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
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
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
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
next Booke the Muses to awake The two and twentieth Song THE ARGVMENT The Muse Ouze from her Fountaine brings Along by Buckingham and sings The Earth that turneth wood to stone And t'holy Wells of Harlweston Then shewes wherefore the Fates doe grant That shee the Ciuill warres should chant By Huntingdon shee Waybridge meetes And thence the German Ocean greetes INuention as before thy high-pitcht pinions rouze Exactly to set downe how the far-wandring Ouze Through the Bedfordian fields deliciously doth strain As holding on her course by Huntingdon againe How brauely shee her selfe betwixt her Bankes doth beare E'r Ely shee in-Ile a Goddesse honored there From Brackley breaking forth through soiles most heauenly sweet By Buckingham makes on and crossing Watling-Street Shee with her lesser Ouze at Newport next doth twin Which from proud Chiltern neere comes eas'ly ambling in The Brooke which on her banke doth boast that earth alone Which noted of this I le conuerteth wood to stone That little Aspleyes earth we anciently instile Mongst sundry other things A wonder of the I le Of which the lesser Ouze oft boasteth in herway As shee her selfe with Flowers doth gorgeously aray Ouze hauing Ouleney past as shee were waxed mad From her first stayder course immediatly doth gad And in Meandred Gyres doth whirle herselfe about That this way here and there backe forward in and out And like a wanton Girle oft doubling in her gate In Labyrinth-like turnes and twinings intricate Through those rich fields doth runne till lastly in her pride The Shires Hospitious towne shee in her course diuide Where shee her spacious breast in glorious bredth displayes And varying her cleere forme a thousand sundry wayes Streakes through the verdant Meads but farre she hath not gone When I vell a cleare Nymph from Shefford sallying on Comes deftly dauncing in through many a daintie Slade Crown'd with a goodly Bridge arriu'd at Bickleswade Encouraged the more her Mistris to pursue In whose cleere face the Sunne delights himselfe to view To mixe her selfe with Ouze as on she thus doth make And louingly at last hath hapt to ouertake Shee in her Chrystall Armes her soueraigne Ouze doth cling Which Flood in her Allie as highly glorying Shoots forward to Saint Neots into those nether grounds Towards Huntingdon and leaues the lou'd Bedfordian bounds Scarce is she entred yet vpon this second Sheere Of which she soueraigne is but that two Fountaines cleere At Harlweston neere hand th' one salt the other sweet At her first entrance thus her greatnesse gently greet Once were we two faire Nymphs who fortunatly prou'd The pleasures of the Woods and faithfully belou'd Of two such Syluan gods by hap that found vs here For then their Syluan kind most highly honoured were When this whole Countries face was Forresty and we Liu'd loosely in the Weilds which now thus peopled be Oft interchang'd we sighs oft amorous lookes we sent Oft whispering our deare loues our thoughts oft did we vent Amongst the secret shades oft in the groues did play And in our sports our ioyes and sorrowes did bewray Oft cunningly we met yet coyly then imbrac't Still languish'd in desire yet liu'd we euer chast And quoth the saltish Spring as one day mine and I Set to recount our loues from his more tender eye The brinish teares drop'd downe on mine impearced breast And instantly therein so deeply were imprest That brackish I became he finding me depriu'd Of former freshnesse quite the cause from him deriu'd On me bestow'd this gift my sweetnesse to requite That I should euer cure the dimnesse of the sight And quoth the fresher Spring the Wood-god me that woo'd As one day by my brim surpriz'd with loue he stood On me bestow'd this gift that euer after I Should cure the painfull Itch and lothsome Leprosie Held on with this discourse shee on not farre hath runne But that shee is ariu'd at goodly Huntingdon Where shee no sooner viewes her darling and delight Proud Portholme but became so rauish'd with the sight That shee her limber armes lasciuously doth throw About the Islets waste who b'ing imbraced so Her Flowry bosome shewes to the inamored Brooke On which when as the Ouze amazedly doth looke On her braue Damask'd breast bedeck'd with many a flowre That grace this goodly Mead as though the Spring did powre Her full aboundance downe whose various dyes so thicke Are intermixt as they by one another sticke That to the gazing eye that standeth farre they show Like those made by the Sunne in the Celestiall Bow But now t' aduaunce this Flood the Fates had brought to passe As shee of all the rest the onely Riuer was That but a little while before that fatall warre Twixt that diuided Blood of Yorke and Lancaster Neere Harleswood aboue in her Bedfordian trace By keeping backe her streame for neere three furlongs space Laying her Bosome bare vnto the publique view Apparantly was prou'd by that which did ensue In her Prophetique selfe those troubles to foresee Wherefore euen as her due the Destinies agree Shee should the glory haue our ciuill fights to sing When swelling in her bankes from her aboundant Spring Her sober silence shee now resolutely breakes In language fitting warre and thus to purpose speakes With that most fatall field I will not here begin Where Norman William first the Conqueror did win The day at * Hastings where the valiant Harold slaine Resign'd his Crowne whose soyle the colour doth retaine Of th' English blood there shed as th' earth still kept the skarre Which since not ours begot but an inuasiue warre Amongst our home-fought fields hath no discription here In Normandy nor that that same day fortie yeare That Bastard William brought a Conquest on this I le Twixt Robert his eld'st sonne and Henry who the while His Brothers warlike tents in Palestine were pight In England here vsurp'd his eld'st borne brothers right Which since it forraine was not strucke within this land Amongst our ciuill fights here numbred shall not stand But Lincolne Battell now we as our first will lay Where Maud the Empresse stood to trie the doubtfull day With Stephen when he here had welneere three yeares raign'd Where both of them their right couragiously maintain'd And marshalling their Troups the King his person put Into his well-arm'd Maine of strong and valiant Foot The Wings that were his Horse in th' one of them he plac'd Young Alan that braue Duke of Britaine whom he grac'd VVith th'Earles of Norsolke and Northampton and with those He Mellent in that wing and Warren did dispose The other no whit lesse that this great day might sted The Earle of Aubemerle and valiant Ipres led The Empresse powers again but in two Squadrons were The Vaward Chester had and Gloucester the Reare Then were there valiant Welsh and desperate men of ours That when supplies should want might reinforce their powers The Battels ioyne as when two aduerse
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
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