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 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
allow I should not neede to feare it For then my true nobilitie should beare it If counsell ayde that Fraunce will tell I know Whose townes lie waste before the English foe When thrice we gaue the conquered French the foile At Agincourt at Crauant and Uernoile If faith auaile these armes did Henry hold To claime his crowne yet scarcely nine months old If countries care haue leaue to speake for me Gray haires in youth my witnes then may be If peoples tongues giue splendor to my fame They adde a title to duke Humfries name If toyle at home French treason English hate Shall tell my skill in managing the state If forraine trauell my successe may try In Flaunders Almaine Boheme Burgundy That robe of Rome prowd Benford now doth weare In euery place such sway should neuer beare The Crosier staffe in his imperious hand To be the Scepter that controules the land That home to England despensations drawes Which are of power to abrogate our lawes That for those summes the wealthy church should pay Vpon the needy Commontie to lay His ghostly counsells onely doe aduise The meanes how Langlies progenie may rise Pathing young Henries vnaduised waies A Duke of Yorke from Cambridge house to raise which after may our title vndermine Grafted since Edward in Gaunts famous line Vs of succession safely to depriue which they from Clarence fainedly deriue Knowing the will old Cambridge euer bore To eateh the wreathe that famous Henry wore With Gray and Scroope when first he laide the plot From vs and ours the gaâ—land to haue got As from the Match-borne Mortimer to raigne Whose title Glendour stoutly did maintaine When the prowde Percies haughty March and hee Had sharde the Land by equall partes in three His Priesthoode now sterne Mowbray doth restore To stirre the fire that kindled was before Against the Yorkists shall their claime aduance To steele the poynt of Norffolkes sturdie lance Vpon the breast of Herfords issue bent In iust reuenge of antient banishment He dooth aduise to let our prisâ—er goe And doth enlarge the faithlesse Scottish foe Giuing our heires in marriage that their dowres May bring inuasion vpon vs and ours Ambitious Suffolke so the helme doth guide With Benfords damned policies supplide He and the Queene in counsell still conferre How to raise him who hath aduanced her But my deere heart how vainely do I dreame And flie from thee whose sorrowes are my theame My loue to thee and England thus diuided With the most parte how hard to be decided Or thee or that to whether I am loath So neere are you so deere vnto me both Twixt that and thee for equall loue I finde England in gratefull and my Elnor kind But though my country iustly I reproue For countries sake vnkinde vnto my loue Yet is thy Humfrey to his Elnor now As when fresh beauty triumpht on thy brow As when thy graces I admired most Or of thy fauours might the frankli'st boast Those beauties were so infinite before That in abundance I was onely poore Of which though time hath taken some againe I aske no more but what doth yet remaine Be patient gentle heart in thy distresse Thou arte a Princesse not a whit lesse Whilst in these breasts we beare about this life I am thy husband and thou arte my wife Cast not thine eie on such as mounted be But looke on those cast downe as lowe as we For some of them which prowdly pearch so hie Ere long shall come as lowe as thou or I. They weepe for ioy and let vs laugh in woe We shall exchange when heauen will haue it so We mourne and they in after time may mourne Woe past may once laugh present woe to scorne And worse than hath beene we can neuer taste Worse cannot come than is already past In all extreames the onely depth of ill Is that which comforts the afflicted still Ah would to God thou wouldst thy griefes denie And on my backe let all the burthen lie Or if thou canst resigne make thine mine owne Both in one carrige to be vndergone Till we againe our former hopes recouer And prosp'rous times blow these misfortunes ouer For in the thought of those forepassed yeares Some new resemblance of old ioy appeares Mutuall our care so mutuall be our loue That our affliction neuer can remoue So rest in peace where peace hath hope to liue Wishing thee more than I my selfe can giue ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie At Agincourâ— at Grauant and Vernoyle THe three famous battels fought by the Englishmen in France Agincourt by Henry the fift against the whole power of France Crauant fought by Montacute Earle of Salisburie and the Duke of Burgoyne against the Dolphine of France William Stuart Constable of Scotland Vernoile fought by Iohn Duke of Bedford against the Duke of Alanson and with him most of the Nobilitie of France Duke Humfrey an Especiall Councellour in all these expeditions In Flaunders Almain Boheme Burgundie Here remembring the auncient amitie which in his ambassaes he concluded betwixt the King of England and Sigismund Emperour of Almaine drawing the Duke of Burgoyne into the same league giuing himselfe as an hostage for the duke of saint Omers while the Duke came to Calice to confirme the league With his many other imployments to forraine Kingdoms That crosier staffe in his imperious hand Henry Beuford Cardinall of Winchester that proud haughtie Prelate receyued his Cardinals hat at Calice by the Popes Legate which dignitie Henry the fift his nephew forbade him to take vpon him knowing his haughtie and malicious spirit vnfit for that robe and calling The meanes how Langleis progenie may rise As willing to shew the house of Cambridge to bee descended of Edmund Langley Duke of Yorke a yonger brother to Iohn of Gaunt his Grand-father as much as in him lay to smother the title that the Yorkists made to the crowne from Lionell of Clarence Gaunts elder brother by the daughter of Mortimer His priesthood now sterne Mowbray doth restore Nothing the ancient grudge betweene the house of Lancaster and Norffolke euer since Mowbray duke of Norffolke was banished for the accusation of Henry duke of Herford after the king of England father to duke Humfrey which accusation hee came as a Combatant to haue made good in the Lists at Couentry And giues our heires in marriage that their dowers Iames Stuart King of Scots hauing bin long prisoner in England was released and tooke to wife the daughter of Iohn duke of Somerset sister to Iohn duke of Somerset neece to the Cardinall and the duke of Excester and coosin germain remooued to the King this King broke the oath he had taken and became after a great enemie to England FINIS ¶ To my Honored Mistris Mistris Elizabeth Tanfield the sole daughter and heire of that famous and learned Lawyer Lawrence Tanfield Esquire FAire and vertuous Mistres since first it was my good fortune to bee a witnesse of the many
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
POEMS By Michaell Draiton Esquire N L LONDON Printed for N. Ling. 1605. The Arguments THe Barrons warres Englands Heroicall Epistles Idea The Legend of Robert Duke of Normandie The Legend of Matilda The Legend of Pierce Gaueston To Sir Walter Aston Knight of the honourable order of the Bath and my most worthy Patron I Will not striue m' invention to inforce With needlesse words your eyes to entertaine T' obserue the formall ordinarie course That euerie one so vulgarly doth faine Our interchanged and deliberate choise Is with more firme and true election sorted Then stands in censure of the common voice That with light humor fondly is transported Nor take I patterne of an others praise Then what my pen may constantly avow Nor walke more publique nor obscurer waies Then vertue bids and iudgement will allow So shall my loue and best endeuours serue you And still shall studie still so to deserue you Michaell Drayton To the Reader The Quadrin doth neuer double or to vâ—e a word of He raldrie neuer bringeth forth Gemells The Quiazain too soone The Sostin hath Twinnes in the base but they detaine not the Musicke nor the Cloze as Musitians terme it long enough for an Epicke Poeme The stanza of seauen is touched before This of eight both holds the tune cleane through to the base of the columne which is the couplet the foote or bottome and closeth not but with a full satisfaction to the care for so long detention Briefely this sort of stanza hath in it maiestie perfection and soliditie resembling the pillar which in Architecture is called the Tuscan whose shaft is of six diameters and bases of two The other reasons this place will not beare but generally all stanzas are in my opinion but tyrants and torturers when they make inuention they their number which sometime would otherwise scantle it selfe A fault that great Maisters in this Art striue to auoide Concerning the diuision which I vse in this Poeme I am not ignorant that antiquitie hath vsed to distinguish workes into Bookes and euery one to beare the number of their order Homers â—liads and Vlysiads indeede are distinguished by seuerall letters of the Greeke Alphabet as all the world knâ—wes and not by the numerall letters onely which to lotâ— are digit and afterward compound the Alpha being our vnite for the Greeks had no figures nor ciphers in their Arithmeticke Virgils Aeneis Statius Thebaâ—s Silius worke of the Carthaginian warre Illyricus Argonauticks Vidas Christeis are all diuided into books The Italians vse Cantos and so our first late great Reformer Master Spenser that I assume another name for the sections in this volume cannot be disgratious nor vnauowable Lastly if I haue not already exceeded the length of an Epistle I am to intreats that he who will as any man may that will make himselfe a partie to this of ours would be pleased to remember that Spartan Prince who being found by certaine Ambassadors playing among his children requested them to forbeare to censure till also they had some of their owne To such I giue as ample power and priuiledge as euer Ius libâ—rorum coulain Rome crauing backe againe at their hands by a regrant the like of that which I impart for great reason there is that they should vndergoe the licence which themselues challenge and suffer that in their fames which they would wrongly put vpon others according to the most indifferent law of the Talio Fare you well To M. Michaell Drayton WHat ornament might I deuise to fit Th' aspiring height of thy admired spirit Or what faire Garland worthy is to sit On thy blest browes that compasse in all merit Thou shalt not crowned be with common Bayes Because for thee it is a crowne too low Apolloes tree can yeeld thee simple praise It is too dull a vesture for thy brow But with a wreathe of starres shalt thou be crown'd VVhich when thy working temples do sustaine VVill like the Spheares be euer moouing round After the royall musicke of thy braine Thy skill doth equall Phoebus not thy birth He to heauen giues musicke thou to earth Thomas Greene. To M. Michaell Drayton THose painefull wits which natures depth admire And view the causes of vnconstant strife Doe tremble least the Vniuerse expire Through lasting iarres the enemies of life On earthly signes let not such Sages looke Nor on the cleere aspects of hopefull starres But learne the worlds continuance from thy booke which frames past natures force eternall warres wherein the Mases shewing perfect glory Adorne it so with gracefull harmonie That all the acts of this lamented story Seeme not perform'd for peoples libertie Nor through the awe of an imperious King But that thy verses their deepe wounds might sing Iohn Beaumont THE FIRST BOOKE of the Barrons warres The Argument The grieuous plagues and the prodigious signes That this great warre and slaughter doe foreshow Th' especiall cause the Baronage combines The Queenes strong griefe whence many troubles grow The time by course vnto our fallinclines And how each country doth to battell goe What cause to yeeld the Mortimers pretend And their commitment perfecting the end 1 THe bloodiefactions and rebellious pride Of a strong nation whose vnmanag'd might Them from their naturall Soueraigne did diuide Their due subiection and his lawfull right Whom their light error loosely doth misguide Vrg'd by lewd Minions tyrannous despight Me from soft layes and tender loues doth bring Of dreadfull fights and horred warres to sing 2 What hellish furie poysned your hie blood Or should bewitch you with accursed charmes That by pretending of the generall good Rashly extrudes you to tumultuous armes And from the safetie wherein late you stood Reâ—t of all taste and feeling of your harmes That France and Belgia with affrighted eyes Were sad beholders of your miseries 3 T 〈…〉 ueterate ranckor in their bosoms bred Who for their charter wag'd a former war Or through your veines this raging venom spred Whose next-succeeding Nephewes now you are Or that hote gore your bowes in conquest shed Hauing enlarg'd your Countries bounds so far Ensigne to ensigne furiously oppose With blades of Bilbo dealing English blowes 4 O thou the great director of my Muse On whose free bountie all my powers depend Into my breast a sacred fire infuse Rauish my spirit this great worke to attend Let the still night my laboured lines peruse That when my Poems gaine their wished end They whose sad eyes shall reade this tragique story In my weake hand shall see thy might and glory 5 What Care would plot Dissentions quickely crosse Which like an earthquake rends the tottering state By which abroade we beare a publique losse Betrayd at home by meanes of priuate hate Whilst vs those strange calamities doe tosse The daily nurse of mutinous debate Confusion still our countries peace confounds No helpe at hand and mortall all our wounds 6 Thou Church then swelling in thy mightinesse Tending the care and safetie of the soule
father with the Norman sword On fruitfull England prosprous entrance made I cast the proiect that this youthfull Lord In the meane time should Normandie inuade And with as prou'd and powerfull a blade Him I perswaded constantly by this To make his owne yet doubtfull to be his That Robert daily in disgrace might runne As still the Conqueror towards his end did grow who well in yeeres thus vexed by his sonne which now his will so openly did show His state deuised wisely to bestow For his owne safety that his daies to close He might himselfe more quietly repose And that lest time might coole his weakned blood This lucklesse warre by lingring I supplide That whilst Duke Robert iustly censured stood Vnder the weight of his vnnaturall pride In heate of all this Conqueror William dide Setting young Rufus on th'vnrightfull throne Leauing h 〈…〉 strugling for his owne Which in small time so many mischiefes bred As sundry plagues on Williams of-springs sent Attaining to so violent a head which pollicie not after could preuent when to destruction all things head-long went And in the end as consumating all Was Roberts irrecouerable fall When none could prosprous Nonmandie disswade From sending ensignes to the English field Brother opposde the brother to inuade Sword against sword shield menaced to shield whose equall worth to other scorne to yield One arme a front the others furious stroke Scepter with septer violently broke These sundry soiles in both of which was sowne By so approu'd and fortunate a hand The seede to both might prosprously haue growne By their 〈◊〉 in a mutuall band Now when these Princes opposite do stand what them should foster greater wounds them lent Then the prowd'st powre that Europe could haue sent Hauing my selfe wonne William in his life This conquered Realme to Rufus that did giue Getting by strength what he did leaue in strife Those to molest that after him should liue In this aduantage cunningly I driue T' afflict his issue with a generall ill Yet th' extreame in Robert to fulfill As when stowt Odo that with William held Daily prickt forward by prowd Lanfrancks spight Both powerfull Prelates rigorously compeld Rufus to leaue abetting Roberts right Drawing both Mortaines and Mongomeries might Mangling the I le with many a greeuous scarre Scarcely yet cured of the former warre That being set in so direct a way Strong friends at hand his enterprize to becke Ready before him when his entrance lay Of all supplide that he did lately lacke Him I perswade the remedy to slacke Stopping the course which he did lately runne All to vndoe that he had euer done Thus did I stirre vp that vnkindely rage That did so farre preuaile vpon his blood And at my pleasure did againe asswage When now this heate in sted might him haue stood Thus with his humour altred I my mood That first by Armes his vigor he might lose Which then laid down gaue strength vnto his foes That by concluding this vntimely peace I might thereby a lingring warre beginne That whil'st these tumults did a little cease Craft more aduantage cunningly might winne Thus let I treason secretly in Giuing deceitfull Pollicie the kay To the faire closet where his councells lay Thus reconciling outwardly a friend I drew an inward and a dangerous foe That all his wit ambitiously did lend To clothe his treasons in a vertuous show Which were contriued â—so currantly to goe That secret mallice strengthned more and more Lastly should proue more dangerous then before And now poore Fame my power to thee addrest And thee mine onely instrument I made That whilst these brothers at this passe do rest Him to the warres I wonne thee to perswade With those that now were going to inuade With great Duke Godfrey pressing for his bands From Pagans power t'regaine the holy lands His youthfull humour finely thus I feed The meane most fit to draw him forth abroad When now at home his presence most should neede In forraine lands to fasten his aboad Him in this order onely I bestow'd That William dying Robert being gone Henry might seate him on his brothers throne So sweete the sounds of these aduent'rous Armes And euery sence so strougly they do binde That he hath now no feeling of his harmes So farre away transported is his minde Declaring well the greatnesse of his kinde That him so high and forcibly doth beare As when most cause he least his ill doth feare Him hauing throwne into eternall thrall Wisely fore-casting how the same should bee When euery thing made fit vnto his fall Which none could hinder though the most fore-see For which I made an instrument of thee For where destruction sadly I pretend Mischiefe like lines all to their centre bend He gone and William yeelded vp the breath The younger Henry couetous of raigne Offered so fairely by his brothers death whilst Robert doth in Palestine remaine And now a Kingdome easily might gaine what by his power and science to perswade Himselfe a Monarch absolutely made Whilst this great Duke imbraced is by thee which thou as thine doost absolutely claime Finding meere shadowes onely missing mee And idle Castles in the ayre doth frame Lot such a mighty Monarchesse is Fame That what she giues so easie is to beare As none therefore needes violence to feare Vntill returning from those holy warres So highly honored with the Pagans flight From forraigne battells vnto ciuill â—arres And getting others for his owne to fight Inforc'd to vse the vtmost of his might with that rich sword in Pagan blood imbru'd Himselfe to saue by his owne friends pursu'd When wanting summes the sinewes of his force which his great courage quickly comes to finde Euen in the high speede of his forward course So skilfully I mannaged his minde That I a way out readily did finde To his destruction Henry to supply His future safetie happily to buy Him by all waies to amity to winne Not fully yet establish'd as he would Hauing thus farre already gotten in Setting himselfe substantially to hold By the francke offers of bewitching gold The yearely tribute from his Crowne to rise Which might all former iniuries suffice Which entertaind by confident beleefe By which to passe his purposes were brought Not yet suspitious of this secret theefe By which he soone and cunningly was caught Of which the least when princely Robert thought Euen in a moment did annoy him more Then all their powre could euer do before Which to this great Lord vtterly vnknowne Not vnderstanding easily could not flie Into his way that subtilly was throwne which to auoide Duke Robert look'd too hie Into good minds fraud doth the soonest prie whose pliant nature I securely chose To worke vvhat forme it pleasde me to dispose This fatall tribute cutting off the claime A lawfull Prince to Englands Empire laid His former right doth altogether maime As they agreed yeerely to be paid Thereon relying after being staid As from a fountaine plenteously did spring The
efficient cause of Roberts ruining Whenas his friends so well to him that meant And for this day did wholly them prepare Seeing him thus their purpose to preuent And how thereby t' was like with him to fare Now vpon Henry bended all their care Giuing their power their peace with him to make Gathered at first the Norman part to take And I by whom yet euery thing had beene Since Norman William conquest heere begunne To shew my selfe the worlds emperious Queene Direct my course against his eldest sonne Things falling out disastrously to runne On Englands part gainst Normandie to stand Conquerd but lately by the Norman hand The conquest William made vpon this I le When Norman blood the Englishmen did tame That natiue now enriched with her stile Turnde with reuenge to captiuate the same As backe descending whence it lately came As Norman power did English thrall prouoke That Norman neckes should beare the English yoke For which being vp and fallne to open Armes Such mortall hate betweene them daily growes And pressing in where deadly perill swarmes The angry brothers dealing furious blowes Backe to regaine what they before did loose Either to quit him of the others thrall Either to rise or euermore to fail Him on whome late in Palestine I smilde Returnde from Fraunce now dreadfully I frowne Being calld home that chiefly is exilde And in his kingdome onely leaues his crowne Him in the deluge of mischance to drowne Lastly himselfe contemptfully doth lose Leauing his realme to his iniurious foes Which home to England prisner doe him bring Left as a spoile and prey vnto his owne Become her captiue should haue bin her king Such was the lot vpon his life was throwne Where he remaining in continuall mone Prescrib'd to one poore solitarie place Whose lawfull bounds the ocean did embrace Could humane knowledge comprehend my hate Or reason sound the depth of things diuine The world amazed at Duke Roberts state Might thinke no might to be comparde with mine And all the chaunces vnto me resigne In Roberts fall apparantly to see Amongst the starres the strength that rests in mee That sword vpon him which resumes such powre Yet is too weake to consumate his daies Time whose swift course doth euery thing deuoure In his most neede prolongs him with delaies Whilst he his brothers tyrannie obeies That he in life a thousand deaths might die In euery course so forcible am I. And whilst in such extreamity he lies Depriude of all comfort but the blessed light Yet t' was not this that could my rage suffice But to abridge that rob him of his sight To sute his daies directly with the night That that to all men lastly which should be Due to the wretchedst him denide by me That Robert so infortunately blinde No outward obiect night dispearse his care The better to illuminate his minde To see his sorrowes throughly what they are To do so much vnto this Prince I dare That being depriu'd of that which was the chiefe Did of the other amplifie the griefe And when bereaued of his nightly rest With the remembrance of so great a wrong Fastning so deepely on his pensiue breast His heart the while that violently stung Nature in him doth shew herselfe so strong That griefe which many doth of life depriue Seemes to preserue and keeps him still aliue Him I denide his enemy to kill Nor by his owne hand wretchedly to die That life vnto him should be loathsome still And that death from him euermore should flie Making them both to him an enemie Willing to die by life him double killing Vrged to liue twice dying he vnwilling So many yeares as he hath worne a Crowne So many yeares as he hath hopde to rise So many yeares vpon him did I frowne So many yeares he liues without his eyes So many yeares in dying e're he dies So many yeares shut vp in prison strong Sorrow doth make the shortest time seeme long Thus sway I in the course of earthly things That time might worke him euerlasting spight To shew how I can tyrannize on Kings And in the fall of great ones do delight In fined things my working infinite All worldly changes at my will disposed For that in me all wonder is inclosed At Fortunes speech amazed whilst they stand And Fame herselfe yet wondreth at his woe When from Duke Robert Fortune takes her hand Whose misery she thus had let them know When now to answer her dispightfull foe Fame from deepe silence seeming to awake Thus for her Client modestly bespake Quoth she returning from renowned Rome Seeking my selfe in Europe to aduance To winne her Princes to regaine the tombe Which had beene lost by her misgouernance Calling to England Germany and France At length perswaded happily by me From Pagan hands faire Palestine to free That holy hermite long that did bemone This their so great and euident a losse With famous Godfrey forwards that was gone Bearing the banner of the bloody Crosse Now whilst in so faire forwardnes it was And euery care attentiue now did stand To this great buisnes onely then in hand Thither did all the noblest spirites resort Which I that time successefully did bring Allured by the confident report That from so great an enterprise did spring T'aduenture in so popular a thing And no man deemed worthy to be mine That was not forward in this great designe Where now this duke the Conqu'rors eldest sonne Which with his birthright Normandie did wrest When of what else his noble father wonne His brother Rufus strongly was possest Which whilst he striueth from his hands to rest This great attempt now gloriously broke forth Which was by me divulged through the north Which hauing got free entrance to his care Such entertainement happily did finde As no perswasion suffreth to be there From this high purpose to diuert his minde And being so religiously inclinde woo'd with this offer fitly doth prepare Himselfe to furnish to this great affaire That kingdome he dooth carelesly neglect His brother Rufus wrongfully doth keepe And onely that doth constantly respect where he once in his sepulchre did sleepe At whose deere death the very rockes did weepe His crown of gold this christian Prince doth scorn So much he lou'd him that was crownd with thorne The want that him did grieuously oppresse Of those great summes in leuying power were spent Himselfe againe of England to possesse Much hindreth his religious intent Yet could not this his purpose so preuent Although a while it seemd delay to make Of that which he did brauely vndertake Wherefore this noble and high spirited Lord. whilst novv his buisnes standeth at this stay And since his state no better could afford In gage to Henry Normandie doth lay Prouiding first his souldiers how to pay Rather himselfe chose kingdomlesse to leaue His countries hopes then basely to deceaue To his victorious ensigne comes from farre Th'inlled Red-shanks toucht with no remorse The light-foote Irish that with