carke for plenty and for dearth Fame neuer lookes vpon these prostrate drones Man is allotted at his princely birth To manage Empires and to sit on thrones Frighting coy Fortune when she sternst appeares Which else scornes sighes and jeeteth at our teares 46 When now Report with her fleet murmuring wing Tucht the still entrance of his listning eare A fleete preparde this royall Queene to bring And her arriuall still awaited neare When euery sound a note of loue doth sing The ioyfull thoughts that in his bosome were The soule in doubt to make her function lesse Denies the vtterance fully to expresse 47 Quoth he Slide billowes gently for her sake Whose sight can make your aged Nereus yong For her faire passage euen allies make On the sleeke waters wast her sailes along And whilst she glides vpon the pleasant lake Let the sweete Syrens rocke her with a Song Though not Loues mother that dooth passe this way Fairer than she that 's borne vpon the sea 48 You Sea-bred creatures gaze vpon her eie And neuer after with your kinde make warre O steale the accents from her lip that flie Which like the musicke 's of the Angels are And them vnto your amorous thoughts apply Comparde with which Aryons did but jarre Wrap them in aire and when blacke tempests rage Vse them as charmes the rough seas to asswage 49 France send to fetch her with full sholes of oares With which her fleete may euery way be plide And being landed on thy happie shoares As the vast nauie dooth at anckor ride For her departure when the wilde sea roares Ship mount to heauen there brightly stellifide Next Iasons Argo on the burnisht throne Assume thee there a constellation 50 Her person hence conuaide with that delight Which best the languish of her iournies easde That to her pleasure dooth it selfe inuite Whereon her mind and subtil fancie seasde And that most deare her liking might excite Which then this Lorde naught more her presence pleasd where when with state she first her time could take Thus the faire Queene her Mortimer bespake 51 O Mortimer great Mortimer quoth shee What angry power did first this meane deuise To seperate Queene Isabell and thee whome loues eternall vnion strongly ties But if supposde this fault beganne by mee For a iust pennance to my longing eyes Though guiltlesse they this punishment assignde To gaze vpon thee till they leaue me blinde 52 T is strange sweete friend how thou arte altred thus Since first in Court thou didst our fauours weare whose shape seemde then not mortall vnto vs when in our eye thy brow was beauties spheare In all perfection so harmonious A thousand seuerall graces mooving there But what then couldst thou be not now thou arte An alien first last home-borne in my heart 53 That powerfull fate thy safetie did inforce And from the worst of danger did thee free Still regular and constant in one course Wrought me a firme and euen path to thee Of our affections as it tooke remorce Our birth-fix't starres so happily agree Whose reuolution seriously directs Our like proceedings to the like effects 54 New forme of counsaile in the course of things To our dissignement findes a neerer way That by a cleere and perfect managing Is that firme prop whereon we onely stay Which in it selfe th' authoritie doth bring That weake opinion hath no power to sway Confuting such whose sightlesse iudgement sit In the thicke ranke with euery vulgar wit 55 Then since pleasde Time our wish'd content assures Imbrace the blessings of our mutuall rest And whilst the day of our good hap endures And we as fauorites leane on Fortunes breast Which doth for vs this vacancie procure In choice make free election of the best Ne're feare the sâ—orme before thou feele the shower My sonne a King an Empire is my dower 56 Of wanton Edward when I first was woo'd Why cam'st thou not into the Court of France Thy selfe alone then in my grace hadst stood Deere Mortimer how good had beene thy chance My loue attempted in that youthfull mood I might haue beene thine owne inheritance Where entring now by force thou hold'st thy might And art deseisor of anothers right 57 Honour thou Idole women so adore How many plagues doost thou retaine to grieue vs When still we finde there is remaining more Then that great word of Maiesty can giue vs Which takes more from vs then it can restore And of that comfort often doth depriue vs That with our owne selues sets vs at debate And mak'st vs beggars vnder our estate 58 Those pleasing raptures from her graces rise Strongly inuading his impressiue breast That soone entranced all his faculties Of the prowd fulnesse of their ioyes possest And hauing throughly wrought him in this wise Like tempting Syrens sing him to his rest When eu'ry power is passiue of some good Felt by the spirits of his high-rauisht blood 59 Like as a Lute that 's touch'd with curious skill In musickes language sweetely speaking plaine When eu'ry string his note with sound doth fill Taking the tones and giuing them againe And the eare bath's in harmony at will A diapason closing eu'ry straine So their affections set in keyes so like Still fall in consort as their humors strike 60 When now the path to their desire appeares Of which before they had been long debar'd By desolution of some threatning feares That for destruction seem'd to stand prepar'd Which the smooth face of better safetie beares And now protected by a stronger guard Giues the large scope of leisure to fore-cast Euents to come by things alreadie past 61 These great dissignements setting easly out By due proportion measuring eu'ry pace T' auoide the cumbrance of each hindring doubt That might distort the comlinesse and grace Comming with eu'ry circumstance about Strictly obseruing person time and place All ornaments in faire discretions lawes Could giue attire to beautifie the cause 62 The Embassie in termes of equall height As well their state and dignity might fit Apparelling a matter of that weight In ceremony well beseeming it To carry things so steddy and so right Where Wisedome with cleare maiesty might sit All things still seeming strictly to effect That Loue commaunds and Greatnesse should respect 63 Whos 's expedition by this faire successe That doth againe this antient league combine when Edward should by couenant release And to the Prince the Prouinces resigne With whome king Charles renues the happy peace Receiuing homage due to him for Guyne And lastly now to consumate their speede Edwards owne person to confirme the deede 64 Who whilst he stands yet doubtfull what to do The Spensers chiefely that his counsels guide Nor with their Soueraigne into Fraunce durst goe Nor in his absence durst at home abide Now whilst the weake king stands perplexed so His listning eares with such perswasion plide As he at last to stay in England's wonne And in his place to send the Prince his sonne 65 Thus
is the King encompasst by their skill A meane to worke what Herford doth deuise To thrust him on to draw them vp the hill That by his strength they might get powre to rise Thus they in all things are before him still This perfect steersman of their policies Hath cast to walke whilst Edward beares the light And take that aime that must direct his sight 66 And by th' allowance of his liberall will Supposde his safety furthering their intent Stands as a test to iustifie their ill Made sound and currant by this late euent And what yet wanting lastly to fulfill Things in their course to fall in true consent Giues full assurance of that happy end On which they now laboriously attend 67 Nor finding reason longer to protract Or in suspence their home-left friends to holde By being now so absolutely backt And thereby waxing confident and bold By their proceedings publishing their act whenas their powre was ripened as they would Now with an armed and erected hand To abet their faction absolutely stand 68 When now the fearefull fainting Exceter A man experiencde in their counsels long Whether himselfe thought his way to preferre Or moou'd in conscience with king Eawards wrong Or t' was his frailty forede him thus to erre Or other fatall accident among The onely first that backe to England flew And knowing all discouered all he knew 69 The plot of treason lastly thus disclosde And Torletons drift by circumstaunces found With what conueyance things had beene disposde The cunning vsde in casting of the ground The meanes and apt aduantages he chosde When better counsell coldely comes to sound Awakes the King to see his owne estate When the preuention comes too vaine and late 70 And whilst the time she daily dooth adjourne Charles as a brother by perswasions deales Edward with threates to hasten her returne And Iohn of Rome with Papall curse assaies T is but in vaine against her will to spurne Perswasions threats nor curses aught preuailes Charles Edward Iohn do th' vtmost of your worst The Queene fares best when she the most is curst 71 The subtile Spensers which French humors felt And with their Soueraigne had deuisde the draught with Prince and Peeres now vnder-hand had dealt with golden baites that craftily were caught whose flexed temper soone begins to melt On which they now by sleights so throwly wrought As with great summes now lastly ouer-waide The wretched Queene is desperate of aide 72 Nor can all this amaze this mighty Queene with all th'affliction neuer yet contrould Neuer such courage in her sex was seene Nor was she cast in other womens mould Nor can rebate the edge of her hie spleene But can endure warre trauell want and cold Strugling with Fortune ne're with griefe opprest Most cheerefull still when she was most distrest 73 And thus resolu'd to leaue ingratefull France And in the world her fortune yet to trie Changing the ayre hopes time may alter chance As one whose thoughts were eleuate more hie Her weakned state still seeking to aduance Her mighty minde so scorneth misery Yet ere she went her grieued heart to east Thus to the King this grieued Lady saies 74 Is this a King and brothers part quoth she And to this end did I my griefe vnfold Came I to heale my wounded heart to thee Where slaine outright I now the same behold Proue these thy vowes thy promises to mee In all this heate thy faith become so cold To leaue me thus forsaken at the worst My state more wretched than it was at first 75 My frailty vrging what my want requires To thy deere mercy should my teares haue tide Our bloods maintained by the selfe-same fires And by our fortunes as our birth alide My sute supported by my iust desires All arguments I should not be denide The grieuous wrongs that in my bosome be Should be as neere thy care as I to thee 76 Nature that easly wrought vpon my sex To thy vile pleasure thus mine honour leaues And vnder colour of thy due respects My settled trust disloyally deceaues That me and mine thus carelesly neglects And of all comfort wholy me bereaues Twixt recreant basenes and disordâ—nate will To expose my fortunes to the worst of ill 77 But for my farewell this I prophecie That from my wombe that glorious fruit doth spring Which shall deiect thy neere posteritie And leade a captiue thy succeeding King That shal reuenge this wretched iniury To fatall Fraunce I as a Sybel sing Her citties sackt the slaughter of her men When of the English one shall conquer ten 78 Bewmount in Fraunce that had this shuffling seene whose soule by kindnes Isabel had wonne For Henault now perswades the grieued Queene By full assurance what might there be done Now in the anguish of this tumerous spleene Offring his faire Neece to the Prince her sonne The lurest way to gaine his brothers might To backe yong Edward and vphold her right 79 This gallant Lord whose name euen filld report To whom the souldiers of that time did throng A man that fashiond others of his sort As that knew all to honour did belong And in his youth traind vp with her in Court And fully now confirmed in her wrong Crosst by the faction of th'emperiall part In things that sat too neerely to his hart 80 Sufficient motiues to inuite distresse To apprehend the least and poorest meane Against those mischiefes that so strongly presse Whereon their lowe dejected state to leaue And at this season though it were the lesse That might a while their sickely powre sustaine Till prosprous times by milde and temprate dayes Their drooping hopes to former height might raise 81 Where finding cause to breathe their restlesse state where welcome lookt with a more milder face From those dishonours she receiu'd of late Where now she wants no due officious grace Vnder the guidance of a gentler fate Where bounteous offers mutually embrace And to conclude all ceremonies past The Prince affies faire Philip at the last 82 All couenants signde with wedlockes sacred seale A lasting league eternally to binde And all proceeding of religious zeale And suting right with Henaults mighty minde That to his thoughts much honour dooth reueale What ease the Queene is like thereby to finde The sweete contentment of the louely Bride Yong Edward pleasde and ioy on euery side The end of the third Canto ⧠The fourth Booke of the Barrons warres The Argument The Queene in Henault mightie power doth winne In Harwich hauen safely is arriu'd Great troubles now in England new beginne The King of friends and safety is depriu'd Flieth to Wales at Neath receiued in Many strange acts and outrages contriu'd Edward betrayde deliu'red vp at Neath The Spensers and his friends are put to death 1 NOw seauen times Phoebus had his welked waine Vpon the top of all the Tropike set And seauen times descending downe againe His firy wheeles had with the fishes wet In the occurrents of this
our father won before Nor leaue our sonne a sword to conquer more Thus but in vaine we fondly do resist Where power can doe euen all things as it list And with vniust men to debate of lawes Is to giue power to hurt a rightfull cause Whilst Parlements must still redresse their wrongs And we must starue for what to vs belongs Our wealth but fuell to their fond excesse And we must fast to feast their wantonnesse Think'st thou our wrongs then insufficient are To moue our brother to religious warre And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquytaine And if not that yet hath he broke the truce Thus all accurre to put backe all excuse The sisters wrong ioynde with the brothers right Me thinks might vrge him in this cause to fight Be all those people sencelesse of our harmes Which for our Country ought haue manag'd armes Is the braue Normans courage now forgot Or the bold Brittaines lost the vse of shot The big-bonde Almaines and stowt Brabanders Their warlike Pikes and sharpe-edg'd Semiters Or do the Pickards let their Crosse-bowes lie Once like the Centaurs of old Thessalie Or if a valiant Leader be their lacke Where thou art present who should driue them back I doe coniure thee by what is most deere By that great name of famous Mortimer By antient Wigmors honourable crâ—st The tombes where all thy famous grand-sires rest Or if than these what more may thee approue Euen by those vowes of thy vnfained loue That thy great hopes may moue the Christian King By forraigne armes some comfort yet to bring To curbe the power of traitors that rebell Against the right of princely Isabell Vaine witlesle woman why should I desire To adde more heate to thy immortall fire To vrge thee by the violence of hate To shake the pillars of thine owne estate When whatsoeuer we intend to doe To our misfortune euer sorts vnto And nothing else remaines for vs beside But teares and coffins onely to prouide When still so long as Burrough beares that name Time shall not blot out our deserued shame And whilst cleere Trent her wonted course shall keep For our sad fall her christall drops shall weepe All see our ruine on our backes is throwne And to our selues our sorrowes are our owne And Torlton now whose counsell should direct The first of all is slaundred with suspect For dang'rous things dissembled seldome are Which many eyes attend with busie care What should I say My griefes do still renew And but begin when I should bid adiew Few be my words but manifold my woe And still I stay the more I shiue to goe As accents issue forth griefes enter in And where I end me thinks I but begin Till then faire time some greater good affords Take my loues paiment in these ayrie words ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie O how I feard that sleepte drinke I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent MOrtimer being in the Tower and ordaining a feast in honor of his birth-day as he pretended and inuiting there-vnto Sir Stephen Segraue Constable of the Tower with the rest of the officers belonging to the same he gaue them a sleepie drinke prouided him by the Queene by which meanes he got liberue for his escape I steale to Thames as though to take the aire And aske the gentle streame as it doth glide Mortimer being got out of the Tower swamme the riuer of Thames into Kent whereof she hauing intelligence doubteth of his strength to escape by reason of his long imprisonment being almost the space of three yeares Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Niuarrâ— Edward Cà rnaruan the first Prince of Wales of the English blood married Isabell daughter of Philip the Faire at Bulloine in the presence of the Kings of Almaine Nauarre and Cicile with the chiefe Nobilitie of France and England which marriage was there solemnized with exceeding pompe and magnificence And in my place vpon his regall throne To set that girle-boy wanton Gaueston Noting the effeminacie and luxurious wantonnesse of Gaueston the Kings Minion his behauiour and attire euer so womanlike to please the eye of his lasciuious Prince That a fowle Witches bastard should thereby It was vrged by the Queene the Nobility in the disgrace of Piers Gauestone that his mother was conuicted of witchcraft and burned for the same and that Piers had bewitched the King Albania Gascoine Cambria Ireland Albania Scotland so called of Albanact the second son of Brutus and Cambria Wales so called of Camber the third sonne the foure Realmes and Countries brought in subiection by Edward Longshanks When of our princely Iewells and our dowers We but enioy the least of what is ours A complaint of the prodigalitie of King Edward giuing vnto Gauestone the jewels and treasure which was left him by the ancient Kings of England and enriching him with the goodly Manor of Wallingford assigned as parcell of the dower to the Queenes of this famous â—le And ioyn'd with the braue issue of our blood Alie our kingdome to their crauand brood Edward the second gaue to Piers Gaueston in marriage the daughtet of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester begot of the Kings sister lone of Acres married to the said Earle of Glocester Should giue away all that his father won To backe a stranger King Edward offered his right in France to Charles his brother in law and his right in Scotland to Robert Bruse to be aided against the Barrons in the quarrell of Piers Gaueston And did great Edward on his death-bed giue Edward Longshankes on his death-bed at Carlile commanded yong Edward his sonne on his blessing not to call backe Gaueston which for the mis-guiding of the Princes youth was before banished by the whole counsell of the Land That after all this fearefull massaker The fall of Beuchamp Lasy Lancaster Thomas Earle of Lancaster Guy Earle of Warwicke and Henry Earle of Lincolne who had taken their oaths before the deceased King at his death to withstand his sonne Edward if he should call Gaueston froÌ„ exile being a thing which he much feared now seeing Edward to violate his fathers commandement rise in armes against the King which was the cause of the ciuill warre and the ruine of so many Princes And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That now a Spenser should succeede in all The two Hugh Spensers the father the son after the death of Gaueston became the great fauorites of the king the son being created by him lord Chamberlain the father Earl of Winchester And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquitaine Edward Longshankes did homage for those Citties and Territories to the French King which Edward the second neglecting moued the French King by the subornation of Mortimer to sease those Countries into his hands By antient Wigmors honourable Crest Wigmore in the marches of Wales was the antient
the remembrance of the thing To make the people more abhorre their King Nor shall a Spenser be he ne're so great Possesse our Wigmore our renowned seate To raze the antient Trophies of our race With our deserts their monuments to grace Nor shall he leade our valiant marchers forth To make the Spensers famous in the North Nor be the Gardants of the British pales Defending England and preseruing Wales At first our troubles easily reculde But now growne head-strong hardly to be rulde With grauest counsell all must be directed Where plainest shewes are openly suspected For where mis-hap our errour dooth assault There doth it eassiest make vs see our fault Then sweet represse all fond and wilfull spleene Two things to be a woman and a Queene Keepe close the cindars lest the fire should burne It is not this which yet must serue our turne And if I doe not much mistake the thing The next supply shall greater comfort bring Till when I leaue my Princesse for a while Liue thou in rest though I liue in exile Notes of the Chronicle Historie Of one condemnd and long lodgde vp in death ROger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore had stoode publikely condemned for his insurrection with Thomas erle of Lancaster and Bohune earle of Herford by the space of three months and as the report went the day of his execution was determined to haue bin shortly after which he preuented by his escape Twice all was taken twice thou all didst giue At what time the two Mortimers this Roger lord of Wigmore and his vncle Roger Mortimer the elder were apprehended in the west the Queene by meanes of Torlton Bishop of Hereford and Becke Bishop of Duresme and Patriarke of Ierusalem being then both mighty in the state vpon the submission of the Mortimers somewhat pacified the king and now secondly shee wrought meanes for his escape Leauing the cordes to tell where I had gone With strong ladders made of cords prouided him for the purpose he escaped out of the Tower which when the same were found fastned to the walles in such a desperate attempt they bred astonishment to the beholders Nor let the Spensers glory in my dâ—awe The two Hugh Spensers the father and the sonne then being so highly fauored of the King knew that their greatest safety came by his exile whose high and turbulent spirit could neuer brooke any corriuall in greatnes My grandsire was the first since Arthurs raigne That the Round-table rectifide againe Roger Mortimer called the great Lord Mortimer Grandfather to this Roger which was afterward the first Earle of March reeâ—ected againe the Round-table at Kenelwoorth after the ancient order of king Arthurs table with the retinue of a hudred knights and a hundred ladies in his house for the entertaining of such aduentures as came thither from all parts of Christendome Whilest famous Longshanks bones in Fortunes scorne Edward Longshanks willed at his death that his body should be boyled the flesh from the bones and that the bones should bee borne to the wars in Scotland which he was perswaded vnto by aprophecie which told that the English should still be fortunate in conquest so long as his bones were caried in the field The English blood that stained Banocksburne In the great voyage Edward the second made against the Scots at the battell at Striueling neere vnto the riuer of Banocksburne in Scotland where there was in the English campe such banketâ—ing and excesse such riot and misorder that the Scots who in the meane time laboured for aduauntage gaue to the English a great ouerthrow And in the Dead-sea sincke our horses fame From whose c. Mortimer so called of Mare mortuum and in French Mort mer in English the Dead-sea which is said to be where Sodom â—nd Go morra once were before they were destroyed by fire froÌ„ Heauen And for that hatefull sacrilegious sin Which by the Pope he stand◠〈…〉 ursed in Gaustelinus and Lucas two Cardinals sent into England from Pope Clement to appease the auncient hate betweene the King and Thomas Earle of Lancaster to whose Embassie the king seemed to yeeld but after their departure hee went backe from his promises for which he was accursed at Rome Of those industrious Roman Colonies A Colony is a sort or number of people that come to inhabite a place before not inhabited whereby he seemes here to prophecie of the subuersion of the land the Pope ioyning with the power of other Princes against Edward for the breach of his promise Charles by inuasiue Armes againe shall take Charles the French King mooued by the wrong done vnto his sister seiseth the Prouinces which belonged to the King of England into his hands stirred the rather thereto by Mortimer who solicited her cause in France as is expressed before in the other Epistle in the glosse vpon this poynt And those great Lords now after their attaints Canonized among the English Saints After the death of Thomas Earle of Lancaster at Pomfret the people imagined great myracles to be done by his reliques as they did of the body of Bohune earle of Hereford slaine at Borough bridge Finis ⧠To my worthy and honored friend Sir Walter Aston Knight of the Bath SIR though without suspition of flatterie I might in more ample and free tearmes intimate my affection vnto you yet hauing so sensible a taste of your generous and noble aisposition which without this habite of ceremony can estimate my loue I will rather affect bre 〈…〉 though it should seeme my fault than by my tedious complement to trouble mine owne opinion setled in your iudgement and discretion I make you the Patron of this Epistle of the Blacke-Prince which I pray you accept till more easie houres may offer vppe from mee some thing more worthy of your view and my trauell Yours truely deuoted Mich Drayton ¶ Edward the Blacke-Prince to Alice Countesse of Salisbury The Argument Alice Countesse of Salisbury remaining at Roxborough castle in the North in the absence of the earle her husband who was by the Kings commaund sent ouer into Flaunders and there deceased ere his returne This Lady being besieged in her castle by the Scots Edward the Blacke-Prince being sent by the King his father to relieue the north parts with an Armie and to remooue the siege of Roxborough there fell in loue with the Countesse when after she returned to London hee sought by diuers and sundry meanes to winne her to his youthfull pleasures as by forcing the Earle of Kent her father and her mother vnnaturally to become his Agents in his vaine desire where after a long and assured triall of her inuincible constancie hee taketh her to his wife to which end he only frameth this Epistle REceiue these papers from thy wofull Lord With farre more woes than they with wordes are storde Which if thine eie with rashnes do reproue Thei 'le say they came from that imperious loue In euery letter thou maist vnderstand Which loue
so hie So soone transpersed with a womans eie He that a king at Poictiers battell tooke Himselfe led captiue with a wanton looke Twice as a Bride to church I haue bin led Twice haue two Lords enjoyd my Bridale bed How can that beauty yet be vndestroyd That yeeres haue wasted and two men enioyd Or should be thought fit for a Princes store Of which two subiects were possest before Let Spaine let France or Scotland so preferre Their infant Queenes for Englands dowager That bloud should be much more than halfe diuine That should be equall euery way with thine Yet princely Edward though I thus reproue you As mine owne life so deerely doe I loue you My noble husband which so loued you That gentle Lord that reuerend Mountague Nere mothers voyce did please her babe so well As his did mine of you to heare him tell I haue made short the houres that time made long And chaind mine eares vnto his pleasing tong My lips haue waited on your praises worth And snatcht his words ere he could get them forth When he hath spoke and something by the way Hath broke off that he was about to say I kept in minde where from his tale he fell Calling on him the residue to tell Oft he would say how sweet a Prince is he When I haue praisde him but for praising thee And to proceede I would intreate and wooe And yet to ease him help to praise thee too Must she be forcde t'exclaime th'iniurious wrong Offred by him whom she hath lou'd so long Nay I will tell and I durst almost sweare Edward will blush when he his fault shall heare Iudge now that time doth youths desire asswage And reason mildely quencht the fire of rage By vpright iustice let my cause be tride And be thou iudge if I not iustly chide That not my fathers graue and reuerend yeeres When on his knee he beggd me with his teares By no perswasions possibly could winne To free himselfe as guiltlesse of my sinne The woe for me my mother did abide Whose sute but you there 's none would haue denide Your lust full rage your tyranny could stay Mine honours ruine further to delay Haue I ot lou'd you let the truth be showne That still preseru'd your honour with mine owne Had your fond will your foule desires preuailde When you by them my chastitie assailde Though this no way could haue excusde my fault True vertue neuer yeelded to assault Yet what a thing were this it should be said My parents sin should to your charge be laide And I haue gainde my libertie with shame To saue my life made ship wracke of my name Did Roxborough once vaile her towring fane To thy braue ensigue on the Northerne plaine And to thy trumpet sounding from thy tent Often replide as to my succor sent And did receiue thee as my souâ—raigne liege Comming to ayde thou shouldst againe besiege To raise a foâ— but for my treasure came To plant a foe to take my honest name Vnder pretence to haue remou'd the Scot And wouldst haue won more than he could haue got That did ingirt me ready still to flie But thou laidst batt'ry to my chastitie O modestie didst thou me not restraine How I could chide you in this angry vaine A Princes name heauen knowes I doe not craue To haue those honours Edwardâ— spouse should haue Nor by ambitious lures will I be brought In my chaste breast to harbour such a thought As to be worthy to be made a Bride An Empresse place by mighty Edwards side Of all the most vnworthy of that grace To waite on her that should enioy that place But if that loue Prince Edward doth require Equall his vertues and my chaste desire If it be such as we may iustly vaunt A Prince may sue for and a Lady graunt If it be such as may suppresse my wrong That from your vaine vnbrideled youth hath sprong That faith I send that I from you receaue The rest vnto your Princely thoughts I leaue ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Twice as a Bride I haue to Church beene led THe two husbands of which she makes mention obiecting bigamy against herselfe as being therefore not meet to be married with a batcheller-Prince were sir Thomas Holland knight sir Willlam Montague afterward made Earle of Salisbury That not my fathers graue and reuerend yeeres A thing incredible that any Prince should be so vniust to vse the fathers meanes for the corruption of the daughters chastitie though so the historie importeth her father being so honourable and a man of so singular desert though Polidore would haue her thought to be Iane the daughter to Edmund earle of Kent vncle to Edward the third beheaded in the Protectoriship of Mortimer that dangerous aspirer And I haue gainde my libertie with shame Roxborough is a castle in the North mis-termed by Bandello Salisbury castle because the king had giuen it to the Earle of Salisbury in which her Lorde being absent the Countesse by the Scots was besieged who by the comming of the English Armie were remoued Here first the Prince saw her whose libertie had bin gained by her shame had shee bin drawne by dishonest loue to satisfie his appetite but by her most praise-worthy constancie she conuerted that humor in him to an honourable purpose and obtained the true reward of her admired vertues The rest vnto your princely thoughts I leaue Lest any thing be left out which were woorth the relation it shall not be impertinent to annex the opinions that are vttered concerning her whose name is said to haue bin Aclips but that being rejected as a name vnknowne among vs Froisard is rather beleeued who calleth her Alice Polidore contrariwise as before is declared names her Iane who by Prince Edward had issue Edward dying yong and Richard the second king of England thogh as he saith she was diuorced afterwards because within the degrees of consanguinitie prohibiting to many the trueth whereof I omit to discusse her husband the Lord Montague being sent ouer into Flaunders by king Edward was taken prisoner by the French and not returning left his Countesse a widow in whose bed succeeded Prince Edward to whose last and lawsull request the reioycesull Lady sends this louing answere Finis ¶ To the right Honourable and my very good Lord Edward Earle of Bedford THrice noble and my gratious Lord the loue I haue euer borne to the illustrious house of Bedford and to the honourable familie of the Harringtons to the which by marriage your Lordship is happily vnited hath long since deuoted my true and zealous affection to your honourable seruice and my Poems to the protection of my noble Ladie your Countesse to whose seruice I was furst bequeathed by that learnd accomplisht gentleman sir Henry Goodere not long since deceased whose I was whilst hee was whose patience pleased to beare with the imperfections of my heedles and vnstaied youth That excellent and
answering tells me Woe is there And when mine armes would gladly thee enfold I clip the pillow and the place is cold Which when my waking eyes precisely view T is a true token that it is too true As many minutes as in the howres there be So many howres each minute seemes to me Each howre a day morne noone-tide and a set Each day a yeare with miseries complet A winter spring-time summer and a fall All seasons varying but vnseasoned all In endelesse woe my thrid of life thus weares By minutes howres daies months lingring yeares They praise the summer that enioy the South Pomfret is closed in the Norths cold mouth There pleasant summer dwelleth all the yeere Frost-starued-winter dooth inhabite heere A place wherein dispaire may fitly dwell Sorrow best suting with a cloudy Cell When Herford had his iudgement of exile Saw I the peoples murmuring the while Th' vncertaine Commons toucht with inward care As though his sorrowes mutually they bare Fond women and scarse speaking children mourne Bewaile his parting wishing his returne Then being forcde t' abridge his banisht yeeres When they bedewd his footsteps with their teares Yet by example could not learne to know To what his greatnes by this loue might grow Whilst Henry boasts of our atchiuements done Bearing the trophies our great fathers wonne And all the storie of our famous warre Now grace the Annales of great Lancaster Seauen goodly siens in their spring did flourish Which one selfe root brought forth one stock did noâ—ish Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Nature in him her vtmost power did see Who from the bud still blossomed so faire As all might iudge what fruite it meant to beare But I his graft of eu'ry weede ore-growne And from the kind as refuse forth am throwne From our braue Grandsire both in one degree Yet after Edward Iohn the yongst of three Might Princely Wales beget an impe so base That to Gaunts issue should giue soueraigne place That leading Kings from France returned home As those great Caesars brought their spoiles to Rome Whose name obtained by his fatall hand Was euer fearefull to that conquered land His fame increasing purchasde in those warres Can scarcely now be bounded with the starres With him is valour quite to heauen fled Or else in me is it extinguished Who for his vertue and his conquests sake Posteritie a demy god shall make And iudge this vile abiect spirit of mine Could not proceede from temper so diuine What earthly humor or what vulgar eie Can looke so lowe as on our misery When Bullingbrooke is mounted to our throne And makes that his which we but calld our owne Into our counsells he himselfe intrudes And who but Henry with the multitudes His power disgrades his dreadfull frowne disgraceth He throwes them downe whome our aduancement placeth As my disable and vnworthy hand Neuer had power belonging to command He treades our sacred tables in the dust And proues our acts of Parlament vniust As though he hated that it should be saide That such a law by Richard once was made Whilst I deprest before his greatnes lie Vnder the weight of hate and infamie My backe a footstoole Bullingbrooke to raise My loosenes mockt and hatefull by his praise Out-liu'd mine honour buried my estate And nothing left me but the peoples hate Sweet Queene I le take all counsell thou canst giue So that thou bidst me neither hope nor liue Succour that comes when ill hath done his worst But sharpens griefe to make vs more accurst Comfort is now vnpleasing to mine eare Past cure past care my Bed become my Beere Since now misfortune humbleth vs so long Till heauen be growne vnmindfull of our wrong Yet they forbid my wrongs shall euer die But still remembred to posteritie And let the crowne be fatall that he weares And euer wet with woefull mothers teares Thy curse on Percie angry heauens preuent Who haue not one curse left on him vnspent To scourge the world now borrowing of my store As rich of woe as I a King am poore Then cease deere Queene my sorrowes to bewaile My wounds too great for pittie now to heale Age stealeth on whilst thou complainest thus My griefes be mortall and infectious Yet better fortunes thy faire youth may trie That follow thee which still from me doth flie ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Thiâ— tongue which first denounc'd my regall state RIchard the second at the resignation of the crowne to the duke of Herford in the Tower of London deliuering the same with his owne hand there confessed his disabilitie to gouerne vtterly denouncing all kingly authoritie And left'st great Burbon for thy love to me Before the Princesse Isabell was maried to the king Lewes duke of Burbon sued to have had her in marriage which was thought he had obtained if this motion had not fallen out in the meane time This Duke of Burbon sued againe to have received her at her comming into France after the imprisonment of king Richard but King Charles her Father then crost him as before and gave her to Charles sonne to the Duke of Orleans When Herford had his judgement of exile When the combate should have beene at Couentrie betwixt Henrie Duke of Herford and Thomas Duke of Norfolke where Herford was adiudged to banishment for ten yeares the commons exceedingly lamented so greatly was he ever favored of the people Then being forc'd t' abridge his banisht yeeres When the Duke came to take his leave of the King beeing then at Eltham the King to please the Commons rather then for any love he bare to Herford repleaded foure yeares of his banishment Whilest Henry boasts of our atchieuements done Henry the eldest Sonne to Iohn Duke of Lancaster at the first Earle of Darby then created Duke of Herford after the death of the Duke Iohn his father was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford Earle of Darby Leicester and Lincolne and after he had obtained the Crowne was called by the name of Bullingbrooke which is a towne in Lincolneshire as vsually all the Kings of England bare the name of the places where they were borne Seauen goodly syens in their spring did flourish Edward the third had seuen sonnes Edward Prince of Wales after called the blacke Prince William of Hatfield the second Lionell Duke of Clarence the third Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth Edmund of Langley Duke of York the fifth Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Gloster the sixth William of Winsore the seuenth Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Truly boasting himselfe to be the eldest Sonne of Edward the blacke Prince Yet after Edward Iohn the yongst of three As disabling Henry Bullingbrooke being but the son of the fourth brother William and Lionell being both before Iohn of Gaunt That leading Kings from France returned home Edward the blacke Prince taking Iohn king of France prisoner at the battel of Poicters brought him into England where at the Sauoy he died
late duke Humfries old alies With banisht Elnors base complices Attending their reuenge grow wondrous crouse And threaten death and vengeance to our house And I lone the wofull remnant am T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham I pray thee Poole haue care how thou doost passe Neuer the Sea yet halfe so dangerous was And one foretolde by Water thou shouldst die Ah! foule befall that foule tongues prophecie And euery night am troubled in my dreames That I doe see thee tosst in dangerous streames And oft-times shipwrackt cast vpon the land And lying breathlesse on the queachy sand And oft in visions see thee in the night Where thou at Sea maintainst a dangerous fight And with thy proued target and thy sword Beatst backe the pyrate which would come aboord Yet be not angry that I warne thee thus The truest loue is most suspitious Sorrow doth vtter what vs still doth grieue But hope forbids vs sorrovve to belieue And in my counsell yet this comfort is It can not hurt although I thinke amisse Then liue in hope in triumph to returne When cleerer dayes shall leaue in cloudes to mourne But so hath sorrow girt my soule about That that word Hope me thinks comes slowly out The reason is I know it heere vvould rest Where it vvould still behold thee in my breast Farewell sweete Pole faine more I would indite But that my teares doe blot as I do write ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Or brings in Burgoyne to ayde Lancaster PHillip Duke of Burgoyne and his sonne were alwaies great fauorites of the house of Lancaster howbeit they often dissembled both with Lancaster and Yorke Who in the North our lawfull claime commends To win vs credite with our valiant friends The chiefe Lords of the North parts in the time of Henry the fixt withstood the Duke of Yorke at his rising giuing him two great ouerthrowes To that allegeance Yorke was bound by oth To Henries heires and safety of vs both No longer now he meanes Records shall beare it He will dispence with heauen and will vnsweare it The Duke of Yorke at the death of Henry the fift and at this Kings coronation tooke his oth to be true subiect to him and his heires for euer but afterward dispensing therewith claimed the crowne as his rightfull and proper inheritance If three sonnes faile shee 'le make the fourth a King The Duke of Yorke had foure sonnes Edward Earle of March that afterward was Duke of Yorke and King of England when he had deposed Henry the sixt and Edmund Earle of Rutland slaine by the Lord Clifford at the battel at Wakefield and George Duke of Clarence that was murthered in the Tower and Richard Duke of Gloster who was after he had murthered his brothers sonnes King by the name of Richard the third He that 's so like his Dam her yongest Dicke That fowle illfauored crookeback'd Stigmaticke c. Till this verse As though begot an age c. This Richard whom ironically she heere calls Dicke that by treason after his Nephewes murthered obtained the crowne was a man low of stature crooke-back'd the left shoulder much higher then the right and of a very crabbed and sower countenance his mother could not be deliuered of him hee was borne toothd with his feet forward contrary to the course of nature To ouershadow our vermilian Rose The red Rose was the badge of the house of Lancaster and the white Rose of Yorke which by the marriage of Henry the seauenth with Elizabeth indubitate heire of the house of Yorke was happily vnited Or who will muzzell that vnruly beare The Earle of Warwicke the setter vp and puller downe of Kings gaue for his Armes the white Beare rampant and the ragged staffe My Daisie flower which erst perfumde the ayre Which for my fauour Princes once did weare c. The Daisie in French is called Margaret which was Queene Margarets badge where-withall the Nobilitie and chiualrie of the Land at the first arriuall were so delighted that they wore it in their hats in token of honour And who be starres but Warwikes bearded staues The ragged or bearded staffe was a part of the Armes belonging to the Earledome of Warwicke Slandring Duke Rayner with base beggery Rayner Duke of Aniou called himselfe King of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem hauing neither inheritance nor tribute from those parts and was not able at the marriage of the Queene of his owne charges to send her into England though he gaue no dower with her which by the Dutchesse of Glocester was often in disgrace cast in her teeth A Kentish rebell a base vpslart groome This was Iacke Cade which caused the Kentish-men to rebell in the 28. yeere of King Henry the fixth And this is he the white Rose must prefer By Clarence daughter match'd to Mortimer This Iacke Cade instructed by the Duke of Yorke pretended to be descended from Mortimer which married Lady Phillip daughter to the Duke of Clarence And makes vs weake by strengthning Ireland The Duke of Yorke being made Deputy of Ireland first there began to practise his long pretended purpose strengthning himselfe by all meanes possible that hee might at his returne into England by open warre claime that which so long he had priuily gone about to obtaine Great Winchester vntimely is deceasde Henry Benford Bishop and Cardinall of Winchester sonne to Iohn of Gaunt begot in his age was a prowd and ambitious Prelate fauouring mightily the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke continually heaping vp innumerable treasure in hope to haue beene Pope as himselfe on his death-bed confessed With France t' vpbraide the valiant Somerset Edmund Duke of Somerset in the 24. of Henry the sixth was made Regent of France and sent into Normandie to desend the English territories against the French inuasions but in short time he lost all that King Henry the fifth won for which cause the Nobles and Commons euer after hated him T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham Humfrey Duke of Buckingham was a great fauorite of the Queenes faction in the time of Henry the sixt And one sore-told by water thou shouldst die The Witch of Eye receiued answer from her spirit that the Duke of Suffolke should take heede of water which the Queene forwarnes him of as remembring the Witches prophecie which afterwards came to passe Finis To the Right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Munson Knight SIR amongst many which most deseruedly loue you though I the least yet am loth to be the last whose endeuours may make knowne how highly they esteeme of your noble and kinde disposition Let this Epistle Sir I beseech you which vnworthily weares the badge of your worthy name acknowledge my zeale with the rest though much lesse deseruing which for your sake doe honour the house of the Mounsons I know true generositie accepteth what is zealously offred though not euer deseruingly excellent yet for loue of the Art from whence it receiueth resemblance The light Phrigian harmony
the light whereof proceeded from my learned and verie 〈◊〉 friend Maister Francis Thinne Walter of Windsor the â—onne of Oterus had issue William of whom Henry now Lord Windsor is discended and Robert of Windsor of whom Robert the now Earle of Essex and Gerald of Windsor his third sonne who married the daughter of Râ—es the great Prince of Wales of whom came Nesta paraâ—our to Henry the first Which Gerald had issue Maurice Fitz-gerald auncestor to Thomas Fitz-maurice Iustice of Ireland buried at Trayly leauing issue Iohn his eldest sonne first Earle of Kildare ancestor to Geraldine and Maurice his second sonne first earle of Desâ—oond To raisethe mount where Surreys Towers must stand Alludeth to the sumptuous house which was afterward builded by him vpon Leonards hill right against Norwich which in the rebellion of Norffolke vnder Ket inking Edward the 6. time was much defaced by that impure rabble Betvvixt the hil and the Citie as Alexander Neuill describes it the riuer of Yarmouth runs hauing West and South thereof a wood and a little Village called Thorpe and on the North the pastures of Mousholl which containes about sixe miles in length and breadth So that besides the stately greatnes of Mount-Surrey which was the houses name the prospect and site thereof was passing pleasant and commodious and no where else did that encreasing euill of the Norffolke furie enkâ—nnell it selfe but then there as it were for a manifest token of their intent to debase all high things and to prophaneall holy Like Arras worke or other imagerie Such was he whom â—â—uenall taxeth in this manner truncoque similimus Hermae Nullo quippe alâ—o vineis discrimine quamquod Illi marmoreum caput est tua vâ—â—it image Being to be borne for nothing else but apparell and the outward appearance intituled Complement with whom theridiculous fable of the Ape in Esope sorteth fitly who comming into a Caruers house and viewing many Marble workes tooke vp the head of a man very cunningly wrought who greatly in praysing did seeme to pittie it that hauing so comely an outside it had nothing within like emptie figures walke and talke in euery place at whom the noble Geraldine modestly glanceth Finis To the virtuous Lady the Lady Francis Goodere wife to sir Henry Goodere Knight MY very gratious and good Mistris the loue and duety I bare unto your father whilst he liued now after his decease is to your hereditarie to whome by the blessing of your birth he left his vertues Who bequeathed you those which were his gaue you whatsoeuer good is mine as deuoted to his he being gone whome I honoured so much whilest he liued which you may iustly challenge by all lawes of thankefulnesse My selfe hauing beene a witnesse of your excellent education and milde disposition as I may say euer from your Cradle dedicate this Epistle of this vertuous and godly Lady to your selfe so like her in all perfection both of wisedome and learning which I pray you accept till time shall enable me to leaue you some greater monument of my loue M. Drayton The Lady Jane Gray to the Lord Gilford Dudley The Argument After the death of that vertuous young Prince King Edward the sixt the sonne of that famous King Henry the eight Iane the daughter of Henry Gray Duke of Suffolke by the consent of Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland was proclaimed Queene of England being married to Gilford Dudley the fourth sonne of the fore-said Duke of Northumberland which match was concluded by their ambitious fathers who went about by this meanes to bring the Crowne vnto their children and to dispossesse the Princesse Mary eldest daughter to King Henry the eight heire to King Edward her brother Queene Mary rising in Armes to claime her rightfull Crowne taketh the saide Iane Gray and the Lord Gilford her husband being lodged in the Tower for their more safetie which place being lastly their Pallace by this meanes became their prison where being seuered in sundry prisons they write these Epistles one to another MIne own deere Lord sith thou art lockt froÌ„ mee In this disguise my loue must steale to thee Since to renue all loues all kindnesse past This refuge scarcely left yet this the last My Keeper comming I of thee enquire Who with thy greeting answers my desire Which my tongue willing to returne againe Griefe stops my words and I but striue in vaine Wherewith amazde away in haste he goes When throgh my lips my hart thrusts forth my woes Whenas the dores that make a dolefull sound Driue backe my words that in the noise are drownd Which somewhat hush'd the Eccho doth record And twice or thrice reiterates my word When like an aduerse winde in Isis course Against the tide bending his boistrous force But when the flood hath wrought it selfe about He following on doth head-long thrust it out Thus striue my fighes with teares e're they begin And breaking out againe sighes driue them in A thousand formes present my troubled thought Yet proue abortiue when they forth are brought The depth of woe with words wee hardely sound Sorrow is so insensibly profound As teares do fall and rise sighes come and goe So do these numbers ebbe so do they flow These briny teares do make my incke looke pale My incke clothes teares in this sad mourning vaile The letters mourners weepe with my dim eye The paper pale grieu'd at my misery Yet miserable our selues why should we deeme Sith none is so but in his owne esteeme Who in distresse from resolution flies Is rightly said to yeelde to miseries They which begot vs did beget this sin They first begun what did our griefe begin we tasted not t' was they which did rebell Not our offence but in their fall we fell They which a crowne would to my Lord haue linckt All hope of life and liberty extinct A subiect borne a Soueraigne to haue beene Hath made me now nor subiect nor a Queene Ah vile ambition how doost thou deceiue vs which shew'st vs heauen and yet in hell doost leaue vs Seldome vntouch'd doth innocence escape when error commeth in good counsailes shape A lawfull title countercheckes prowd might The weakest things become strong props to right Then my deere Lord although affliction grieue vs Yet let our spotlesse innocence relieue vs. Death but an acted passion doth appeare where truth giues courage and the conscience cleere And let thy comfort thus consist in mine That I beare part of whatsoe're is thine As when we liude vntouch'd with these disgraces whenas our kingdome was our deere embraces At Durham Pallace where sweete Hymen sang whose buildings with our nuptiall musicke rang when Prothalamions praisde that happy day wherein great Dudley match'd with noble Gray when they deuisde to lincke by wedlockes band The house of Suffolke to Northumberland Our fatall Dukedome to your Dukedome bound To frame this building on so weake a ground For what auailes a lawlesse vsurpation which giues a Scepter but
bleede O let the graue my innocency hold Ere of a King so heynous sinne be told Vttering my minde my sorrow to asswage The heauy burthen of my pensiue breast The poison now that inwardly did rage The present vigor forcibly exprest Me no way suffering to declare the rest Longer for him t' was now no time to stay And death call'd on to hasten me away Thus in my closet being left alone Vpon the floore vncomfortably lying The deede committed and the murtherer gone Almost arriued at the point of dying Some of the sisters me by chance espying Calls all the rest that in most wofull plight Came to behold this miserable sight Where like a rose by an vnkindly blast Mongst many buds that round about it grow The withered leaues improsp'rously doth cast Yet all the rest their soueraigne beauties show Amidst this goodly sisterhood euen so Nipt with cold death vntimely did I fade Whilst they about me pitteous wailing made When as my poore soule in hir suddaine flight Neglects the organ of each severall sense with all that horror could the same affright Being disturbed in her parting hence Onely constrained for her best defence Vnto her spotlesse innocence to take her Which her not leaues when all the rest forsake her VVhen all our pleasures are but childrens toyes And as meere shadowes presently do passe As yeares encreasing waning are our ioyes As we forget our fauours in a glasse Euen as a tale of that which neuer was Death our delights continually doth seuer Vertue alone abandoneth vs neuer And now my spirit thus liberally enlargde By gently flitting from this earthly roome The debt to Nature faithfully dischargde And at the howre conditiond on my toombe Such is the heauens ineuitable doombe Me Baynards Castle to the earth did bring D 〈…〉 againe my place of burying Now scarsly was my breathlesse body cold But euery where my tragedy was spred For tatling Fame in euery place had told My resolution being lately dead Ruing my blood so prodigally shed And to my father flies with this mischance Which then remained in the Court of Frarce His losse too great to be bewailde with teares Nor were there found wordes to expresse his woe Terror it selfe so settled in his eares No more might enter nothing out might goe O while againe should griefe distract me 〈◊〉 Enough of sorrow is already showne And telling his renewing of mine owne Me t' shall suffise my fortunes to relate And beare the burthen of my proper ill If I expresse my pittifull estate T is all I aske and I obtaine my will For whie true sorrow needes not others skill It is too much the bitternesse we taste vvithout remembrance when the same is past Somesaie the King repentant for this deede vvhenas remorce to thoughts thereof him draue Poorely disguised in a Pilgrimes weede Offered his teares on my vntimely graue For which no doubt but heauen his sinne forgaue And did thereby my grieued spirite appease Hâ—â—â—â—ing contrite I happly at ease Thus tolde my storie I my state deuise To you sweete Madam fitt'st with you to râ—st vvhich do my vertues daily exercise That be impressed in your patient breast By whome alone I rightliest am exprest For whom my praise it grieues me is too scant Whose happie name an Epethite shall want Then most deere Lady for a maidens sake To shead one teare if gently you but daine For all my wrongs it full amends may make And be my passe to the Elizian plaine In your chastâ— eies such powre there doth remainâ— As can th' afflicted prosprously deliuer Happy be they may looke vpon them euer FINIS The Legend of Pierce Gaueston FRom gloomy shadowes of eternall night Shut vp in darkenes where I long did dwell O heere beholde me miserable wight Lastly inuokt my tragedie to tell Giue me then leaue my sorrowes to impart Somewhat to ease my poore afflicted hart Goddesse of Artes and Armes Pallas diuine Let thy bright fawchion lend me Cipresse bughes Be thou assisting to this Poet of mine With funerall wreathes incompassing his browes Pittying my case when none would heare me weep To tell my sorrowes layes his owne to sleepe And mournefulst maiden of the sacred Nine That balefull sounds immoueably doost breathe With thy swolne visage and thy blubbred eine I vnto thee my sad complaints bequeathe Matter that yeelds sufficient for thy glorie If thou exactly prosecute my storie Tell how the starres my wandring state did guide Th'unconstant turnes of euerie changing houre Of manie a lowe ebbe manie as high a tide Manie a smoothe calme manie a stormie showre The height whereto I lastly did ascend My strange beginning and my fatall end When Edward sate vpon the English throne Long-shankes that so victoriously did raigne First of that name and second vnto none In all to knighthoode euer did pertaine My life begunne and then begunne my blisse Euen in those daies those happie daies of his So much did vertue gratious harts inflame Promotion then not purchased with golde And in those times he that desired fame Bought it of them that it full deerely solde Hatefull excesse so much did not deuoure Lawes had lesse force and honesty more powre And since that time so violently prayes Vpon those ages that euen holiest bee Let me remember those more happie daies In these sad houres my grieued eies doe see With greater griefe that makes me these deplore When I doe thinke of those that were before And Muse to thee I sadly then appeale Since thou my life wilt needâ—ly haue me show That I by thee may faithfully reueale Euen what the most inquisitiue would know Whilst that my soule heere bodied did abide In the vaine world that pampred mein pride From Gascony our name and our descent Of which my father naturally was borne In all his warres that with king Edward went To him a 〈…〉 ege man and a souldier sworne And in his country ventred his estate To follow him that seemd to gouerne fate Whose trust that great king highly did imploy And neare his person tooke him for the same Who with my selfe but then a little boy Vnto the Court of famous England came Whereas the King for seruice he had done Made me a page vnto the Prince his sonne In me what shape that man 's did not excel Where euery part such harmony did beate As in this modell Nature seemd to tell T' was not perfection if it were not there As euery age reseru'd his rarest feature Thereof to make so excellent a creature My lookes the powrefull adamants to loue Which vnto them attracted euery sight With which the same was fixed or did moue As svmpathizing naturally delight That where my thoughts intended to surprise I at my pleasure conqu'red with mine eies If euen the best in Paintings curious art In some rare peece his workemanship should show Imag 〈…〉 on helping with her part vvâ—â—n th' hand had done the vtmost it could doe Vnto that bodie modelling a
house of the Mortimers that noble and couragious familie That still so long as Borrough beares that name The Queene remembreth the great ouerthrow giuen to the Barrons by Andrew Herckley Earle of Carlil at Borrough bridge after the battaile at Burton And Torlton now whose counsells should direct This was Adam Torlton Bishop of Herford that great Polititiā who so highly fauored the faction of the Queene Mortimer whose euil counsel afterward wroght the destruction of the king Mortimer to Queene Isabell AS thy salutes my sorrowes do adiourne So backe to thee their interest I turne Though not in so great bounty I confesse As thy heroicke princely lines expresse For how should comfort issue from the breath Of one condemn'd and long lodg'd vp in death From murthers rage thou didst me once repriue Now in exile my hopes thou doost reuiue Twice all was taken twice thou all didst giue And thus twice dead thou mak'st me twice to liue This double life of mine your onely due You gaue to me I gaue it backe to you Ne're my escape had I aduentur'd thus As did the sky-attempting Daedalus And yet to giue more safetie to my flight Haue made a night of day a day of night Nor had I backt the prowd aspiring wall Which held without my hopes within my fall Leauing the cords to tell where I had gone For gazing eyes with feare to looke vpon But that thy beautie by a power diuine Breath'd a new life into this spirit of mine Drawne by the Sunne of thy celestiall eyes With fiery wings made passage through the skies The heauens did seeme the charge of me to take And sea and land be friend me for thy sake Thames stopt her tide to make me way to go As thou hadst charg'd her that it should be so The hollow marmuring windes their due time kept As they had rock'd the world while all things slept One billow bore me and another draue me This stroue to helpe me and that stroue to saue me The brisling reedes mou'd with the aire did chide me As they would tell me that they meant to hide me The pale-fac'd night beheld thy heauy cheere And would not let one little starre appeare But ouer all her smokie maptle hurl'd And in thicke vapors mu 〈…〉 d vp the world And the pure ayre became so calme and still As it had beene obedient to my will And euery thing disposde vnto my rest As when on Seas the Alcion buildes her nest When those rough waues which late with furie rusht Slide smoothely on and suddainely are husht Nor Neptune lets his surges out so long As Nature is in bringing forth her yong Nor let the Spencers glory in my chance That I should liue an exile heere in France That I from England banished should be But England rather banished from me More were her want France our great blood should beare Then Englands losse should be to Mortimer My grandsire was the first since Arthurs raigne That the Round-table rectifide againe To whose great Court at Kenelworth did come The peerelesse knighthood of all Christendome Whose princely order honoured England more Then all the Conquests she atchiu'd before Neuer durst Scot set foote in English ground Nor on his backe did English beare a wound Whilst Wigmore flourisht in our princely hopes And whilst our Ensigne march'd with Edwards troups Whilst famous Longshankes bones in Fortunes scorne As sacred reliques to the field were borne Nor euer did the valiant English doubt Whilst our braue battailes guarded them about Nor did our wiues and wofull mothers mourne The English blood that stained Banocksburne Whilst with his Minions sporting in his Tent Whole daies and nights in banquetting were spent Vntill the Scots which vndersafegard stood Made lauish hauocke of the English blood And battered helmes lay scattered on the shore Where they in conquest had beene borne before A thousand kingdomes will we seeke from far As many Nations waste with ciuill war Where the disheuel'd gastly Sea-nimph sings Or well-rigd ships shall stretch their swelling wings And drag their ankors through the sandy fome About the world in euery clime to rome And those vnchristned Countries call our owne Where scarce the name of England hath bin knowne And in the dead-sea sinke our houses fame From whose sterne waues we first deriu'd our name Before fowle blacke-mouth'd infamy shall sing That Mortimer e're stoop'd vnto a King And we will turne sterne-visag'd furie backe To seeke his spoile who sought our vtter sacke And come to beard him in our natiue Ile E're he march forth to follow our exile And after all these boistrous stormie shockes Yet will we grapple with the chaulkie rockes Nor will we come like Pirates or like the eues From mountaines forrests or sea-bordering Cleeues But fright the ayre with terror when we come Of the sterne trumpet and the bellowing drum And in the field aduance our plumy Crest And march vpon faire Englands flowrie breast And Thames which once we for our life did swim Shaking our dewy tresses on her brim Shall beare my nauie vaunting in her pride Falling from Tanet with the powerfull tide Which fertile Essex and faire Kent shall see Spreading herflags along the pleasant lee When on her stemming poope she prowdly beares The famous Ensignes of the Belgicke Peeres And for the hatefull sacrilegious sinne Which by the Pope he stands accursed in The Canon text shall haue a common glosse Receits in parcels shall be paide in grosse This doctrine preachde who from the Church doth take At least shall trebble restitution make For which Rome sends her curses out from farre Through the sterne throte of terror-breathing warre Till to th' vnpeopled shores she brings supplies Of those industrious Roman Colonies And for his homage by the which of olde Prowd Edward Guyne and Aquitaine doth hold Charles by inuasiue armes againe shall take And send the English forces o're the lake When Edwards fortune stands vpon this chance To loose in England or expulsde from France And all those townes great Longshankes left his sonne Now lost againe which once his father wonne Within their strong percullizde Ports shall lie And from their walls his sieges shall defie And by that firme and vndissolued knot Betwixt their neighboring French and bordring Scot Bruse now shall bring his Red-shanks from the seas From th'Iled Oreads and the Hebrydes And to his westerne hauens giue free passe To land the warlike Irish Galiglasse Marching from Tweede to swelling Humber sands Wasting along the Northerne netherlands And wanting those which should his power sustaine Consumde with slaughter in his bloody raigne Our warlike sword shall driue him from his throne Where he shall lie for vs to treade vpon And those great lords now after their attaints Canonized amongst the English Saints And by the superstitious people thought That by their Reliques miracles are wrought And thinke that flood much vertue doth retaine Which tooke the blood of famous Bohun slaine Continuing
Whose name atchieued by his fatall hand Called the Blacke Prince not so much of his complexion as of the famous battell he fought as is shewed before in the glosse vpon the Epistle of Edward to the Countesse of Salisbury And prooues our Actes of Parlement vniust In the text parlement after Richards resignation of the crown Henry caused to be annihilated all the lawes made in the Parliament called the wicked Parliament held in the twenty yeere of king Richards raigne Finis To sir Iohn Swinerton Knight and one of the Aidermen of the Citie of London VOrthy Sir so much mistrust I my owne abilitie to doe the least right to your vertues that I could gladly wish any thing that is truely mine were woorthy to beare your name so much reucrend Sir I esteeme you and so ample interest haue you in my loue To some honourable friends haue I deaicated these Poemes with whom I ranke you may I escape prejumption Like not this Britaine the worse though after some former Impressions he be lastly to 〈…〉 crated in this like an honest man that would part 〈…〉 his owne woorth before he would presume his 〈…〉 ronage with whom you shall euer commaund my 〈◊〉 and haue my best wishes That loue you truely Mich Drayton Queene Katharine to Owen Tudor The Argument After the death of that victorious Henry the fift Queene Katharine the Dowager of England and France daughter to Charles the French King holding her estate with Henry her sonne then the fixt of that name falleth in loue with Owen Tuder a Welchman a braue and gallant Gentleman of the Wardrobe to the yong King her son yet grently fearing if her loue shoulde be discouered the Nobilitie woulde crosse her purposed marriage or fearing that if her faire and princely promises should not assure his good successe this high and great attempt might perhappes daunt the forwardnesse of his modest and shamefast youth wherefore to breake the ice to her intent she writeth vnto him this Epistle following IVdge not a Princesse worth impeacht hereby That loue thus triumphs ouer maiestie Nor thinke lesse vertue in this royall hand Which now intreates that wonted to command For in this sort though humbly now it wooe The day hath beene thou wouldst haue kneeld vnto Not thinke that this submission of my state Proceedes from frailtie rather iudge it fate Alcides ne're more fit for warres sterne shocke Then when for loue sate spinning at the rocke Neuer lesse cloudes did Phoebus glory dim Then in a clownes shape when he couered him Ioues great commaund was neuer more obeyd Than when a Satyres anticke parts he playd He was thy king that sued for loue to mee Shee is thy Queene that sues for loue to thee When Henry was what 's Tuders now was his Whilst yet thou arte what 's Henries Tuders is My loue to Owen him my Henry giueth My loue to Henry in my Owen liueth Henry woode me whilst warres did yet increase I wooe my Tuder in sweet calmes of peace To force affection he did conquest proue I fight with gentle arguments of loue Incampt at Melans in warres hote alarmes First saw I Henry clad in princely armes At pleasant Windsore first these eies of mine My Tuder iudgde for wit and shape diuine Henry abroade with pâ—issance and with force Tuder at home with courtship and discourse He then thou now I hardly can iudge whether Did like me best Plantaginet or Tether A march a measure battell or a daunce A courtly rapier or a conquering launce His princely bed hath strengthned my renowne And on my temples set a double crowne Which glorious wreathe as Henries lawfull heire Henry the sixt vpon his brow doth beare At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy My Brydall rites to England brought from Troy In England now that honour thou shalt haue Which once in Champaine famous Henry gaue I seeke not wealth three kingdomes in my power If these suffice not where shall be my dower Sad discontent may euer follow her Which doth base pelfe before true loue prefer If titles still could our affections tie What is so great but Maiestie might buy As I seeke thee so Kings do me desire To what they would thou easily mai'st aspire That sacred fire once warmde my heart before The fuell fit the flame is now the more And meanes to quench it I in vaine do proue We may hide treasure but not hide our loue And since it is thy fortune thus to gaine it It were too late nor will I now restraine it Nor these great titles vainely will I bring Wife daughter mother sister to a King Of grandsire father husband sonne and brother More thou alone to me then all the other Nor feare my Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne great Lancastrian line Nor stir the English blood the Sunne and Moone T'repine at Lorame Burbon A lansoon Nor do I thinke there is such different ods They should alone be numbred with the Gods Of Cadmus earthly issue reckoning vs And they from Ioue Mars Neptune Eolus Of great Latonas of-spring onely they And we the brats of wofull Niobe Our famous grandsires as their owne bestride That horse of fame that God begotten steede Whose bounding hoofe plow'd that Boetian spring Where those sweete maides of memory do sing Not onely Henries Queene but boast as well To be the childe of Charles and Isabell Nor do I know from whence their grief should grow They by this match should be disparag'd so When Iohn and Longshankes issue both affied And to the Kings of Wales in wedlocke tied Shewing the greatnesse of your blood thereby Your race and royall consanguinity And Wales as well as haughty England boasts Of Camilot and all her Penticosts A nephewes roome in great Pendragons race At Arthurs Table held a princely place If by the often conquest of your land They boast the spoiles of their victorious hand If these our antient Chronicles be true They altogether are not free from you When bloodie Rufus sought your vtter sacke Twice entring Wales yet twice was beatenbacke When famous Cambria wash'd her in the flood Made by th' effusion of the English blood And oft returnde with glorious victory From Worster Herford Chester Shrowesbury Whose power in euery conquest so preuailes As once expulsde the English out of Wales Although my beautie made my Countries peace And at my Bridall former broyles did cease Yet more then power had not his person beene I had not come to England as a Queene Nor tooke I Henry to supply my wont Because in France that time my choice was scant When he had robde all Christendome of men And Englands flower remainde amongst vs then Gloster whose counsells Nestor-like assist Couragious Bedford that great martiallist Clarence for vertue honoured of his foes And Yorke whose fame yet daily greater growes Warwicke the pride of Neuels haughty race Great Salebury so fearde in euery place That valiant Poole whom no atchieuement
at Bosworth field a braue and gallant Gentleman who was slaine by Richard there this was father to this Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke FINIS To my most deere friend Maister Henry Lucas sonne to Edward Lucas Esquire SIR to none haue I beene more beholding then to your kinde parents for I must truly confesse aboue the measure of my deserts Many there be in England of whom for some particularity I might iustly chalenge greater merit had I not beene borne in so euill an howre as to be poisoned with that gaule of ingratitude to your selfe am I ingaged for many more curtesies then I imagined could euer haue beene found in one of so few yeeres nothing doe I more desire then that those hopes of your toward and vertuous youth may proue so pure in the fruit as they are faire in the bloome long may you liue to their comfort that loue you most and may I euer wish you the encrease of all good fortunes Yours euer Mich Drayton Henry Howard Earle of Surrey to Geraldine The Argument Henry Howard that true noble Earle of Surrey and excellent Poet falling in loue with Geraldine descended of the noble family of the Fitzgeralds of Ireland a faire and modest Lady and one of the honourable maides to Queene Katherine Dowager eternizeth her praises in many excellent Poemes of rare and sundry inuentions and after some few yeares being determined to see that famous Italy the source and Helicon of all excellent Arts first visiteth that renowned Florence from whence the Geralds challenge their descent from the antient family of the Geraldi there in honour of his Mistresse be aduanceth her picture and challengeth to maintaine her beautie by deedes of Armes against all that durst appeare in the lists where after the proofe of his braue and incomparable valour whose arme crowned her beauty with eternall memory he writeth this Epistle to his deerest Mistresse FRom learned Florence long time rich in fame From whence thy race thy noble grandsires came To famous England the kinde nurse of mine Thy Surrey sends to heauenly Geraldine Yet let not Thuscan thinke I do her vvrong That I from thence write in my natiue tongue That in these harsh-tun'd cadences I sing Sitting so neare the Muses sacred spring But rather thinke her selfe adorn'd thereby That England reades the praise of Italie Though to the Thuscan I the smoothnes grant Our dialect no Maiestie doth want To set thy prayses in as hie a key As Fraunce or Spaine or Germanie or they That day I quit the Fore-land of faire Kent And that my ship her course for Flanders bent Yet thinke I with how many a heauie looke My leaue of England and of thee I tooke And did intreat the tide if it might be But to conuey me one sigh backe to thee Vp to the decke a billow lightly skips Taking my sigh and downe againe it slips Into the gulfe it selfe it headlong throwes And as a post to England-ward it goes As I sit wondring how the rough seas stird I might farre off perceiue a little bird Which as she faine from shore to shore would flie Hath lost her selfe in the broad vastie skie Her feeble wing beginning to deceiue her The sâ—aâ— of life still gaping to bereaue her Vnto the ship she makes which she discouers And there poore foole a while for refuge houers And when at length her flagging pinion failes Panting she hangs vpon the ratling sailes And being forc'd to loose her hold with paine Yet beaten off she straight lights on againe And tosst with flaws with storms with wind with wether Yet still departing thence stil turneth thether Now with the poope now with the prow doth beare Now on this side now that now here now there Me thinkes these stormes should be my sad depart The seely helplesse bird is my poore bart The ship to which for succour it repaires That is your selfe regardlesse of my cares Of euery surge doth fall or waue doth rise To some one thing I sit and moralize When for thy loue I left the Belgicke shore Diuine Erasmus and our famous Moore Whose happy presence gaue me such delight As made a minute of a winters night With whom a while I staide at Roterdame Now so renowned by Erasmus name Yet euery houre did seeme a world of time Till I had seene that soule-reuiuing clime And thought the foggy Netherlands vnfit A watry soyle to clogge a fiery wit And as that wealthy Germany I past Comming vnto the Emperours court at last Great learnd Agrippa so profound in Art Who the infernall secrets doth impart When of thy health I did desire to know Me in a glasse my Geraldine did shew Sicke in thy bed and for thou couldst not sleepe By a waxe tapâ—r set thy light to keepe I doe remember thou didst reade that Ode Sent backe whilst I in Thanet made abode Where as thou cam'st vnto the word of loue Euen in thine eies I sawe how passion stroue That snowy lawne which couered thy bed Me thought lookt white to see thy cheeke so red Thy rosie cheeke oft changing in my sight Yet still was red to see the lawne so white The little Taper which should giue thee light Me thought waxt dim to see thy eie so bright Thine eie againe supplies the Tapers turne And with his beames doth make the taper burne The shrugging ayre about thy Temple hurles And wraps thy breath in little clowded curles And as it doth ascend it strait doth ceaze it And as it sinks it presently doth raise it Canst thou by sicknes banish beautie so Which if put from thee knowes not where to goe To make her shift and for her succour seeke To euery riueld face each bankrupt cheeke If health preseru'd thou beautie still doost cherish If that neglected beauty soone doth perish Care drawes on care woe comforts woe againe Sorrow breeds sorrow one griefe brings forth twaine If liue or die as thou doost so doe I If liue I liue and if thou die I die One hart one loue one ioy one griefe one troth One good one ill one life one death to both If Howards blood thou holdst as but too vile Or not esteemst of Norsfolkes Princely stile If Scotlands coate no marke of fame can lend That Lion placde in our bright siluer bend Which as a trophie beautifies our shield Since Scottish bloud discoloured Floden field When the prowd Cheuiot our braue Ensigne beare As a rich iewell in a Ladies haire And did faire Bramstons neighbouring valies choke With clouds of Canons fire disgorged smoke Or Surreys Earledom insufficient be And not a dower so well contenting thee Yet am I one of great Apollos heires The sacred Muses chalenge me for theirs By Princes my immortall lines are sung My flowing verses grac'd with euery tung The little children when they learne to go By painfull mothers daded to and fro Are taught by sâ—gred numbers to â—â—heaâ—sâ— And haue their sweet-lips season'd with my verse When heauen