The Flovver Of Fame Containing the bright Renowne moste fortunate raigne of King Henry the viii Wherein is mentioned of matters by the rest of our Cronographers ouerpassed Compyled by Ulpian Fulwell ¶ Hereunto is annexed by the Aucthor a short treatice of iii. noble and vertuous Queenes And a discourse of the worthie seruice that was done at Hadington in Scotlande the seconde yere of the raigne of king Edward the sixt Viuit post funera virtus 1575. Imprinted at London in Fleete streate at the Temple gate by VVilliam Hoskins To the ryght honorable and his singuler good lorde sir William Cecill Baron of Burghleygh Knight of the moste noble order of the Garser Lorde high Treasorer of Englande master of the courtes of wardes and Liueries Chauncellour of the Uniuersitie of Cambridge and one of the Queenes Maiesties priuie Counsaile Ulpian Fullwell wisheth long health with encrease of honor BEeing at stryse with my selfe Right honorable whether I might presume to exhibite the dedication of this my vnpolished labour vnto your good Lordship or not I was as oft abashed as I vewed the homelinesse of my style and eftsons vtterly discomfited But contrary wise while I considered with my selfe as it were waying in the other Balaunce your noble nature in accepting the good will of the geeuer aboue the valure of the gift I am againe recomforted And in the ende of this conflict the noble curtesie of your honour wonne in mee the victorie whereupon I was not onely enboldened my self humbly to desyre your L. Patronage but also as muche as in mee laye encouraged my Aucthour master Edmunde Harman to offer vnto you the grosse fruites of this our labours The matter meriteth the Pen of the best writer although it hath nowe happened to the handes of an vneloquent Compyler But if it may please your honour to accept the protection hereof I doubt not but bothe the matter and the worthinesse of the Patrone will stirre vp some of exquisite skill to furnishe my defect by the renuyng of this my begonne attempt VVhich I confesse to be by mee taken in hande more willingly then wittilye respecting more the truthe of the woorkes then the eloquence of wordes Thus ceasing to trouble your good Lordship any longer at this present with my rough and ragged style In moste humble wise I submit my selfe and this my sclender trauaile vnto your honour praying allmightie God to preserue and prosper you in all your noble affaires to the great comfort of this Realme Your honours most humble Vlpian Fulwell A Table of the contents of this booke A Commendations of King Henries noble vertues Fol. 1 A Resitall of King Henries fortunate raigne 2 A briefe discourse of the vnyting the two noble houses of Lancaster and Yorke From whych vnyted house King Henrye was the first kinge that proceaded 4 Of the Battaile fought at Bosworth betweene King Henry the seuenth and king Richarde 8 Of the byrth of King Henry the eyght 10 Of King Henry the eyght in the tyme of his minoritie 12 Of his ryding to the Tower of London before his Coronation 13 Of his Coronation 14 Of the winning of Turwin and Turney 16 The Historie of King Iames of Scotlande that was slayne at Branxston fielde And of his lamentation 22 The Historie of King Iamies sonne who after the death of his father was king of Scottes being but a chylde That tooke his death after the ouerthrowe of his menne at Solomos and of his Complaint 24 How the Kinges of England and of Fraunce met at Morguison An. 1532. 29 Of the winning of Bullaine 32 Of the death of King Henry the eight 36 An Epitaph of his death 37 A Treatice of iii. noble vertuous Queenes 39 The Historie of the noble seruice that was at Hadington in Scotlande 49 A Commendation of the English Souldiers that serued at this siege of Hadington with the Capitaines names as neare as coulde be called to remembraunce 56 To the frindly Reader Vlpian Fullwell wisheth health THE wyse sage Philosopher Solon noting the insolencie of Cressus who esteemed him self the happiest man lyuing because of his abundant welth tolde him that no man is to bee reputed happie during his lyfe tyme because he knoweth not whether it shall ende with renowne or infamie Concluding hereby that a goodly lyfe a godly death maketh a perfect happie man. Nowe seing our late soueraigne Lorde Kynge Henrye the eyghth hath hit the marke of trewe felicitie and wonne the game of ioyfull immortalitie what ruthe were it that so singuler an example shoulde not be recorded in the golden booke of perpetuall Fame His noble lyfe his Godly proceedinges his inuicted raygne his fortunate successe his whole race of lyfe and ende of the same deserueth to be engraued in letters of pure Golde If Alexander the myghtie Monarche of Macedon was offended with a Schoolemaster in whose Schoole he founde not the fame of Vlisses written by Homer howe much more maye wee deeme he woulde checke and reproue all Englyshe Gentlemen that laye not before their faces the booke of King Henryes lyfe if he were nowe amongst vs But happely it will be sayd vnto mee Sir if you weare as good an Englyshe Poet as Homer was in Greeke or if the worthinesse of your style were comparable to the matter wee would the better esteeme of your woorke If that bee thy obiection gentle Reader I cannot excuse my selfe For I confesse I haue not the gifte of flowing eloquence neyther can I enterlace my phrase with Italian termes nor powder my style with frenche Englishe or Inkhorne Rhethoricke neyther cowche my matter vnder a cloake of curious inuentions to feede the daintie eares of delicate yonkers And as I cannot So if I could I woulde not For I see that manye men are so affected with these premisses that manye good matters are obscured the Aucthors encombred the woorkes but meanely commended and the Reader deceaued For while he coueteth to come to the purpose he is lead amasked in the wylde Desert of circumstance and digression seeking farre and finding little feeding his humor on pleasant woordes of slender wayght guyded or rather giddyed with plaucible eloquence I do not herein condempne neither discomende the noble Science of Rhethorike nor the eloquent Rhethoritian but rather wishe that excellent skill to be employed onlye on such matters as may both commende the speaker and the thing spoken or the writer and the thing written hauing alwayes the cheefe respect to tyme place For as it would sounde verye absurde to the eares of the skilfull Musitian to heare a gallyard or any other daunce playde on the solemne Organs So no lesse contrarie is it to daunce after an Hymn or other cunning voluntarie Thus gentle Reader I desyre at thy handes that thou accept the matter beare with my crabbed meeter Considering well that often tymes is founde good graffes vppon a Crab tree stocke Take then the fruite and accepte my good will. And if
thou list bestowe anye fyling vpon the roughnes of my phrase I shall bee beholding vnto thee If not yet shall my desyre be satisfied with thy good worde Vlpianus Fulwell Vlpian Fulwell to his Booke WHen lustie Ver beginnes to decke eche bushe and bowe with greene And Flora faire in flaunting wise is gorgeous to be seene Then Natures Impes tryumphes with ioy till horie Hyemps frowne Whose frostie face with blastes bedewde Turnes all these vpsy downe His stormie stoutnesse dryues the byrdes their warbling notes to seace He keepes as captiue flowers faire till spring do them releace Yet can his vysage not preuaile The Flower of Fame to vade Whose growing greene shall not be shutt in griesely winters shade As Hedera with hawtie head doth scorne syr Boreas blast Euen so this pierlesse Flower of Fame shall stande as firme and fast Out of which stately Blossom breedes a Bud of Eglentine Whose worthinesse adornes the stocke of natures noble lyne Not euery whiffling taunting wynde that flyes from scornefull tong Sall shake the stalke ne yet the Flower to do it any wrong For why my booke thy Patrons name Such noble sownde doth yelde That thou maist thinke thy selfe well bleste to shrowde vnder his shielde Before whose feete wee bothe will lye and hope such grace to fynde That wee with ioye may passe abrode to please thy Readers mynde Which thing God graunt In Vlpiani Fulwelli operis laudem Richardi Coppoci Carmen SI tibi cognitio rerum si nuntia veri Possideant aliquem pectore pressa locum Si studium pacis seu te laus inclyta belli Incitet huc celerem ferto referto pedem Hic res non rerum species hic viuida virtus Hic flos conspicuus conspicienda ferens Non hic aiacis flos est Telamone creati Qui domino dignum nil nisi nomen habet Nec flos quo Phaebus genutus inscripsit acerbos Cum suus Oebalides morte peremptus erat Sed flos hic famae merito regalis habendus Henrici octaui regia facta ferens Fulwello meritas igitur persoluite grates Florem virtutis praemia iusta manent The Flovver of Fame A manifest description of king Henryes noble vertues PRepare your pennes ye Poets fyne Your wittes curious heddes now showe In fyled phraes of flowing ryme Your stately styles do ye bestow On hym whose fame ryght farre doth flye and lodged is in starrie Skye To whome whyle lyfe in corps did laste The myghtie Ceasar would geue place The conquerors of worldes past may yelde vnto Kyng Henryes grace whose onely name was such a shield As feard his forrein foes in field His kyngly Maiestie was such As ioyed eche faithfull subiects hart And Rebells proude he foret to couch By dint of Sworde to feele the smart A second Alexander hee In valianties appeerde to bee And that which Princes best beseemes Gods glorie he did much aduaunce Repressing Error that had bene of many yeres continuaunce This was his cheefe ioy and delyght Whereby Gods gospell shyneth bryght His carefull hed in this respect A chaire of state in heauen hath woon Where he soiurnes with the elect A mate with heauenly fathers sonne whose seat is set in lasting blisse and crownd with crowne that endlesse is The fower Vertues were so well within his sacred brest yfraught Too simple is my pen to tell the giftes that nature to him taught My skillesse quill is farre too bace To paint the prudence of his grace A Salomon for Godly witt A Solon for his constant mynde A Sampson when he list to hit the furye of his foes vnkynde Unto his fryndes a gentill Lam A Prince that loude a valyant man. Whome God by dyuers meanes did blesse As one well worthie of the same With victorie for to represse His enemies to his great fame And many yeres to rule and raine To Englandes ioy to Scotlandes paine Yea and a blessing more then this That doth ryght farre surmount the rest Which is to English hartes a blisse wherewith this happie Realme is blest His daughter doth him so reuyue as though the Father were alyue In whome such vertues rare are seene As makes farre countreis maruaile much That shee a virgin and a Queene In godlynes and wit is such Though lyfe from father be exylde His giftes are left vnto his chylde As worthie Prince by due discent The regall Scepter for to guyde And Christ his foes for to preuent By Godly zeale shee doth prouyde The fathers steppes shee treades so ryght As doth eche English harte delyght So that though Royall Henry bee Returnde to earth from whence he came Elizabeth yet may we see doth bewtifie her fathers fame Whome God preserue in Regall seat Til Nestors yeres be full complete A briefe resitall of king Henryes Fortunate raigne AMong the most fortunate kynges Princes that euer raigned let the Fortunes of king Henrie the eyght haue a speciall place whose happie successe in all his affaires was comparable vnto the euents of the mightie conquetor kyng Phillips sonne of Macedon There were in his tyme raigning more puissant Princes together then euer were lyuing in any age before and yet among them all not one of them equall to the Kyng of Englande iin prowes In so much that the Iewes were in good hope that one of these noble Champions should be ordeined of God to be their Messias whose comming they haue long in vayne expected refusing the trewe Messias and sauiour of the worlde Iesus Christ looking for a Champion to bring them home again vnto their destroyed Ierusalem These were the names of the most famous gouernours of the world at that tyme Firste Henry king of Englande The Emperour Maximilian And Frauncis the Frenche king with the valyant Princes that then were in Germanie and Selimus the Emperor of Turkie with Barbarossa his great capitaine besydes a nomber more mentioned by Paulus Iouius other good Aucthors And among them all the same of king Henry shyned farre brighter then the rest as hereafter followeth But first I will note of the blisse and happines that came vnto Englande by his byrth It is manifest that he was the first braunche of the tree of concorde after the anyting of the two noble howses of Laucaster and Yorke that long had beene at discention open hostilitie for the imperiall Diadem of this realme For although his brother Prince Arthur were the elder yet because he liued not to enioy his fathers seignories neyther left behynde him anye Issue I recken him that brought forth the fruite to be the cheefe and principall braunche He was also elect and chosen of God to be that Ezechias that should sinsearly set forth his sacred lawes Yea he was the verye Hercules that was borne to subdue the Romysh Hydra against whyche many hedded monster neyther kyng nor Keysar could preuayle vntill this puissant Hercules tooke the matter in hand to the glorie of God and his perpetuall
Which for thy wealth the Heauenly heste This order doth deuyse And I of Ioue the messenger this newes now bring to thee With bande of Peace as faithfull pledge If thou thereto agree What losse and languor thou hast had Thy selfe caust witnesse best And Mischiefe hath not sparde to spurne To purchase thy vnrest Wherefore the God that guydes all thinges doth charge thee that with speede Thou ioyne in knott of Mariage as thus he hath decreede There is a lande in Westerne soyle That Britaine hath to name Which coast doth now retayne the wyght that must thy quyet frame A proper youth of pregnant witt To whome with speede repayre Of Lancaster that noble house He is the ryghtfull heire His Princely porte doth well deserue To wear thy Regall Crowne By due discent to wield the Sworde with fame and bryght renowne This worthie wight shall turne the warre That long thy wealth hath wast This Earle Henry shall redresse Thy wayling woe forepast Now see the sequell of this hest That God appointed hath Marke well the meane against Syr Mars To pacifie his wrath A noble spouse within thy lande Of ryght must now be found To linke in sacred wedlockes state And Queene for to be crownde Beholde a Uirgin bryght of hue with vertues force bedect Of personage surpassing all that Nature hath elect Dianaes peere for chastitie A seconde Susan shee Her godly nature well deserues A Goddesse for to bee The daughter of a Royall king That rewlde thy lande of late The heyre of Yorke that long hath beene with Lancaster at bate Elizabeth this Lady hight The late king Edwardes chylde Shee shall bring forth a peerlesse Prince thy people for to shylde Now sith these houses twaine hath causde Such ruyne for to raygne Which bluddie broyle hath forced thee to feele the smarte and paine With speede repaire to Britaine lande This Henry home to call And place him in thy regall seate Be ye his Subiectes all As for his Foes take ye no feare For God his frende doth stande He is annoynted of the Lorde to rule thy famous lande Which being done let sacred state of Wedlocke ioyne these twayne Then be thou sure in perfect peace hereafter to remayne When Concorde had these wordes rehearst and all her message tolde To see the ioye that men did make was wonder to beholde With clapping handes and cheerefull shoutes They shewde foorth great delyght And thought eche day to bee a yere till he shoulde come in syght And when that Fame had blowne her blast that hee had taken lande Determining to chace the Bore with force of myghtie hande Eche man him selfe do then addresse This royall Prince to place With courage stoute and loyall hartes They serue his noble grace Of the Battaile fought at Bosworth betweene King Henry the vii Richard that then vsurped the Crowne AFter long coÌ„tinuance of blody warre through ciuill contention betweene the two â—â—ble houses of Lancaster Yorke for the imperiall Diademe of this Realme to the great effusion of English blood as well of the nobilitie as also of the Comons It pleased Almightie God to put into the mindes of the nobilitie of this Realme a meane how to preuent this eminent subuersion by ioyning in knot of Mariage the heires apparant of these two noble houses as is aforesaide to the perfect securitie of this noble Nation And here is to be noted that when kyng Edward the fourth dyed who was lineally discended from the house of Yorke whose variable chaunces of Fortune I ouer passe He lefte behynde him two sonnes and fyue daughters The elder of his sonnes was named Edwarde who was afterwardes proclaymed Kyng being of the age of xi yeres His yonger brother had to name Richarde who was Duke of yorke Now by reason of the nouage of the yong king Richard Duke of Gloucester being vncle vnto the yong kyng intruded him selfe to the Protectorship of the kyng and the Realme and also wrested into his tuition the kinges brother taking him from the Queene his Mother who then laye in the Sanctuarie at Westminster for doubt of the cruell tyrannie of the Protector whose Ambitious mynde shee knewe to bee insatiable of honor and dignities wholly bent to cruell tyrannie which shortly after he put in practyse For when he had got into his clawze these two yong Princes Like a cruell Tyger and rauenyng Wolfe moste vnnaturally he caused them to be pittifully murthered within the Tower of London And caused one Doctor Sha who better deserued to be called doctor Shame to preach at Paules Crosse perswading the people that king Edwarde the fowerth late deceased was not ryghtfull king Affirming that he was a Bastarde And that the Duke of Cloucester being lawfully begotten ought to haue beene king when his brother was and therefore myght nowe iustlye challenge the Crowne Was not this a graceles sonne that caused his owne naturall and vertuous mother to be proclaimed at Powles Crosse a Harlot This and his vnnaturall homicide sownded moste abhominably in the eares of all honest men Notwithstandinge by this beastly and detestable policie wherunto he also added the death of the Lorde Hastinges and other noble men whome he supposed woulde by all meanes possible haue hindered his vngodlye proceedinges he hitt the marke whereat he shot which was the Crowne of Englande and in fine was crowned king by the name of king Rycharde the thirde But ere he had raigned little more then two yeres it pleased God to stir vp the nobilitie of this Realme to the ayde of Henrye Earle of Richemond to set him in his ryghtfull inheritaunce of the Imperiall Diadem of this Realme The large discourse wherof is exquisitely written by Sir Thomas More as appeareth in the Cronicle written by Edwarde Hall. In conclusion this noble Earle of Richemonde after manye doubtfull casualties harde euents arryued at Milforde Hauen in Wales wyth an armye of Britons and by the ayde of the Welshmen his power encreased And manye of the nobilitie of Englande with greate strength came to hys ayde vntill he came to a place in Leycester shiere called Bosworth where he met with kynge Richarde his armye and betweene them was fought a sharpe battaile in which conflict the king himselfe was slayne and his bodie caryed to Leycester on horsebacke as a Butcher caryeth a Calfe to the Market After whiche victorie won by this noble Earle he was proclaymed kyng of England by the name of king Henry the seuenth consequently he maried the lady Elizabeth daughter vnto king Enward the iiii they bothe crowned king and Queene of Englande to the greate ioy of the whole realme And thus were the noble houses of Lancaster Yorke vnited in one whiche was the finishing of long warre ¶ The Byrthe of the puisant Prince King Henry the eyght which was in the yere of our Lorde God. 1490. the xxii of Iune WHen Lady Concorde quencht the broyle
Their enemies within the towne with hope for to preuayle No engin was omitted then that myght their purpose gayne The battry was so fierce and sharpe that they in th ende were fayne To parle and to entreat for peace their states for to maintayne In fine they craude for mercye then Acknowleging their faulte Desyring his most noble grace â–ª to cease his sharpe assault And they his vassayls woulde become and faithfull to his Crowne In token of their loyaltie they yelde to him their towne And all the furniture thereof to vse at his owne will Desyring that he will vouchsafe their bloods not for to spill Whose noble aunswer was againe Sith you for mercy craue We mercy graunt you for your lyues from bloody Swoorde to saue With Trump and Banner then displayde he entreth this his towne Saint George his flagg is then aduaunst And all the rest throwne downe Anno Domini 1513. KIng Henry being confederate with the Emperour Maximilian and manye of the nobilitie of Brabant Flaunders and Holland hauing the sayde Emperor in wages vnder his Banner inuaded Fraunce and first assaulted Turwin with a puissant Armye Whiche towne in the ende was enforced to yelde it selfe vnto the mercye of king Henry who mercyfully graunted them pardon of their lyues and free leaue to departe in safegarde yelding vp their towne with all their furniture and munition vnto the king who entred the sayde towne with Banner displaide as a conquerour And hauing taken the ordnaunce with the rest of the spoyle within a whyle after he consumed the towne with Fyer which thing pleased the Emperor very well for that the sayd town was oftentymes a scourge vnto him The king at this tyme to solace him self rode to Lisley which is a town of the Emperours where as he was nobly entertained And at his entrie in to the towne the keyes of the gates were offered vnto him to dispose at his pleasure who receiued them thankfully rendring them againe to him of whome he tooke them And when he had recreat him selfe thear three dayes he returned vnto his campe againe Whose returne was ryght ioyfull vnto his Souldiers For as his presence encreased their ioyes so his absence augmented their dolours so entire he was vnto all his loiall Subiectes Shortly after he marched forwardes with his whole Armie towardes the great Citie of Turney which Citie is saied to haue as manye Towers in it as be dayes in a yere which is in nomber 365. And in fine after sharpe assault he obtained the towne and after possession taken hee built there a strong Castle In this meane season he enuyâ—ed the Emperour and the Empresse his wyfe to this his new wonne towne of Turney who ryght ioyousely came thither and were there royally feasted and his trayne had both greate entertainment and bountifull rewardes In these warres were manye feates of Armes tryed and sundry noble exploites atchyued and in conclusion the cheefe power of Fraunce discomfited But among the tragicall euents that there happened one pretie accident chaunced by master Henry Norace who at that tyme being a yong Gentleman and one of the kinges Henchemen hauing on his head the kinges Helmet was by the fiercenesse of his horse caryed from the kings Campe into the middest of the Frenche armye that then lay without the towne of Turnay in battaile ray And being thus among his enemies against his will at laste founde the meanes to turne his horse hed againe and so by good happe came backe vnto the king wherof the king was ryght glad And being thus escaped the king offered to make him knight for this aduenture But he tolde the king that his horse rather deserued that dignitie which caryed him among his enemies against his will. Whereat the king pleasantly laughed for he loued this yong gentleman verie well And because my Aucthor was brought vp vnder this saide Gentleman and by him preferred vnto the king I am occasioned somewhat to digresse by remembraunce of his worthinesse This forenamed master Norace grewe in suche fauour and grace with the king that he became to be the chiefe gentleman of his priuie Chamber and also was master of the blacke Rodd Which is an office to the noble Order of the Garter which office hath a large Prerogatiue He was rightfullye termed the father of the Court nexte vnder the king for his singuler order of education in courtly ciuilitie As dyuers noble men and gentlemen by him brought vp can full well witnesse Namely The Lorde Henry Dudley the Lord Sheafield The Lorde Edmund Shandos with many more His nature was to do good to as manye as hee might and harme to none His pursse was neuer shut from the needie Finally he was endued with all godly and vertuous condicions liuing in the courte in great fauour and estimation vntill enuye who alwaies pursueth vertue threw at him her spytefull and poysoned dartes to his decaye After whose death the king to shewe his good will towardes him shewed him selfe gracious Lord vnto as manye as were seruauntes vnto the sayde master Norace in his lyfe tyme and to expresse the same more at large he bestowed his daughter mistresse Marie Norace in Mariage on Sir George Carew which mariage was solempnised in the Court at the proper costes and charges of the king to the same and furtherance of the saide knight and the yong ladye his wife Now to returne to my matter againe Whyle the king was in Fraunce king lames of Scotlande notwithstanding his league and solempne vowe before mencioned made an inuasion vppon the Borderers adioyning vnto Scotlande And sent an Ambassadour vnto the kyng into Fraunce accusing the Borderers for breache of the truce betweene them taken When the king vnderstoode by the Ambassadour of the king of Scottes pretence He rewarded the Ambassadour and so dismissed him Nowe the king of Scottes supposed that all the power of Englande was in Fraunce with king Henry knowing also that king Henry could not nor woulde not breake vp his Campe to come against him And thought that nowe he had a plaine gappe opened vnto him to enter into Englande and there to woorke his will. But by the prouidence of the Queene who was left Regent of the Realme by the king at his setting foorth by the balyanties of the Earle of Surrey the kinges lieftenaunt he was preuented of his purpose For when he thought to haue entered this Realme with all his power he was mett by the Earle of Surrey at a place called Brampston where betweene them was fought a cruell battayle not without great effusion of blood on both parties but in the ende by Gods prouidence the victorie fell vnto the englishe men The King of Scottes himselfe being slayne in this fielde with xi of his noble men being all of them Earles besydes a number of his knyghtes and gentilmen of name and his whole power made very weake This battaile being ended to the renoune of the Queene the
eke my Courte a Pallas meete Wherein my wretched corps for aye must lye Wo worth those subiectes that aspire so highe To rule the Prince whome they ought to obay Such subiectes rule hath purchast my decaye ¶ Now that I haue passed thorow these tragicall histories of the. ii kinges of Scottes I will returne to the declaration of the ioyfull meeting of the kinges of Englande and Fraunce betweene Callis and Bullaine whiche was in the yeare of our Lorde 1532. And althoughe there was a solemne meetyng betweene the Kynges of these sayde Realmes and also betweene the Emperoure and Kyng Henrie in the yeare of oure Lorde 1520. Yet because my Anothor was not there to note anye thing more then is already mentioned by Halle in his Cronicle and was present at this that foloweth I haue vsed his enstruction herein referring thee to the aforesayd Cronicle to reade of the other whereas it is very well described ¶ Howe King Henry and the King of Fraunce met together betweene Calice and boloigne by a place called Morguison 1532. My glauncing Pen nowe glyded ys From Mars his bluddie broyle And eke my muse desyres to rest a whyle in frindships soyle As way warde warre bereues the breath of many worthie wyghtes So frindly peace preserues the lyues of noble valyant knyghtes And Tully doth preferre that peace which grounded is on yll Before the warre whose quarell ryght The blood of man doth spill In faithfull league of frindships force where Princes knitt the knot Unto those realmes whyle it doth last is sure a happie lott The Princes sleepe is not vnsounde For doubt of forraine foes The Souldiérs werye wounded limmes to rest do then repose The Marchant sendes hys hoysed sayles the surging Seas to sheare Which scowreth through the wandring waues deuoyde of doubtfull feare The publyke state of common wealth then lyues in quyet rest So that recourse from sundrie soyles 〈◊〉 worke all for the best 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ey helpeth other then and what one lande doth want Another doth supply the same no needefull thinges are scant And the through concorde sclender thinges to 〈◊〉 great encrease 〈◊〉 dâ—corde both consume as fast men set vs praye for peace Which causeth worldly wealth to ryse 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—dly 〈◊〉 to flowe As â—horher hath contrarye force and makes wealth ebbe as lowe Nowe 〈◊〉 that long tyme had sought to kniâ—â—â— within her bande The king of Fraunce vnto the noble King of this oure lande Foâ—nde oâ—â— a tyme conuenient and eke indifferent place Whereas these noble Princes bothe together myght embrace To treate of faithfull frindships lore with one consent they meere Where they with ioye and tryumphes greate eche other then do greete The thing that bothe Realmes long desyrde at that tyme myght you viewe The order of which ioyfull sight hereafter doth ensue ¶ The declaration of the meeting of these two noble kinges at the place aboue mencioned ALthough there was bluddie warre and mortall hatred betweene the realmes of Englande and Fraunce in the fifth yere of this kings raigne in whiche yere the king of Englande wan from the Frenche men the towne of Turwin and the great citie of Turnay as is before declared yet for the concluding of a perfect peace betweene bothe the Realmes the same yere a Mariage was made betweene the king of Fraunce and the Ladye Marye sister vnto the king of England but shortly after the saide king of Fraunce dyed and the Duke of Suffolke maryed the Queene his wyfe A peace also was concluded betweene the young king of Fraunce and the king of Englande And within a whyle the Citie of Turnay was rendred vnto the Frenche king For the whiche he shoulde paye to the king of Englande a notable summe of Money But this amitie did not long continue for the Frenche king refused to paye his tribute to the king of England and also detayned the Queenes dowrie And moreouer caused all Englishemens goodes to bee arrested at Burdeaux whereupon the Frenchemens goods were arrested at London and they cast in Prison But in fine in the xix yere of the king his raigne a generall peace was proclaymed betwene the kinges of Englande and Fraunce during bothe their lyues And defyaunce sent vnto the Emperour from bothe the kyngs and a great power sent into Italy againste the Emperour who then warred with the Pope and constayned him to take a Castell wherein he remained as prisoner vntill the Armyes that the kinges of Englande and Fraunce had expelled the Emperours power out of that parte of Italye The circumstance whereof ys very largely declared by Sleydon This peace taken betweene the kinges of Englande and Fraunce continued a good whyle vnuiolate In whiche meane-tyme the Ambassadour Ledger of Fraunce that then laye in London grewe in suche fauour with kynge Henry that he was often tymes admitted to sit in presence with the king This Ambassadour made humblesuite vnto the kinges grace that hee woulde vouchesaue to meete with the kynge of Fraunce his Master in some conuenient place to salute eche other declaring that it woulde bee an occasion to knitt them togeather in the insoluble knott of perfect frindship and amitie Whereunto the king of Englande willingly condiscended and agreed And the rather because the Frenche king appointed to haue met with the Pope at Marsiles by meanes wherof king Henry hoped that the Frenche king might perswade the Pope to some conformitie in the controuersie of his deuorce from the Ladye Katherin wherefore he requested the sayde Ambassadour so to informe the kynge of Fraunce his Master which he nothing slacked to do And in conclusion a tyme was appointed when these twoo noble kinges shoulde meete by a place called Morguison whiche is betweene two greate hilles and the midway betwixt Callice Boloigne According to the apointment the king of Englande set forwarde and came to Callice The Frenche king lykewise lay at Bolloigne and on the appointed day they bothe met by the sayde place called Morguison with a noble trayne of Dukes Earles Lordes Knightes Gentlemen on both sydes And while these noble Princes embraced eache other a Bishop of Fraunce threwe off a cast of great Hawkes called Sakers which Hawkes being cast off killed a Kyte ouer the kinges heades to the great pleasure of bothe the kinges Then passed they forwarde with Princely pastymes vnto the towne of Boloigne where was greate preparation and noble tryumphes to entertaine and welcome the King of Englande When king Henry had passed certaine dayes at Boloigne with moste royall solace and pleasure he Inuited the King of Fraunce to the lyke at his graces towne of Callice who in lyke maner came vnto Callice with king Henry where as his former entertainment vnto the king of Englande his trayne was noblye acquyted And whyle these two royall Kinges were thus at Callice the king of Heraldes came vnto king Henries grace declaring vnto him that according to the auncient custome and also being parcell of hys othe he
endlesse fame hath raysde And yet among the rest that retche their fame so farre Let English dames shewe foorth their shyne lyke Venus twinkling Starre Whose nomber sure is greate although I name but fewe But yet as tyme will lycence mee I shall more largely shewe The lyues and noble actes of Ladyes in those dayes Whome noble vertue hath aduaunsde to winne immortall prayse For lyke as valyant men therof do gayne renowne So worthie actes of weomen kynde may not bee quite throwne downe Fame may not parciall bee but as desertes requyre Must yelde to euery worldly wyght their due deserued hyre ¶ A Commemoration of Queene Anne Bullayne YE noble Imphes of Parnas hill â—e Muses all arowe Resownd your pleasant melodie your warbling notes bestowe Take wrest in hand to tune those stringes that render Siluer sownd And let the voyce of Musikes lore vnto the Skies rebownde Blo vp with ioye the chearefull blast of Englandes blissefull state In prayse of this most noble Qneene king Henries lawfull mate Let Poets decke their sacred heds with leafe of Lawrell bow And take their painfull Pennes in hande their skill to publishe nowe A gracious Queene and lawfull spowse King Henry lo enioyes who earst was helde from wedlockes lawe by shewe of Romysh toyes Her vertuous mynde and Godly harte Gods worde doth so embrace As well deserues in Bibels tome her noble name to place Whome loue hath fedde with heauenly foode and knowledge of his truth And eke adornde with sacred giftes in this her tender youth Anne Bolloygne lo this ladye hight whose praise for to depainte My quaking Quill in trembling fist doth quayle and gins to fainte Lest that the rudenesse of my style myght Clips her noble fame Whose praise the best that handels pen of ryght shoulde fynely frame Let Virgill leaue dame Didos actes and fate of Priams towne And take of mee this charge in hande to purchase him renowne Or else vouchsafe O Sulmose Imphe to lende thy Pen awhyle To furuishe forth with eloquence the basenesse of my style But well I see it is but vayne for helpe of them to craue In whome no ayde is to be had that long hath lodge in graue Wherefore my Muse although thy skill be rude and farre too bace Yet take thy Pen to write somewhat of her most noble grace Her harte did harbour heauenly giftes that in her brest was bred And Pallas for her wisedom seemde to soiurne in her hed Her face and featurde shape was fraught by Nature passing well Her inwarde giftes and outwarde grace all others did excell Thus loue ioynde with Minerua here this noble Queene to frame So that it playnly did appere from heauenly throne shee came A Phenix right whose course of kynde ys singuler alwaye Whose ashes yeldes another byrde So one remaynes for aye This noble Phenix in lykewise hath of her sinders sent A noble Impe a worthie Queene ere shee from worlde went. Whose Princely praise hath pearst the pricke and price of endlesse fame And hit the marke of regall race from whence her highnesse came â—e noble dames that do delyght for vertue praise to gayne Desire to know this Princes lyfe and learne for to retayne Those vertues that you then may viewe as Mirrours to you all Then shall you reape the right renown that neuer shall take fall ¶ An Epitaph on the death of Queene Anne Bullayne YF wayling woes might win thy life to lodge in corpes agayne Thy bodie should O noble Queene not thus in graue remayne For if that death might life redeeme and life were bought with death Ten thousande to restore your lyfe woulde render vytall breath But sith that may in no wise bee for death woulde worke his spight With yernefull voyce and dolefull domps we shall expell delight And shew our greefes with secret sighes and langour of the breste The flodds of teares shed for thy sake declares our harts vnrest And were it not thy royall Impe did mittigate our payne The sorrow for thy fatall day wee vneth could sustayne Yet this somewhat recomfortes vs for that we be moste sure Thy blessed soule is lodge with God Foreuer to endure Also thy noble splendent fame O noble Prince Queene Anne Shall liue on earth till worldes ende within the mouth of man. And eke thy lyfe shal be a lore for Ladies all to learne Wherin they may as in a glasse Dame Vertues path desearne ¶ A Commemoration of Queene Iane. AMong the rest whose worthie lyues hath runne in vertues race O noble Fame peruse thy trayne and geue Queene Iane a place A nymphe of chaste Dianaes trayne a vertuous virgin eke In tender youth a Matrons hart with modest mynde most meeke So that dame Vertue may reioyce for breeding such a wight Whose nature shewde the fayre bright beames of vertues shyning lyght Whereby shee was elect and chose to bee the linked mate of valyant Caesars equall Peere till Atrops shewde her hate Whose whirlyng wheele doth wander still and runne with restles race And is as frendly to the Page as t him that beares the Mace. Thus till the Sisters did agree to cut the fatall lyne This noble Lady euermore to vertue did enclyne Whose Godly lyfe and finall ende I wish ech lady vew That Fame may in her Register for aye her name renewe ¶ An Epitaph on the death of Queene Iane. YF dart of death might be repeld by fame of verteous life And fatall Sisters would with hold the blade of bloody knife From cruell cut of vitall lyne to spare the worthie wight This noble Queene shoulde not haue felt the rancor of theyr spyght But sith in exorable they for euer will remayne The body though they cause to couch good fame they cannot stayne The valiant men the verteous dames that on the earth hath raygnde Haue yelded to their cursed knyfe yet endles fame hath gaynd They haue subdude stowte Caesars hart they forcde not Helens hewe Of Cressus wealth they no whit carde they ioye all to subdue And eke among the rest that hath sustaynde their cancred hate This noble Queene hath felt the flame of her vntymely fate Whose worthie fame shall not be shutt with bodye in the claye But lyue and florishe on the earth whyle Phebus guydes the daye ¶ In Prayse of the renowned Ladye Queene Katherin Par. DAme Vertue longing to behold her troupe of noble trayne Determined to take the vewe of them that did remayne Appointing Fame with sound of trompe to sommon and assite Ech one that in her booke was namde to be a worthy wight Of weomen sect as for the rest another tyme should bee For famous menne to shewe theyr selues ech one in theyr degree This noble troupe assembled was most goodly to behold And eche one called by theyr names as Fame had them enrold The Goddesses sate in there seates the Graces placed were The Muses nyne the noble Nimphes in theire degrees sat there Dame Vertue being cheefest iudge and lady of
That cyuill Sworde long tyme had bred And calmed eke the warlyke toyle wherewith this Realme but earst was fed Our thraldome then shee did remoue And freedome sent from God aboue The houses wayne that long had beene At deadly foode for regall throne Of Lancaster and Yorke I meane were then by God conioynde in one This Mariage made Sir Mars geeues place And eche man thankt God for his grace But he that doth all thinges foresee And knowes the sequell of the same Knewe that a Braunche of that same tree Shoulde bring forth fruite of endlesse fame And yelde such sapp as should delyghte The Heauens and eke eche English wyght The natall day by Gods decree Approched on with luckie speede When as the blossome of this tree Should shewe the fruite of happie seede Whereat both heauen and earth reioyce and shewe the same with cheerefull voyce The fower vertues myght you viewe Descend from Heauen in Golden Cloude And to beholde the heauenly crewe that ioyed this birthe with voyce full loude Did sounde suche tryumphes in the skyes That through the worlde rounde it flyes Then Iustice tooke the Diadem That shee her selfe was wont to weare Her Ballaunce eke and ioyned them whereby shee wonts eche cause to heare And yeldeth them vnto his grace In equitie to run hys race When Iustice had her selfe thus yelde Came Fortitude with cowrage stoute And deckte this Babe with Sworde shyelde To conquere all the raging rowte That shoulde attempt or take in hande His princely power to withstande Then Temperance and Prudence eke So decked there his sacred mynde As neuer earst was seene the lyke Such grace from God to him was synde For Solon there did yelde his fame And Salomon eke did the same The Muses all obeysaunce made And echeone gaue a Lawrell crowne Sir Mars did there him selfe disgrade And yeldeth vp his large renowne This Prince did Ioue himselfe ordaine In endlesse fame on earth to raygne And though he were a seconde sonne yet God foresawe what shoulde ensue The Royall race that he should run Ere he was borne ryght well he knewe And in the wombe did him appoint with sacred Oyle and king annoynt When tract of tyme had brought this Prince Unto the age of eyghteen yeres His raygne began in this prouince whose noble courage then appeares That English hartes great ioy did make And forayne Foes then gan to quake ¶ Of Prince Henries towardlynes in the tyme of his Minoritie AS this noble Prince grewe in age so he encreased in vertue and princely demeanure Using suche exercises as was commendable in so noble a personage wherein he excelled all other of his tyme As in Learning Rydyng and martiall feates In so muche that when he was the onely hope of this Realme he was no lesse feared of forreine foes then entierly loued of his owne countrey men And had he not set the feare of God before his eyes with speciall regarde of obedience towardes his Father no doubt but he had bene seduced by the wicked suggestions of faccious flatterers that often tymes inueagled him to take vppon him the gouernaunce of this Realme his Father being alyue As he him selfe hath reported after he came to the Crowne But he alwayes abhorred their vngodly instigations At last it pleased God to call his Father from the Earth to dwell with him in Heauen when he had raygned 23. yeres And then this royall Prince his sonne succeded him in this Realme as hereafter foloweth ¶ King Henry the eyght being proclaimed king of Englande the xxii day of Aprill 1509. goeth to the Tower of London BEholde the happie day at hande For him to weare the Regall crowne Whereby to rewle this noble lande And wield the same with high renowne Which was declarde by Tromp of Fame That all Europa hearde the same Unto this blast of golden sounde Did forrein Princes bende their eares The noyse to heauen eke did rebounde That Englandes Foes then quake in feares And frendes vnto the English Roye with clapping handes gan shewe their ioye Then as the auncient custome was To London Tower is he brought With Regall porte he so did passe That all men ioyde in worde and thought His countinaunce of Regaltie shewde forth a kingly Maiestie So that if thousandes in his way had right resemblance of his face Yet euery man myght iudge and saye Lo this is hee God saue his grace He did the rest excell so farre as doth the Sunne the dimmest Starre Within this noble Castle nowe This Royall king his seat hath take Whose speciall carke and care is howe In order good his Realme to make His whole desire and studye is for to reforme that was amisse Where Prudence rules with good foresyght The common wealth doth prosper well Where wisedome guydes eche thing aright Thear Commons seeldome do rebell But serue their Prince with loyall hartes And nothing slack to do their partes The stately porte that Princes beare With Iustice ioynde ryght to mayntaine Both holdes the Subiect in due feare And trewe allegeance doth rem ayne This king did his affaires so frame As made men feare and loue his name ¶ Of the Coronation of king Henry the viii IF Fame foresawe what woulde ensue As well as thinges forepast Shee woulde not rashly sentence geeue In blowing vp her blast Ne woulde shee iudge eche tryumph then at first for to excell But that another might succeede to beare away the bell What meanst thou Fame in auncient tyme to call the learned trayne To paynt the Pageaunts that were shewde when Caesar gan his raygne And cause them then with painfull toyle the same so to commende As though it neuer shoulde take foyle but last vnto thé ende If thou hadst knowne as now thou doest Of this moste happie day I doubt not but thou wouldste haue causde their painfull Pennes to staye Yet is this thing not so far past but that thou maist reclayme If thou recant thy former blast by calling backe againe Reuoke therefore thy rashe exployt whereat I must needes grudge And when thou hast perpended well Thy selfe shalt be the Iudge And plainly see that Caesars gestes Ne his tryumphing fame Nor yet his blased pompouse daye was equall with this same Against the tyme this pierles Prince The stately towne shoulde passe That London hight whose gorgious stretes So richely decked was That Rome whereof so many write In pompe for to excell Was neuer yet adornde so braue Nor furnisht halfe so well More lyke a pleasant Paradice That noble Citie seemde Then lyke a place of earthie moulde As men might well haue deemde So sumptuously the stately streates were deckt with euery thing As though that Ioue from heauen were come to be their earthly king So ioyde men in this Royall Prince when he his Crowne should take That Sorroes all were set to sleepe and solace did awake The worthie Pageaunts that were shewde My Pen cannot discharge And to descrybe the same aright will fill a
Earle the kinges lieuetenant and the whole Realme The dead bodye of the king of Scottes was founde among the other carcases in the fielde and from thence brought to London and so through London streetes on a horsebacke in such order as you haue reade before of king Richarde and from thence it was caried to Sheene neere vnto Brainford wheras the Queene then laye And theare this periured carcas lyeth vnto this daye vnburied A condigne ende and a meete Sepulker for such a forsworn Prince This shamefull ende of the Scottish king kindled the Fyer of malyce in the breastes of the Scottes the flame whereof in the ende consumed also their yong king that then was lefte vnto them as followinge you may reade But first I haue taken vpon mee to introduce king Iames vnto thee informe of the Mirror for Magestrates to vtter his complaynt tell his owne tale as followeth The Lamentable complaint of king Iames of Scotlande who was slayne at Scottish fielde Anno. 1513. AMong the rest whom rewfull fate hath rest whose shrouding sheetes hath wrapt their woful lyues why haue not I a place among theÌ„ left whose fall eche tong with dayly talke reuyues Such is the wheele that froward Fortune driues To day a King of puisance and might And in one howre a wofull wretched wight A happie life by happie end is tride A wretched race by wofull ende is known Though pleasant wind the Ship do rightly guyd At last by rage of stormes t is ouer throwne The greatest Oke with tempest is fyrst blowne Though fortune seeme a loft to hoyse thy sayle Yet fortune ofte tymes smyles to small auaile I thought my Bower buylt on happie soyle Which vnder propped was with tickle staye Wherfore on sodayne chaunce I tooke the foyle In hope for to haue had a noble praye In search whereof I reapt my fatall daye With shamefull death my fame was forcte to bow A gwerdon meete for breach of sacred vow A Prince his promise ought not to be broke Much more his Othe of ryght obserude should be But greedie gayne doth oft the mynde prouoke To breake both othe and vowe as seemes by mee Ambicion blearde myne eyes I coulde not see I fynd though man with man his faith forgoe Yet man with God may not do so I was a king my power was not small I ware the Crowne to wield the Scottish land I raigude and rewlde the greater was my fall The myght of God no kingdome can withstand An Earle wan of mee the vpper hande With blodie Sworde my lucklesse lyfe to ende By shamefull death without tyme to amende Such was the force of Atrops cruell spight Unlooked for to cut my farall lyne My wretched carcas then was brought in sight Through London slrears wherat the Scots repine The endeles shame of this mishap is myne Like butchers ware on horsbacke was I brought The king of kinges for me this end hath wrought Let Princes all by me example take What daunger t is to daily in such cace By periurie their faythe 's for to forsake Least seate of shame shall be their endles place Foule infamie shall their renoune deface Offalsed faith such is deserued hyre And he must falle that will too hyghe aspyre â—e noble Peeres whose liues with myne did end Send forth froÌ„ graues your griesly ghosts ech one To wayle the chaunce that Fortune vs did sende Let all the Scots powre out their plaints mone That we to hedles haste were apt and prone Which rashe beginning voyde of Godly awe Had lyke successe for breach of sacred lawe I thought that Englande had beene far to weake For my strong powre when Henry was away Which made mee light regarde my vow to breake But yet I founde they were left in good stay With force and strength to purchase my decay Thus my aspiring minde had guerdon due Which may a Myrror bee for men to vewe Whereby to shun the breach of sacred vow And not to seeke by lawelesse meanes to rayne For right will force vsurped rule to bow And reape repulst in steade of noble gaine Thus truthe in tyme doth turne her foe to paine And GOD him selfe doth shield the rightful cause Then let men learne to lyue within his lawes ¶ Nowe that king Iames hath tolde hys tale and vttered his complainte let vs see what befell vnto his Sonne whom he lefte to succeede in his kingdom Whose history I haue annexed vnto this although it folowed not immediatly that the iust iugdement of God againste periurie maye the playnelyer appeare The notable example wherof may bee a terror vnto the large careles conscience of man Fyrst reade his storie then bestowe the perusing of his complaynte The Historie of king Iamies sonne who after the death of his Father was king of Scottes being but a chylde YOu haue hearde before of the death of kinge Iames and the maner therof who left behynde him a sonne named after his father Iames. This yong king of Scottes was both Neuew and Godson vnto king Henry by meanes whereof the king was lothe to do anye annoyance vnto the Realme of Scotlande But the Scottes being greedie of reuenge for the death of their late king prouoked him to be doing with them by meanes wherof many incursions were made into Scotlande to the great detriment of the Scottes and destruction of many of their Castels and villages But at the laste by the mediation of the Queene of Scottes an abstinence of warre was taken and shortly after a peace concluded whiche continued vntil the yere of our Lorde 1542. at whiche tyme king Henry tooke his Progres towardes the Citie of Yorke where he made great preparation for to haue mett with his Nephewe the king of Scottes who promysed vnto his vncle king Henry that he would verye gladly meete him at Yorke and accordingly prepared so to doo Wherefore king Henry laye at Pipwell Abbey while great prouision was made at Yorke for the meeting of these two noble kinges to the greate charges of the king of Englande at whose proper costes a sumptuous lodging was ordayned for the king of Scottes in the Abbay of Yorke with offices and furniture accordingly Whyle the king laye at Pipwell Abbay aforesaid in a readynesse to come vnto yorke by the day appointed the Secretorie vnto the king of Scottes came vnto king Henry who was at his handes noblye entertayned and returned againe into Scotlande enforming the king his maister what great cost the king of Englande was at in preparing for his cumming The king of Scottes was as desyrous to see his Uncle king Henry as he was to haue seene his Nephew But when he was in a readinesse to come towardes Englande the Cardinall of S. Andrewes who was then newely come from Rome made haite vnto the king of Scottes as he was setting forth toward Yorke and threatned him that if he proceeded to go into Englande that another shoulde bee proclaimed king of Scotlande before he
shoulde bee iii. Myles out of his Realme Wherat the kyng was sore abashed and not without good cause For a kingdome deuyded in it selfe cannot be quieted without great trouble and bloodshed And the saide Cardinall bare so great a swaye that the king durst not come into Englande according to his appointment It is thought that the Cardinal feared lest the king of Englande would haue perswaded the kinge of Scottes to abolyshe the Popes aucthoritie out of Scotlande and to alter the state of Religion and therefore was not willing that this meeting shoulde be betweene the two kinges King Henry perceiuing him selfe to be thus deluded by the king of Scottes conceiued therof great discurtesie as he myght ful well Notwithstanding he went forwarde him selfe with all his trayne to yorke and made Proclamation that if any man had any matters to exhibite vnto his grace that they shoulde be heard and haue Iustice administred which accordingly hee accomplished to as many as came before him And whereas there had bene an insurrection in the same countrey a little before this tyme The king comaunded that all the Rebelles which were apprehended shoulde be placed before him on the lefte hande of his waye as he passed thorough the countrey and hauing set the countrey in good order he returned to London againe The Cardinall of sainct Androes who as is before saide caused the king of Scottes to breake promise with his vncle king Henry for doubt least that discourtesie might be reconsiled to make hys matter sure set the two kinges at open warre and caused the Scottes to make a roade into the borders who spoyled and did much harme Wherof when king Henry hearde he sent the Duke of Norffolke with an Armie into Scotlande who burned and spoyled muche of the countrey But when the Duke was departed from thence into Englande The Scottes inuaded the borders againe did theare muche harme But at the last Sir Thomas Wharton beeing warden of the marches there with Sir William Musgraue and a fewe of the borderers met with the Scottes the 14. of Nouember and ouerthrew them In which conflict the Lorde Maxwell the Earles of Glencarue and Sassiles with all the captaynes of the Scottish Armie were taken and on S. Thomas eeuen the Apostle they were brought to the Tower of London where they laye that night The next day following they were brought into the starre Chamber before the Lorde Chaunceller of England and the Counsaile being by the kinges charges rychely apparailed and vsed more like Princes then prisoners which they did full euil requite For after they were dismissed vppon agreement vnto certein articles they not only refused the performance of their promises but notwithstanding the benefites on them bestowed by the king they rebelled against him But nowe to returne againe vnto their kinge It is thought of some men that he him selfe was in the Battaile and thear receiued his deathes wounde but escaped vntaken but it was not so True it is that this conflict stroke him to the hart wherof he dyed incontinently Whereby we may bee sure that God strooke the stroake And whether it were that God who stryketh to the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate him did it for his fathers offence or for his owne I maye not nor will not iudge But no doubt his fathers vngodly periurie was heauily in his mynde since whose death the Realme of Scotlande hath bene sore plaged and haue had little good successe in any attemptes and especially against Englande The tirste that brought newes of the kinge of Stottes death vnto king Henry was the Earle of Angoes a Scott who was banished out of Scotlande and lyued here in Englande by a pencion that the king gaue vnto him This Earle came into the Courie the king then lying at hys house of Sainct Iames betweene tenne and xi of the clocke at nyght and desyred to speak with the king which being vnto him admitted he rehearsed vnto the king the whole circumstance of the king of Scottes death Whiche when he hearde he was so sorie of that newes that notwithstanding he warred against him yet he let fall teares from his eyes for sorrowe of his Nephewes death ¶ The Lamentation of king Iames Sonne vnto king Iames before mentioned WHat hard mishap haue I among the rest Whose froward fate vntimely deth hath wrought While youthfull yeres did harbour in my brest My wretched corpes to lodge in claye is brought By haples chaunce contrary to my thought But who is sooner trapte by witched wyle Then he whose harte is free frem craltie guyle Shall I exclayme on fortunes frowarde face Or on the wombe that life to mee fyrst gaue Or on my Fathers facte whose foule deface Hath caused mee this luckelesse lot to haue Would god my mothers wombe had ben my graue Or els the Ayre that yelded mee fyrst breath With sodayne dampe had rendred present death Woulde God my Fathers facte had beene vndon When he made vow a faythfull leage to holde Or els I woulde I had not beene his Sonne But rather borne to pen the Sheepe in folde My Father in this poynt was far too bolde Whereby he moude almighty GOD to spill Him selfe and me his Sonne that thought no ill What may I deeme of this my Fathers deede Whereof I grounde the chiefe cause of my playnte What stonie harte for pittie will not bleede To see how death this pageaunt doth depainte In floure of age our liues so to attainte The Father and the Sonné sucessiuelie The Realme eke plagde for one mans periurie I can not scuse his rage and hautie pride That forced mee my vnkle to offende Who courteousely my comming did abide In frendlie wise a time with ioye to spende I was constraynde my owne minde to vnbende The Prelasie then bare so great a swaye That king and keiser must their mindes obaye I was constraynde contrarye to my will Reuengement on the English Realme to take And eke of Mars his lore to learne the skill Where I lyke Phaeton my match did make My foes mee rulde my frendes I did forsake Though I was king another bare the sworde Whome I durst not offende in deede ne worde I call for vengeaunce on thy wretched lyfe Thou Prelate proude that hast procurde my fall Thou were the cause and aucthor of the strife I was thy Prince and yet I was thy thrall Take heede therefore by mee ye Princes all Where enuious subiects beares so great aswaye The Princes state is like for to decaye Such men they are as fyrst do stier vp stryfe But they them selues of sauegarde will be sure Their deedes are scant their words are very ryfe They rayse the broyle the brunte they not endure Yet bloody warre they dayly do procure And prease foorth Princes to auenge their yre Whyle they them selues with gredy minds aspire Lo by this meanes my fatall shrouding sheete Is now my weede no other robe haue I The graue is
his graces behoote so that he woulde graunt pardon of lyfe vnto all the people of the town and licence to depart with bagg and boggage Whiche the king mercifully graunted on this condicion that none of them should departe with any Gonne charged And the Bulleiners departed the town with as much of theyr goodes as they could cary with them After which departure king Henrie with hys nobilitie entred the towne with Banners displayed lyke a conquerour And after hee had taried there by the space of fyue dayes or there about he returned againe into Englande leauing behinde him to defende the towne the Duke of Suffolke that most valiant Capitayne But when the kings maiestie was vppon departure newes was brought vnto him that the Dolphin of Fraunce was determined to come downe and repell him from thence and hys power whereunto the king aunswered that hee shoulde be verie welcome For quoth he the Dolphin is my God sonne and if he come he shall haue my blessing But he made no haste to come as he vaunted Wherefore the Duke of Suffolk and the Earle of Essex perswaded the king to returne home to Englande againe for that he had wonne as much honour theare as was to be had at that tyme Wherupon the king committed the defence of the towne to the Duke of Suffolke and the Earle of Essex ioyntly But before his departure he being doubtfull whether the Duke of Norfolke had any neede of help at Muttrell called vnto him syr Anthony Browne appointed him to go thither to the ayde of the Duke of Norfolke with all his power But Sir Anthony Browne answered that he had dismissed many of his souldiers by reason of sicknesse the rest were either wounded or wearied with trauaile and many of their Horses tyred Then the king demaunded of the Earle of Essex In what estate his bande was who had vnder his charge 1500 horsemen he aunswered the kyng that of his whole power he wanted not 60. And that hee was ready to fulfill his graces pleasure Wherupon the king thought to haue sent him to Muttrell but in the end that king hauing a speciall regarde for the keeping of Bullaine leatte the Earle with the Duke to defende the towne and sent Sir Ihon Gage to Muttrell to the ayde of the Duke of Norfolk And then the king returned into England againe with great triumph After whose departure out of Fraunce y frenchmen began to be verye busie against the englishmē But when they could preuaile nothing at all they began to entreat for peace always hoping to haue Bullayne againe by some meanes or other But king Henry was so affected to that towne that neyther strengthe of warre nor force of money could win it from hym And he would oft times saye that no true subiect of his woulde perswade him to yelde it vp Which towne he helde in despight of the Frenchmen during his life ¶ And thus I ende this discourse of the wynning of Bullayne Omitting to treate of the large circumstaunce heereof least I might seeme to rob Grafton or Halle of their laboures concluding this commemoration of king Henry with his conquest of Bullaine After which triumphant victorie no special warre happened vnto him till death the conquerour of all mortall men subdued his body whose soule liueth with God in his Heauenlye kingdome KIng Henry in his life time would often tymes saye that if it woulde please God to endue hym with life vntill he might see three thinges brought to passe hee woulde not desire to liue anye longer The fyrst was to confirme true religion in this Realme The seconde to establish the Crowne The thyrde to see hys Sonne a man Also hee would say that if he knewe any one to bee a man of GOD and meete to gouerne a common welthe he would rather yelde his Crowne vnto him then weare it himself so that hee myghte doe it to the pleasure of God the weale publyke of his people ¶ An Epitaph of the deathe of the moste valyant and renowmed Prince King Henry the eyghth AWake ye worthies nyne that long in graues haue rest Powre out your plaints with wayling teares Let langor be your geast Do off your shrowding sheetes that clads you in the claye and decke your selues with black attyre your mourning to displaye Bedewe with saltie teares your manly faces stowte Laye downe those weapons that were wont to quell the raging rowte For nowe that pierlesse Prince that neuer yet tooke foyle The eyghth king Henry hath resynde his bodye to the soyle Recorde your dolefull tunes ye noble Peeres eche one Let gryping greefes gnawe on your breastes to shewe your pensiue moane With bryndie blubbered teares ye commons all lament Sende forth your sobbes from boyling breast let trynkling teares be spent For our Achilles nowe hath left vs in the fielde That wonted was with valiant force from foes our lyues to shylde And this hath death deuysde to wrecke his wrathfull spyght Wherefore O Mors wee curses yelde on thee both daye and nyght Oh noble Brutus lande howe much was death thy foe when he with cruell darte constraynde this Gemme from thee to goe But though the cursed dame that cuttes the fatall lyne So muche enuyed thy happie state in making him declyne Yet God through mercy great in spyght of death his darte Hath left a Blossome of his braunche to ease thy pensiue smarte For whome now let vs praye that shee the race may runne of Nestors yeres with like successe as yet her grace hath done And that his royall Impe Elizabeth by name May weare the Crowne and wielde the sworde with ioye and endlesse fame Whose lyfe doth render lyght vnto her fathers fame whose noble harte doth plainly shewe the stocke from whence shee came Though death hath done his woorst with drift of dyrefull darte By stryking of that valyant king and piercing of his harte Yet hath he not the powre his fame to ouercast which shall remaine in mouth of man whyle Pen and ynke doth last And eke the shyning Sunne shall cease his running race before king Henries worthie fame shall suffer one deface And as his soule is lodgde with Ioue in starrie Skye Euen so remembraunce of his name on earth shall neuer dye ¶ A Preamble to this parte of the Booke following LYke as the auncient Greekes haue painted out at large Their noble ladyes worthie lyues and therof taken charge And as the Romaine dames had writers of their actes Euen so the trowpe of Englysh trayne haue some to tell their factes Whose bryght and shyning fame deserues to haue a place Coequall with the best that hath runne on in vertues race Then let not Englande blushe to blase their ladies lyues Which no whit is inferiour vnto the Romayne wyues Let them vaunt if they list of Lucrece chastitie I prayse the greekes Penelope for her fidelitie A nomber myght be namde that wryters pennes haue praysde Who for their lyues and noble actes an
the place Decreed that one among the rest should beare the cheefest mace Commaunding euery lady theare to answere to theyr name As they in order should be calde by voyce of noble Fame When this decree proclaymed was and all thinges whus ht and still My greedy eyes to view this sighte coulde neuer gase their fill Then Fame calde for Vlisses wife whereto one sayde strayght waye That dyrefull death with cruell launce had lodgde her corse in claye Then heard I good Cornelia namde and many other calde Some aunswerde here and some by fate in earthy clod were stalde At last by lot the Cryer sayd where is that noble Dame That was the eight king Henries wife and had K. P. to name Wherto a noble English Queene that then was in the place Made aunswere that her mortall lyfe had run the fatall race Then vertue sent foorth saltie teares and bad the Cryer pawse And sayd shee lost the worthiest wight that euer kept her lawes Dame Pacience with wringing handes her dollor did declare And prudent pallas for her parte no paynefull plaints did spare The Muses mooude with mestiue moode resounded dolefull voyce The Graces all with rented heares in langor did reioyce In fyne the whole assembly there in sodayne sorowes were For ech one thought this noble Queene dame Vertues Mace shoulde beare At last stoode vp Virginitie attyred all in whyte Whose countenaunce lyke Phebus beames did yelde a heauenly lyght Unto the iudge dame Vertue shee her minde began to showe with Angels voice and Heauenly grace eche worde shee did bestow O noble Dames leaue off qd shee your dumpyshe dolors staye And licence mee O rightfull iudge somwhat herein to saye With that it was a ioye to see How sorowes were resynde And Vertue bad Virginitie proceede to say her minde Eche one attentiue eare gan bende to heare this noble voice Whose prudent wordes and graue deuyse made all the rest reioyce This was the tale the Goddesse tolde O worthie wightes drawe neere And see the only cause that wee are nowe assembled heere Ye are the troupe and noble trayne that vertue hath embraede Whose endlesse fame for vertues sake shall neuer be defacde Here haue you hearde that auncient dames by fatall stroke are flayne And yet theire names in booke of Fame for euer shall remayne Among the rest Queene Katherin Par so was her Parents name Hath yelde her soule vnto the heauens yet left on earth her fame Unto whose lot it shoulde haue lyght dame Vertues Mace to guyde But cruell Atrops all too soone her noble race enuyde Yet one among this worthie crewe must take the charge in hande whose due desertes for vertuous praise in chiefest place must stande Here is a royall Queene in place whose lyfe I knowe right well within whose brest euen from a babe vnto this day I dwell Whome you O Lady Vertue fyrst committed to my charge When nature made her perfect moulde her skill to shewe at large And whyle vpon this Princely babe in Cradle I attende You Lady Pallas came in haste your heauenly giftes to spende And Caliop with all her Nimphes made haste from Pernas hill For to adorne this peereles peace with perfect learned skill You lady Graces know right well and beare it yet in mynde What haste you made vnto this babe ye fearde to bee behynde In fyne her grace was theare adornde with all your giftes so well That outwarde shape and inwarde giftes Panthora did excell Her father was a royall king graund Captain of the trayne Of all the worthie warlike wights that fame did euer gayne Her noble Mother bare the bell for vertue in her dayes Whose worthie fame with toung and Penn hath reapte immortal prayse And shee a virgin lo doth were the Fathers regall crowne And prudently doth wyeld the sworde with lardge and bright renowne She hath repressed errors blinde and causde Gods worde to shyne Whose noble lyfe from vertues lore did neuer yet declyne Shee best deserues to haue the Mace that vertue meanes bestowe Elizabeth of England Queene you all her grace do knowe And let Queene Katherin Par enioye Fame for her vertuous race And vnto Queene Elizabeth dame vertue yeld thy Mace. No sooner had virginitie this sentence vttred tho But all the reste with one consent sayde Lady be it so Then Vertue prayide the noble Mayde that thus this tale declarde Commaunding scilence to be synde that iudgement myght be harde Then saide the Iudge this is the doome and sentence in this case Queene Katherin Par in booke of Fame shall haue a speciall place And noble Queene Elizabeth as cheefest of my trayne Shall take this Scepter at my hande as meetest for to raygne Hereat this noble heauenly crewe brake vp with greate delyte And I yet holde my Pen in hande Queene Katherins lyfe to wryte ¶ It will happely seeme somewhat straunge vnto thee Gentle Reader that I haue so sclenderly past ouer the treatise of these noble ladies before mencioned whose lyues and noble vertues I can at large descrybe And peraduenture I may bee deemed parciall for mentioning of these and omitting the names of king Henryes other wyues I confesse I haue in my handes a Treatise of all their lyues so farre foorth as tendeth to the commendations of their noble and princely vertues worthie the immitation of all Ladies and gentleweomen But it fareth with mee as with the soare Hauke that keepeth her selfe aloofe from the Faukners fist vntill acquaintaunce hath breed a further familiaritie So if I maye perceiue this beginning to haue thy frindly fauour Thou shalt win mee to thy lure and encourage mee to mount as hygh as I may not bolting aboue my reache lyke rashe Icarus whereby to come tumblinge downe and be drencht in the flood of follye And thus I ende desyring at thy hands nought else but thy good worde in lewe of this my labour Finis ¶ THE HISTORY OF the winning of Hadington in Scotlande An. 2. Reg. Edwardi 6. WHen I had ended this treatise of the moste famous king Henry the eyght and readie to put the same in prynte I chaunced into the company of certaine Capitaines that had serued in king Henries warres in king Edwardes and euersince as often as they haue bene called thereunto And after talke ministred They seemed greatly to lament that so noble a piece of seruyce as was done at Hadington shoulde so sleyghtlye passe thorough the handes of Cronographers Whereupon I being by them earnestly requested haue taken on mee to discourse therof by the instruccions of these sayde Gentlemen who were theare present during all this worthie seruice which well deserueth the name of noble and worthie In so muche that the Frenchemen that then were there to the ayde of the Scottes saye vnto this daye that there are fewe good Soldiers in Englande except those that were at this siege of Hadington preferring the seruice that was then thear before any other that euer they knewe or