such a losse To Scotland yet befell as that at Neuills Crosse Where fifteene thousand Scots their soules at once forsooke Where stout Iohn Copland then King Dauid prisoner tooke I' th head of all his troups that brauely there was seene VVhen English Philip that braue Amazonian Queene Encouraging her men from troupe to troupe did ride And where our Cleargy had their ancient Valourtride Thus often comming in they haue gone out too short And next to this the fight of Nesbit I report VVhen Hebborn that stout Scot and his had all their hire VVhich in t' our Marches came and with inuasiue fire Our Villages laid waste for which defeat of ours When doughty Douglasse came with the Albanian powers At Holmdon doe but see the blow our 〈◊〉 gaue To that bold daring Scot before him how he draue His Armie and with shot of our braue English Bowes Did wound them on the backs whose
Lucy and Hastings went Which charging but too home all sorely wounded were VVhom liuing from the field the Barons stroue to beare Being on their partie fixd whilst still Prince Edward spurres To bring his Forces vp to charge the Londoners T'whom cruell hate he bare and ioyning with their Force Of heauy-armed Foot with his light Northerne Horse He putting them to flight foure miles in chase them slew But ere he could returne the conquest wholly drew To the stout Barons side his father fled the field Into the Abbay there constrained thence to yeeld The Lords Fitz-warren slaine and Wilton that was then Chiefe Iustice as some say with them fiue thousand men And Bohun that great Earle of Her'ford ouerthrowne With Bardolfe Somery Patshull and Percie knowne By their Coat-armours then for Barons prisoners ta'n Though Henry ware the Crowne great Le'ster yet did raigne Now for the Conflict next at Chesterfield that chanc'd Gainst Robert that proud Earle of Darby who aduanc'd His Ensignes gainst the King contrary to his oath Vpon the Barons part with the Lord Deuell both Surpriz'd by Henry Prince of Almain with his power By comming at so strange an vnexpected hower And taking them vnarmd since meerely a defeat With our well-ordered fights we will not here repeat The fatall Battell then at fertile Eusham struck Though with the selfe same hands not with the selfe same luck For both the King and Prince at Lewes prisoners taken By fortune were not yet so vtterly forsaken But that the Prince was got from Le'ster and doth gather His friends by force of Armes yet to redeeme his father And th' Earle of Glo'ster wonne who through the Mountfords pride Disgrac'd came with his power to the Emperiall side When now those Lords which late at Lewes wonne the day The Sacrament receiu'd their Armes not downe to lay Vntill the King should yeeld th' old Charter to maintaine King Henry and his sonne Prince Edward swore againe They would repeale those Lawes that were at Oxford made Or through this bloody warre to their destruction wade But since the King remain'd in puissant Lei'sters power The remnant of his friends whom death did not deuoure At Lewes Battell late and durst his part partake The Prince excites againe an Armie vp to make Whom Roger Bigot Earle of Norfolke doth assist Englands high Marshall then and that great Martialist Old Henry Bohun Earle of Her'ford in this warre Gray Basset and Saint-Iohn Lisle Percie Latimer All Barons which to him their vtmost strengths doe lay VVith many a Knight for power their equall euery way And William Valence Earle of Pembroke who had fled From Lewes field to France thence with fresh succour sped Young Humphrey Bohun still doth with great Le'ster goe VVho for his Countries cause becomes his fathers foe Fitz-Iohn Gray Spencer Strange Rosse Segraue Vessey Gifford Wake Lucy Vipount Vaux Clare Marmion Hastings Clifford In that blacke night before his sad and dismall day VVere apparitions strange as drad Heauen would bewray The horrors to ensue O most amazing fight Two Armies in the Ayre discerned were to fight VVhich came so neere to earth that in the morne they found The prints of horses feet remaining on the ground Which came but as a show the time to entertaine Till th' angry Armies ioyn'd to act the bloody Sceane Shrill shouts and deadly cries each way the ayre do fill And not a word was heard from either side but kill The father gainst the sonne the brother gainst the brother With Gleaues Swords Bills and Pykes were murthering one another The full luxurious earth seemes surfitted with blood VVhilst in his Vnckles gore th' vnnaturall Nephew stood VVhilst with their charged Staues the desperate horsmen meet They heare their kinsmen groane vnder their Horses feet Dead men and weapons broke doe on the earth abound The Drummes bedash'd with braines doe giue a dismall sound Great Le'ster there expir'd with Henry his braue sonne VVhen many a high exployt they in that day had done Scarce was there noble House of which those times could tell But that some one thereof on this or that side fell Amongst the slaughtered men that there lay heap'd on pyles Bohuns and Beauchamps were Basets and Mandeviles Segraues and Saint-Iohns seeke vpon the end of all To giue those of their names their Christian buriall Ten thousand on both sides were ta'n and slaine that day Prince Edward gets the gole and beares the Palme away All Edward Long shankes time her ciuill warres did cease Who stroue his Countries bounds by Conquest to increase But in th' insuing raigne of his most riotous sonne As in his fathers dayes a second warre begun When as the stubborne heires of the stout Barons dead Who for their Countries cause their blood at Eusham shed Not able to endure the Spencers hatefull pride The father and the sonne whose counsels then did guide Th'inconsiderate King conferring all his graces On them who got all gifts and bought and sold all places Them raising to debase the Baronage the more For Gauaston whom they had put to death before Which vrg'd too farre at length to open Armes they brake And for a speedy warre they vp their powers doe make Vpon King Edwards part for this great Action bent His brother Edmund came the valiant Earle of Kent With Richmount Arundell and Pembroke who engage Their powers three powerfull Earles against the Baronage And on the Barons side great master of the warre Was Thomas of the Blood the Earle of Lancaster With Henry Bobun Earle of Hereford his Peere With whom of great command and Martialists there were Lyle Darcy Denvile Teis Beach Bradburne Bernvile Knovile With Badlesmer and Bercks Fitz-william Leyburne Louell Tuchet and Talbot stout doe for the Barons stand Mandute and Mowbray with great Clifford that command Their Tenants to take Armes that with their Landlords runne With these went also Hugh and Henry Willington Redoubted Damory as Audley Elmesbridge Wither Earles Barons Knights Esquiers embodied all together At Burton vpon Trent who hauing gathered head Towards them with all his power the King in person sped Who at his neere approach vpon his March discri'd That they against his power the Bridge had fortifi'd Which he by strong assault assayes from them to win Where as a bloody fight doth instantly begin When he to beat them off assayes them first by shot And they to make that good which they before had got Defend them with the like like Haylestones from the skie From Crosse-bowes and the Long the light-wingd arrowes flie But friended with the Flood the Barons hold their strength Forcing the King by Boats and pyles of wood at length T' attempt to land his force vpon the other side The Barons that the more his stratagems defide Withstand them in the streame when as the troubled flood With in a little time was turned all to blood And from the Boats and Bridge the mangled bodies feld The poore affrighted Fish
their watry walks expeld VVhile at the Bridge the fight still strongly doth abide The King had learnt to know that by a skilfull guide He by a Fourd not farre might passe his power of Horse VVhich quickly he performes which draue the Barons force From the defended Bridge t' affront th'approching foe Imbattelling themselues when to the shocke they goe On both sides so assaild till th' water and the shore Of one complexion were distaind with equall gore Oft forc'd to change their fights being driuen from their ground That when by their much losse too weake themselues they found Th' afflicted Barons flie yet still together keepe The King his good successe not suffring so to sleepe Pursues them with his power which Northward still doe beare And seldome scapes a day but he doth charge their Reare Till come to Burrough Bridge where they too soone were staid By Andrew Herckley Earle of Carleill with fresh ayd Being lately thither come King Edwards part to take The Barons range their fights still good their ground to make But with long Marches tyerd their wearied breath they draw After the desperat'st fight the Sunne yet euer saw Braue Bohun there was slaine and Lancaster forsaken Of Fortune is surpriz'd the Barons prisoners taken For those Rebellions Stirres Commotions Vprores here In Richard Burdeaux raigne that long so vsuall were As that the first by Straw and Tyler with their Rout Of Rebels brought from Kent most insolent and stout By entring London thought the the Iland to subdue * The first of which the Maior of London brauely slew Walworth which wonne his name much honour by the deed As they of Suffolke next those Rascals that succeed By * Litster led about their Captaine who enstil'd Himselfe the Commons King in hope to haue exil'd The Gentry from those parts by those that were his owne By that braue Bishop then of Norwitch ouerthrowne By such vnruly Slaues and that in Essex rais'd By Thomas that stout Duke of Glo'ster strongly * ceaz'd As that at Radcot bridge where the last named Peere With foure braue * Earles his friends encountred Robert Vere Then Duke of Ireland cald by Richard so created And gainst those Lords maintain'd whom they most deadly hated Since they but Garboyles were in a deformed masse Not ordered fitting warre we lightly ouerpasse I chuse the Battell next of Shrewsbury to chant Betwixt Henry the fourth the sonne of Iohn of Gant And the stout Percies Henry Hotspurre and his Eame The Earle of Wor'ster who the rightfull Diademe Had from King Richard reft and heau'd vp to his Seat This Henry whom too soone they found to be too great Him seeking to depose and to the Rule preferre Richards proclaimed Heire their cosen Mortimer Whom Owen Glendour then in Wales a prisoner staid Whom to their part they wonne and thus their plot they laid That Glendour should haue Wales along as Seuerne went The Percies all the North that lay beyond the Trent And Mortimer from thence the South to be his share Which Henry hauing heard doth for the warre prepare And down to Cheshire makes where gathering powers they were At Shrewsbury to meet and doth affront them there With him his peerelesse sonne the princely Henry came With th' Earle of Stafford and of Gentlemen of name Blunt Shyrley Clifton men that very powerfull were VVith Cockayne Caluerly Massy and Mortimer Gausell and Wendsley all in Friends and Tenants strong Resorting to the King still as he past along Which in the open field before the ranged fights He with his warlike Sonne there dub'd his Mayden Knights Th'Eatle Dowglasse for this day doth with the Percies stand To whom they Berwicke gaue and in Northumberland Some Seigniories and Holds if they the Battell got Who brought with him to Field full many an angry Scot At Holmdon Battell late that being ouerthrowne Now on the King and Prince hop'd to regaine their owne With almost all the power of Cheshire got together By Venables there great and Vernon mustred thether The Vaward of the King great Stafford tooke to guide The Vaward of the Lords vpon the other side Consisted most of Scots which ioyning made such spoyle As at the first constrain'd the English to recoyle And almost brake their Rankes which when King Henry found Bringing his Battell vp to reinforce the ground The Percies bring vp theirs againe to make it good Thus whilst the either Host in opposition stood Braue Dowglasse with his spurres his furious Courser strake His Lance set in his rest when desperatly he brake In where his eye beheld th' Emperiall Ensigne pight Where soone it was his chance vpon the King to light Which in his full carreere he from his Courser threw The next Sir Walter Blunt he with three other slew All armed like the King which he dead sure accounted But after when hee saw the King himselfe remounted This hand of mine quoth he foure Kings this day hath slaine And swore out of the earth he thought they sprang againe Or Fate did him defend at whom he onely aym'd When Henry Hotspurre so with his high deeds inflam'd Doth second him againe and through such dangers presse That Dowglasse valiant deeds he made to seeme the lesse As still the people cryed A Percy Espirance The King which saw then time or neuer to aduance His Battell in the Field which neere from him was wonne Ayded by that braue Prince his most couragious sonne Who brauely comming on in hope to giue them chase It chanc'd he with a shaft was wounded in the face Whom when out of the fight his friends would beare away He strongly it refus'd and thus was heard to say Time neuer shall report Prince Henry left the field When Harry Percy staid his traytrous sword to weeld Now rage and equall wounds alike inflame their bloods And the maine Battels ioyne as doe two aduerse floods Met in some narrow Arme shouldring as they would shoue Each other from their path or would their bankes remoue The King his traytrous foes before him downe doth hew And with his hands that day neere fortie persons slue When conquest wholly turnes to his victorious side His power surrounding all like to a furious tyde That Henry Hotspurre dead vpon the cold earth lyes Stout Wor'ster taken was and doughtie Douglasse flyes Fiue thousand from both parts left dead vpon the ground Mongst whō the kings fast friend great Staffords coarse was found And all the Knights there dub'd the morning but before The euenings Suune beheld there sweltred in their gore Here I at Bramham More the Battell in should bring Of which Earle Percie had the greatest managing With the Lord Bardolfe there against the Counties power Fast cleauing to his friend euen to his vtmost houre In Flanders France and Wales who hauing been abroad To raise them present powers intending for a Road On England for the hate he to King Henry bore His sonne and brothers blood augmenting
it the more Which in his mightie spirit still rooted did remaine By his too much default whom he imputed slaine At Shrewsbury before to whom if he had brought Supplies that bloody field when they so brauely fought They surely it had wonne for which to make amends Being furnished with men amongst his forraine friends By Scotland entred here and with a violent hand Vpon those Castles ceaz'd within Northumberland His Earledome which the King who much his truth did doubt Had taken to himselfe and put his people out Toward Yorkshire comming on where soone repaid his owne At Bramhams fatall More was fowly ouerthrowne Which though it were indeed a long and mortall fight Where many men were maim'd and many slaine outright Where that couragious Earle all hopes there seeing past Amongst his murthered troups euen fought it to the last Yet for it was atchieu'd by multitudes of men Which with Ralfe Roksby rose the Shreefe of Yorkshire then No well proportion'd fight we of description quit Amongst our famous fields nor will we here admit That of that Rakehel Cades and his rebellious crue In Kent and Sussex raisd at Senok fight that slue The Staffords with their power that thither him pursu'd VVho twice vpon Black heath back'd with the Commons rude Incamp'd against the King then goodly London tooke There ransoming some rich and vp the prisons broke His sensuall beastly will for Law that did preferre Beheaded the Lord Say then Englands Treasurer And forc'd the King to flight his person to secure The Muse admits not here a rabble so impure But brings that Battell on of that long dreadfull warre Of those two Houses nam'd of Yorke and Lancaster In faire Saint Albans fought most fatally betwixt Richard then Duke of Yorke and Henry cald the sixt For that ill-gotten Crowne which him his * Grandsire left That likewise with his life he from King Richard reft When vnderhand the Duke doth but promoue his claime Who from the elder sonne the Duke of Clarence came For which he raised Armes yet seem'd but to abet The people to plucke downe the Earle of Somerset By whom as they gaue out we Normandy had lost And yet he was the man that onely rul'd the roast With Richard Duke of Yorke into his faction wonne Salsbury and Warwicke came the father and the sonne The Neuils nobler name that haue renown'd so farre So likewise with the King in this great action are The Dukes of Somerset and Buckingham with these Were thrice so many Earles their stout accomplices As Pembroke great in power and Stafford with them stand With Deuonshire Dorset Wilt and fierce Northumber land VVith Sidley Bernes and Rosse three Barons with the rest VVhen Richard Duke of Yorke then marching from the west Towards whom whilst with his power King Henry forward set Vnluckily as 't hapt they at Saint Albans met Where taking vp the Street the buildings them enclose Where Front doth answer Front strength doth strength oppose Whilst like two mightie walls they each to other stand And as one sinketh downe vnder his enemies hand Another thrusting in his place doth still supply Betwixt them whilst on heaps the mangled bodies lie The Staules are ouerthrowne with the vnweldy thrust The windowes with the shot are shiuered all to dust The Winters Sleet or Hayle was neuer seene so thicke As on the houses sides the bearded arrowes sticke Where Warwicks courage first most Comet-like appeard Who with words full of Spirit his fighting Souldiers cheerd And euer as he saw the slaughter of his men He with fresh forces fil'd the places vp agen The valiant * Marchmen thus the battell still maintaine That when King Henry found on heaps his Souldiers slaine His great Commanders cals who when they sadly saw The honour of the day would to the Yorkists draw Their persons they put in as for the last to stand The Duke of Somerset Henry Northumberland Of those braue warlike Earles the second of that name The Earle of Stafford sonne to th' Duke of Buckingham And Iohn Lord Clifford then which shed their noble gore Vnder the Castles signe of which not long before A Prophet bad the Duke of Somerset beware With many a valiant Knight in death that had his share So much great English blood for others lawlesse guilt Vpon so little ground before was neuer spilt Proud Yorke hath got the gole the King of all forfaken Into a cottage got a wofull prisoner taken The Battell of Blore-heath the place doth next supply Twixt Richard Neuill that great Earle of Salisbury Who with the Duke of Yorke had at Saint Albans late That glorious Battell got with vncontrouled Fate And Iames Lord Audley stir'd by that reuengefull Queene To stop him on his way for the inueterate spleene Shee bare him for that still he with the Yorkists held Who comming from the North by sundry wrongs compeld To parley with the King the Queene that time who lay In Staffordshire and thought to stop him on his way That valiant Tuchet stir'd in Cheshire powerfull then T' affront him in the field where Cheshire Gentlemen Diuided were th' one part made valiant Tuchet strong The other with the Earle rose as he came along Incamping both their powers diuided by a Brooke Whereby the prudent Earle this strong aduantage tooke For putting in the field his Army in aray Then making as with speed he meant to march away He caus'd a flight of Shafts to be discharged first The enemy who thought that he had done his worst And cowardly had fled in a disordred Rout Attempt to wade the Brooke he wheeling soone about Set fiercely on that part which then were passed ouer Their Friends then in the Reare not able to recouer The other rising banke to lend the Vaward ayd The Earle who found the plot take right that he had layd On those that forward prest as those that did recoyle As hungry in reuenge there made a rauenous spoyle There Dutton Dutton kils A Done doth kill a Done A Booth a Booth and Leigh by Leigh is ouerthrowne A Venables against a Venables doth stand And Troutbeck fighteth with a Troutbeck hand to hand There Molineux doth make a Molineux to die And Egerton the strength of Egerton doth trie O Chesshire wert thou mad of thine owne natiue gore So much vntill this day thou neuer shedst before Aboue two thousand men vpon the earth were throwne Of which the greatest part were naturally thine owne The stout Lord Audley slaine with many a Captaine there To Salsbury it sorts the Palme away to beare Then faire Northampton next thy Battell place shall take Which of th' Emperiall warre the third fought Field doth make Twixt Henry cald our sixt vpon whose partie came His neere and deare Allies the Dukes of Buckingham And Somerset the Earle of Shrewsbury of account Stout Vicount Beaumount and the yong Lord Egremount Gainst Edward Earle of March sonne to the Duke of Yorke With
And trumpets euery way sound to the dreadfull charge Vpon the Yorkists part there flew the irefull Beare On the Lancastrian side the Cressant wauing there The Southerne on this side for Yorke a Warwicke crie A Percy for the right the Northerne men reply The two maine Battels ioyne the foure large Wings doe meet What with the shouts of men and noyse of horses feet Hell through the troubled earth her horrour seem'd to breath A thunder heard aboue an earth-quake felt beneath As when the Euening is with darknesse ouerspread Her Star-befreckled face with Clouds inuelloped You oftentimes behold the trembling lightning flie VVhich suddenly againe but turning of your eye Is vanished away or doth so swiftly glide That with a trice it touch t'Horizons either side So through the smoke of dust from wayes and fallowes raisd And breath of horse and men that both together ceasd The ayre one euery part sent by the glimmering Sunne The splendor of their Armes doth by reflection runne Till heapes of dying men and those already dead Much hindred them would charge and letted them that fled Beyond all wonted bounds their rage so farre extends That sullen night begins before their fury ends Ten howers this fight endur'd whilst still with murthering hands Expecting the next morne the weak'st vnconquered stands Which was no sooner come but both begin againe To wrecke their friends deare blood the former euening slaine New Battels are begun new fights that newly wound Till the Lancastrian part by their much lesning found Their long expected hopes were vtterly forlorne When lastly to the foe their recreant backs they turne Thy Channell then O * Cock was fild vp with the dead Of the Lancastrian side that from the Yorkists fled That those of Edwards part that had the Reare in chase As though vpon a Bridge did on their bodies passe That Wharfe to whose large banks thou contribut'st thy store Had her more Christall face discoloured with the gore Of fortie thousand men that vp the number made Northumberland the great and Westmerland there layd Their bodies valiant Wels and Dacres there doe leaue Their carkases whose hope too long did them deceiue Trolop and Neuill found massacred in the field The Earle of VViltshire forc'd to the sterne foe to yeeld King Henry from fayre Yorke vpon this sad mischance To Scotland fled the Queene sayld ouer into France The Duke of Somerset and Excester doe flie The rest vpon the earth together breathlesse lie Muse turne thee now to tell the Field at Hexam struck Vpon the Yorkists part with the most prosp'rous luck Of any yet before where to themselues they gain'd Most safetie yet their powers least damage there sustain'd Twixt Iohn Lord Mountacute that Neuill who to stand For Edward gathered had out of Northumber land A sort of valiant men consisting most of Horse Which were againe suppli'd with a most puisant force Sent thither from the South and by King Edward brought In person downe to Yorke to ayd if that in ought His Generall should haue need for that he durst not trust The Northerne which so oft to him had been vniust Whilst he himselfe at Yorke a second power doth hold To heare in this rough warre what the Lancastrians would And Henry with his Queene who to their powers had got The liuely daring French and the light hardy Scot To enter with them here and to their part doe get Their faithfull lou'd Allie the Duke of Somerset And Sir Ralfe Percie then most powerfull in those parts Who had beene reconcil'd to Edward but their hearts Still with King Henry stay'd to him and euer true To whom by this reuolt they many Northerne drew Sir William T aylboys cald of most the Earle of Kime With Hungerford and Rosse and Mullins of that time Barons of high account with Neuill T unstall Gray Hussy and Finderne Knights men bearing mighty sway As forward with his force braue Mountacute was set It hap'd vpon his way at Hegly More he met With Hungerford and Rosse and Sir Ralph Percy where In signe of good successe as certainly it were They and their vtmost force were quickly put to slight Yet Percy as he was a most couragious Knight Ne'r boudg'd till his last breath but in the field was slaine Proud of this first defeat then marching forth againe Towards Liuells a large Waste which other plaines out-braues Whose Verge fresh * Dowell still is watring with her waues Whereas his posting Scouts King Henries power discri'd Tow'rds whom with speedy march this valiant Generall hied Whose haste there likewise had such prosperous euent That lucklesse Henry yet had scarcely cleer'd his Tent His Captaines hardly set his Battels nor enlarg'd Their Squadrons on the field but this great Neuill charg'd Long was this doubtfull fight on either side maintain'd That rising whilst this falls this loosing whilst that gain'd The ground which this part got and there as Conquerors stood The other quickly gaine and firmely make it good To either as blind Chance her fauors will dispose So to this part it eb'd and to that side it flowes At last till whether 't were that sad and horrid sight At Saxton that yet did their fainting spirits affright With doubt of second losse and slaughter or the ayd That Mountacute receau'd King Henries power dismayd And giuing vp the day dishonourably fled Whom with so violent speed the Yorkists followed That had not Henry spur'd and had a Courser swift Besides a skilfull guide through woods and hilles to shift He sure had been surpriz'd as they his Hench-men tooke With whom they found his Helme with most disastrous lucke To saue themselues by flight ne'r more did any striue And yet so many men ne'r taken were aliue Now Banbury we come thy Battell to report And show th' efficient cause as in what wondrous sort Great VVarmicke was wrought in to the Lancastrian part When as that wanton King so vex'd his mightie heart Whilst in the Court of France that Warriour he bestow'd As potent here at home as powerfull else abroad A marriage to intreat with Bona bright and sheene Of the Sauoyan Blood and sister to the Queene Which whilst this noble Earle negotiated there The widdow Lady Gray the King espoused here By which the noble Earle in France who was disgrac'd In England his reuenge doth but too quickly hast T' excite the Northerne men doth secretly begin With whom he powerfull was to rile that comming in He might put in his hand which onely he desir'd Which rising before Yorke were likely to haue fierd The Citie but repuls'd and Holdorn them that led Being taken for the cause made shorter by the head Yet would not they disist but to their Captaines drew Henry the valiant sonne of Iohn the Lord Fitz-Hugh With Coniers that braue Knight whose valour they preferre With Henry Neuill sonne to the Lord Latimer By whose Allies and friends they euery day grew strong And so in
night Appeare the dreadfull ghosts of Henry and his sonne Of his owne brother George and his two nephewes done Most cruelly to death and of his wife and friend Lord Hastings with pale hands prepar'd as they would rend Him peece-meale at which oft he roreth in his sleepe No sooner gan the dawne out of the East to peepe But Drummes and Trumpets chide the Souldiers to their Armes And all the neighboring fields are couered with the swarmes Of those that came to fight as those that came to see Contending for a Crowne whose that great day should be First Richmond rang'd his fights on Oxford and bestowes The leading with a Band of strong and Sinewy Bowes Out of the Army pick'd the Front of all the field Sir Gilbert Talbot next he wisely tooke to weeld The right Wing with his strengths most Northern men that were And Sir Iohn Sauage with the power of Lancashire And Chesshire Chiefe of men was for the left Wing plac'd The Middle Battell he in his faire person grac'd With him the noble Earle of Pembroke who commands Their Countrey-men the VVelsh of whom it mainly stands For their great numbers found to be of greatest force Which but his guard of Gleaues consisted all of Horse Into two seuerall fights the King contriu'd his strength And his first Battell cast into a wondrous length In fashion of a wedge in poynt of which he set His Archery thereof and to the guidance let Of Iohn the noble Duke of Norfolke and his sonne Braue Surrey he himselfe the second bringing on Which was a perfect square and on the other side His Horsemen had for wings which by extending wide The aduerse seem'd to threat with an vnequall power The vtmost poynt ariu'd of this expected hower He to Lord Stanley sends to bring away his ayd And 〈◊〉 him by an Oath if longer he delayd His eldest sonne young Strange imediatly should die To whom stout Stanley thus doth carelessely reply Tell thou the King I le come when I fit time shall see I loue the Boy but yet I haue more sonnes then he The angry Armies meet when the thin ayre was rent With such re-ecchoing shouts from eithers Souldiers sent That flying o'r the field the Birds downe trembling dropt As some old building long that hath been vnderpropt When as the Timber fayles by the vnweldy fall Euen into powder beats the Roofe and rotten wall And with confused clouds of smouldring dust doth choke The streets and places neere so through the mistie smoke By Shot and Ordnance made a thundring noyse was heard VVhen Stanley that this while his succours had deferd Both to the cruell King and to the Earle his sonne When once he doth perceiue the Battell was begun Brings on his valiant Troups three thousand fully strong Which like a cloud farre off that tempest threatned long Falls on the Tyrants host which him with terrour strooke As also when he sees he doth but vainly looke For succours from the great Northumberland this while That from the Battell scarce three quarters of a mile Stood with his power of Horse nor once was seene to stirre VVhen Richard that th' euent no longer would deferre The two maine Battels mix'd and that with wearied breath Some laboured to their life some laboured to their death There for the better fought euen with a Spirit elate As one that inly scorn'd the very worst that Fate Could possibly impose his Launce set in his Rest Into the thick'st of Death through threatning perill prest To where he had perceiu'd the Earle in person drew Whose Standard 〈◊〉 he Sir William Brandon slew The pile of his strong staffe into his arme-pit sent VVhen at a second shocke downe Sir Iohn Cheney went Which scarce a Launces length before the Earle was plac'd Vntill by Richmonds Guard inuironed at last VVith many a cruell wound was through the body gride Vpon this fatall field Iohn Duke of Norfolke dide The stout Lord Ferrers fell and Ratcliffe that had long Of Richards counsels been found in the field among A thousand Souldiers that on both sides were slaine O Red-more it then seem'd thy name was not in vaine When with a thousands blood the earth was coloured red Whereas th' Emperiall Crowne was set on Henries head Being found in Richards Tent as he it there did winne The cruell Tyrant stript to the bare naked skin Behind a Herauld truss'd was backe to Le'ster sent From whence the day before he to the Battell went The Battell then at Stoke so fortunatly strucke Vpon King Henries part with so successefull lucke As neuer till that day he felt his Crowne to cleaue Vnto his temples close when Mars began to leaue His fury and at last to sit him downe was brought I come at last to sing twixt that seuenth Henry fought With whom to this braue Field the Duke of Bedford came With Oxford his great friend whose praise did him inflame To all Atchieuements great that fortunate had bin In euery doubtfull fight since Henries comming in With th' Earle of Shresbury a man of great command And his braue sonne Lord George for him that firmly stand And on the other side Iohn Duke of Suffolks sonne Iohn Earle of Lincolne cald who this sterne warre begun Subborning a lewd Boy a false Imposter who By Simonds a worse Priest instructed what to doe Vpon him tooke the name of th' Earle of Warwicke heire To George the murthered Duke of Clarence who for feare Lest some that fauoured Yorke might vnder hand maintaine King Henry in the Tower did at that time detaine * Which practise set on foot this Earle of Lincolne sayld To Burgundy where he with Margaret preuayld Wife to that warlike Charles and his most loued Aunt Who vexed that a proud Lancastrian should supplant The lawfull Line of Yorke whence she her blood deriu'd Wherefore for Lincolnes sake shee speedily contriu'd And Louell that braue Lord before him sent to land Vpon the same pretence to furnish them a Band Of Almanes and to them for their stout Captaine gaue The valiant Martin Swart the man thought scarce to haue His match for Martiall feats and sent them with a Fleet For Ireland where shee had appoynted them to meet With Simonds that lewd Clerke and Lambert whom they there The Earle of Warwicke cald and publish'd euery where His title to the Crowne in Diuelin and proclaime Him Englands lawfull King by the fift Edwards name Then ioyning with the Lord Fitz-Gerald to their ayd Who many Irish brought they vp their Ankres wayd And at the rocky Pyle of * Fowdray put to shore In Lancashire their power increasing more and more By Souldiers sent them in from Broughton for supply A Knight that long had been of their confederacy Who making thence direct their marches to the South When Henry saw himselfe to farre in dangers mouth From Couentry he came still gathering vp his Host Made greater on his way and doth the