dares And Vere so famous in the Irish warres Who though my selfe so great a Prince were borne The worst of these my equall neede not scorne But Henries rare perfections and his parts As conquering Kingdomes so he conquer'd hearts As chaste was I to him as Queene might bee But freed from him my chaste lone vow'd to thee Beautie doth fetch all fauour from thy face All perfect courtship resteth in thy grace If thou discourse thy lips such accents breake As loue a spirit forth of thee seemâ—d to speake The Brittish language which our vowels wants And iarres so much vpon harsh consonants Comes with such grace from thy mellifluous tongue As do the sweete notes of a well set song And runnes as smoothly from those lips of thine As the pure Tuskan from the Florentine Leauing such seasoned sweetenes in the eare As the voyce past yet still the sound is there In Nisus Tower as when Apollo lay And on his golden viall vsde to play Where sencelesse stones were with such musicke drownd As many yeares they did retaine the sound Let not the beames that greatnes doth reflect Amaze thy hopes with timerous respect Assure thee Tudor maiesty can be As kinde in loue as can the mean'st degree And the embraces of a Queene as true As theirs might iudge them much aduanc'd by you When in our greatnes our affections craue Those secret ioyes that other women haue So I a Queene be soueraigne in my choice Let others fawne vpon the publique voice Or what by this can euer hap to thee Light in respect to be belou'd of mee Let peeuish worldlings prate of right and wrong Leaue plaints and pleas to whom they do belong Let old men speake of chances and euents And Lawyers talke of titles and discents Leaue fond reports to such as stories tell And couenants to those that buy and sâ—ll Loue my sweete Tudor that becomes thee best And to our good suceesse referre the rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie Great Henry sought to accomplish his desire Armed c. HEnry the fift making claime to the Crowne of France first sought by Armes to subdue the French and after sought by marriage to confirme what he got by conquest the heate and furie of which inuasion is alluded to the sixion of Semele in Ouid which by the crafty perswasion of Iuno requested Ioue to come vnto her as he was wont to come vnto his wife Iuno who at her request hee yeelding vnto destroyed her in a tempest Incamp'd at Melans in wars hote alarmes First c. Neere vnto Melans vpon the Riuer of Scyne was the appointed place of parley betweene the two Kings of England and France to which place Isabell the Qucene of France and the Duke of Burgoyne brought the yong Princesse Katherine where King Henry first saw her And on my temples set a double Crowne Henry the fift and Queene Katherine were taken as King and Queene of France and during the life of Charles the French king Henry was called King of England and heire of France and after the death of Henry the fift Henry the sixt his sonne then being very yong was crowned at Paris as true and lawfull King of England and France At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy Troy in Champaine was the place where that victorious king Henry the fift married the Ptincesse Katherine in the presence of the chiefe nobilitie of the Realmes of England and France Nor these great tules vainely will I bring Wife daughter mother c. Few Queenes of England or France were euer more princely alied then this Queene as it hath beene noted by Historiographers Nor thinke so Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne c. Noting the discent of Henry her husband from Iohn Duke of Lancaster the fourth sonne of Edward the third which Duke Iohn was sirnamed Gaunt of the Cittie of Gaunt in Flanders where he was borne Nor stirre the English blood the Sunne and Moone Trepine c. Alluding the greatnes of the English line to Phoebus and Phoebe fained to be the children of Latona whose heauenly kind might seorne to be ioyned with any earthly progenie yet withall boasting the blood of France as not inferior to theirs And with this allusion followeth on the historie of the strife betwixt Iuno and the race of Cadmus whose issue was afflicted by the wrath of heauen The children of Niobe slaine for which the wofull mother became a rocke gushing forth continually a sountaine of teares And Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied Lheellin or Leolin ap Iorweth married Ioane daughter to king Iohn a most beautifull Lady Some Authors affirme that she was base borne Lhewellin ap Gryfith married Ellenor daughter to Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester and Cosin to Edward Long-shankes both which Lhewellins were Princes of Wales Of Camilot and all her Pentecosts A Nephewes roome c. Camilot the antient Pallace of King Arthur to which place all the Knightes of that famous order yeerely repaired at Penticost according to the law of the Table and most of the famous home-borne Knights were of that Country as to this day is perceiued by their antient monuments When bloody Rutus sought your vtter sacke Noting the ill successe which that William Rufus bad in two voyages he made into Wales in which a number of his chiefe Nobilitie were slaine And oft returnde with glorious victorie Noting the diuers sundry incursions that the Welchmen made into England in the time of Rufus Iohn Henry the second and Longshankes ⧠Owen Tudor to Queene Katherine WHen first mine eyes heheld your princely name And found from whence this friendly letter came As in excesse of ioy my selfe forgot Whether I saw it or I saw it not My panting heart doth bid mine eyes proceede My dazeled eye inuites my tongue to reede Mine eye should guide my tongue amazed mist it My lips which now should speak are dombe kist it And leaues the paper in my trembling hand When all my sences so amazed stand Euen as a mother comming to her childe Which from her presence hath been long exilde With tender armes his gentle necke doth straine Now kissing him now clipping him againe And yet excessiue ioy deludes her so As still she doubts if this be hers or no At length awak'ned from this pleasing dreame When passion somwhat leaues to be extreame My longing eyes with their faire obiect meete Where euery letter 's pleasing each word sweete It was not Henries conquests nor his Court That had the power to win me by report Nor was his dreadfull terror-striking name The cause that I from Wales to England came For Christian Rhodes and our religious truth To great atchieuements first had wonne my youth Before aduenture did my valour proue Before I yet knew what it was to loue Nor came I hether by some poore euent But by th' eternall Destinies consent Whose vncomprised wisedomes did fore-see That you in marriage should be linck'd to
Palador Caer-Septon now called Shaftsburie at whose building it was said an â—â—agle prophecied or rather one named Aquila of the fame of that place and of the recouerie of the I le of the Brytaines bringing backe with them the bones of Cadwallader from Rome And from Eneons line the South-wales King From Theodor c. This Eneon was slaine by the Rebels of Gwentsland he was a noble and worthie Gentleman who in his life did many noble acts and was father to Theodor or Tudor Maur of whom discended the Princes of South-wales From her great Grandam faire Guenelliam Guenelliam the daughter of Rees ap Griffeth ap Theodor Prince of South-wales maried Edniuet Vahan auncestor to Owen Tudor By true descent from Liolin the great This is tho Lewhelin called Liolinus Magnus Prince of North-wales Nor that word Croggen nick-name of disgrace In the voyage that Henry the second made against the Welchmen as his Souldiers passed Offas ditch at Croggen Castel they were ouerthrowne by the Welchmen which word Croggen hath since beene vsed to the Welchmens disgrace which was at first begun with their honour And old Caer-Merdin Merlins famous towne Caer-Merdin or Merlins Towne so called of Merlius beeing found there This was Ambrose Merlin whose prophecies wee haue There was another of that name called Merlin Siluestris borne in Scotland surnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophecied And kept our natiue language now thus long The Welchmen bee those ancient Britaines which when the Picts Danes and Saxons inuaded heere were first driuen into those parts where they haue kept their language euer since the first without commixtion with any other language Finis To my worthy and deerly esteemed friend Maister Iames Huish SIR your own naturall inclination to vertue your loue to the Muses assure me of your kinde acceptance of my dedication It is seated by custome from which wee are now bolde to assume authoritie to beare the names of our friends vpon the fronts of our bookes as Gentlemen vse to set their Armes ouer their gates Some say this vse began by the Heroes braue spirits of the old world which were desirous to be thought to patronize learning and men in requitall honour the names of those braue Princes But I think some after put the names of great men in their bookes for that men should say there was some thing good only because indeed their names stood there But for mine owne part not to dissemble I find no such vertue in any of their great titles to do so much for any thing of mine and so let them passe Take knowledge by this I loue you and in good faith worthie of all loue I thinke you which I pray you may supply the place of further complement Yours euer M. Drayton Elinor Cobham to Duke Humfrey The Argument Elinor Cobham daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough and wife to Humfrey Plantaginet duke of Glocester the sonne of Henry the fourth King of England surnamed Bullingbrooke This noble Duke for his great wisdome and iustice called the good was by King Henry the fift brother to this Duke at his death appointed Protector of the land during the nonage of Henry the sixt this Elinor Duches of Glocester a prowd and ambicious woman knowing that if young Henry died without issue the Duke her husband was the neerest of the bloud conspired with one Bullingbrooke otherwise called Onely a great Magitian Hun a priest and Iourdane witch of Eye by sorcerie to make away the King and by coniuration to know who should succeed Of this being iustly conuicted shee was adiudged to do penance three seuerall times openly in London and then to perpetuall banishment in the I le of Man from whence she writeth this Epistle ME thinks not knowing who these lines should send Thou straight turn'st ouer to the latter end Where thou my name no sooner hast espi'd But in disdaine my letters cast aside Why if thou wilt I will my selfe denie Nay I 'le affirme and sweare I am not I Orifin that thy shame thou doost perceiue I le leaue that name that name my selfe shall leaue And yet me thinkes amazd thou shouldst not stand Nor seeme so much appauled at my hand For my misfortunes haue invrde thine eie Long before this to sights of misery No no reade on t is I the very same All thou canst reade is but to reade my shame Be not dismaide nor let my name affright The worst it can is but t' offend thy sight It cannot wound nor doe thee deadly harme It is no dreadfull spell nor magique charme If shee that sent it loue duke Humfrey so I st possible her name should be his foe Yes I am Elnor I am verie shee Who brought for dower a virgins hed to thee Though enuious Beuford slaunderd me before To be duke Humfreis wanton Paramore And though indeede I can it not denie To Magique once I did my selfe apply I wonne thee not as there be many thinke With poisning Philters and bewitching drinke Nor on thy person did I euer proue Those wicked portions so procuring loue I cannot boast to be rich Hollands heire Nor of the bloud and greatnes of Bauire Yet Elnor brought no forraine armies in To fetch her backe as did thy Iacomin Nor clamorous husbands followed me that fled Exclayming Humfrey to defile his bed Nor wast thou forcde the slaunder to suppresse To send me backe as an adulteresse Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force Nor su'd to Rome to hasten my deuorce Nor Belgias pompe defac'd with Belgias fire The iust reward of her vniust desire Nor Bedford spouse your noble sister Anne That princely-issued great Burgunnian Should stand with me to moue a womans strife To yeelde the place to the Protectors wife If Cobhams name my birth can dignifie Or Sterborough renowne my familie Where 's Greenewich now thy Elnors Court of late Where she with Humfrey held a princely state That pleasant Kent when I abroad should ride That to my pleasure laid forth all her pride The Thames by water when I tooke the ayre Danc'd with my Barge in lanching from the staire The ankoring ships that when I pass'd the road Were wont to hang their chequered tops abroad How could it be those that were wont to stand To see my pompe so goddesse-like on land Should after see me mayld vp in a sheete Doe shamefull penance three times in the streetâ— Rung with a bell a Taper in my hand Bare-foote to trudge before a Beedles wand That little babes not hauing vse of tongue Stood pointing at me as I came along Where 's Humfreys power where was his great command Wast thou not Lord-protector of the Land Or for thy iustice who can thee deny The title of the good Duke Humfrey Hast thou not at thy life and in thy looke The seale of Gaunt the hand of Bulling brooke What blood extract from famous Edwards line Can boast it selfe to be so pure as
our father won before Nor leaue our sonne a sword to conquer more Thus but in vaine we fondly do resist Where power can doe euen all things as it list And with vniust men to debate of lawes Is to giue power to hurt a rightfull cause Whilst Parlements must still redresse their wrongs And we must starue for what to vs belongs Our wealth but fuell to their fond excesse And we must fast to feast their wantonnesse Think'st thou our wrongs then insufficient are To moue our brother to religious warre And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquytaine And if not that yet hath he broke the truce Thus all accurre to put backe all excuse The sisters wrong ioynde with the brothers right Me thinks might vrge him in this cause to fight Be all those people sencelesse of our harmes Which for our Country ought haue manag'd armes Is the braue Normans courage now forgot Or the bold Brittaines lost the vse of shot The big-bonde Almaines and stowt Brabanders Their warlike Pikes and sharpe-edg'd Semiters Or do the Pickards let their Crosse-bowes lie Once like the Centaurs of old Thessalie Or if a valiant Leader be their lacke Where thou art present who should driue them back I doe coniure thee by what is most deere By that great name of famous Mortimer By antient Wigmors honourable crâ—st The tombes where all thy famous grand-sires rest Or if than these what more may thee approue Euen by those vowes of thy vnfained loue That thy great hopes may moue the Christian King By forraigne armes some comfort yet to bring To curbe the power of traitors that rebell Against the right of princely Isabell Vaine witlesle woman why should I desire To adde more heate to thy immortall fire To vrge thee by the violence of hate To shake the pillars of thine owne estate When whatsoeuer we intend to doe To our misfortune euer sorts vnto And nothing else remaines for vs beside But teares and coffins onely to prouide When still so long as Burrough beares that name Time shall not blot out our deserued shame And whilst cleere Trent her wonted course shall keep For our sad fall her christall drops shall weepe All see our ruine on our backes is throwne And to our selues our sorrowes are our owne And Torlton now whose counsell should direct The first of all is slaundred with suspect For dang'rous things dissembled seldome are Which many eyes attend with busie care What should I say My griefes do still renew And but begin when I should bid adiew Few be my words but manifold my woe And still I stay the more I shiue to goe As accents issue forth griefes enter in And where I end me thinks I but begin Till then faire time some greater good affords Take my loues paiment in these ayrie words ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie O how I feard that sleepte drinke I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent MOrtimer being in the Tower and ordaining a feast in honor of his birth-day as he pretended and inuiting there-vnto Sir Stephen Segraue Constable of the Tower with the rest of the officers belonging to the same he gaue them a sleepie drinke prouided him by the Queene by which meanes he got liberue for his escape I steale to Thames as though to take the aire And aske the gentle streame as it doth glide Mortimer being got out of the Tower swamme the riuer of Thames into Kent whereof she hauing intelligence doubteth of his strength to escape by reason of his long imprisonment being almost the space of three yeares Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Niuarrâ— Edward Cà rnaruan the first Prince of Wales of the English blood married Isabell daughter of Philip the Faire at Bulloine in the presence of the Kings of Almaine Nauarre and Cicile with the chiefe Nobilitie of France and England which marriage was there solemnized with exceeding pompe and magnificence And in my place vpon his regall throne To set that girle-boy wanton Gaueston Noting the effeminacie and luxurious wantonnesse of Gaueston the Kings Minion his behauiour and attire euer so womanlike to please the eye of his lasciuious Prince That a fowle Witches bastard should thereby It was vrged by the Queene the Nobility in the disgrace of Piers Gauestone that his mother was conuicted of witchcraft and burned for the same and that Piers had bewitched the King Albania Gascoine Cambria Ireland Albania Scotland so called of Albanact the second son of Brutus and Cambria Wales so called of Camber the third sonne the foure Realmes and Countries brought in subiection by Edward Longshanks When of our princely Iewells and our dowers We but enioy the least of what is ours A complaint of the prodigalitie of King Edward giuing vnto Gauestone the jewels and treasure which was left him by the ancient Kings of England and enriching him with the goodly Manor of Wallingford assigned as parcell of the dower to the Queenes of this famous â—le And ioyn'd with the braue issue of our blood Alie our kingdome to their crauand brood Edward the second gaue to Piers Gaueston in marriage the daughtet of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester begot of the Kings sister lone of Acres married to the said Earle of Glocester Should giue away all that his father won To backe a stranger King Edward offered his right in France to Charles his brother in law and his right in Scotland to Robert Bruse to be aided against the Barrons in the quarrell of Piers Gaueston And did great Edward on his death-bed giue Edward Longshankes on his death-bed at Carlile commanded yong Edward his sonne on his blessing not to call backe Gaueston which for the mis-guiding of the Princes youth was before banished by the whole counsell of the Land That after all this fearefull massaker The fall of Beuchamp Lasy Lancaster Thomas Earle of Lancaster Guy Earle of Warwicke and Henry Earle of Lincolne who had taken their oaths before the deceased King at his death to withstand his sonne Edward if he should call Gaueston froÌ„ exile being a thing which he much feared now seeing Edward to violate his fathers commandement rise in armes against the King which was the cause of the ciuill warre and the ruine of so many Princes And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That now a Spenser should succeede in all The two Hugh Spensers the father the son after the death of Gaueston became the great fauorites of the king the son being created by him lord Chamberlain the father Earl of Winchester And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquitaine Edward Longshankes did homage for those Citties and Territories to the French King which Edward the second neglecting moued the French King by the subornation of Mortimer to sease those Countries into his hands By antient Wigmors honourable Crest Wigmore in the marches of Wales was the antient
heare my prayre That Bullingbrooke now placde in Richards chaire Such cause of woe vnto their wiues may be As those rebellious Lords haue beene to me And that prowd Dame which now controlleth all And in her pompe triumpheth in my fall For her great Lord may water her sad eyne With as salt teares as I haue done for mine And mourne for Henry Hotspur her deere sonne As I for my sweete Mortimer haue done And as I am so succourlesse be sent Lastly to taste perpetuall banishment Then loose thy care where first thy crowne was lost Sell it so deerely for it deerely cost And sith they did of libertie depriue thee Burying thy hope let not thy care out-liue thee But hard God knowes with sorrow doth it goe When woe becomes a comforter to woe Yet much me thinkes of comfort I could say If from my hart pale feare were rid away Something there is which tells me still of woe But what it is that heauen aboue doth know Griefe to it selfe most dreadfull doth appeare And neuer yet was sorrow voide of feare But yet in death doth sorrow hope the best And with this farewell wish thee happy rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie If fatall Pomfret hath in former time POmfret Castle euer a fatall place to the Princes of England and most ominous to the blood of Plantaginet Oh how euen yet I hate these wretched eyes And in my glasse c. When Bullingbrooke returned to London from the West bringing Richard a prisoner with him the Queene who little knew of her husbands hard successe staid to behold his comming in little thinking to haue seene her husband thus ledde in triumph by his foe and now seeming to hate her eyes that so much had graced her mortall enemie Wherein great Norfolks forward course was staid She remembreth the meeting of two Dukes of Herford and Norfolke at Couentry vrging the iustnesse of Mowbrayes quarrell against the Duke of Herford and the faithfull assurance of his victorie O why did Charles relieue his needie state A vagabond c. Charles the French King her father receiued the Duke of Herford in his Court and releeued him in Fraunce being so neerely alied as Cosin german to king Richard his sonne in Law which he did simply little thinking that hee should after returne into England and dispossesse King Richard of the Crowne When thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell King Richard made a voyage with his Armie into Ireland against Onell and Mackemur which rebelled at what time Henry entred here at home and robd him of all kingly dignitie Affirmde by Church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegitâ—imate William Wickham in the great quarrell betwixt Iohn of Gaunt and the Clergy of meere spight and malice as it should seeme reported that the Queene confessed to him on her deathbed being then her Confessor that Iohn of Gaunt was the son of a Flemming and that shee was brought to bed of a woman childe at Gaunt which was smothered in the cradle by mischance that she obtained this childe of a poore woman making the king beleeue it was her owne greatly fearing his displeasure Fox eâ— Chron. Alban No bastards marke doth blot our conquering shield Shewing the true and indubitate birth of Richard his right vnto the Crowne of England as carrying the Armes without blot or difference Against their faith vnto the Crownes true heire Their noble kinsman c. Edmund Mortimer Earle of March sonne of Earle Roger Mortimer which was sonne to Lady Phillip daughter to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne to King Edward the third which Edmund King Richard going into Ireland was proclaimed heire apparant to the Crowne whose Aunt called Ellinor this Lord Piercie had married O would Aumerle had suncke when he betrayd The complâ—t which that holy Abbot layd The Abbot of Westminster had plotted the death of King Henry to haue beene done at a Tilt at Oxford of which confederacie there was Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey the Duke of Aumerle Mountacute Earle of Salsbury Spenser Earle of Gloster the Bishop of Carlile Sir Thomas Blunt these all had bound themselues one to another by Indenture to performe it but were all betrayd by the Duke of Aumerle Scroope Greene and Bushie die his fault in graine Henry going towards the Castle of Flint where King Richard was caused Scroope Greene and Bushie to be executed at Bristow as vile persons which had seduced this King to this lasciuious and wicked life Damn'd be the oth he made at Doncaster After Henries exile at his returne into England he tooke his oth at Doncaster vpon the Sacrament not to claime the crowne or Kingdome of England but onely the Dukedome of Lancaster his owne proper right and the right of his wife And mourne for Henry Hotspur her deere sonne As I for my c. This was the braue couragious Henry Hotspur that obtained so many victories against the Scots which after falling out right with the curse of Queene Isabell was slaine by Henry at the battaile at Shrewsbury Richard the second to Queene Isabell WHat may my Queene but hope for froÌ„ that hand Vnfit to write vnskilfull to coÌ„mand A Kingdomes greatnesse hardly can he sway That wholesome counsaile neuer did obay Ill this rude hand did guide a Scepter then Worse now I feare me gouerneth a pen How shall I call my selfe or by what name To make thee know from whence these letters came Not from thy husband for my hatefull life Hath made thee widdow being yet a wife Nor from a King that title I haue lost Now of that name prowd Bullingbroke may boast What I haue beene doth but this comfort bring That no woe is to say I was a King This lawlesse life which first procurde my hate This tongue which then denounc'd my regall state This abiect minde that did consent vnto it This hand that was the instrument to doe it All these be witnesse that I doe denie All passed hopes all former soueraigntie Didst thou for my sake leaue thy fathers Court Thy famous Country and thy virgine port And vndertook'st to trauaile dangerous waies Driuen by aukward windes and boist'rous seas And left 's great Burbon for thy loue to mee Who su'd in marriage to be linck'd to thee Offring for dower the Countries neighbouring nie Of fruitfull Almaine and rich Burgundie Didst thou all this that England should receiue thee To miserable banishment to leaue thee And in my downefall and my fortunes wracke Forsaken thus to France to send thee backe When quiet sleepe the heauie hearts reliefe Hath rested sorrow somwhat lesned griefe My passed greatnes vnto minde I call And thinke this while I dreamed of my fall With this conceit my sorrowes I beguile That my faire Queene is but with-drawne a while And my attendants in some chamber by As in the height of my prosperitie Calling alowd and asking who is there The Eccho
answering tells me Woe is there And when mine armes would gladly thee enfold I clip the pillow and the place is cold Which when my waking eyes precisely view T is a true token that it is too true As many minutes as in the howres there be So many howres each minute seemes to me Each howre a day morne noone-tide and a set Each day a yeare with miseries complet A winter spring-time summer and a fall All seasons varying but vnseasoned all In endelesse woe my thrid of life thus weares By minutes howres daies months lingring yeares They praise the summer that enioy the South Pomfret is closed in the Norths cold mouth There pleasant summer dwelleth all the yeere Frost-starued-winter dooth inhabite heere A place wherein dispaire may fitly dwell Sorrow best suting with a cloudy Cell When Herford had his iudgement of exile Saw I the peoples murmuring the while Th' vncertaine Commons toucht with inward care As though his sorrowes mutually they bare Fond women and scarse speaking children mourne Bewaile his parting wishing his returne Then being forcde t' abridge his banisht yeeres When they bedewd his footsteps with their teares Yet by example could not learne to know To what his greatnes by this loue might grow Whilst Henry boasts of our atchiuements done Bearing the trophies our great fathers wonne And all the storie of our famous warre Now grace the Annales of great Lancaster Seauen goodly siens in their spring did flourish Which one selfe root brought forth one stock did noâ—ish Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Nature in him her vtmost power did see Who from the bud still blossomed so faire As all might iudge what fruite it meant to beare But I his graft of eu'ry weede ore-growne And from the kind as refuse forth am throwne From our braue Grandsire both in one degree Yet after Edward Iohn the yongst of three Might Princely Wales beget an impe so base That to Gaunts issue should giue soueraigne place That leading Kings from France returned home As those great Caesars brought their spoiles to Rome Whose name obtained by his fatall hand Was euer fearefull to that conquered land His fame increasing purchasde in those warres Can scarcely now be bounded with the starres With him is valour quite to heauen fled Or else in me is it extinguished Who for his vertue and his conquests sake Posteritie a demy god shall make And iudge this vile abiect spirit of mine Could not proceede from temper so diuine What earthly humor or what vulgar eie Can looke so lowe as on our misery When Bullingbrooke is mounted to our throne And makes that his which we but calld our owne Into our counsells he himselfe intrudes And who but Henry with the multitudes His power disgrades his dreadfull frowne disgraceth He throwes them downe whome our aduancement placeth As my disable and vnworthy hand Neuer had power belonging to command He treades our sacred tables in the dust And proues our acts of Parlament vniust As though he hated that it should be saide That such a law by Richard once was made Whilst I deprest before his greatnes lie Vnder the weight of hate and infamie My backe a footstoole Bullingbrooke to raise My loosenes mockt and hatefull by his praise Out-liu'd mine honour buried my estate And nothing left me but the peoples hate Sweet Queene I le take all counsell thou canst giue So that thou bidst me neither hope nor liue Succour that comes when ill hath done his worst But sharpens griefe to make vs more accurst Comfort is now vnpleasing to mine eare Past cure past care my Bed become my Beere Since now misfortune humbleth vs so long Till heauen be growne vnmindfull of our wrong Yet they forbid my wrongs shall euer die But still remembred to posteritie And let the crowne be fatall that he weares And euer wet with woefull mothers teares Thy curse on Percie angry heauens preuent Who haue not one curse left on him vnspent To scourge the world now borrowing of my store As rich of woe as I a King am poore Then cease deere Queene my sorrowes to bewaile My wounds too great for pittie now to heale Age stealeth on whilst thou complainest thus My griefes be mortall and infectious Yet better fortunes thy faire youth may trie That follow thee which still from me doth flie ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Thiâ— tongue which first denounc'd my regall state RIchard the second at the resignation of the crowne to the duke of Herford in the Tower of London deliuering the same with his owne hand there confessed his disabilitie to gouerne vtterly denouncing all kingly authoritie And left'st great Burbon for thy love to me Before the Princesse Isabell was maried to the king Lewes duke of Burbon sued to have had her in marriage which was thought he had obtained if this motion had not fallen out in the meane time This Duke of Burbon sued againe to have received her at her comming into France after the imprisonment of king Richard but King Charles her Father then crost him as before and gave her to Charles sonne to the Duke of Orleans When Herford had his judgement of exile When the combate should have beene at Couentrie betwixt Henrie Duke of Herford and Thomas Duke of Norfolke where Herford was adiudged to banishment for ten yeares the commons exceedingly lamented so greatly was he ever favored of the people Then being forc'd t' abridge his banisht yeeres When the Duke came to take his leave of the King beeing then at Eltham the King to please the Commons rather then for any love he bare to Herford repleaded foure yeares of his banishment Whilest Henry boasts of our atchieuements done Henry the eldest Sonne to Iohn Duke of Lancaster at the first Earle of Darby then created Duke of Herford after the death of the Duke Iohn his father was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford Earle of Darby Leicester and Lincolne and after he had obtained the Crowne was called by the name of Bullingbrooke which is a towne in Lincolneshire as vsually all the Kings of England bare the name of the places where they were borne Seauen goodly syens in their spring did flourish Edward the third had seuen sonnes Edward Prince of Wales after called the blacke Prince William of Hatfield the second Lionell Duke of Clarence the third Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth Edmund of Langley Duke of York the fifth Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Gloster the sixth William of Winsore the seuenth Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Truly boasting himselfe to be the eldest Sonne of Edward the blacke Prince Yet after Edward Iohn the yongst of three As disabling Henry Bullingbrooke being but the son of the fourth brother William and Lionell being both before Iohn of Gaunt That leading Kings from France returned home Edward the blacke Prince taking Iohn king of France prisoner at the battel of Poicters brought him into England where at the Sauoy he died
late duke Humfries old alies With banisht Elnors base complices Attending their reuenge grow wondrous crouse And threaten death and vengeance to our house And I lone the wofull remnant am T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham I pray thee Poole haue care how thou doost passe Neuer the Sea yet halfe so dangerous was And one foretolde by Water thou shouldst die Ah! foule befall that foule tongues prophecie And euery night am troubled in my dreames That I doe see thee tosst in dangerous streames And oft-times shipwrackt cast vpon the land And lying breathlesse on the queachy sand And oft in visions see thee in the night Where thou at Sea maintainst a dangerous fight And with thy proued target and thy sword Beatst backe the pyrate which would come aboord Yet be not angry that I warne thee thus The truest loue is most suspitious Sorrow doth vtter what vs still doth grieue But hope forbids vs sorrovve to belieue And in my counsell yet this comfort is It can not hurt although I thinke amisse Then liue in hope in triumph to returne When cleerer dayes shall leaue in cloudes to mourne But so hath sorrow girt my soule about That that word Hope me thinks comes slowly out The reason is I know it heere vvould rest Where it vvould still behold thee in my breast Farewell sweete Pole faine more I would indite But that my teares doe blot as I do write ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Or brings in Burgoyne to ayde Lancaster PHillip Duke of Burgoyne and his sonne were alwaies great fauorites of the house of Lancaster howbeit they often dissembled both with Lancaster and Yorke Who in the North our lawfull claime commends To win vs credite with our valiant friends The chiefe Lords of the North parts in the time of Henry the fixt withstood the Duke of Yorke at his rising giuing him two great ouerthrowes To that allegeance Yorke was bound by oth To Henries heires and safety of vs both No longer now he meanes Records shall beare it He will dispence with heauen and will vnsweare it The Duke of Yorke at the death of Henry the fift and at this Kings coronation tooke his oth to be true subiect to him and his heires for euer but afterward dispensing therewith claimed the crowne as his rightfull and proper inheritance If three sonnes faile shee 'le make the fourth a King The Duke of Yorke had foure sonnes Edward Earle of March that afterward was Duke of Yorke and King of England when he had deposed Henry the sixt and Edmund Earle of Rutland slaine by the Lord Clifford at the battel at Wakefield and George Duke of Clarence that was murthered in the Tower and Richard Duke of Gloster who was after he had murthered his brothers sonnes King by the name of Richard the third He that 's so like his Dam her yongest Dicke That fowle illfauored crookeback'd Stigmaticke c. Till this verse As though begot an age c. This Richard whom ironically she heere calls Dicke that by treason after his Nephewes murthered obtained the crowne was a man low of stature crooke-back'd the left shoulder much higher then the right and of a very crabbed and sower countenance his mother could not be deliuered of him hee was borne toothd with his feet forward contrary to the course of nature To ouershadow our vermilian Rose The red Rose was the badge of the house of Lancaster and the white Rose of Yorke which by the marriage of Henry the seauenth with Elizabeth indubitate heire of the house of Yorke was happily vnited Or who will muzzell that vnruly beare The Earle of Warwicke the setter vp and puller downe of Kings gaue for his Armes the white Beare rampant and the ragged staffe My Daisie flower which erst perfumde the ayre Which for my fauour Princes once did weare c. The Daisie in French is called Margaret which was Queene Margarets badge where-withall the Nobilitie and chiualrie of the Land at the first arriuall were so delighted that they wore it in their hats in token of honour And who be starres but Warwikes bearded staues The ragged or bearded staffe was a part of the Armes belonging to the Earledome of Warwicke Slandring Duke Rayner with base beggery Rayner Duke of Aniou called himselfe King of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem hauing neither inheritance nor tribute from those parts and was not able at the marriage of the Queene of his owne charges to send her into England though he gaue no dower with her which by the Dutchesse of Glocester was often in disgrace cast in her teeth A Kentish rebell a base vpslart groome This was Iacke Cade which caused the Kentish-men to rebell in the 28. yeere of King Henry the fixth And this is he the white Rose must prefer By Clarence daughter match'd to Mortimer This Iacke Cade instructed by the Duke of Yorke pretended to be descended from Mortimer which married Lady Phillip daughter to the Duke of Clarence And makes vs weake by strengthning Ireland The Duke of Yorke being made Deputy of Ireland first there began to practise his long pretended purpose strengthning himselfe by all meanes possible that hee might at his returne into England by open warre claime that which so long he had priuily gone about to obtaine Great Winchester vntimely is deceasde Henry Benford Bishop and Cardinall of Winchester sonne to Iohn of Gaunt begot in his age was a prowd and ambitious Prelate fauouring mightily the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke continually heaping vp innumerable treasure in hope to haue beene Pope as himselfe on his death-bed confessed With France t' vpbraide the valiant Somerset Edmund Duke of Somerset in the 24. of Henry the sixth was made Regent of France and sent into Normandie to desend the English territories against the French inuasions but in short time he lost all that King Henry the fifth won for which cause the Nobles and Commons euer after hated him T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham Humfrey Duke of Buckingham was a great fauorite of the Queenes faction in the time of Henry the sixt And one sore-told by water thou shouldst die The Witch of Eye receiued answer from her spirit that the Duke of Suffolke should take heede of water which the Queene forwarnes him of as remembring the Witches prophecie which afterwards came to passe Finis To the Right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Munson Knight SIR amongst many which most deseruedly loue you though I the least yet am loth to be the last whose endeuours may make knowne how highly they esteeme of your noble and kinde disposition Let this Epistle Sir I beseech you which vnworthily weares the badge of your worthy name acknowledge my zeale with the rest though much lesse deseruing which for your sake doe honour the house of the Mounsons I know true generositie accepteth what is zealously offred though not euer deseruingly excellent yet for loue of the Art from whence it receiueth resemblance The light Phrigian harmony
the light whereof proceeded from my learned and verie 〈◊〉 friend Maister Francis Thinne Walter of Windsor the â—onne of Oterus had issue William of whom Henry now Lord Windsor is discended and Robert of Windsor of whom Robert the now Earle of Essex and Gerald of Windsor his third sonne who married the daughter of Râ—es the great Prince of Wales of whom came Nesta paraâ—our to Henry the first Which Gerald had issue Maurice Fitz-gerald auncestor to Thomas Fitz-maurice Iustice of Ireland buried at Trayly leauing issue Iohn his eldest sonne first Earle of Kildare ancestor to Geraldine and Maurice his second sonne first earle of Desâ—oond To raisethe mount where Surreys Towers must stand Alludeth to the sumptuous house which was afterward builded by him vpon Leonards hill right against Norwich which in the rebellion of Norffolke vnder Ket inking Edward the 6. time was much defaced by that impure rabble Betvvixt the hil and the Citie as Alexander Neuill describes it the riuer of Yarmouth runs hauing West and South thereof a wood and a little Village called Thorpe and on the North the pastures of Mousholl which containes about sixe miles in length and breadth So that besides the stately greatnes of Mount-Surrey which was the houses name the prospect and site thereof was passing pleasant and commodious and no where else did that encreasing euill of the Norffolke furie enkâ—nnell it selfe but then there as it were for a manifest token of their intent to debase all high things and to prophaneall holy Like Arras worke or other imagerie Such was he whom â—â—uenall taxeth in this manner truncoque similimus Hermae Nullo quippe alâ—o vineis discrimine quamquod Illi marmoreum caput est tua vâ—â—it image Being to be borne for nothing else but apparell and the outward appearance intituled Complement with whom theridiculous fable of the Ape in Esope sorteth fitly who comming into a Caruers house and viewing many Marble workes tooke vp the head of a man very cunningly wrought who greatly in praysing did seeme to pittie it that hauing so comely an outside it had nothing within like emptie figures walke and talke in euery place at whom the noble Geraldine modestly glanceth Finis To the virtuous Lady the Lady Francis Goodere wife to sir Henry Goodere Knight MY very gratious and good Mistris the loue and duety I bare unto your father whilst he liued now after his decease is to your hereditarie to whome by the blessing of your birth he left his vertues Who bequeathed you those which were his gaue you whatsoeuer good is mine as deuoted to his he being gone whome I honoured so much whilest he liued which you may iustly challenge by all lawes of thankefulnesse My selfe hauing beene a witnesse of your excellent education and milde disposition as I may say euer from your Cradle dedicate this Epistle of this vertuous and godly Lady to your selfe so like her in all perfection both of wisedome and learning which I pray you accept till time shall enable me to leaue you some greater monument of my loue M. Drayton The Lady Jane Gray to the Lord Gilford Dudley The Argument After the death of that vertuous young Prince King Edward the sixt the sonne of that famous King Henry the eight Iane the daughter of Henry Gray Duke of Suffolke by the consent of Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland was proclaimed Queene of England being married to Gilford Dudley the fourth sonne of the fore-said Duke of Northumberland which match was concluded by their ambitious fathers who went about by this meanes to bring the Crowne vnto their children and to dispossesse the Princesse Mary eldest daughter to King Henry the eight heire to King Edward her brother Queene Mary rising in Armes to claime her rightfull Crowne taketh the saide Iane Gray and the Lord Gilford her husband being lodged in the Tower for their more safetie which place being lastly their Pallace by this meanes became their prison where being seuered in sundry prisons they write these Epistles one to another MIne own deere Lord sith thou art lockt froÌ„ mee In this disguise my loue must steale to thee Since to renue all loues all kindnesse past This refuge scarcely left yet this the last My Keeper comming I of thee enquire Who with thy greeting answers my desire Which my tongue willing to returne againe Griefe stops my words and I but striue in vaine Wherewith amazde away in haste he goes When throgh my lips my hart thrusts forth my woes Whenas the dores that make a dolefull sound Driue backe my words that in the noise are drownd Which somewhat hush'd the Eccho doth record And twice or thrice reiterates my word When like an aduerse winde in Isis course Against the tide bending his boistrous force But when the flood hath wrought it selfe about He following on doth head-long thrust it out Thus striue my fighes with teares e're they begin And breaking out againe sighes driue them in A thousand formes present my troubled thought Yet proue abortiue when they forth are brought The depth of woe with words wee hardely sound Sorrow is so insensibly profound As teares do fall and rise sighes come and goe So do these numbers ebbe so do they flow These briny teares do make my incke looke pale My incke clothes teares in this sad mourning vaile The letters mourners weepe with my dim eye The paper pale grieu'd at my misery Yet miserable our selues why should we deeme Sith none is so but in his owne esteeme Who in distresse from resolution flies Is rightly said to yeelde to miseries They which begot vs did beget this sin They first begun what did our griefe begin we tasted not t' was they which did rebell Not our offence but in their fall we fell They which a crowne would to my Lord haue linckt All hope of life and liberty extinct A subiect borne a Soueraigne to haue beene Hath made me now nor subiect nor a Queene Ah vile ambition how doost thou deceiue vs which shew'st vs heauen and yet in hell doost leaue vs Seldome vntouch'd doth innocence escape when error commeth in good counsailes shape A lawfull title countercheckes prowd might The weakest things become strong props to right Then my deere Lord although affliction grieue vs Yet let our spotlesse innocence relieue vs. Death but an acted passion doth appeare where truth giues courage and the conscience cleere And let thy comfort thus consist in mine That I beare part of whatsoe're is thine As when we liude vntouch'd with these disgraces whenas our kingdome was our deere embraces At Durham Pallace where sweete Hymen sang whose buildings with our nuptiall musicke rang when Prothalamions praisde that happy day wherein great Dudley match'd with noble Gray when they deuisde to lincke by wedlockes band The house of Suffolke to Northumberland Our fatall Dukedome to your Dukedome bound To frame this building on so weake a ground For what auailes a lawlesse vsurpation which giues a Scepter but
haue alreadie lost But your owne madnesse needsly make it more Will you seeke safety in a forraine Coast Your wiues and children pittied you before But when your own blood your own swords imbrue Who pitties them which once did pittie you 19 The neighbouring groues dispoiled of their trees For boates and timber to assay this flood Where men are laboring as the Summer bee Some hollowing truncks som binding heaps of wood Some on their breasts some working on their knees To winne the bancke whereon the Barrons stood Which o're this current they by strength must tew To shed that blood that many ages rew 20 Some sharpen swords some on their Murrians set The Greaues and pouldrons others riuet fast The archers now their bearded arrowes whet Whilst euery where the clamerous Drums are bra'st Some taking view where surest ground to get And euery one advantage doth fore-cast In ranks and fyles each plaine and meadow swarmes As though the land were clad in angry Armes 21 The crests and honours of the English name Against their owne opposed rudely stand As angry with th'atchieuements whence they came That to their vertues gaue the generous brand O you vnworthy of your ancient fame Against your selues to lift your conqu'ring hand Since forraine swords your height could not abate By your owne powre your selues to ruinate 22 Vpon his surcoate valiant Neuell bore A siluer saltoyre grac'd on martiall red A Ladies sleeue hie-spirited Hastings wore Ferrer his Taberd with rich verry spred Wel knowne in many a warlike match before A Rauen sate on Corbets warlike head Cou'ring his Helmet Culpepper inrayld On maiden Armes a bloodie bend engrayld 23 The noble Percy in this furious day With a bright Cressant in his guide-home came In his faire Cornet Verdoon dooth display A Geuly fret priz'd in this mortall game That had beene taskt in many a doubtfull fray His launces pennons stained with the same The angry horse chafde with the stubborne bit The ruinous earth with rage and horror smit 24 I could the summe of Staffords arming show What colours Courtney Rosse and Warren holde Each sundry blazon I could let you know And all the glorious circumstance haue tolde What all the Ensignes standing in arow But wailing in a Muse ah me thou arte controlde When in remembrance of this horred deede My pen for inke euen drops of blood doth sheede 25 Th' imperiall standard in this place is pitcht With all the hatchments of the English crowne Great Lancaster with all his power enricht Sets the same Leopards in his Colours downe O if with furie you be not bewitcht Haue but remembrance on your selfe you frowne A little note or difference is in all How can the same stand when the same dooth fall 26 Behold the Eagles Lyons Talbots Beares The badges of your famous ancestries And shall they now by their inglorious heires Stand thus oppos'd against their families More honoured markes no Christian nation weares Reliques vnworthie of their progenies Those beasts you beare do in their kindes agree O that than beasts more sauage men should bee 27 But whilst the king no course concluded yet In his directions variably doth houer See how misfortunes still her time can fit Such as were sent the Country to discouer As vp and downe from place to place they flit Had found a foord to land their forces ouer Ill newes hath wings and with the winde doth goe Comfort 's a Cripple and comes euer slow 28 When Edward fearing Lancasters supplies Prowd Richmond Surry and great Penbrooke sent On whose successe his chiefest hope relies Vnder whose conduct halfe his Army went The neerest way conducted by thespies And he himselfe and Edmond Earle of Kent Vpon the hill in sight of Burton lay Watching to take aduantage of the day 29 Stay Surry stay thou mai'st too soone be gone Pawse till this rage be somewhat ouer past Why runn'st thou thus to thy destruction Richmond and Penbrooke whither doe you haste You labour still to bring more horror on Neuer seeke sorrow for it comes too fast Why do you striue to passe this fatall flood To fetch new wounds and shed your natiue blood 30 Great Lancaster sheath vp thy angry sword On Edwards armes whose edge thou shouldst not whet Thy naturall kinsman and thy soueraigne Lord Are you not one both true Plantaginet Call but to mind thy once-engaged word Canst thou thy oath to Longshankes thus forget Consider well before all other things Our vowes be kept we make to Gods and Kings 31 The windes are hush'd no little breath doth blow Which seemes so still as though it listning stood With trampling crouds the verie earth doth bow And through the smoke the sunne appeares like blood What with the shout and with the dreadfull show The heirds and flockes runne bellowing to the wood When drums and trumpets giue the fearfull sound As they would shake the clowds vnto the ground 32 The Earles then charging with their power of horse Taking a signall when they should beginne Being in view of the imperiall force Which at the time assay'd the bridge to winne That now the Barrons change th' intended course T' auoide the danger they were lately in Which on the suddaine had they not fore-cast Of their blacke day this howre had beene the last 33 When from the hill the Kings maine power comes downe Which had Aquarius to their valiant guide Braue Lancaster and Herford from the towne Now issue forth vpon the other side Peere against peere the crowne against the crowne The one assailes the other munifide Englands red crosse vpon both sides doth flie Saint George the king S. George the Barrons crie 34 Like as an exhalation hote and dry Amongst the ayre-bred moistie vapors throwne Spetteth his lightning forth outragiously Rending the grosse clowdes with the thunder-stone Whose fierie splinters through the thin ayre flie That with the terror heauen and earth doth grone With the like clamor and confused woe To the dread shocke these desp'rate Armies goe 35 Now might you see the famous English Bowes So fortunate in times we did subdue Shoote their sharpe arrowes in the face of those which many a time victoriously them drew Shunning their aime as troubled in the loose The winged weapons mourning as they slew Cleaue to the string now in potent and slacke As to the Archers they would faine turne backe 36 Behold theremnant of Troyes auntient stocke Laying on blowes as Smiths on Anuils strike Grapling together in this fearefull shocke whereas the like incountreth with the like As firme and ruthlesse as th' obdurate Rocke Deadly opposed at the push of pike Still as the wings or battels brought together when Fortune yet giues vantage vnto neither 37 From battred caskes with euery enuious blow The scattred plumes flie loosly heere and there which in the ayre dooth seeme as drifts of snow which euery light breath on his wings dooth beare As they had sence and feeling of our woe And thus affrighted with
carke for plenty and for dearth Fame neuer lookes vpon these prostrate drones Man is allotted at his princely birth To manage Empires and to sit on thrones Frighting coy Fortune when she sternst appeares Which else scornes sighes and jeeteth at our teares 46 When now Report with her fleet murmuring wing Tucht the still entrance of his listning eare A fleete preparde this royall Queene to bring And her arriuall still awaited neare When euery sound a note of loue doth sing The ioyfull thoughts that in his bosome were The soule in doubt to make her function lesse Denies the vtterance fully to expresse 47 Quoth he Slide billowes gently for her sake Whose sight can make your aged Nereus yong For her faire passage euen allies make On the sleeke waters wast her sailes along And whilst she glides vpon the pleasant lake Let the sweete Syrens rocke her with a Song Though not Loues mother that dooth passe this way Fairer than she that 's borne vpon the sea 48 You Sea-bred creatures gaze vpon her eie And neuer after with your kinde make warre O steale the accents from her lip that flie Which like the musicke 's of the Angels are And them vnto your amorous thoughts apply Comparde with which Aryons did but jarre Wrap them in aire and when blacke tempests rage Vse them as charmes the rough seas to asswage 49 France send to fetch her with full sholes of oares With which her fleete may euery way be plide And being landed on thy happie shoares As the vast nauie dooth at anckor ride For her departure when the wilde sea roares Ship mount to heauen there brightly stellifide Next Iasons Argo on the burnisht throne Assume thee there a constellation 50 Her person hence conuaide with that delight Which best the languish of her iournies easde That to her pleasure dooth it selfe inuite Whereon her mind and subtil fancie seasde And that most deare her liking might excite Which then this Lorde naught more her presence pleasd where when with state she first her time could take Thus the faire Queene her Mortimer bespake 51 O Mortimer great Mortimer quoth shee What angry power did first this meane deuise To seperate Queene Isabell and thee whome loues eternall vnion strongly ties But if supposde this fault beganne by mee For a iust pennance to my longing eyes Though guiltlesse they this punishment assignde To gaze vpon thee till they leaue me blinde 52 T is strange sweete friend how thou arte altred thus Since first in Court thou didst our fauours weare whose shape seemde then not mortall vnto vs when in our eye thy brow was beauties spheare In all perfection so harmonious A thousand seuerall graces mooving there But what then couldst thou be not now thou arte An alien first last home-borne in my heart 53 That powerfull fate thy safetie did inforce And from the worst of danger did thee free Still regular and constant in one course Wrought me a firme and euen path to thee Of our affections as it tooke remorce Our birth-fix't starres so happily agree Whose reuolution seriously directs Our like proceedings to the like effects 54 New forme of counsaile in the course of things To our dissignement findes a neerer way That by a cleere and perfect managing Is that firme prop whereon we onely stay Which in it selfe th' authoritie doth bring That weake opinion hath no power to sway Confuting such whose sightlesse iudgement sit In the thicke ranke with euery vulgar wit 55 Then since pleasde Time our wish'd content assures Imbrace the blessings of our mutuall rest And whilst the day of our good hap endures And we as fauorites leane on Fortunes breast Which doth for vs this vacancie procure In choice make free election of the best Ne're feare the sâ—orme before thou feele the shower My sonne a King an Empire is my dower 56 Of wanton Edward when I first was woo'd Why cam'st thou not into the Court of France Thy selfe alone then in my grace hadst stood Deere Mortimer how good had beene thy chance My loue attempted in that youthfull mood I might haue beene thine owne inheritance Where entring now by force thou hold'st thy might And art deseisor of anothers right 57 Honour thou Idole women so adore How many plagues doost thou retaine to grieue vs When still we finde there is remaining more Then that great word of Maiesty can giue vs Which takes more from vs then it can restore And of that comfort often doth depriue vs That with our owne selues sets vs at debate And mak'st vs beggars vnder our estate 58 Those pleasing raptures from her graces rise Strongly inuading his impressiue breast That soone entranced all his faculties Of the prowd fulnesse of their ioyes possest And hauing throughly wrought him in this wise Like tempting Syrens sing him to his rest When eu'ry power is passiue of some good Felt by the spirits of his high-rauisht blood 59 Like as a Lute that 's touch'd with curious skill In musickes language sweetely speaking plaine When eu'ry string his note with sound doth fill Taking the tones and giuing them againe And the eare bath's in harmony at will A diapason closing eu'ry straine So their affections set in keyes so like Still fall in consort as their humors strike 60 When now the path to their desire appeares Of which before they had been long debar'd By desolution of some threatning feares That for destruction seem'd to stand prepar'd Which the smooth face of better safetie beares And now protected by a stronger guard Giues the large scope of leisure to fore-cast Euents to come by things alreadie past 61 These great dissignements setting easly out By due proportion measuring eu'ry pace T' auoide the cumbrance of each hindring doubt That might distort the comlinesse and grace Comming with eu'ry circumstance about Strictly obseruing person time and place All ornaments in faire discretions lawes Could giue attire to beautifie the cause 62 The Embassie in termes of equall height As well their state and dignity might fit Apparelling a matter of that weight In ceremony well beseeming it To carry things so steddy and so right Where Wisedome with cleare maiesty might sit All things still seeming strictly to effect That Loue commaunds and Greatnesse should respect 63 Whos 's expedition by this faire successe That doth againe this antient league combine when Edward should by couenant release And to the Prince the Prouinces resigne With whome king Charles renues the happy peace Receiuing homage due to him for Guyne And lastly now to consumate their speede Edwards owne person to confirme the deede 64 Who whilst he stands yet doubtfull what to do The Spensers chiefely that his counsels guide Nor with their Soueraigne into Fraunce durst goe Nor in his absence durst at home abide Now whilst the weake king stands perplexed so His listning eares with such perswasion plide As he at last to stay in England's wonne And in his place to send the Prince his sonne 65 Thus
is the King encompasst by their skill A meane to worke what Herford doth deuise To thrust him on to draw them vp the hill That by his strength they might get powre to rise Thus they in all things are before him still This perfect steersman of their policies Hath cast to walke whilst Edward beares the light And take that aime that must direct his sight 66 And by th' allowance of his liberall will Supposde his safety furthering their intent Stands as a test to iustifie their ill Made sound and currant by this late euent And what yet wanting lastly to fulfill Things in their course to fall in true consent Giues full assurance of that happy end On which they now laboriously attend 67 Nor finding reason longer to protract Or in suspence their home-left friends to holde By being now so absolutely backt And thereby waxing confident and bold By their proceedings publishing their act whenas their powre was ripened as they would Now with an armed and erected hand To abet their faction absolutely stand 68 When now the fearefull fainting Exceter A man experiencde in their counsels long Whether himselfe thought his way to preferre Or moou'd in conscience with king Eawards wrong Or t' was his frailty forede him thus to erre Or other fatall accident among The onely first that backe to England flew And knowing all discouered all he knew 69 The plot of treason lastly thus disclosde And Torletons drift by circumstaunces found With what conueyance things had beene disposde The cunning vsde in casting of the ground The meanes and apt aduantages he chosde When better counsell coldely comes to sound Awakes the King to see his owne estate When the preuention comes too vaine and late 70 And whilst the time she daily dooth adjourne Charles as a brother by perswasions deales Edward with threates to hasten her returne And Iohn of Rome with Papall curse assaies T is but in vaine against her will to spurne Perswasions threats nor curses aught preuailes Charles Edward Iohn do th' vtmost of your worst The Queene fares best when she the most is curst 71 The subtile Spensers which French humors felt And with their Soueraigne had deuisde the draught with Prince and Peeres now vnder-hand had dealt with golden baites that craftily were caught whose flexed temper soone begins to melt On which they now by sleights so throwly wrought As with great summes now lastly ouer-waide The wretched Queene is desperate of aide 72 Nor can all this amaze this mighty Queene with all th'affliction neuer yet contrould Neuer such courage in her sex was seene Nor was she cast in other womens mould Nor can rebate the edge of her hie spleene But can endure warre trauell want and cold Strugling with Fortune ne're with griefe opprest Most cheerefull still when she was most distrest 73 And thus resolu'd to leaue ingratefull France And in the world her fortune yet to trie Changing the ayre hopes time may alter chance As one whose thoughts were eleuate more hie Her weakned state still seeking to aduance Her mighty minde so scorneth misery Yet ere she went her grieued heart to east Thus to the King this grieued Lady saies 74 Is this a King and brothers part quoth she And to this end did I my griefe vnfold Came I to heale my wounded heart to thee Where slaine outright I now the same behold Proue these thy vowes thy promises to mee In all this heate thy faith become so cold To leaue me thus forsaken at the worst My state more wretched than it was at first 75 My frailty vrging what my want requires To thy deere mercy should my teares haue tide Our bloods maintained by the selfe-same fires And by our fortunes as our birth alide My sute supported by my iust desires All arguments I should not be denide The grieuous wrongs that in my bosome be Should be as neere thy care as I to thee 76 Nature that easly wrought vpon my sex To thy vile pleasure thus mine honour leaues And vnder colour of thy due respects My settled trust disloyally deceaues That me and mine thus carelesly neglects And of all comfort wholy me bereaues Twixt recreant basenes and disordâ—nate will To expose my fortunes to the worst of ill 77 But for my farewell this I prophecie That from my wombe that glorious fruit doth spring Which shall deiect thy neere posteritie And leade a captiue thy succeeding King That shal reuenge this wretched iniury To fatall Fraunce I as a Sybel sing Her citties sackt the slaughter of her men When of the English one shall conquer ten 78 Bewmount in Fraunce that had this shuffling seene whose soule by kindnes Isabel had wonne For Henault now perswades the grieued Queene By full assurance what might there be done Now in the anguish of this tumerous spleene Offring his faire Neece to the Prince her sonne The lurest way to gaine his brothers might To backe yong Edward and vphold her right 79 This gallant Lord whose name euen filld report To whom the souldiers of that time did throng A man that fashiond others of his sort As that knew all to honour did belong And in his youth traind vp with her in Court And fully now confirmed in her wrong Crosst by the faction of th'emperiall part In things that sat too neerely to his hart 80 Sufficient motiues to inuite distresse To apprehend the least and poorest meane Against those mischiefes that so strongly presse Whereon their lowe dejected state to leaue And at this season though it were the lesse That might a while their sickely powre sustaine Till prosprous times by milde and temprate dayes Their drooping hopes to former height might raise 81 Where finding cause to breathe their restlesse state where welcome lookt with a more milder face From those dishonours she receiu'd of late Where now she wants no due officious grace Vnder the guidance of a gentler fate Where bounteous offers mutually embrace And to conclude all ceremonies past The Prince affies faire Philip at the last 82 All couenants signde with wedlockes sacred seale A lasting league eternally to binde And all proceeding of religious zeale And suting right with Henaults mighty minde That to his thoughts much honour dooth reueale What ease the Queene is like thereby to finde The sweete contentment of the louely Bride Yong Edward pleasde and ioy on euery side The end of the third Canto ⧠The fourth Booke of the Barrons warres The Argument The Queene in Henault mightie power doth winne In Harwich hauen safely is arriu'd Great troubles now in England new beginne The King of friends and safety is depriu'd Flieth to Wales at Neath receiued in Many strange acts and outrages contriu'd Edward betrayde deliu'red vp at Neath The Spensers and his friends are put to death 1 NOw seauen times Phoebus had his welked waine Vpon the top of all the Tropike set And seauen times descending downe againe His firy wheeles had with the fishes wet In the occurrents of this
haplesse raigne Since treason first these troubles did beget which through more strange varieties had runne Than it that time celestiall signes hath done 2 Whilst our ill thriuing in those Scottish broiles Their strength and courage greatly doth aduance That being made fat and wealthy by our spoiles When we still weakned by the jarres in France And thus dis-hartned by continuall foiles Yeeldes other cause whereat our Muse may glance And Herckleys treasons lastly brings to view Whose power of late the Barrons ouer-threw 3 Now when the Scot with an inuasiue hand By daily inroads on the borders made Had spoilde the Country of Northumberland whose buildings leuell with the ground were laide And finding none that dare his power withstand Without controlement eu'ry where had praide Bearing with pride what was by pillage got As our last fall appointed to their lot 4 For which false Herckley by his Soueraigne sent T' intreate this needefull though dishonored peace Cloking his treasons by this fain'd intent Kinling the warre which otherwise might cease And with a Scot new mischiefes doth inuent T' intrap King Edward and their feare release For which their faith they constantly haue plight In peace and warre to stand for eithers right 5 For which the King his sister doth bestow Vpon this false Lord which to him affy'd Maketh too plaine and euident a show Of what before his trust did closely hide But being found from whence this match should grow By such as now into their actions pry'd Displaies the treasons which not quickly crost Would shed more blood then all the wars had cost 6 Whether the Kings weake Counsells causes are That eu'ry thing so badly sorteth out Or that the Earle did of our state dispaire when nothing prosperd that was gone about And therefore carelesse how these matters fare I le not define but leaue it as a doubt Or some vaine title his ambition lackt Hatch'd in his breast this treasonable act 7 Which now reueal'd vnto the jealous King For apprehension of this trait'rous Peere To the Lord Lucy leaues the managing One whose knowne faith he euer held so deere By whose dispatch and trauell in this thing He doth well worthy of his trust appeare In his owne Castell carelesly desended The trecherous Herckley closely apprehended 8 For which ere long vnto his triall led In all the roabes befitting his degree Where Scroope chiefe Iustice in King Edwards sted was now prepar'd his lawfull Iudge to bee Vrging the proofes by his enditement read Where they his treasons euidently see Which now themselues so plainely do expresse As might at first declare his bad successe 9 His honor'd title backe againe restord Noted with termes of infamie and scorne And then disarmed of his knightly sword On which his faith and loyalty was sworne And by a varlet of his spurres dispur'd His coate of Armes in peeces hal'd and torne To taste deserued punishment is sent T' a traitrous death that traitrously had meant 10 When such the fauorers of this fatall warre Whom this occasion dóth more sharpely whet Those for this cause that yet impris'ned are Boldly attempt at libertie to set Whose purpose frustrate by the others care Doth greater wounds continually beget Warning the King more strictly looke about These secret fires still daily breaking out 11 And Hereford in Parlement accusde Of treasons which apparantly were wrought That with the Queene and Mortimers were vsde Whereby subuersion of the Realme was sought And both his calling and his trust abusde Which now to answer when he should be brought Seizde by the Clergie in the Kings despight Vnder the colour of the Churches right 12 Whilst now the Queene from England day by day That of these troubles still had certaine word Whose friends much blamde her tedious long delay When now the time occasion doth afford With better haste doth for her selfe puruay Bearing prouision presently abord Ships of all vses daily rigging are Fit'st for inuasion to transport a warre 13 The Earle of Kent by 's soueraigne brother plac'd As the great Generall of his force in Gwine Who in his absence heere at home disgrac'd And frustrated both of his men and coine By such lewd persons to mainetaine their waste From the Kings treasures ceas'd not to proloine Th'lasciuious Prince though mou'd regardlesse still Both of his owne losse and his brothers ill 14 Whose discontentment being quickly found By such as all aduantages await That still apply'd strong corsiues to the wound And by their sharpe and intricate deceit Hindred all meanes might possibly redound This fast-arising mischiefe to defeate Vntill his wrongs were to that fulnesse growne That they haue made him absolute their owne 15 Whose selfe-like followers in these faithlesse warres Men most experienc'd and of worthiest parts Which for their pay receiued onely scarres Whilst the inglorious reap'd their due desarts And Mineons hate of other hope debarres With too much violence vrg'd their grieued harts On Iohn of Henault wholy doe rely Who led a great and valiant company 16 That in this conquest do themselues combine The Lords Pocelles Sares and Boyseers Dambretticourt the young and valiant Heyn Estoteuill Comines and Villeers Others his Knights Sir Michaell de la Lyne Sir Robert Balioll Boswit and Semeers Men of great power whom spoile glory warmes Such as were wholy dedicate to Armes 17 Three thousand souldiers mustred men in pay Of French Scotch Almaine Swiser and the Dutch Of natiue English fled beyond the sea Whose number neere amounted to asmuch which long had look'd for this vnhappie day whom her reuenge did but too neerely tutch Her friends now ready to receiue her in And new commotions eu'ry day begin 18 When she for England fitly setting forth Spreading her prowd sailes on the watry plaine Shaping her course directly to the North with her young Edward Duke of Aquitaine with th' other three of speciall name and worth The destainde scourges of his lawlesse raigne Her souldier Beumount with the Earle of Kent And Mortimer that mightie malconsent 19 A fore-winde now for Harwich fitly blowes Blow not too fast to kindle such a fire whilst with full saile and fairer tide shegoes Turne gentle winde and force her to retire The fleete thou driu'st is fraughted with our woes But windes and seas do Edwards wracke conspire For when iust heauen to chastice vs is bent All things conuert to our due punishment 20 Thy coasts be kept with a continuall ward Thy Beacons watch'd her comming to discry O had the loue of subiects beene thy guard T 'had beene t' effect that thou didst fortifie But whilst thou standst gainst forraigne foes prepard Thou art betraide by thy home enemy Small helpe by this thou art but like to win Shutting death out thou keep'st destruction in 21 When Henry brother to that haplesse Prince The first great engine of this ciuill strife Deere Lancaster who law did late conuince And that at Pomfret left his wretched life This Henry in whose great
blamefulnes of the persons passion in those poynts wherin the passion is blamefull Lastly such manifest diffrence being betwixt euery one of them where or howsoeuer they be marshalled how can I be iustly appeached of vnaduisement For the third because the worke might in trueth be iudged brainish if nothing but amorous humor were handled therein I haue enter-wouen matters historicall which vnexplaned might defraude the minde of much content as for example in Queene Margarites Epistle to William de la Poole My Daizie flower which once perfumde the aire Margarite in French signifies a Daizie which for the allusion to her name this Queene did giue for her deuise and this as others more haue seemed to me not worthy the explaning Now though no doubt I hadde neede to excuse other things beside yet these most especially the rest I ouerpasse to eschue tedious recitall or to speake as malicious enuy may for that in trueth I ouersee them If they be as harmelesly taken as I meant them it shall suffice to haue only touched the cause of the title of the Dedications and of the Notes whereby emboldned to publish the residue these not being accounted in mens opinions relishlesse I shall not lastly be afraide to beleeue and acknowledge thee a gentle Reader M. D. To M. Michaell Drayton HOw can he write that broken hath his penne Hath rent his paper throwne his incke away Detests the world and company of men Because they growe more hatefull day by day Yet with these broken reliques mated mind And what a iustly-grieued thought can say I giue the world to know I ne're could find A worke more like to liue a longer day Goe Verse an object for the prowdest eye Disdaine those which disdaine to reade thee ouer Tell them they know not how they should descry The secret passions of a wirty louer For they are such as none but those shall know Whom Beauty schooles to hold the blind Boies bow Once I had vowd O who can all vowes keep Henceforth to smother my vnlucky Muse Yet for thy sake she started out of sleepe Yet now she dies Then doe as kinsfolkes vse Close vp the eyes of my new-dying stile As I haue op'ned thy sweeet babes ere-while E. St. Gent. Duris decus omen To M. Michaell Drayton LOng haue I wisht and hopde my weaker Muse In nothing strong but my vnhappy loue Would giue me leaue my fortune to approue And view the world as named Poets vse But still her fruitlesse bosome doth refuse To blesse me with indifferencie of praise Not daring like to many to abuse That title which true worth should onely raise Thus bankerout and despairing of mine owne I set my wish and hope kind friend on thee Whose fruite approu'd and better fortune knowne Tells me thy Muse my loues sole heire must be So barren wombs embrace their neighbors yong So dumbe men speake by them that haue a tong Thomas Hassall Gent. To M. Michaell Drayton NOw I perceiue Pithagoras diuinde When he that mocked Maxim did maintaine That spirits once spoilde reuested were againe Though changde in shape remaining one in mind These loue sicke Princes passionate estates Who feeling reades he cannot but allow That Ouids soule reuines in Drayton now Still learnd in loue still rich in rare conceits This pregnant spirit affecting further skill Oft altring forme from vulgar wits retirde In diuers Ideoms mightily admirde Did prosecute that sacred study still While to a full perfection now attainde He sings so sweetly that himselfe is stainde William Alexander-Scotus ¶ To the excellent Lady Lucie Countesse of Bedford MAdam after all the admired wittes of this excellent age which haue labored in the sad complaints of faire and unfortunate Rosamond and by the excellencie of inuention haue sounded the depth of her sundry passions I present to your Ladiship this Epistle of hers to King Henry whome I may rather call her louer than beloued Heere must your Ladiship behold variablenes in resolution woes constantly grounded laments abruptly broken off much confidence no certainty words begetting teares teares confounding matter large complaintâ— in little papers and many deformed cares in one vniformed Epistle I striue not to effect singularitie yet would faine flie imitation prostrate mine owne wants to other mens perfections Your iudiciall eye must model forth what my pen hath layd together much would shee say to a King much would I say to a Countesse but that the method of my Epistle must conclude the modestie of hers which I wish may recommend my euer vowed seruice to your Honour Michaell Drayton The Epistle of Rosamond to King Henry the second The Argument Henry the second of that name King of England the son of Geffrey Plantaginet Earle of Anlow and Mawd the Empresse hauing by long sute and Princely gifts won to his vnlawfull desire faire Rosamond the daughter of the Lord Walter Clyfford and to auoyde the danger of Ellinor his iealous Queene had caused a Labyrinth to be made within his Pallace at Woodstocke in the centre wherof he had lodged his beauteous paramour Whilest the king is absent in his warres in Normandie this poore distressed Lady inclosed in this solitary place toucht with remorce of conscience writes to the king of her distresse and miserable estate vrging him by all meanes and perswasions to cleere himselfe of this infamie and her of the griefe of minde by taking away her wretched life IF yet thine eies great Henry may endure These tainted lines drawne with a hand impure Which fain would blush but feare keeps blushes back And therefore suted in dispairing black This in loues name O that these lips might craue But that sweete name vile I prophaned haue Punish my fault or pittie mine estate Reade 〈◊〉 for loue if not for loue for hate If with my shame thine eies thou faine wouldst feed Heere let them suâ—feit on my shame to reede This scribled paper which 〈◊〉 send to thee If noted rightly doth resemble mee As this pure ground whereon thâ—se letters stand So pure was I erâ—stained by thy hand Ere I was blotted with this foule offence So cleere and spotlesse was mine innocence Now like these marks which taint this hatefull scroule Such the blacke sinnes which spot my lâ—prous soule O Henry why by losse thus shouldst thou win To get by conquest to enrich with sinne Why on my name this slaunder doost thou bring To make my fault renowmed by a King Fame neuer stoopes to things but meane and poore The more our greatnes makes our fault the more Lights on the ground themselues doe lessâ—n farre But in the ayre each small sparke seemes a starre Why on a womans frailtie wouldst thou lay This subtile plot mine honour to betray Or thy vnlawfull pleasure shouldst thou buy With vile expence of kingly maiesâ—ie T' was not my minde consented to this ill Then had I beene transported by my will For what my body was inforcde to doe Heauen knowes my soule did not consent
her philters exorcismes and charmes Thy presence hath repaired in one day What many yeeres and sorrowes did decay And made fresh beauties fairest branches spring From wrinkled furrowes of times ruining Euen as the hungry winter-starued earth When she by nature labours towards her birth Still as the day vpon the darke world creepes One blossome forth after another peepes Till the small flower whose roote is now vnbound Gets from the frostie prison of the ground Spreading the leaues vnto the powerfull noone Deck'd in fresh colours smiles vpon the sunne Neuer vnquiet care lodg'd in that breast Where but one thought of Rosamond did rest Nor thirst nor trauaile which on warre attend E're brought the long day to desired end Nor yet did pale Feare or leane Famine liue Where hope of thee did any comfort giue Ah what iniustice then is this of thee That thus the guiltlesse doost condemne for me When onely she by meanes of my offence Redeemes thy purenesse and thy innocence When to our wills perforce obey they must That iust in them what e're in vs vniust Of what we doe not them account we make The fault craues pardon for th' offenders sake And what to worke a Princes will may merit Hath deepst impression in the gentlest spirite I ft be my name that dooth thee so offend No more my selfe shall be mine owne names friend And â—ft be that which thou doost onely hate That name in my name lastly hath his date Say t is accuâ—st and fatall and dispraise it If written blot it if engrauen raze it Say that of all names t is a name of woe Once a Kings name but now t is not so And when all this is done I know â—vvill grieue thee And therfore svveet whie should I now belieue thee Nor shouldst thou thinke those eies with enuie lower Which passing by thee gaze vp to thy tower But rather praise thine owne which be so cleere Which from the Turret like tvvo staires appeare Aboue the sunne dooth shine beneath thine eie Mocking the heauen to make another skie The little streame which by thy tovver dooth glide Where oft thou spendst the wearie euening tide To view thee vvell his course would gladly stay As loath from thee to part so soone away And with salutes thy selfe would gladly greete And offer vp those small drops at thy feete But finding that the enuious banks restraine it T' excuse it selfe doth in this sort complaine it And therefore this sad bubling murmure keepes And in this sort within the channell weepes And as thou doost into the water looke The fish which see thy shadow in the brooke Forget to feede and all amazed lie So daunted with the lustre of thine eie And that sweet name which thou so much dost wrong In time shal be some famous Poets song And with the very sweetnes of that name Lions and tygers men shall learne to tame The carefull mother from her pensiue breast With Rosamond shall bring her babe to rest The little birds by mens continuall sound Shall learne to speake and pr 〈…〉 le Rosamond And when in Aprill they beginne to sing Wiâ—h Rosamond shall welcome in the spring And she in whom all raâ—ities are found Shall still be said to be a Rosamond The little flowers which dropping honied dew Which as thou writst doe weepe vpon thy shue Not for thy fault sweet Rosamond doe moane But weepe for griefe that thou so soone art gone For if thy foote â—uch Hemlocke as it goes That Hemlocke's made more sweeter than the Rose Of Ioue or Neptune how they did betray Nor speake of Iâ—o or Amimone when she for whome Ioue once became a Bull Comparde with thee had beene a tawny trull He a white Bull and she a whiter Cow Yet he nor she neere halfe so white as thou Long since thou knowst my care prouided for To lodge thee safe from iealous Ellenor The labyrinths conueyance guides thee so Which only Vaghan thou and I doe know If she doe guard thee with a hundred eies I haue an hundred subâ—ile Mercuries To watch that Argus which my loue doth keepe Vntill eie after eie fall all to sleepe Those starres looke in by night looke in to see Wondring what starre heere on the earth should be As oft the Moone amidst the silent night Hath come to ioy vs with her friendly light And by the curtaine helpt mine eie to see What 〈◊〉 night and darkenes hid from mee When I haue wisht that she might euer staâ— And other worl 〈…〉 might still enioy the day What should I say words â—eares and sighs be spent And want of 〈◊〉 doth further helps preuent My campe râ—sounds with fearefull shockes of warre Yet in my breast the worser conflicts are Yet is my signall to the battels sound The blessed name of beauteous Rosamond Accursed be that heart that tongue that breath Should thinke should speake or whisper of thy death For in one smile or lower from thy sweete eie Consists my life my hope my victorie Sweet Woodstocke where my Rosamond doth rest Blessed in her in whom thy King is blest For though in France a while my body be Sweete Paradice my heart remaines in thee Notes of the Chronicle Historie Am I at home pursued with priuate hate And warre comes raging to my Pallace gate RObert erle of Leicester who took part with yong king Henry entred into England with an armie of 3000. Flemmings and spoild the countries of Norsfolk and Susfolke being succored by many of the Kings priuate enimies And am I branded with the curse of Rome King Henry the second the first Plantaginet accused for the death of Tho. Becket archbishop of Canterbury staine in the cathedrall church was accursed by Pope Alexander although hee vrgde sufficient proofe of his innocencie in the same and offered to take vpon him any penance so he might escape the curse and interdiction of the Realme And by the pride of my rebellious sonne Rich Normandie with armies ouer-runne Henry the yong K. whom king Henry had caused to be crowned in his life as he hoped both for his owne good and the good of his Subiects which indeed turned to his owne sorow and the trouble of the Realme for he rebelled against him and raising a power by the meanes of Lewes king of France and William K of Scots who tooke part with him inuaded Normandie Vnkinde my children most vnkinde my wise Neuer king more vnfortunate then K Henry in the disobedience of his children first Henry then Gâ—ssrey then Richard then Iohn all at one time or other first or last vnnaturally rebelled against him then the iealousie of Elinor his Qu. who suspected his loue to Rosamond which grieuous troubles the deuout of those times attributed to happen to him iustly for refusin to take on him the gouernment of Ierusalem offred to him by the patriarke there which country was mightily afflicted by the Souldane Which onely Vaghan thou and I doe know This Vaghan was a Knight
the remembrance of the thing To make the people more abhorre their King Nor shall a Spenser be he ne're so great Possesse our Wigmore our renowned seate To raze the antient Trophies of our race With our deserts their monuments to grace Nor shall he leade our valiant marchers forth To make the Spensers famous in the North Nor be the Gardants of the British pales Defending England and preseruing Wales At first our troubles easily reculde But now growne head-strong hardly to be rulde With grauest counsell all must be directed Where plainest shewes are openly suspected For where mis-hap our errour dooth assault There doth it eassiest make vs see our fault Then sweet represse all fond and wilfull spleene Two things to be a woman and a Queene Keepe close the cindars lest the fire should burne It is not this which yet must serue our turne And if I doe not much mistake the thing The next supply shall greater comfort bring Till when I leaue my Princesse for a while Liue thou in rest though I liue in exile Notes of the Chronicle Historie Of one condemnd and long lodgde vp in death ROger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore had stoode publikely condemned for his insurrection with Thomas erle of Lancaster and Bohune earle of Herford by the space of three months and as the report went the day of his execution was determined to haue bin shortly after which he preuented by his escape Twice all was taken twice thou all didst giue At what time the two Mortimers this Roger lord of Wigmore and his vncle Roger Mortimer the elder were apprehended in the west the Queene by meanes of Torlton Bishop of Hereford and Becke Bishop of Duresme and Patriarke of Ierusalem being then both mighty in the state vpon the submission of the Mortimers somewhat pacified the king and now secondly shee wrought meanes for his escape Leauing the cordes to tell where I had gone With strong ladders made of cords prouided him for the purpose he escaped out of the Tower which when the same were found fastned to the walles in such a desperate attempt they bred astonishment to the beholders Nor let the Spensers glory in my dâ—awe The two Hugh Spensers the father and the sonne then being so highly fauored of the King knew that their greatest safety came by his exile whose high and turbulent spirit could neuer brooke any corriuall in greatnes My grandsire was the first since Arthurs raigne That the Round-table rectifide againe Roger Mortimer called the great Lord Mortimer Grandfather to this Roger which was afterward the first Earle of March reeâ—ected againe the Round-table at Kenelwoorth after the ancient order of king Arthurs table with the retinue of a hudred knights and a hundred ladies in his house for the entertaining of such aduentures as came thither from all parts of Christendome Whilest famous Longshanks bones in Fortunes scorne Edward Longshanks willed at his death that his body should be boyled the flesh from the bones and that the bones should bee borne to the wars in Scotland which he was perswaded vnto by aprophecie which told that the English should still be fortunate in conquest so long as his bones were caried in the field The English blood that stained Banocksburne In the great voyage Edward the second made against the Scots at the battell at Striueling neere vnto the riuer of Banocksburne in Scotland where there was in the English campe such banketâ—ing and excesse such riot and misorder that the Scots who in the meane time laboured for aduauntage gaue to the English a great ouerthrow And in the Dead-sea sincke our horses fame From whose c. Mortimer so called of Mare mortuum and in French Mort mer in English the Dead-sea which is said to be where Sodom â—nd Go morra once were before they were destroyed by fire froÌ„ Heauen And for that hatefull sacrilegious sin Which by the Pope he stand◠〈…〉 ursed in Gaustelinus and Lucas two Cardinals sent into England from Pope Clement to appease the auncient hate betweene the King and Thomas Earle of Lancaster to whose Embassie the king seemed to yeeld but after their departure hee went backe from his promises for which he was accursed at Rome Of those industrious Roman Colonies A Colony is a sort or number of people that come to inhabite a place before not inhabited whereby he seemes here to prophecie of the subuersion of the land the Pope ioyning with the power of other Princes against Edward for the breach of his promise Charles by inuasiue Armes againe shall take Charles the French King mooued by the wrong done vnto his sister seiseth the Prouinces which belonged to the King of England into his hands stirred the rather thereto by Mortimer who solicited her cause in France as is expressed before in the other Epistle in the glosse vpon this poynt And those great Lords now after their attaints Canonized among the English Saints After the death of Thomas Earle of Lancaster at Pomfret the people imagined great myracles to be done by his reliques as they did of the body of Bohune earle of Hereford slaine at Borough bridge Finis ⧠To my worthy and honored friend Sir Walter Aston Knight of the Bath SIR though without suspition of flatterie I might in more ample and free tearmes intimate my affection vnto you yet hauing so sensible a taste of your generous and noble aisposition which without this habite of ceremony can estimate my loue I will rather affect bre 〈…〉 though it should seeme my fault than by my tedious complement to trouble mine owne opinion setled in your iudgement and discretion I make you the Patron of this Epistle of the Blacke-Prince which I pray you accept till more easie houres may offer vppe from mee some thing more worthy of your view and my trauell Yours truely deuoted Mich Drayton ¶ Edward the Blacke-Prince to Alice Countesse of Salisbury The Argument Alice Countesse of Salisbury remaining at Roxborough castle in the North in the absence of the earle her husband who was by the Kings commaund sent ouer into Flaunders and there deceased ere his returne This Lady being besieged in her castle by the Scots Edward the Blacke-Prince being sent by the King his father to relieue the north parts with an Armie and to remooue the siege of Roxborough there fell in loue with the Countesse when after she returned to London hee sought by diuers and sundry meanes to winne her to his youthfull pleasures as by forcing the Earle of Kent her father and her mother vnnaturally to become his Agents in his vaine desire where after a long and assured triall of her inuincible constancie hee taketh her to his wife to which end he only frameth this Epistle REceiue these papers from thy wofull Lord With farre more woes than they with wordes are storde Which if thine eie with rashnes do reproue Thei 'le say they came from that imperious loue In euery letter thou maist vnderstand Which loue
so hie So soone transpersed with a womans eie He that a king at Poictiers battell tooke Himselfe led captiue with a wanton looke Twice as a Bride to church I haue bin led Twice haue two Lords enjoyd my Bridale bed How can that beauty yet be vndestroyd That yeeres haue wasted and two men enioyd Or should be thought fit for a Princes store Of which two subiects were possest before Let Spaine let France or Scotland so preferre Their infant Queenes for Englands dowager That bloud should be much more than halfe diuine That should be equall euery way with thine Yet princely Edward though I thus reproue you As mine owne life so deerely doe I loue you My noble husband which so loued you That gentle Lord that reuerend Mountague Nere mothers voyce did please her babe so well As his did mine of you to heare him tell I haue made short the houres that time made long And chaind mine eares vnto his pleasing tong My lips haue waited on your praises worth And snatcht his words ere he could get them forth When he hath spoke and something by the way Hath broke off that he was about to say I kept in minde where from his tale he fell Calling on him the residue to tell Oft he would say how sweet a Prince is he When I haue praisde him but for praising thee And to proceede I would intreate and wooe And yet to ease him help to praise thee too Must she be forcde t'exclaime th'iniurious wrong Offred by him whom she hath lou'd so long Nay I will tell and I durst almost sweare Edward will blush when he his fault shall heare Iudge now that time doth youths desire asswage And reason mildely quencht the fire of rage By vpright iustice let my cause be tride And be thou iudge if I not iustly chide That not my fathers graue and reuerend yeeres When on his knee he beggd me with his teares By no perswasions possibly could winne To free himselfe as guiltlesse of my sinne The woe for me my mother did abide Whose sute but you there 's none would haue denide Your lust full rage your tyranny could stay Mine honours ruine further to delay Haue I ot lou'd you let the truth be showne That still preseru'd your honour with mine owne Had your fond will your foule desires preuailde When you by them my chastitie assailde Though this no way could haue excusde my fault True vertue neuer yeelded to assault Yet what a thing were this it should be said My parents sin should to your charge be laide And I haue gainde my libertie with shame To saue my life made ship wracke of my name Did Roxborough once vaile her towring fane To thy braue ensigue on the Northerne plaine And to thy trumpet sounding from thy tent Often replide as to my succor sent And did receiue thee as my souâ—raigne liege Comming to ayde thou shouldst againe besiege To raise a foâ— but for my treasure came To plant a foe to take my honest name Vnder pretence to haue remou'd the Scot And wouldst haue won more than he could haue got That did ingirt me ready still to flie But thou laidst batt'ry to my chastitie O modestie didst thou me not restraine How I could chide you in this angry vaine A Princes name heauen knowes I doe not craue To haue those honours Edwardâ— spouse should haue Nor by ambitious lures will I be brought In my chaste breast to harbour such a thought As to be worthy to be made a Bride An Empresse place by mighty Edwards side Of all the most vnworthy of that grace To waite on her that should enioy that place But if that loue Prince Edward doth require Equall his vertues and my chaste desire If it be such as we may iustly vaunt A Prince may sue for and a Lady graunt If it be such as may suppresse my wrong That from your vaine vnbrideled youth hath sprong That faith I send that I from you receaue The rest vnto your Princely thoughts I leaue ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Twice as a Bride I haue to Church beene led THe two husbands of which she makes mention obiecting bigamy against herselfe as being therefore not meet to be married with a batcheller-Prince were sir Thomas Holland knight sir Willlam Montague afterward made Earle of Salisbury That not my fathers graue and reuerend yeeres A thing incredible that any Prince should be so vniust to vse the fathers meanes for the corruption of the daughters chastitie though so the historie importeth her father being so honourable and a man of so singular desert though Polidore would haue her thought to be Iane the daughter to Edmund earle of Kent vncle to Edward the third beheaded in the Protectoriship of Mortimer that dangerous aspirer And I haue gainde my libertie with shame Roxborough is a castle in the North mis-termed by Bandello Salisbury castle because the king had giuen it to the Earle of Salisbury in which her Lorde being absent the Countesse by the Scots was besieged who by the comming of the English Armie were remoued Here first the Prince saw her whose libertie had bin gained by her shame had shee bin drawne by dishonest loue to satisfie his appetite but by her most praise-worthy constancie she conuerted that humor in him to an honourable purpose and obtained the true reward of her admired vertues The rest vnto your princely thoughts I leaue Lest any thing be left out which were woorth the relation it shall not be impertinent to annex the opinions that are vttered concerning her whose name is said to haue bin Aclips but that being rejected as a name vnknowne among vs Froisard is rather beleeued who calleth her Alice Polidore contrariwise as before is declared names her Iane who by Prince Edward had issue Edward dying yong and Richard the second king of England thogh as he saith she was diuorced afterwards because within the degrees of consanguinitie prohibiting to many the trueth whereof I omit to discusse her husband the Lord Montague being sent ouer into Flaunders by king Edward was taken prisoner by the French and not returning left his Countesse a widow in whose bed succeeded Prince Edward to whose last and lawsull request the reioycesull Lady sends this louing answere Finis ¶ To the right Honourable and my very good Lord Edward Earle of Bedford THrice noble and my gratious Lord the loue I haue euer borne to the illustrious house of Bedford and to the honourable familie of the Harringtons to the which by marriage your Lordship is happily vnited hath long since deuoted my true and zealous affection to your honourable seruice and my Poems to the protection of my noble Ladie your Countesse to whose seruice I was furst bequeathed by that learnd accomplisht gentleman sir Henry Goodere not long since deceased whose I was whilst hee was whose patience pleased to beare with the imperfections of my heedles and vnstaied youth That excellent and
matchlesse Gentleman was the first cherisher of my Muse which had beene by his death left a poore Orphan to the world had he not before bequeathed it to that Lady whom he so deerely liued Vouchsafe then my deere Lord to accept this epistle which I dedicate as zealously as I hope you will patronize willingly vntill some more acceptable seruice may be witnesse of my loue to your honour Your Lordships euer Michaell Drayton Queene Isabell to Richard the second The Argument Queene Isabel the daughter of Charles king of France being the second wife of Richard the second the son of Edward the Blacke Prince the eldest sonne of King Edward the third After the saide Richard her husband was deposed from his crowne and kingly dignitie by Henry duke of Herford the eldest son of Iohn of Gaunt duke of Lancaster the fourth sonne of Edward the third this Ladie being then very yong was sent backe againe into Fraunce without dowre at what time the deposed King her husband was sent from the Tower of London as a prisoner vnto Pomfret Castle Whether this poore Lady bewailing her husbands misfortunes writeth this Epistle from France AS dooth the yeerely Auger of the spring In deapth of woe thus I my sorrow sing Words tunde with sighes teares falling oft among A dolefull burthen to a heauy song Words issue forth to finde my griefe some way Teares ouertake them and doe bid them stay Thus whilst one striues to keepe the other backe Both once too forward now are both too slacke If fatall Pomfret hath in former time Nurrisht the griefe of that vnnaturall clime Thether I send my sorrowes to be sed But where first boâ—ne where fitter to be bred They vnto France be aliens and vnknowne England from her doth challenge these her owne They say all mischiefe commeth from the North It is too true my fall doth set it forth But why should I thus limite Griefe a place When all the world is filld with our disgrace And we in bounds thus striuing to containe it The more resists the more we doe restraine it Oh how euen yet I hate these wretched eies And in my glasse oft call them faithlesse spies Preparde for Richard that vnwares did looke Vpon that traitor Henry Bulingbrooke But that excesse of ioy my sence bereau'd So much my sight had neuer bin deceau'd Oh how vnlike to my lou'd Lord was hee Whom rashly I sweet Richard tooke for thee I might haue seene the Couâ—sers selfe did lacke That Princely rider should bestride his backe He that since Nature her great worke began Shee made to be the mirrour of a man That when she meant to forme some matchlesse lim Still for a patterne tooke some part of him And iealous of her cunning brake the mould In his proportion done the best she could Oh let that day be guiltie of all sinne That is to come or heeretofore hath bin Wherein great Norffolkes forward course was staide To prooue the treasons he to Hersord laide When with sterne furie both these Dukes enragde Their warlike gloues at Couentry engag'd When first thou didst repeale thy former grant Seal'd to braue Mowbray as thy Combatant From his vnnumbred howres let time deuide it Lest in his minutes he should hap to hide it Yet on his brow continually to beare it That when it comes all other daies may feare it And all ill-boding Planets by consent That day may hold their dreadfull parlement Be it in heauens decrees enroled thus Blacke dismall fatall inauspitious Prowd Herford then in height of all his pride Vnder great Mowbraies valiant hand had dide Nor should not thus from banishment retire The fatall brand to set our Troy on fire O why did Charles relieue his needy state A vagabond and stragling runnagate And in this Court with grace did entertaine This vagrant exile this abiected Caine Who with a thousand mothers curses went Mark'd with the brand often yeeres banishment When thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell Millions of knees vpon the pauements fell And euery where th' applauding ecchoes ring The ioyfull showts that did salute a King Thy parting hence what pompe did not adorne At thy returne who laugh'd thee not to scorne Who to my Lord a looke vouchsafde to lend Then all too few on Herford to attend Princes like sunnes be euermore in sight All see the clowdes betwixt them and their light Yet they which lighten all downe from the skies See not the clowdes offending others eyes And deeme their noone-tide is desir'd of all When all expect cleere changes by their fall What colour seemes to shadow Herfords claime When law and right his fathers hopes doth maime Affirm'd by church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegiâ—timate Whom his reputed mothers tongue did spot By a base Flemish Boore to be begot Whom Edwards Eglets mortally did shun Daring with them to gaze against the Sun Where lawfull right and conquest doth allow A triple crowne on Richards princely brow Three kingly Lions beares his bloody field No bastards marke doth blot his conquering shield Neuer durst he attempt our haplesse shore Nor set his foote on fatall Rauensporâ— Nor durst his slugging Hulkes approch the strand Nor stoope a top as signall to the land Had not the Percyes promisde aide to bring Against their oath vnto their lawfull King Against their faith vnto our crownes true heire Their valiant kinsman Edmond Mortimer When I to England came a world of eyes Like starres attended on my faire arise At my decline like angry Planets frowne And all are set before my going downe The smooth fac'd ayre did on my comming smile But with rough stormes are driuen to exile But Bullingbrooke deuisâ—e we thus should part Fearing two sorrowes should possesse one heart To make affliction stronger doth denie That one poore comfort left our miserie He had before diuorc'd thy crowne and thee Which might suffice and not to widdow mee But that to proue the vtmost of his hate To make our fall the greater by our state Oh would Aumerle had suncke when he betraid The complot which that holy Abbot laid When he infring'd the oth which he first tooke For thy reuenge on peâ—iurde Bullingbrooke And beene the ransome of our friends deere blood Vntimely lost and for the earth too good And we vntimely mourne our hard estate They gone too soone and we remaine too late And though with teares I from my Lord depart This curse on Horford fall to ease my heart If the fowle breach of a chaste nuptiall bed May bring a curse my curse light on his head If murthers guilt with blood may deepely staine Greene Scroope and Bushie die his fault in graine If periury may heauens pure gates debar Damn'd be the oth he made at Dancaster If the deposing of a lawfull King The curse condemne him if no other thing If these disioynde for vengeance cannot call Let them vnited strongly curse him all And for the Percyes heauen may
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
thine Who else next Henry should the Realme prefer If it allow of famous Lancaster But Rayners daughter must from France be fet And with a vengeance on our throne be set Mauns Maine and Aniou on that begger cast To bring her home to England in such haste And what for Henry thou hast laboured there To ioyne the King with Arminacks rich heire Must all be dash'd as no such thing had beene Poole needes must haue his darling made a Queene How should he with our Princes else be plac'd To haue his Farleship with a Dukedome grac'd And raise the of-spring of his blood so hie As Lords of vs and our posteritie O that by sea when he to France was sent The ship had suncke wherein the traitor went Or that the sands had swallowed her before She e're set foote vpon the English shore But all is well nay we haue store to giue What neede we more we by her lookes can liue All that great Henry by his conquests heapt And famous Beaford to his glory kept Be giuen backe â—o Rayner all in post And by this meanes rich Normandy be lost Those which haue comen as Mistresses of ours Haue into England brought their goodly dowers Which to our Coffers yeerely tribute brings The life of subiects and the strength of Kings The meanes where by faire England euer might Raise power in France to backe our antient right But she brings ruine heere to make aboad And cancells all our lawfull claime abroad And she must recapitulate my shame And giue a thousand by words to my name And call me Beldam Gib Witch Night-mare Trot With all despight that may a woman spot O that I were a witch but for her sake I faith her Queeneship little rest should take I would scratch that face that may not feele the ayre And knit whole ropes of witch-knots in her haire O I would hag her nightly in her bed And on her breast sit like a lumpe of lead And like a Fayrie pinch that dainty skin Her wanton blood is now so cockered in Or take me some such knowne familiar shape As she my vengeance neuer should escape Were I a garment none should neede the more To sprinckle me with Nessus poisned gore It were enough if she once put me on To teare both flesh and sinewes from the bone Were I a flower that might her smell delight Though I were not the poisning Acenite I would send such a fume into her brow Should make her mad as mad as I am now They say the Druides once liu'd in this I le This fatall Man the place of my exile Whose powerfull charmes such dreadfull wonders wroght Which in the gotish Island tongue were taught O that their spels to me they had resignde Wherewith they raisde and calmde both sea winde And made the Moone pawse in her paled spheare Whilst her grim Dragons drew them throgh the aire Their hellish power to kill the Plow-mans seede Or to fore-speake the flockes as they did seede To nurse a damned spirit with humaine blood To carry them through earth ayre fire and flood Had I this skill that time hath almost lost How like a Goblin I would haunt her ghost O pardon pardon my mis-gouernde tongue A womans strength cannot endure my wrong Did not the heauens her comming in withstand As though affrighted when she came to land The earth did quake her comming to abide The goodly Thames did twice keepe backe her tide Pauls shooke with tempests and that mounting spire With lightning sent from heauen was set on fire Our stately buildings to the ground were blowne Her pride by these prodigious signes were showne More fearefull visions on the English earth Than euer were at any death or birth Ah Humfrey Humfrey if I should not speake My breast would split my very heart would breake I that was wont so many to command Worse now then with a clapdish in my hand A simple mantle couering me withall A very leaper of Cares hospitall That from my state a presence held in awe Glad heere to kennell in a pad of straw And like an Owle by night to goe abroad Roosted all day within an Iuy tod Among the sea-cliffes in the dampy caues In charnall houses or among the graues Saw'st thou those eies in whose sweet cheereful looke Duke Humfrey once such ioy and pleasure tooke Sorrow hath so dispoyl'd me of all grace Thou couldst not say this was my Eluors face Like a fowle Gorgon whose disheuel'd haire With euery blast flies glaâ—ing in the ayre Some standing vp like hornes vpon my head Euen like those women that in Coos are bred My lanke breasts hang like bladders left vnblowne My skin with lothsome laundize ouer growne So pinde away that if thou long'st to see Ruines true picture onely looke on mee Sometime in thinking of what I haue had Euen in a suddaine extasie am mad Then like a Bedlam forth thy Elnor runnes Like one of Bacchus raging franticke Nunnes Or like a Tartar when in strange disguise Preparde vnto a dismall sacrifice That Prelate Beuford a fowle ill befall him Prelate said Iâ— nay diuell I should call him Ah God forgiue me if I thinke amisse His very name me thinks my poison is Ah that viâ—e Iudas our professed foe My curse pursue him where so e're he goe That to my iudgement when I did appeare Laid to my charge those things which neuer were I should pertake with Bullingbrookes intents The hallowing of his magique instruments That I procured Southwell to assist Which was by order consecrate a Priest That it was I should couer all they did That but for him had to this day beene hid Ah that vile bastard that himselfe dare vaunt To be the sonne of thy braue grandsire Gaunt Whom he but fatherd of meere charity To rid his mother of that infamy Who if report of Elder times be true Vnto this day his father neuer knew He that by murthers blacke and odious crime To Henries throne attempted once to clime Hauing procurde by hope of golden gaine A fatall hand his soueraigne to haue slaine Who to his Chamber closely he conuaide And for that purpose fitly there had laide Vpon whose sword that famous Prince had died If by a dogge he had not beene discried But now the Queene her Minion Poole and he As it please them so now must all things be England's no place for any one beside All is too little to maintaine their pride What of a King hath Henry but the name And now scarce that so publike his defame And I pray God I do not liue the day To see thy ruine and thy Realmes decay And yet as sure as Humfrey seemes to stand He be preseru'd from that vile traytors hand From Glosters seate I would thou wert estrang'd Or would to God that Dukedomes name were chang'd For it portends no goodnes vnto vs Ah Humfrey Humfrey it is ominous Yet rather then thy hap so hard should be I would
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
rare perfections wherewith nature and education haue adorned you I haue beene forced since that time to attribute more admiration to your sexe then euer Petrarch could before perswade mee to by the praises of his Laura Sweete is the French tongue more sweete the Italian but most sweete are they both if spoken by your admired selfe If Poesie were praiselesse your vertues alone were a subiect sufficient to make it esteemed though among the barbarous Getes by how much the more your tender yeeres giue scarcely warrant for your more then womanlike wisedome by so much is your iudgement and reading the more to be wondred at The Graces shall haue one more sister by your selfe and England to her selfe shall adde one Muse more to Muses I rest the humble deuoted seruant to my deere and modest Mistresse to whom I wish the happiest fortunes I can deuise Michaell Drayton William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke to Queene Margaret The Argument William de la Pole first Marques and after created Duke of Suffolke being sent into France by King Henry the sixt concluded a marriage betweene the King his Master and Margaret daughter to Rayner Duke of Aniou who onely had the title of the King of Cicily and Ierusalem This marriage being made contrary to the liking of the Lords and Counsell of the Realme by reason of the yeelding vp of Aniou and Maine into the Dukes hands which shortly after proued the losse of all Aquitaine they euer after continually hated the Duke and after by meanes of the Commons banished him at the Parlement at Berry where after he had the iudgement of his exile being then ready to depart hee writeth backe to the Queene this Epistle IN my disgrace deere Queene rest thy content And Margarets health from Suffolkes banishment Not one day seemes fiue yeeres exile to mee But that so soone I must depart from thee Where thou not present it is euer night All be exilde that liue not in thy sight Those Sauages which worship the Sunnes rise Would hate their God if they beheld thine eyes The worlds great light might'st thou be seene abroad Would at our noone-stead neuer make aboad And make the poore Antipodes to mourne Fearing lest he would neuer more returne Wert not for thee it were my great'st exile To liue within this sea-inuirond I le Poles courage brookes not limmitting in bands But that great Queene thy soueraignty commands Our Falcons kinde cannot the cage endure Nor buzzard-like dooth stoope to euery lure Their mounting broode in open ayre doth roue Nor will with Crowes be coop'd within a groue We all do breath vpon this earthly ball Likewise one heauen encompasseth vs all No banishment can be to him assignde Who doth retaine a true resolued minde Man in himselfe a little world doth beare His soule the Monarch euer ruling there Where euer then his body doth remaine He is a King that in himselfe doth raigne And neuer feareth Fortunes hot'st alarmes That beares against her Patience for his Armes This was the meane prowd Warwicke did inuent To my disgrace at Leister Parlement That onely I by yeelding vp of Maine Should be the losse of fertile Aquitaine With the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the heire of good Duke Humfreys name And so by treason spotting my pure blood Make this a meane to raise the Neuels brood With Salsbury his vile ambitions syre In Yorkes sterne breast kindling long hidden fire By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt And to this end did my exile conclude Thereby to please the rascall multitude Vrg'd by these enuious Lords to spend their breath Calling reuenge on the Protectors death That since the old decrepit Duke is dead By me of force he must be murthered If they would know who rob'd him of his life Let him call home Dame Ellinor his wife Who with a taper walked in a sheete To light her shame at noone through London street And let her bring her Negromanticke booke That fowle hag Iordane Hun and Bullenbrooke And let them call the spirits from hell againe To know how Humfrey died and who shall raigne For twenty yeeres and haue I serude in France Against great Charles and bastard Orleance And seene the slaughter of a World of men Victorious now and conquered agen And haue I seene Vernoylas batfull fields Strew'd with ten thousand helms ten thousand shields Where famous Bedford did our fortune try Or France or England for the victory The sad innesting of so many Townes Scorde on my breast in honorable wounds When Mountacute and Talbot of such name Vnder my Ensigne both first won their fame In heate and cold all fortunes haue indurde To rowze the French within their walls immurde Through all my life these perrills haue I past And now to feare a banishment at last Thou knowst how I thy beauty to aduance For thee refusde the infant Queene of France Brake the contract Duke Humfrey first did make Twixt Henry and the Princesse Arminacke Onely sweete Queene thy presence I might gaine I giue Duke Rayner Aniou Mauns and Maine Thy peerelesse beutie for a dower to bring To counterpoize the wealth of Englands King And from Aumerle with-drew my warlike powers And came my selfe in person first to Towers Th' Ambassadors for truce to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungary and Spaine And telling Henry of thy beauties story I taught my tongue a louers Oratory As the report it selfe did so indite And make it ravish teares with such delight And when my speech did cease as telling all My lookes shewde more that was Angelicall And when I breathde againe and pawsed next I left mine eyes dilating on the text Then comming of thy modesty to tell In musickes numbers my voyce rose and fell And when I came to paint thy glorious stile My speech in greater cadences to file By true descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicils and Ierusalem And from the Gods thou didst deriue thy birth If heauenly kinde could ioyne with broode of earth Gracing each title that I did recite With some mellifluous pleasing Epethite Nor left him not till he for loue was sicke Beholding thee in my sweete Rhetoricke A fifteenes taxe in France I freely spent In triumphs at thy nuptiall tournament And solemnizde thy marriage in a gowne Valude at more then was thy fathers Crowne And onely striuing how to honour thee Gaue to my King what thy loue gaue to mee Iudge if his kindenesse haue not power to moue Who for his loues sake gaue away his loue Had he which once the prize to Greece did bring Of whom old Poets long agoe did sing Seene thee for England but imbarqu'd at Deepe Would ouer-boord haue cast his golden sheepe As too vnworthy ballace to be thought To pester roome with such perfection fraught The briny seas which saw the ship enfold thee Would vaut vp to the hatches to behold thee And falling backe themselues in thronging
diet to bee kept whither came the Embassadours of the Empire Spaine Hungary Denmarke to entreate for a perpetuall peace to bee made betweene the two Kings of England and Fraunce By truo descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicilie and Ierusalem Rainer Duke of Aniou father to Queene Margaret called him selfe King of Naples Cicily and Ierusalem hauing the title alone of King of those Countries A fifteene taxe in Fraunce I freely spent The Duke of Suffolke after the marriage concluded twixt King Henry and Margaret daughter to duke Rayner asked in open Parliament a whole fifteenth to fetch her into England Seene thee for England but imbarqu'd at Deepe Deepe is a towne in Fraunce bordering vpon the Sea where the Duke of Suffolke with Queene Margaret tooke shippe for England As when arriu'd in Porchester faire Roade Porchester a hauen towne in the South-west part of England where the King tarried expecting the Queenes arriuall whom from thence he conuayed to South-hamton Queene Margaret to VVilliam de-la-Poole Duke of Suffolke WHat newes sweet Pole look'st thou my liues shuld tell But like the tolling of the dolefull Bell Bidding the deaths-man to prepare the graue Expect from me no other newes to haue My brest which once was mirths imperiall throne A vast and desart wildernesse is growne Like that cold Region from the world remote On whose breeme seas the icie mountaines flote Where those poore creatures banisht from the light Do liue imprisond in continuall night No ioy presents my soules eternall eies But diuination of sad tragedies And Care takes vp her solitarie inne Where youth and ioy their court did once beginne As in September when our yeere resignes The glorious Sunne vnto the watrie signes Which through the clouds looks on the earth in scorn The little bird yet to salute the morne Vpon the naked branches sets her foote The leaues now lying on the mossie roote And there a seely chitipping dooth keepe As though she faine would sing yet fame would weep Praising faire summer that too soone is gone Or sad for winter too fast comming on In this strange plight I mourne for thy depart Because that weeping cannot ease my hart Now to our aide who stirs the neighbouring kings Or who from France a puissant armie brings Who moues the Norman to abet our warre Or stirs vp Burgoyne to ayde Lancaster Who in the North our lawfull claime commends To win vs credite with our valiant friends To whom shall I my secret griefe impart Whose breast I made the closet of my hart The ancient Heroes fame thou didst reuine And didst from them thy memorie deriue Nature by thee both gaue and taketh all Alone in Poole she was too prodigall Of so diuine and rich a temper wrought As heauen for him perfections deepe had sought VVell knew king Henry what he pleaded for when he chose thee to be his Orator VVhose Angell-eye by powerfull influence Doth vtter more than humane eloquence That when Ioue would his youthful sports haue tride But in thy shape himselfe would neuer hide which in his loue had bin of greater power Then was his Nymph his flame his swan his shower To that allegiance Yorke was bound by oath To Henries heires and safety of vs both No longer now he meanes record shall beare it He will dispence with heauen and will vnsweare it He that 's in all the worlds blacke sinnes forlorne Is carelesse now how oft he be forsworne And now of late his title hath set downe By which he make his claime vnto the Crowne And now I heare his hatefull duchesse chats And rips vp their descent vnto her brats And blesseth them as Englands lawfull heires And tells them that our diademe is theirs And if such hap her goddesse Fortune bring If three sonnes faile shee le make the fourth a King He that 's so like his Damme her yongest Dicke That foule il-fauored crooke backt stigmaticke That like a carcas stolne out of a tombe Came the wrong way out of hir mothers wombe with teeth in 's head his passage to haue torne As though begot an age ere he was borne Who now will curbe prowde Yorke when he shal rise Or armes out right against his enterprize To crop that bastard weede which daily growes To ouer-shadow our vermilian Rose Or who will muzzel that vnruly Beare Whose presence strikes our peoples harts with feare Whilst on his knees this wretched King is downe To saue them labour reaching at his Crowne Where like a mounting Cedar he should beare His plumed top aloft into the ayre And let these shrubs sit vnderneath his shrowdes Whilst in his armes he doth embrace the clowdes O that he should his fathers right inherite Yet be an alien to that mightie spirite How were those powers dispersde or whether gone Should sympathize in generation Or what apposed influence had force So much t' abuse and alter natures course All other creatures follow after kinde But man alone doth not beget the minde My Daisie-flower which erst perfumde the ayre Which for my fauours Princes once did weare Now in the dust lies troden on the ground And with Yorkes garlands euery one is crownd When now his rising waites on our decline And in our setting he beginnes to shine Now in the skies that dreadful Comet waues And who be starres but Warwickes bearded staues And all those knees which bended once so low Grow stiffe as though they had forgot to bow And none like them pursue me with despite Which most haue cride God saue Queene Margarite When fame shall brute thy banishment abroade The Yorkish faction then will lay on loade And when it comes once to our westerne coast O how that hag Dame Elinor will boast And labour strait by all the meanes she can To be calld home out of the I le of Man To which I know great Warwicke will consent To haue it done by act of Parlement That to my teeth my birth she may defie Slaundring duke Rayner with base beggerie The onely way she could deuise to grieue me wanting sweete Suffolke which shouldst most relieue me And from that stocke doth sprowt another bloome A Kentish rebell a base vpstart groome And this is he the white Rose must preferre By Clarence daughter matcht with Mortimer Thus by Yorkes meanes this rascall pesant Cade Must in all haste Plantaginet be made Thus that ambitious duke sets all on worke To sound what friends affect the claime of Yorke whilst he abroad doth practise to command And makes vs weake by strengthning Ireland More his owne power still seeking to increase Then for king Henries good or Englands peace Great Winchester vntimely is deceasde That more and more my woes should be increasde Beuford whose shoulders prowdly bare vp all The Churches prop that famous Cardinall The Commons bent to mischiefe neuer let with Fraunce t' vpbraid that valiant Sommerset Rayling in tumults on his souldiers losse Thus all goes backeward crosse comes after crosse And now of
Church-yard commaunded that no man should relieue her which the tyrant did not so much for his hatred to sinne but that by making his brothers life odious he might couer his horrible treason the more cunningly May number Rumneys flowers or Isis fish Rumney is that famous Marsh in Kent at whose side Rie a Hauen towne dooth stand Hereof the excellent English Antiquarie Maister Camden and Maister Lambert in his preambulation doâ— make mention And Marishes are commonly called those low grounds which abut vpon the sea and from the Latine word are so denominated Isis is heere vsed for Thamesis by a Synecdochicall kind of speach or by a Poeticall libertie in vsing one for another for it is said that Thamesis is compounded of Tame and Isis making when they are met that renowmed water running by London a Cittie much more renowmed then that water which being plentifull of fish is the cause also why all things else are plentifull therein Moreouer I am perswaded that there is no riuer in the world beholds more stately buildings on either side cleane throgh then the Thames Much is reported of the Graund Canale in Venice for that the fronts on either side are so gorgeous That might intice some foule-mouth'd Mantuâ—n Mantuan a pastorall Poet in one of his Eglogs bitterly inueyeth agaynst woman-kind some of the which by way of an Appendex might be heere inserted seeing the fantasticke and insolent humours of many of that sexe deserue much sharper phisicke were it not that they are growne wiser then to amend for such an idle Poets speech as Mantuan yea or for Euripides himselfe or Senecas inflexible Hippolitus The circuite of the publike Theater Ouid a most fit Author for so desolute a Sectary calls that place Chastities shipwracke for though Shores wife wantonly pleade for liberty which is the true humour of a Curtizan yet much more is the praise of modesty then of such libertie Howbeit the Vestall Nunnes had seates assigned them in the Roman Theater whereby it should appeare it was counted no impeachment to modestie though they offending therein were buried quicke a sharpe law for them who may say as Shores wife doth When though abroad restraining vs to rome They very hardly keepe vs safe at home FINIS To the right VVorshipfull Sir Henry Goodere of Powlesworth Knight SIR this Poeme of mine which I imparted to you at my being with you at your lodging at London in Maie last brought at length to perfection emboldned by your wonted fauours I aduenture to make you Patron of Thus Sir you see I haue aduentured to the world with what like or dislike I know not â—if it please which I much doubt of I pray you then be partaker of that which I shall esteeme not my least good if dislike it shall lessen some part of my griefe if it please you to allow but of my loue howsoeuer I pray you accept it as kindely as I offer it which though without many protestations yet I assure you with much desire of your honour Thus vntill such time as I may in some more larger measure make knowne my loue to the happy and generous familie of the Gooderes to which I confesse my selfe to be beholding to for the most part of my education I wish you all happinesse Michaell Drayton Mary the French Queene to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke The Argument Mary the daughter of that renowned Prince King Henry the seauenth being very yong at her fathers death after by her brother King Henry the eight was giuen in marriage to Lewes King of France being a man olde and decrepit This faire and beautiful Lady long afore had plaâ—â—â—her affection on Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke a braue and couragious yong Gentleman and an especiall fauorite of the King her brother and a man raised vp by him King Lewes the husband of this beautifull Queene liued not long after he was married and Charles Brandon hauing commission from the King to bring her backe into England but being delaied by some sinister meanes the French Queene writeth this Epistle to hasten the Duke forward on his intended voyage to France SVch health from heauen my selfe may wish to mee Such health from France Queene Mary sends to thee Brandon how long mak'st thou excuse to stay And know'st how ill we women brooke delay If one poore channell thus can part vs two Tell me vnkinde what would an Ocean do Leander had an Hellespont to swim Yet this from Hero could not hinder him His barke poore soule his breast his armes his oares But thou a ship to land thee on our shores And opposite to famous Kent doth lie The pleasant fields of flowrie Picardie VVhere our faire Callice walled in her sands In kenning of the cliffie Douer stands Heere is no Beldame Nurse to powt or lower VVhen wantoning we reuell in my Tower Nor neede I top my Turret with a light To guide thee to me as thou swim'st by night Comparde with me wert thou but halfe so kinde Thy sighs should stuffe thy sailes though wanting wind But thy breast is becalmd thy sighs be slacke And mine too stiffe and blow thy broad sailes backe But thou wilt say that I should blame the flood Because the winde so full against thee stood Nay blame it not it did so roughly blow For it did chide thee for thou wast so slow For it came not to keepe thee in the Bay But came from me to bid thee come away But that thou vainely lett'st occasion slide Thou mightst haue wafted hether with the tide If when thou com'st I knit mine angry brow Blame me not Brandon thou hast broke thy vow Yet if I meant to frowne I might be dombe For this may make thee stand in doubt to come Nay come sweete Charles haue care thy ship to guide Come my sweete hart in faith I will not chide VVhenas my brother and his louely Queene In sad attire for my depart were seene The vtmost date expired of my stay when I from Douer did depart away Thou know'st what woe I suffered for thy sake How oft I fain'd of thee my leaue to take God and thou know'st with what a heauie hart I tooke my farewell when I should depart And being ship'd gaue signall with my hand Vp to the Cliffe where I did see thee stand Nor could reframe in all the peoples view But cried to thee sweete Charles adiew adiew Looke how a little infant that hath lost The things wherewith it was delighted most weary with seeking to some corner creepes And there poore soule it sits it downe and weepes And when the Nurse would faine content the mind Yet still it mournes for that it cannot find Thus in my carefull Cabin did I lie whenas the ship out of the roade did flie Think'st thou my loue was faithfull vnto thee vvhen yong Castile to England su'd for mee Be iudge thy selfe if it were not of power vvhen I refus'd an Empire for my dovver To Englands Court when
once report did bring How thou in Fraunce didst reuell with the king vvhen he in triumph of his victorie Vnder a rich imbrodered Canapie E 〈…〉 d proud Tournay which did trembling stand Toâ—eg for mercie at his conquering hand To heare of his enderements how I ioy'd But see this calme vvas suddenly destroy'd When Charles of Castile there to banquet came With him his sister that ambitious dame Sauoyes prowd dutchesle knowing how long she By her â—oue sought to win my loue from me Fearing my absence might thy vowes acquite To change thy Mary for a Margarite When in king Henries tent of cloth of gold She often did thee in her armes enfold vvhere you were feasted more deliciously Than Cleopatra did Marke Anthony Where sports all day did entertaine your sight And then in maskes you passde away the night But thou wilt say t is proper vnto vs That we by nature all are iealous I must confesse t is oft found in our sex But who not loue not any thing suspects True loue dooth looke with pale suspitious eie Take away loue if you take iealousie Turwin and Turney when King Henry tooke For this great change who then did euer looke When Maximilian to those warres addrest Ware Englands Crosle on his imperiall breast And in our armie let his Eagle flie That viewd our ensignes with a wondring eie Little thought I when Bullen first was wonne VVedlocke should end what angry warre begunnâ— From which I vow I yet am free in thought But this alone by Wolseis wit was wrought To his aduise the King gaue free consent That will I nill I I must be content My virgins right my state could not aduance But now enriched with the dower of France Then but poore Suffolkes Dutchesse had I beene Now the great Dowager the most Christian Qucent But I perceiue where all thy griefe doth lie Lewes of France had my virginitie He had indeede but shall I tell thee what Beleeue me Brandon he had scarcely that Good feeble King he could not do much harme But age must needes haue something that is warme Small drops God knowes do quench that heaâ—lesse fire When all the strength is onely in desire And I could tell if modesly might tell There 's somewhat else that pleaseth louers well To rest his cheeke vpon my softer cheeke Was all he had and more he did not seeke So might the little babie clip the nurse And it content she neuer awhit the worse Then thinke this Brandon if that makes thee frowne For may denhead he on my head set a Crowne who would exchange a kingdome for a kisse Hard were the hart that would not yeeld him this And time yet halfe so swiftly doth not passe Not full fiue months yet elder than I was When thou to Fraunce conducted was by fame With many knights which from all countries came Installed at Saint Dennis in my throne Where Lewes held my coronation Where the prowd Dolphin for thy valour sake Chose thee at tilt his princely part to take Whenas the staues vpon thy caske did light Grieued there with I turnd away my sight And spake alowd when I my selfe forgot T' is my sweeâ—e Charles my Brandon hurt him not But when I fearde the King perceiued this Good seely man I pleasde him with a kisse And to extoll his valiant sonne began That Europe neuer bred a brauer man And when poore King he simply praised thee Of all the rest I ask'd which thou shouldst bee Thus I with him dissembled for thy sake Open confession now amends must make Whilst this old King vpon a pallet lies And onely holds a combat with mine eyes Mine eyes from his by thy sight stolne away Which might too wel their Mistres thoughts bewray But when I saw thy prowd vnconquered Launce To beare the prize from all the flower of France To see what pleasure did my soule imbrace Might easily be discerned in my face Looke as the dew vpon a damaske Rose How through that liquide pearle his blushing showes And when the sost aire breathes vpon his top From the sweet leaues falles easily drop by drop Thus by my cheeke distilling from mine eyes One teare for ioy anothers roome supplies Before mine eie like touch thy shape did proue Mine eie condemn'd my too too partiall loue But since by others I the same doe â—rie My loue condemnes my too too partiall eie The pretious stone most beautifull and rare When with it selfe we onely doe compare Wee deeme all other of that kinde to be As excellent as that we onely see But when we iudge of that with others by Too credulous we doe condemne our eie Which then appeares more orient and more bright As from their dimnesse borrowing great light Alansoon a fine timbered man and tall Yet wants the shape thou arte adornd withall Vandon good carriage and a pleasing eie Yet hath not Suffolkes princely maiestie Couragious Burbon a sweete manly face But yet he wants my Brandons courtly grace Prowd Longauile our Court iudgde had no peere A man scarce made was thoght whilst thou wast here County S. Paule brau'st man at armes in Fraunce Would yeeld himselfe a Squire to beare thy launce Galleas and Bounearme matchlesse for their might Vnder thy towring blade haue cowcht in fight If with our loue my brother angry be I le say to please him I first fancied thee And but to frame my liking to his minde Neuer to thee had I beene halfe so kinde Worthy my loue the vulgar iudge no man Except a Yorkist or Lancastrian Nor thinke that my affection should be set But in the line of great Plantaginet I passe not what the idle Commons say I pray thee Charles make haste and come away To thee what 's England if I be not there Or what to me is Fraunce if thou not here Thy absence makes me angry for a while But at thy presence I must needsly smile When last of me his leaue my Brandon tooke He sware an oath and made my lips the booke He would make hast which now thou doo'st denie Thou art forsworne ô wilfull periuricl Sooner would I with greater sinnes dispence Then by entreatie pardon this offence But yet I thinke if I should come to shriue thee Great were the fault that I should not forgiue thee Yet wert thou heere I should reuenged bee But it should be with too much louing thee I that is all that thou shalt feare to tast I pray thee Brandon come sweete Charles make hast Notes of the Chronicle-Historie The vtmost date expired of my stay When I for Douer did depart away KIng Henry the 8. with the Queene and Nobles in the 6. yeare of his raigne in the moneth of September brought this Ladie to Douer where she tooke shipping for Fraunce Think'st thou my loue was faithfull vnto thee When yong Castile to England su'd for me It was agreed and concluded betwixt Henry the seuenth and Philip King of Castile sonne to Maximilian the
Emperour that Charles eldest sonne of the said Philip should marry the Ladie Mary daughter to King Henry when they came to age which agreement was afterward in the eight yeare of Henry the eight annihilated When he in triumph of his victorie Vnder a rich embrodered Canapie Entred proud Turney which did trembling stand c. Henry the 8. after the long siege of Turnay which was deliuered to him vpon composition entred the Citie in triumph vnder a Canapie of cloth of gold borne by foure of the chiefe and most noble Cittizens the king himselfe mounted vpou a gallant courser barbed with the Armes of England France and Ireland When Charles of Castile there to banquet came With him his sister that ambitious Dame Sauoys prowd Dutches The King being at Turnay there came to him the Prince of Castile and the Lady Margaret Dutches of Sanoy his sister to whom King Henry gaus great entertainment Sauoys proud Dutches knowing how long shee By her loue sought to win my loue from mee At this time there was speech of a marriage to be concluded betweene Charles Brandron then Lord Lâ—ste and the Dutches of Sauoy the Lord Lâ—sâ—e being highly fauoured and exceedingly beloued of the Dutches. When in King Henries Tent of cloth of gold The King caused a rich Tent of cloth of gold to bee erected where he feasted the Prince of Castile and the Dutches and entertained them with sumptuous maskes and banquets during their aboad When Maximillian to those wars addrest Were Englands Crosse on his imperiall breast Maximillian the Emperour with all his souldiers which serued vnder king Henry wore the Crosse of S. George with the Rose on their breasts And in our Armie let his Eagle flie The blacke Eagle is the badge imperiall which here is vsed for the displaying of his ensigne or standard And had his pay from Henries treasurie Henry the 8. at his wars in France retained the Emperor al his souldiers in wages which serued vnder him during those warres But this alone by Wolseys wit was wrought Thomas Wolsey the kings Almoner then Bishop of Lincolne a man of great authoritie with the king and afterward Cardinall was the chiefe cause that the Lady Mary was married to the old French King with whom the French had dealt vnder-hand to befriend him in that match When the proud Dolphin for thy valour sake Chose thee at tilt his Princely part to take Frauncis Duke of Valoyes and Dolphin of Fraunce at the mariage of the Lady Mary in honour thereof proclaimed a Iusts where he chose the Duke of Suffolke and the Marques Dorset for his aydes at all martiall exercises Galeas and Bounarme matchlesse for their might This Countie Galeas at the Iusts ran a course with a speare which was at the head fiue inches square on euery side and at the But nine inches square wherby he shewed his woÌ„drous force and strength This Bounarme a Gentleman of Fraunce at the same time came into the field armed at all poyntes with tenne Speares about him in each stirrop three vnder each thigh one one vnder his left arme and one in his hand and putting his horse to the careere neuer stopped him till he had broken euerie staffe Hall Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk to Mary the French Queene BVt that thy faith commaunds me to forbeare The fault thine owne if I vnpacient were Were my dispatch such as should be my speede I should want time thy louing lines to reede Heere in the Court Camelion-like I fare And as that creature feed vpon the ayre All day I waite and all the night I watch And starue mine eares to heare of thy dispatch If Douer were th'Abydos of my rest Or pleasant Cal 〈…〉 ce were my Maries Cest Thou shouldst not need faire Queene to blame me so Did not the distance to desire say no Noted ous night from trauell should be free Tâ—ll through the wanes with swimming vnto thee A snowy path I made vnto thy Bay So bright as is that Nectar-stained way The restlesse sunne by trauelling doth weare Passing his course to finish vp the yeare But Paris lockes my loue within the maine And London yet my Brandon doth detaine Of thy firme loue thou putst me still in minde But of my faith not one word can I finde When Longauile to Mary was affide And thou by him wast made King Lewes bride How oft I wisht that thou a prize mightst bee That I in armes might combate him for thee And in the madnesse of my loue distraught A thousand times his murther haue sore thought But that th'all-seeing powers which sit a 〈…〉 Regard not mad mens oathes nor faults in loue And haue confirmde it by the graunt of heauen That Louers sinnes on earth should be forgiuen For neuer than is halfe so much distrest As he that loues to see his loue possest Comming to Richmond after thy depart Richmond where first thou stolst away my heart Me thought it looke not as it did of late But wanting thee â—or loâ—ne and desolate In whose faire walkes thou often hast bin seene To sport with Katharine Henries beauteous Queene Astâ—nishing sad winter with thy sight As for thy sake the day hath put backe night That the smal birds as in the pleasant spring Forgot themselues and haue begun to sing So oft I go by Thames so oft returne Me thinkes for thee the riuer yet doth mourne Who I haue seene to let her streame at large Which like a hand-maid waited on thy Barge And if thou hapst against the flood to row Which way it ebd it presently would flow Weeping in drops vpon thy laboring oares For ioy that it had got thee from the shoares The Swans with musicke that the Roothers make Ruffing their plumes come gliding on the lake As the fleete Dolphins by Arionâ— strings Were brought to land with their sweete rauishings The flockes and hâ—irdes that pasture neere the flood To gaze vpon thee haue forborne their food And sate downe sadly mourning by the brim That they by nature were not made to swim Whenas the Post to Englands royall Court Of thy hard passage brought the true report How in a storme thy well rigd ships were tost And thou thy selfe in danger to be lost I knew t was Venus loath'd that aged bed Where beautie so should be dishonoured Or fearde the Sea-Nimphs haunting of the lake If thou but seene their Goddesse should forsake And whirling round her Doue-drawne Coach about To view the Nauie now in lanching out Her ayrie mantle loosely doth vnbinde Which fanning forth a rougher gale of winde Wafted thy sailes with speede vnto the land And runnes thy ship on Bullins harboring strand How should I ioy of thy arriue to heare But as a poore sea-faring passenger After long trauaile tempest-torne and wrack'd By some vnpitting Pirat that is sack'd Heare 's the false robber that hath stolne his wealth Landed in some safe harbour and in health Enriched with invaluable store For which he
long hath trauailed before When thou to Abuile heldst th' appointed day We heard how Lewes met thee on the way Where thou in glittering Tissue strangely dight Appear'dst vnto him like the Queene of light In cloth of siluer all thy virgin traine In beautie sumptuous as the Northerne waine And thou alone the formost glorious star Which lead'st the teame of that great Wagoner What could thy thought be but as I do thinke When thine eyes tasted what mine eares did drinke A cripple King laid bed-rid long before Yet at thy comming crept out of the doore T' was well he rid he had no legs to goe But this thy beautie forc'd his body to For whom a cullice had more fitter beene Then in a golden bed a gallant Queene To vse thy beautie as the miser gold Which hoards it vp but onely to behold Still looking on it with a iealous eye Fearing to lend yet louing vsurie O Sacriledge if beautie be diuine The prophane hand shuld touch the halowed shrine To 〈◊〉 sicknesse on the sound mans diet To rob content yet still to liue vnquiet And hauing all to be of all beguild And yet still longing like a little child When Marques Dorset and the valiant Graies To purchase fame first crost the narrow Seas With all the Knights that my associates went In honour of thy nuptiall turnament Thinkst thou I ioy'd not in thy beauties pride When thou in triumph didst through Paris ride Where all the streetes as thou didst pace along With Arras Bisse and Tapestry were hung Ten thousand gallant Cittizens prepar'd In rich atâ—ire thy princely selfe to guard Next them three thousand choise 〈…〉 igious men In golden vestments followed on agen And in procession as they came along With Hymeneus sang thy marriage song Then fiue great Dukes as did their places fall To each of these a princely Cardinall Then thou on thy imperiall Chariot set Crown'd with a rich imperled Coronet Whilst the Persian dames as thy traine past Their pretious incence in abundance cast As Cinthia from the waue-embatteld shrowdes Opening the West comes streaming through the clowds With shining troupes of siluer-tressed stars Attending on her as her torch-bearers And all the lesser lights about her throne With admiration stand as lookers on Whilst she alone in height of all her pride The Queene of light along her spheare doth glide When on thy tilt my horse like thunder came No other signall had I but thy name Thy voyce my trumpet and my guide thine eyes And but thy beautie I esteemde no prize That large 〈…〉 d Almaine of the Giants race Which bare strength on his breast feare in his face Whose sinewde armes with his steele-temperd blade Through plate and male such open passage made Vpon whose might the Frenchmens glory lay And all the hope of that victorious day Thou sawe'st thy Brandon beate him on his knee Offring his shield a conquerd spoile to thee But thou wilt say perhaps I vainely boast And tell thee thee which thou already know'st No sacred Queene my valour I denie It was thy beautie not my chiualrie One of thy tressed curles which falling downe As loth to be imprisoned in thy crowne I saw the soft ayre sportiuely to take it To diuers shapes and sundry formes to make it Now parting it to foure to three to twaine Now twisting it and then vntwist againe Then make the thrids to dally with thine eye A sunny candle for a golden flie At length from thence one little teare it got Which falling downe as though a star had shot My vp-turnde eye pursues it with my sight The which againe redoubleth all my might T is but in vaine of my descent to boast When heauens lampe shines all other lights be lost Faulcons gaze not the Eagle sitting by Whose broode suruaies the sunne with open eye Else might my blood finde issue from his force In Bosworth plaine beate Richard from his horse Whose puissant armes great Richmond chose to wield His glorious colours in that conquering field And with his sword in his deere Soueraignes fight To his last breath stood fast in Henries right Then beauteous Empresse thinke this safe delay Shall be the euen to a ioyfull day Fore-sight doth still on all aduantage lie Wise-men must giue place to necessitie To put backe ill our good we must forbeare Better first feare then after still to feare T' were ouer-sight in that at which we aime To put the hazard on an after-game With patience then let vs our hopes attend And till I come receiue these lines I send ¶ Notes of the Chronicle-Historie When Longauile to Mary was affied THe Duke of Longauile which was prisonet in England vpon the peace to be concluded betweene England and France was deliuered and married the Princesse Mary for Lewes the French King his Maister How in a storme thy well rigg'd ships were tost And thou c. As the Queene sailed for France a mighty storme arose at sea so that the Nauy was in great danger and was seuered some driuen vpon the coast of Flanders some on Brittaine the ship wherein the Queene was was driuen into the hauen at Bullen with very great danger When thou to Abuile heldst th' appointed day King Lewes met her by Abuile neere to the Forrest of Arders and brought her into Abuile with great solemnitie Appear'dst vnto him like the Queene of light Expressing the sumptuous attire of the Queene her train attended by the chiefe of the Nobility of England with 36. Ladies al in cloth of siluer their horses trapped with crimson veluet A cripple King laid bed-rid long before King Lewes was a man of great yeeres troubled much with the gowt so that he had long time before little vse of legs When Marques Dorset and the valiant Graies The Duke of Suffolke when the proclamation came into England of iusts to be holden in France at Paris he for the Queenes sake his Mistris obtained of the King to go thither with whom went the Marquesse Dorset and his foure brothers the Lord Clinton Sir Edward Neuell Sir Giles Chappell Tho Cheyney which went all ouer with the Duke as his assistants When thou in triumph didst through Paris ride A true description of the Queenes entring into Paris after her coronation performed at S. Dennis Then fiue great Dukes as did their places fall The Dukes of Alansoon Burbon Vandome Longauile Suffolke with fiue Cardinalls That large-limd Almaine of the Giants race Francis Valoys the Dolphin of France enuying the glory that the Englishmen had obtained at the Tilt brought in an Almaine secretly a man thought almost of incomparable strength which encountred Charles Brandon at Barriers but the Duke grapling with him so beate him about the head with the pumell of his sword that the blood came out of the sight of his Caske Else might my blood finde issue from his force In Bosworth c. Sir William Brandon Standard-bearer to the Earle of Richmond after Henry the 7.
bleede O let the graue my innocency hold Ere of a King so heynous sinne be told Vttering my minde my sorrow to asswage The heauy burthen of my pensiue breast The poison now that inwardly did rage The present vigor forcibly exprest Me no way suffering to declare the rest Longer for him t' was now no time to stay And death call'd on to hasten me away Thus in my closet being left alone Vpon the floore vncomfortably lying The deede committed and the murtherer gone Almost arriued at the point of dying Some of the sisters me by chance espying Calls all the rest that in most wofull plight Came to behold this miserable sight Where like a rose by an vnkindly blast Mongst many buds that round about it grow The withered leaues improsp'rously doth cast Yet all the rest their soueraigne beauties show Amidst this goodly sisterhood euen so Nipt with cold death vntimely did I fade Whilst they about me pitteous wailing made When as my poore soule in hir suddaine flight Neglects the organ of each severall sense with all that horror could the same affright Being disturbed in her parting hence Onely constrained for her best defence Vnto her spotlesse innocence to take her Which her not leaues when all the rest forsake her VVhen all our pleasures are but childrens toyes And as meere shadowes presently do passe As yeares encreasing waning are our ioyes As we forget our fauours in a glasse Euen as a tale of that which neuer was Death our delights continually doth seuer Vertue alone abandoneth vs neuer And now my spirit thus liberally enlargde By gently flitting from this earthly roome The debt to Nature faithfully dischargde And at the howre conditiond on my toombe Such is the heauens ineuitable doombe Me Baynards Castle to the earth did bring D 〈…〉 againe my place of burying Now scarsly was my breathlesse body cold But euery where my tragedy was spred For tatling Fame in euery place had told My resolution being lately dead Ruing my blood so prodigally shed And to my father flies with this mischance Which then remained in the Court of Frarce His losse too great to be bewailde with teares Nor were there found wordes to expresse his woe Terror it selfe so settled in his eares No more might enter nothing out might goe O while againe should griefe distract me 〈◊〉 Enough of sorrow is already showne And telling his renewing of mine owne Me t' shall suffise my fortunes to relate And beare the burthen of my proper ill If I expresse my pittifull estate T is all I aske and I obtaine my will For whie true sorrow needes not others skill It is too much the bitternesse we taste vvithout remembrance when the same is past Somesaie the King repentant for this deede vvhenas remorce to thoughts thereof him draue Poorely disguised in a Pilgrimes weede Offered his teares on my vntimely graue For which no doubt but heauen his sinne forgaue And did thereby my grieued spirite appease Hâ—â—â—â—ing contrite I happly at ease Thus tolde my storie I my state deuise To you sweete Madam fitt'st with you to râ—st vvhich do my vertues daily exercise That be impressed in your patient breast By whome alone I rightliest am exprest For whom my praise it grieues me is too scant Whose happie name an Epethite shall want Then most deere Lady for a maidens sake To shead one teare if gently you but daine For all my wrongs it full amends may make And be my passe to the Elizian plaine In your chastâ— eies such powre there doth remainâ— As can th' afflicted prosprously deliuer Happy be they may looke vpon them euer FINIS The Legend of Pierce Gaueston FRom gloomy shadowes of eternall night Shut vp in darkenes where I long did dwell O heere beholde me miserable wight Lastly inuokt my tragedie to tell Giue me then leaue my sorrowes to impart Somewhat to ease my poore afflicted hart Goddesse of Artes and Armes Pallas diuine Let thy bright fawchion lend me Cipresse bughes Be thou assisting to this Poet of mine With funerall wreathes incompassing his browes Pittying my case when none would heare me weep To tell my sorrowes layes his owne to sleepe And mournefulst maiden of the sacred Nine That balefull sounds immoueably doost breathe With thy swolne visage and thy blubbred eine I vnto thee my sad complaints bequeathe Matter that yeelds sufficient for thy glorie If thou exactly prosecute my storie Tell how the starres my wandring state did guide Th'unconstant turnes of euerie changing houre Of manie a lowe ebbe manie as high a tide Manie a smoothe calme manie a stormie showre The height whereto I lastly did ascend My strange beginning and my fatall end When Edward sate vpon the English throne Long-shankes that so victoriously did raigne First of that name and second vnto none In all to knighthoode euer did pertaine My life begunne and then begunne my blisse Euen in those daies those happie daies of his So much did vertue gratious harts inflame Promotion then not purchased with golde And in those times he that desired fame Bought it of them that it full deerely solde Hatefull excesse so much did not deuoure Lawes had lesse force and honesty more powre And since that time so violently prayes Vpon those ages that euen holiest bee Let me remember those more happie daies In these sad houres my grieued eies doe see With greater griefe that makes me these deplore When I doe thinke of those that were before And Muse to thee I sadly then appeale Since thou my life wilt needâ—ly haue me show That I by thee may faithfully reueale Euen what the most inquisitiue would know Whilst that my soule heere bodied did abide In the vaine world that pampred mein pride From Gascony our name and our descent Of which my father naturally was borne In all his warres that with king Edward went To him a 〈…〉 ege man and a souldier sworne And in his country ventred his estate To follow him that seemd to gouerne fate Whose trust that great king highly did imploy And neare his person tooke him for the same Who with my selfe but then a little boy Vnto the Court of famous England came Whereas the King for seruice he had done Made me a page vnto the Prince his sonne In me what shape that man 's did not excel Where euery part such harmony did beate As in this modell Nature seemd to tell T' was not perfection if it were not there As euery age reseru'd his rarest feature Thereof to make so excellent a creature My lookes the powrefull adamants to loue Which vnto them attracted euery sight With which the same was fixed or did moue As svmpathizing naturally delight That where my thoughts intended to surprise I at my pleasure conqu'red with mine eies If euen the best in Paintings curious art In some rare peece his workemanship should show Imag 〈…〉 on helping with her part vvâ—â—n th' hand had done the vtmost it could doe Vnto that bodie modelling a
seas Such meanes in France they daily do procure That there my selfe I doubted to secure And though I chang'd my habite and my name Because I meant to liue vnknowne to any Yet swift report had so divulg'd my shame My hated life was publish'd to too many In euery streete that as I pas'd along I was the talke of euery common tongue And finding that which onely I did craue A secret meanes to send vnto the King To me certaine intelligence that gaue Of the state and course of euery thing Who labored now more euer then before Me into England safely to restore For which relying on my Soueraignes loue To whom my life had euer beene so deare Which I then now had ne're more cause to proue Striuing t' obtaine if any meane there were A dispensation for his former oth In their dispight that thereto seem'd most loth Where casting many a sundry course at length Being by marridge mightily alide And but too much presuming of my strength Resolu'd for England come what could beâ—ide And in a ship that for the iourney lay Thither my selfe did suddainely conuay And safely landed on the wished shore Vnto the Court me secretly betooke Of which the King had notice long before And for my comming euery day did looke Wisely that plotted when I should arriue All helpefull meanes my safetie to contriue Which soone being known whilst yet their blood was hote That to their strength now onely were to trust For what before was done preuailed not And for my sake the King did proue vniust Bringing thereby whilst trifling they did stand Wrong to themselues and danger to the land Now when the time did generally distaste Our lewd and inconsiderate neglect when those in Court that our high fauours plac'de Giue vs iust cause their dealings to suspect And they that view'd vs with the pleasedst eye Yet at our actions sometimes looke awric Wherefore the King inforced to prouide A present Armie trusting to his friends Repâ—irde to Yorke vntill he were supplide From whence for aide he into Scotland sends To warlike Balioll and to Wales from whence He might get power to frustrate their pretence But they his purpose wholy intercept Not now to seeke in any secret thing The marches that so vigilantly kept And yet renounce all malice to the King Only to chastice my abhorred sinne Who had the cause of all this trouble bin Thus Like a ship dismembred of the sailes Forc'd by the winde against the streamefull tide From place to place with euery billow hales And as it haps from shore to shore doth ride As that poore vessell rests my brittle stay Nearer the land still nearest cast away Corsiue of kingdoms home-begotten hate which in no limits euer yet wast bounded when didst thou seize euen on the greatest state By thee that was not vtterly confounded How many kingdome be there that doe rue thee Happy the world was till too well it knew thee Thus of our succour instantly bereft Hauing but now some little force at sea Lastly to trust to onely vs was left On which our hope infortunately lay Which he to hasten speedily doth make His former courses forced to forsake The present danger mannaging it so That did for aide importunately call Wherefore in Yorke as farthest from the foe Leaues me vnto the safegard of the wall Till his returne me further helpe might giue Whom more and more he studied to relecue From Bedford now the Armie setting on Th' appointed randy whore they gathered head When they had notice that the King was gone Vpon their way more hastily them sped Me t' afflict as purposed they were Whose presence else might force them to forbeare To Skarborough immediately I poste With the small force my fortune then did lend me A Fort best fitting standing on the coast And of all other likest to defend me And came the worst resistlesse were their might The sea should safely priuiledge my flight But they the Cittie lying round about Keepe euery passage with a watchfull spie That gaue them notice of my passing out With their light horse pursue me by and by Whereas vpon me suddainely they came E're I had time to fortifie the same Along the lands towards Oxford they conuey me Wondring my sight as birds do at the Owle And by the way continually they bray me As hungry woolues at passengers do howle Each one exulting that I now was caught That in the land such mischiefe euer wrought And being brought to Dedington at last Where the Eaâ—le of Pombrooke wild me to be staid To vnderstand 〈◊〉 further that I past Things to my charge that secretly were laid And to the King he speedily had sent T' acquaint him with the generall intent But the Earle of Warwicke lying but too neare The dog of Arden that I vsde to call That deadly hatred still to me did beare And that I euer doubted most of all Thither repairing with a powerfull band Ceazed vpon me with a violent hand And vnto Warwicke carrying me along Where he had long desired me to get With friends and tenants absolutely strong Whom all the puissant Barronry abet Since now occasion offered them such hold Hasten my death by all the meanes they could North from the Towne a mile or very neare An easie hill in publike view doth lie Blacklow then call'd of those that dwelled there Neare to the antient Hermitage of Guy Thither with arm'd bands strongly they me led Whereas I lastly forfaâ—ed my head My sundry passions hauing thus exprest In the sad tenor of my tragicke Tale Let me returne vnto the fields of rest Thither transported by a prosp'rous gale I leaue the world my destiny to view Bidding it thus for euermore a diew FINIS