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A20849 The second part, or a continuance of Poly-Olbion from the eighteenth song Containing all the tracts, riuers, mountaines, and forrests: intermixed with the most remarkable stories, antiquities, wonders, rarities, pleasures, and commodities of the east, and northerne parts of this isle, lying betwixt the two famous riuers of Thames, and Tweed. By Michael Drayton, Esq.; Poly-Olbion. Part 2 Drayton, Michael, 1563-1631. 1622 (1622) STC 7229; ESTC S121634 140,318 213

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And Marquesse Mountacute his brother that braue stem Of Neuils noble Stock who ioyned had to them The Dukes of Somerset and Excester and take The Earle of Oxford in the Armies forward make And meeting on the plaine to Barnet very neere That to this very day is called Gladmore there Duke Richard to the field doth Edwards Vaward bring And in the middle came that most couragious King With Clarence his reclaim'd and brother then most deare His friend Lord 〈◊〉 had the guiding of the Reare A man of whom the King most highly did repute On puisant Warwicks part the Marquesse Mountacute His brother and his friend the Earle of Oxford led The right wing and the left which most that day might sted The Duke of Excester and he himselfe doe guide The middle fight which was the Armies onely pride Of Archers most approu'd the best that he could get Directed by his friend the Duke of Somerset O Sabboth ill bestow'd O drery Easter day In which as some suppose the Sunne doth vse to play In honour of that God for sinfull man that dy'd And rose on that third day that Sunne which now doth hide His face in foggy mists nor was that morning seene So that the space of ground those angry hosts betweene Was ouershadowed quite with darknesse which so cast The armies on both sides that they each other past Before they could perceiue aduantage where to fight Besides the enuious mist so much deceiu'd their sight That where eight hundred men which valiant Oxford brought Ware Comets on their coats great Warwicks force which thought They had King Edwards beene which so with Sunnes were drest First made their shot at them who by their friends distrest Constrayned were to flie being scattered here and there But when this direfull day at last began to cleere King Edward then beholds that height of his first hopes Whose presence gaue fresh life to his oft-fainting troupes Prepar'd to scourge his pride there daring to defie His mercie to the host proclaiming publikely His hatefull breach of faith his periury and shame And what might make him vile so VVarwicke heard that name Of Yorke which in the field he had so oft aduanc'd And to that glorious height and greatnesse had inhanc'd Then cried against his power by those which oft had sled Their swist pursuing foc by him not brauely led Vpon the enemies backe their swords bath'd in the gore Of those from whom they 〈◊〉 like heartlesse men before Which Warwicks nobler name iniuriously defide Euen as the irefull host then ioyned side to side Where cruell Richard charg'd the Earles maine battell when Proud Somerset therein with his approoued men Stood stoutly to the shocke and flang out such a flight Of shafts as welneere seem'dt'eclipse the welcom'd light Which forc'd them to fall off on whose retreit againe That great Battalion next approcheth the fayre plaine Where in the King himselfe in person was to trie Proud VVarwicks vtmost strength when Warwicke by and by With his left wing came vp and charg'd so home and round That had not his light horse by disuantagious ground Been hindred he had strucke the heart of Edwards host But finding his defeat his enterprise so lost He his swift Currers sends to will his valiant brother And Oxford in command being equall to the other To charge with the right wing who brauely vp doe beare But Hastings that before raught thither with his Reare And with King Edward ioynd the host too strongly arm'd When euery part with spoyle with rape with fury charm'd Are prodigall of blood that slaughter seemes to swill It selfe in humane gore and euery one cries kill So doubtfull and so long the battell doth abide That those which to and fro twixt that and London ride That Warwicke winnes the day for certaine newes doe bring Those following them againe sayd certainly the King Vntill great VVarwicke found his armie had the worse And sore began to faint alighting from his horse In with the formost puts and wades into the throng And where he saw death stern'st the murthered troupes among He ventures as the Sunne in a tempestuous day With darknesse threatned long yet sometimes doth display His cheerefull beames which scarce appeare to the cleere eye But suddenly the clouds which on the winds doe flie Doe muffle him againe within them till at length The storme preuailing still with an vnusuall strength His cleerenesse quite doth close and shut him vp in night So mightie Warwicke fares in this outragious fight The cruell Lyons thus inclose the dreaded Beare Whilst Montacute who striues if any helpe there were To rescue his belou'd and valiant brother fell The losse of two such spirits at once time shall not tell The Duke of Somerset and th' Earle of Oxford fled And Excester being left for one amongst the dead At length recouering life by night escap'd away Yorke neuer safely sat till this victorious day Thus Fortune to his end this mightie Warwicke brings This puisant setter vp and plucker downe of Kings He who those battel 's wonne which so much blood had cost At Barnets fatall fight both Life and Fortune lost Now Tewksbury it rests thy storry to relate Thy sad and dreadfull fight and that most direfull Fate Of the Lancastrian Line which hapned on that day Fourth of that fatall Month that still-remembred May Twixt Edmund that braue Duke of Somerset who fled From Barnets bloody field againe there gathering head And Marquesse Dorset bound in blood to ayd him there With Thomas Courtney Earle of powerfull Deuonshire With whom King Henries sonne young Edward there was seene To claime his doubtlesse right with that vndaunted Queene His mother who from France with succours came on land That day when VVarwicke 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 which now stand Their fortune yet to trie vpon a second fight And Edward who imploy'd the vtmost of his might The poore Lancastrian part which he doth eas'ly feele By VVarwicks mightie fall already faintly reele By Battell to subuert and to extirpe the Line And for the present act his army doth assigne To those at Barnet field so luckily that sped As Richard late did there he here the Vaward led The Maine the King himselfe and Clarence tooke to guide The Rearward as before by Hastings was supplide The Army of the Queene into three Battels cast The first of which the Duke of Somerset and fast To him his brother Iohn doe happily dispose The second which the Prince for his owne safety chose The Barons of Saint Iohn and Wenlocke and the third To Courtney that braue Earle of Deuonshire referd Where in a spacious field they set their Armies downe Behind hard at their backes the Abbey and the Towne To whom their foe must come by often banks and steepe Through quickset narrow Lanes cut out with ditches deepe Repulsing Edwards power constraining him to prooue By thundring Cannonshot and Culuering to remooue Them from that chosen ground so tedious to
Seas are dasht Against each others waues that all the plaines were washt With showers of sweltring blood that downe the furrowes ran Ere it could be discern'd which either lost or wan Earle Baldwin and Fitzvrse those valiant Knights were seene To charge the Empresse Horse as though dread Mars had beene There in two sundry shapes the day that beautious was Twinckled as when you see the Sunne-beames in a glasse That nimbly being stirr'd flings vp the trembling flame At once and on the earth reflects the very same With their resplendent swords that glistred gainst the Sunne The honour of the day at length the Empresse wonne King Stephen prisoner was and with him many a Lord The common Souldiers put together to the sword The next the Battell neere Saint Edmundsbury fought By our * Fitz-Empresse force and Flemings hither brought By th' Earle of Leister bent to moue intestine strife For yong King Henries cause crown'd in his fathers life Which to his kingly Syre much care and sorrow bred In whose defiance then that Earle his Ensignes spred Back'd by Hugh Bigots power the Earle of Norfolke then By bringing to his ayd the valiant Norfolke men Gainst Bohun Englands great high Constable that swayd The Royall forces ioyn'd with Lucy for his ayd Chiefe Iustice and with them the German powers to expell The Earles of Cornewall came Gloster and Arundell From Bury that with them Saint Edmonds Banner bring Their Battels in aray both wisely ordering The Armies chanc'd to meet vpon the Marshy ground Betwixt Saint Edmunds towne and Fornham fitly found The bellowing Drummes beat vp a thunder for the charge The Trumpets rend the ayre the Ensignes let at large Like wauing flames farre off to either hoste appeare The bristling Pykes doe shake to threat their comming neere All clouded in a mist they hardly could them view So shaddowed with the Shafts from either side that flew The Wings came wheeling in at ioyning of whole forces The either part were seene to tumble from their horses Which emptie put to rout are paunch'd with Gleaues and Pyles Lest else by running loose they might disranke their 〈◊〉 The Bilmen come to blowes that with the cruell thwacks The ground lay strew'd with Male and shreds of tatterd Iacks The playnes like to a shop lookt each where to behold VVhere limbes of mangled men on heaps lay to be sold Sterne discontented Warre did neuer yet appeare With a more threatning brow then it that time did there O Leicester alas in ill time wast thou wonne To ayd this gracelesse youth the most ingratefull sonne Against his naturall Syre who crown'd him in his dayes VVhose ill requited loue did him much sorrow raise As Le'ster by this warre against King Henry show'd Vpon so bad a cause O courage ill bestow'd VVho had thy quarrell beene as thou thy selfe was skild In braue and martiall feats thou euermore hadst fild This I le with thy high deeds done in that bloody field But Bigot and this Lord inforc'd at length to yeeld Them to the other part when on that fatall plaine Of th' English and the Dutch ten thousand men lay slaine As for the second Fight at Lincolne betwixt those VVho sided with the French by seeking to depose Henry the sonne of Iohn then young and to aduaunce The Daulphin Lewes sonne to Philip King of France VVhich Lincolne Castle then most straightly did besiege And William Marshall Earle of Pembroke for his Liege Who led the faithfull Lords although so many there Or in the conflict slaine or taken prisoners were Yet for but a surprize no field appointed fight Mongst our set Battels here may no way claime a right The Field at Lewes then by our third Henry fought VVho Edward his braue sonne vnto that Conflict brought VVith Richard then the King of Almaine and his sonne Young Henry with such Lords as to his part he wonne VVith him their Soueraigne Liege their liues that durst engage And the rebellious league of the proud Barronage By Symon Mounford Earle of Le'ster their chiefe Head And th' Earle of Gloster Clare against King Henry led For th' ancient Freedomes here that bound their liues to stand The Aliens to expulse who troubled all the land Whilst for this dreadfull day their great designes were meant From Edward the young Prince defiances were sent To Mountfords valiant sonnes Lord Henry Sim and Guy And calling vnto him a Herauld quoth he Flie To th' Earle of Leisters Tents and publikely proclame Defiance to his face and to the Montfords name And say to his proud sonnes say boldly thus from me That if they be the same that they would seeme to be Now let them in the field be by their Band roules knowne Where as I make no doubt their valour shall be showne Which if they dare to doe and still vphold their pride There will we vent our spleenes where swords shall it decide To whom they thus replide Tell that braue man of Hope He shall the Mountfords find in t'head of all their Troupe To answere his proud braues our Bilbowes be as good As his our Armes as strong and he shall find our blood Sold at as deare a rate as his and if we fall Tell him wee le hold so fast his Crowne shall goe withall The King into three fights his forces doth diuide Of which his princely * sonne the Vaward had to guide The second to the King of Almaine and his sonne Young Henry he betooke in the third Legion Of Knights and Men of Armes in person he appeares Into foure seuerall Fights the desperate Barons theirs I' th first those valiant youths the sonnes of Leister came Of leading of the which Lord Henry had the name The Earle of Gloster brought the second Battell on And with him were the Lords Mountchency and Fitz-Iohn The third wherein alone the Londoners were plac'd The stout Lord Segraue led the greatest and the last Braue Leicester himselfe with courage vndertooke The day vpon the host affrightedly doth looke To see the dreadfull shocke their first encounter gaue As though it with the rore the Thunder would out-braue Prince Edward all in gold as he great Ioue had beene The Mountfords all in Plumes like Estriges were seene To beard him to his teeth toth' worke of death they goe The crouds like to a Sea seemd wauing to and fro Friend falling by his friend together they expire He breath'd doth charge afresh he wounded doth retyre The Mountfords with the Prince vye valour all the day Which should for Knightly deeds excell or he or they To them about his head his glistring blade he throwes They waft him with their swords as long with equall showes Now Henry Simon then and then the youngest Guy Kept by his brothers backe thus stoutly doth reply What though I be but young let death me ouerwhelme But I will breake my sword vpon his plumed helme The younger Bohun there to high atchiuements bent With whom two other Lords
Lucy and Hastings went Which charging but too home all sorely wounded were VVhom liuing from the field the Barons stroue to beare Being on their partie fixd whilst still Prince Edward spurres To bring his Forces vp to charge the Londoners T'whom cruell hate he bare and ioyning with their Force Of heauy-armed Foot with his light Northerne Horse He putting them to flight foure miles in chase them slew But ere he could returne the conquest wholly drew To the stout Barons side his father fled the field Into the Abbay there constrained thence to yeeld The Lords Fitz-warren slaine and Wilton that was then Chiefe Iustice as some say with them fiue thousand men And Bohun that great Earle of Her'ford ouerthrowne With Bardolfe Somery Patshull and Percie knowne By their Coat-armours then for Barons prisoners ta'n Though Henry ware the Crowne great Le'ster yet did raigne Now for the Conflict next at Chesterfield that chanc'd Gainst Robert that proud Earle of Darby who aduanc'd His Ensignes gainst the King contrary to his oath Vpon the Barons part with the Lord Deuell both Surpriz'd by Henry Prince of Almain with his power By comming at so strange an vnexpected hower And taking them vnarmd since meerely a defeat With our well-ordered fights we will not here repeat The fatall Battell then at fertile Eusham struck Though with the selfe same hands not with the selfe same luck For both the King and Prince at Lewes prisoners taken By fortune were not yet so vtterly forsaken But that the Prince was got from Le'ster and doth gather His friends by force of Armes yet to redeeme his father And th' Earle of Glo'ster wonne who through the Mountfords pride Disgrac'd came with his power to the Emperiall side When now those Lords which late at Lewes wonne the day The Sacrament receiu'd their Armes not downe to lay Vntill the King should yeeld th' old Charter to maintaine King Henry and his sonne Prince Edward swore againe They would repeale those Lawes that were at Oxford made Or through this bloody warre to their destruction wade But since the King remain'd in puissant Lei'sters power The remnant of his friends whom death did not deuoure At Lewes Battell late and durst his part partake The Prince excites againe an Armie vp to make Whom Roger Bigot Earle of Norfolke doth assist Englands high Marshall then and that great Martialist Old Henry Bohun Earle of Her'ford in this warre Gray Basset and Saint-Iohn Lisle Percie Latimer All Barons which to him their vtmost strengths doe lay VVith many a Knight for power their equall euery way And William Valence Earle of Pembroke who had fled From Lewes field to France thence with fresh succour sped Young Humphrey Bohun still doth with great Le'ster goe VVho for his Countries cause becomes his fathers foe Fitz-Iohn Gray Spencer Strange Rosse Segraue Vessey Gifford Wake Lucy Vipount Vaux Clare Marmion Hastings Clifford In that blacke night before his sad and dismall day VVere apparitions strange as drad Heauen would bewray The horrors to ensue O most amazing fight Two Armies in the Ayre discerned were to fight VVhich came so neere to earth that in the morne they found The prints of horses feet remaining on the ground Which came but as a show the time to entertaine Till th' angry Armies ioyn'd to act the bloody Sceane Shrill shouts and deadly cries each way the ayre do fill And not a word was heard from either side but kill The father gainst the sonne the brother gainst the brother With Gleaues Swords Bills and Pykes were murthering one another The full luxurious earth seemes surfitted with blood VVhilst in his Vnckles gore th' vnnaturall Nephew stood VVhilst with their charged Staues the desperate horsmen meet They heare their kinsmen groane vnder their Horses feet Dead men and weapons broke doe on the earth abound The Drummes bedash'd with braines doe giue a dismall sound Great Le'ster there expir'd with Henry his braue sonne VVhen many a high exployt they in that day had done Scarce was there noble House of which those times could tell But that some one thereof on this or that side fell Amongst the slaughtered men that there lay heap'd on pyles Bohuns and Beauchamps were Basets and Mandeviles Segraues and Saint-Iohns seeke vpon the end of all To giue those of their names their Christian buriall Ten thousand on both sides were ta'n and slaine that day Prince Edward gets the gole and beares the Palme away All Edward Long shankes time her ciuill warres did cease Who stroue his Countries bounds by Conquest to increase But in th' insuing raigne of his most riotous sonne As in his fathers dayes a second warre begun When as the stubborne heires of the stout Barons dead Who for their Countries cause their blood at Eusham shed Not able to endure the Spencers hatefull pride The father and the sonne whose counsels then did guide Th'inconsiderate King conferring all his graces On them who got all gifts and bought and sold all places Them raising to debase the Baronage the more For Gauaston whom they had put to death before Which vrg'd too farre at length to open Armes they brake And for a speedy warre they vp their powers doe make Vpon King Edwards part for this great Action bent His brother Edmund came the valiant Earle of Kent With Richmount Arundell and Pembroke who engage Their powers three powerfull Earles against the Baronage And on the Barons side great master of the warre Was Thomas of the Blood the Earle of Lancaster With Henry Bobun Earle of Hereford his Peere With whom of great command and Martialists there were Lyle Darcy Denvile Teis Beach Bradburne Bernvile Knovile With Badlesmer and Bercks Fitz-william Leyburne Louell Tuchet and Talbot stout doe for the Barons stand Mandute and Mowbray with great Clifford that command Their Tenants to take Armes that with their Landlords runne With these went also Hugh and Henry Willington Redoubted Damory as Audley Elmesbridge Wither Earles Barons Knights Esquiers embodied all together At Burton vpon Trent who hauing gathered head Towards them with all his power the King in person sped Who at his neere approach vpon his March discri'd That they against his power the Bridge had fortifi'd Which he by strong assault assayes from them to win Where as a bloody fight doth instantly begin When he to beat them off assayes them first by shot And they to make that good which they before had got Defend them with the like like Haylestones from the skie From Crosse-bowes and the Long the light-wingd arrowes flie But friended with the Flood the Barons hold their strength Forcing the King by Boats and pyles of wood at length T' attempt to land his force vpon the other side The Barons that the more his stratagems defide Withstand them in the streame when as the troubled flood With in a little time was turned all to blood And from the Boats and Bridge the mangled bodies feld The poore affrighted Fish
their watry walks expeld VVhile at the Bridge the fight still strongly doth abide The King had learnt to know that by a skilfull guide He by a Fourd not farre might passe his power of Horse VVhich quickly he performes which draue the Barons force From the defended Bridge t' affront th'approching foe Imbattelling themselues when to the shocke they goe On both sides so assaild till th' water and the shore Of one complexion were distaind with equall gore Oft forc'd to change their fights being driuen from their ground That when by their much losse too weake themselues they found Th' afflicted Barons flie yet still together keepe The King his good successe not suffring so to sleepe Pursues them with his power which Northward still doe beare And seldome scapes a day but he doth charge their Reare Till come to Burrough Bridge where they too soone were staid By Andrew Herckley Earle of Carleill with fresh ayd Being lately thither come King Edwards part to take The Barons range their fights still good their ground to make But with long Marches tyerd their wearied breath they draw After the desperat'st fight the Sunne yet euer saw Braue Bohun there was slaine and Lancaster forsaken Of Fortune is surpriz'd the Barons prisoners taken For those Rebellions Stirres Commotions Vprores here In Richard Burdeaux raigne that long so vsuall were As that the first by Straw and Tyler with their Rout Of Rebels brought from Kent most insolent and stout By entring London thought the the Iland to subdue * The first of which the Maior of London brauely slew Walworth which wonne his name much honour by the deed As they of Suffolke next those Rascals that succeed By * Litster led about their Captaine who enstil'd Himselfe the Commons King in hope to haue exil'd The Gentry from those parts by those that were his owne By that braue Bishop then of Norwitch ouerthrowne By such vnruly Slaues and that in Essex rais'd By Thomas that stout Duke of Glo'ster strongly * ceaz'd As that at Radcot bridge where the last named Peere With foure braue * Earles his friends encountred Robert Vere Then Duke of Ireland cald by Richard so created And gainst those Lords maintain'd whom they most deadly hated Since they but Garboyles were in a deformed masse Not ordered fitting warre we lightly ouerpasse I chuse the Battell next of Shrewsbury to chant Betwixt Henry the fourth the sonne of Iohn of Gant And the stout Percies Henry Hotspurre and his Eame The Earle of Wor'ster who the rightfull Diademe Had from King Richard reft and heau'd vp to his Seat This Henry whom too soone they found to be too great Him seeking to depose and to the Rule preferre Richards proclaimed Heire their cosen Mortimer Whom Owen Glendour then in Wales a prisoner staid Whom to their part they wonne and thus their plot they laid That Glendour should haue Wales along as Seuerne went The Percies all the North that lay beyond the Trent And Mortimer from thence the South to be his share Which Henry hauing heard doth for the warre prepare And down to Cheshire makes where gathering powers they were At Shrewsbury to meet and doth affront them there With him his peerelesse sonne the princely Henry came With th' Earle of Stafford and of Gentlemen of name Blunt Shyrley Clifton men that very powerfull were VVith Cockayne Caluerly Massy and Mortimer Gausell and Wendsley all in Friends and Tenants strong Resorting to the King still as he past along Which in the open field before the ranged fights He with his warlike Sonne there dub'd his Mayden Knights Th'Eatle Dowglasse for this day doth with the Percies stand To whom they Berwicke gaue and in Northumberland Some Seigniories and Holds if they the Battell got Who brought with him to Field full many an angry Scot At Holmdon Battell late that being ouerthrowne Now on the King and Prince hop'd to regaine their owne With almost all the power of Cheshire got together By Venables there great and Vernon mustred thether The Vaward of the King great Stafford tooke to guide The Vaward of the Lords vpon the other side Consisted most of Scots which ioyning made such spoyle As at the first constrain'd the English to recoyle And almost brake their Rankes which when King Henry found Bringing his Battell vp to reinforce the ground The Percies bring vp theirs againe to make it good Thus whilst the either Host in opposition stood Braue Dowglasse with his spurres his furious Courser strake His Lance set in his rest when desperatly he brake In where his eye beheld th' Emperiall Ensigne pight Where soone it was his chance vpon the King to light Which in his full carreere he from his Courser threw The next Sir Walter Blunt he with three other slew All armed like the King which he dead sure accounted But after when hee saw the King himselfe remounted This hand of mine quoth he foure Kings this day hath slaine And swore out of the earth he thought they sprang againe Or Fate did him defend at whom he onely aym'd When Henry Hotspurre so with his high deeds inflam'd Doth second him againe and through such dangers presse That Dowglasse valiant deeds he made to seeme the lesse As still the people cryed A Percy Espirance The King which saw then time or neuer to aduance His Battell in the Field which neere from him was wonne Ayded by that braue Prince his most couragious sonne Who brauely comming on in hope to giue them chase It chanc'd he with a shaft was wounded in the face Whom when out of the fight his friends would beare away He strongly it refus'd and thus was heard to say Time neuer shall report Prince Henry left the field When Harry Percy staid his traytrous sword to weeld Now rage and equall wounds alike inflame their bloods And the maine Battels ioyne as doe two aduerse floods Met in some narrow Arme shouldring as they would shoue Each other from their path or would their bankes remoue The King his traytrous foes before him downe doth hew And with his hands that day neere fortie persons slue When conquest wholly turnes to his victorious side His power surrounding all like to a furious tyde That Henry Hotspurre dead vpon the cold earth lyes Stout Wor'ster taken was and doughtie Douglasse flyes Fiue thousand from both parts left dead vpon the ground Mongst whō the kings fast friend great Staffords coarse was found And all the Knights there dub'd the morning but before The euenings Suune beheld there sweltred in their gore Here I at Bramham More the Battell in should bring Of which Earle Percie had the greatest managing With the Lord Bardolfe there against the Counties power Fast cleauing to his friend euen to his vtmost houre In Flanders France and Wales who hauing been abroad To raise them present powers intending for a Road On England for the hate he to King Henry bore His sonne and brothers blood augmenting
assayle And with the shot came shafts like stormy showres of Hayle The like they sent againe which beat the other sore Who with the Ordnance stroue the Yorkists to outrore And still make good their ground that whilst the Peeces play The Yorkists hasting still to hand-blowes doe assay In strong and boystrous crowds to scale the combrous Dykes But beaten downe with Bills with Poleaxes and Pykes Are forced to fall off when Richard there that led The Vaward saw their strength so little them to sted As he a Captaine was both politique and good The stratagems of warre that rightly vnderstood Doth seeme as from the field his forces to withdraw His sudden strange retire proud Somerset that saw A man of haughtie spirit in honour most precise In action yet farre more aduenturous then wise Supposing from the field for safetie he had fled Straight giueth him the chase when Richard turning head By his incounter let the desperate Duke to know T was done to traine him out when soone began the show Of slaughter euery where for scarce their equall forces Began the doubtfull fight but that three hundred horses That out of sight this while on Edwards part had stayd To see that neere at hand no ambushes were layd Soone charg'd them on the side disordring quite their Ranks Whilst this most warlike King had wonne the climing Banks Vpon the equall earth and comming brauely in Vpon the aduerse power there likewise doth begin A fierce and deadly fight that the Lancastrian side The first and furious shocke not able to abide The vtmost of their strength were forced to bestow To hold what they had got that Somerset below Who from the second force had still expected ayd But frustrated thereof euen as a man dismaid Scarce shifts to saue himselfe his Battell ouerthrowne But faring as a man that frantique had beene growne With Wenlock hap'd to meet preparing for his flight Vpbraiding him with tearmes of basenesse and despight That cow'rdly he had faild to succour him with men Whilst Wenlock with like words requiteth him agen The Duke to his sterne rage as yeelding vp the raines With his too pondrous Axe pasht out the Barons braines The partie of the Queene in euery place are kild The Ditches with the dead confusedly are fild And many in the flight i' th neighbouring Riuers drown'd Which with victorious wreaths the conquering Yorkists crownd Three thousand of those men on Henries part that stood For their presumption paid the forfeit of their blood Iohn Marquesse Dorset dead and Deuonshire that day Drew his last vitall breath as in that bloody fray Delues Hamden Whittingham and Leuknor who had there Their seuerall braue commands all valiant men that were Found dead vpon the earth Now all is Edwards owne And through his enemies tents he march'd into the towne Where quickly he proclaimes to him that foorth could bring Young Edward a large Fee and as he was a King His person to be safe Sir Richard Crofts who thought His prisoner to disclose before the King then brought That faire and goodly Youth whom when proud Yorke demands Why thus he had presum'd by helpe of traytrous hands His kingdome to disturbe and impiously display'd His Ensignes the stout Prince as not a iot dismay'd With confidence replies To claime his ancient right Him from his Grandsires left by tyranny and might By him his foe vsurp'd with whose so bold reply Whilst Edward throughly vext doth seeme to thrust him by His second brother George and Richard neere that stood With many a cruell stab let out his princely blood In whom the Line direct of Lancaster doth cease And Somerset himselfe surprized in the prease With many a worthy man to Gloster prisoners led There forfeited their liues Queene Margaret being fled To a religious Cell to Tewksbury too neere Discouerd to the King with sad and heauy cheere A prisoner was conuey'd to London wofull Queene The last of all her hopes that buried now had seene But of that outrage here by that bold Bastard sonne Of Thomas Neuill nam'd Lord Falkonbridge which wonne A rude rebellious Rout in Kent and Essex rais'd Who London here besieg'd and Southwarke hauing seas'd Set fire vpon the Bridge but when he not preuaild The Suburbs on the East he furiously assayl'd But by the Cities power was lastly put to flight Which being no set Field nor yet well ordred fight Amongst our Battels here may no way reckoned be Then Bosworth here the Muse now lastly bids for thee Thy Battell to describe the last of that long warre Entit'led by the name of Yorke and Lancaster Twixt Henry Tudor Earle of Richmond onely left Of the Lancastian Line who by the Yorkists reft Of libertie at home a banish'd man abroad In Britany had liu'd but late at Milford Road Being prosperously ariu'd though scarce two thousand strong Made out his way through Wales where as he came along First Griffith great in Blood then Morgan next doth meet Him with their seuerall powers as offi ing at his feet To lay their Lands and liues Sir Rice ap Thomas then With his braue Band of Welsh most choyce and expert men Comes lastly to his ayd at Shrewsbury ariu'd His hopes so faint before so happily reuiu'd He on for England makes and neere to Newport towne The next ensuing night setting his Army downe Sir Gilbert Talbot still for Lancaster that stood To Henry neere Alli'd in friendship as in Blood From th' Earle of Shrewsbury his Nephew vnder age Came with two thousand men in warlike Equipage Which much his power increas'd when easily setting on From Lichfield as the way leads foorth to Atherston Braue Bourcher and his friend stout Hungerford whose hopes On Henry long had laine stealing from Richards troups Wherewith they had been mix'd to Henry doe appeare Which with a high resolue most strangely seem'd to cheere His oft-appauled heart but yet the man which most Gaue sayle to Henries selfe and fresh life to his host The stout Lord Stanley was who for he had affide The mother of the Earle to him so neere allide The King who fear'd his truth which he to haue compeld The yong Lord Strange his sonne in hostage strongly held Which forc'd him to fall off till he fit place could finde His sonne in law to meet yet he with him combinde Sir William Stanley knowne to be a valiant Knight T' assure him of his ayd Thus growing tow'rds his hight A most selected Band of Chesshire Bow-men came By Sir Iohn Sauage led besides two men of name Sir Brian Sanford and Sir Simon Digby who Leauing the tyrant King themselues expresly show Fast friends to Henries part which still his power increast Both Armies well prepar'd towards Bosworth strongly preast And on a spacious Moore lying Southward from the towne Indifferent to them both they set their Armies downe Their Souldiers to refresh preparing for the fight Where to the guiltie King that black fore-running
night Appeare the dreadfull ghosts of Henry and his sonne Of his owne brother George and his two nephewes done Most cruelly to death and of his wife and friend Lord Hastings with pale hands prepar'd as they would rend Him peece-meale at which oft he roreth in his sleepe No sooner gan the dawne out of the East to peepe But Drummes and Trumpets chide the Souldiers to their Armes And all the neighboring fields are couered with the swarmes Of those that came to fight as those that came to see Contending for a Crowne whose that great day should be First Richmond rang'd his fights on Oxford and bestowes The leading with a Band of strong and Sinewy Bowes Out of the Army pick'd the Front of all the field Sir Gilbert Talbot next he wisely tooke to weeld The right Wing with his strengths most Northern men that were And Sir Iohn Sauage with the power of Lancashire And Chesshire Chiefe of men was for the left Wing plac'd The Middle Battell he in his faire person grac'd With him the noble Earle of Pembroke who commands Their Countrey-men the VVelsh of whom it mainly stands For their great numbers found to be of greatest force Which but his guard of Gleaues consisted all of Horse Into two seuerall fights the King contriu'd his strength And his first Battell cast into a wondrous length In fashion of a wedge in poynt of which he set His Archery thereof and to the guidance let Of Iohn the noble Duke of Norfolke and his sonne Braue Surrey he himselfe the second bringing on Which was a perfect square and on the other side His Horsemen had for wings which by extending wide The aduerse seem'd to threat with an vnequall power The vtmost poynt ariu'd of this expected hower He to Lord Stanley sends to bring away his ayd And 〈◊〉 him by an Oath if longer he delayd His eldest sonne young Strange imediatly should die To whom stout Stanley thus doth carelessely reply Tell thou the King I le come when I fit time shall see I loue the Boy but yet I haue more sonnes then he The angry Armies meet when the thin ayre was rent With such re-ecchoing shouts from eithers Souldiers sent That flying o'r the field the Birds downe trembling dropt As some old building long that hath been vnderpropt When as the Timber fayles by the vnweldy fall Euen into powder beats the Roofe and rotten wall And with confused clouds of smouldring dust doth choke The streets and places neere so through the mistie smoke By Shot and Ordnance made a thundring noyse was heard VVhen Stanley that this while his succours had deferd Both to the cruell King and to the Earle his sonne When once he doth perceiue the Battell was begun Brings on his valiant Troups three thousand fully strong Which like a cloud farre off that tempest threatned long Falls on the Tyrants host which him with terrour strooke As also when he sees he doth but vainly looke For succours from the great Northumberland this while That from the Battell scarce three quarters of a mile Stood with his power of Horse nor once was seene to stirre VVhen Richard that th' euent no longer would deferre The two maine Battels mix'd and that with wearied breath Some laboured to their life some laboured to their death There for the better fought euen with a Spirit elate As one that inly scorn'd the very worst that Fate Could possibly impose his Launce set in his Rest Into the thick'st of Death through threatning perill prest To where he had perceiu'd the Earle in person drew Whose Standard 〈◊〉 he Sir William Brandon slew The pile of his strong staffe into his arme-pit sent VVhen at a second shocke downe Sir Iohn Cheney went Which scarce a Launces length before the Earle was plac'd Vntill by Richmonds Guard inuironed at last VVith many a cruell wound was through the body gride Vpon this fatall field Iohn Duke of Norfolke dide The stout Lord Ferrers fell and Ratcliffe that had long Of Richards counsels been found in the field among A thousand Souldiers that on both sides were slaine O Red-more it then seem'd thy name was not in vaine When with a thousands blood the earth was coloured red Whereas th' Emperiall Crowne was set on Henries head Being found in Richards Tent as he it there did winne The cruell Tyrant stript to the bare naked skin Behind a Herauld truss'd was backe to Le'ster sent From whence the day before he to the Battell went The Battell then at Stoke so fortunatly strucke Vpon King Henries part with so successefull lucke As neuer till that day he felt his Crowne to cleaue Vnto his temples close when Mars began to leaue His fury and at last to sit him downe was brought I come at last to sing twixt that seuenth Henry fought With whom to this braue Field the Duke of Bedford came With Oxford his great friend whose praise did him inflame To all Atchieuements great that fortunate had bin In euery doubtfull fight since Henries comming in With th' Earle of Shresbury a man of great command And his braue sonne Lord George for him that firmly stand And on the other side Iohn Duke of Suffolks sonne Iohn Earle of Lincolne cald who this sterne warre begun Subborning a lewd Boy a false Imposter who By Simonds a worse Priest instructed what to doe Vpon him tooke the name of th' Earle of Warwicke heire To George the murthered Duke of Clarence who for feare Lest some that fauoured Yorke might vnder hand maintaine King Henry in the Tower did at that time detaine * Which practise set on foot this Earle of Lincolne sayld To Burgundy where he with Margaret preuayld Wife to that warlike Charles and his most loued Aunt Who vexed that a proud Lancastrian should supplant The lawfull Line of Yorke whence she her blood deriu'd Wherefore for Lincolnes sake shee speedily contriu'd And Louell that braue Lord before him sent to land Vpon the same pretence to furnish them a Band Of Almanes and to them for their stout Captaine gaue The valiant Martin Swart the man thought scarce to haue His match for Martiall feats and sent them with a Fleet For Ireland where shee had appoynted them to meet With Simonds that lewd Clerke and Lambert whom they there The Earle of Warwicke cald and publish'd euery where His title to the Crowne in Diuelin and proclaime Him Englands lawfull King by the fift Edwards name Then ioyning with the Lord Fitz-Gerald to their ayd Who many Irish brought they vp their Ankres wayd And at the rocky Pyle of * Fowdray put to shore In Lancashire their power increasing more and more By Souldiers sent them in from Broughton for supply A Knight that long had been of their confederacy Who making thence direct their marches to the South When Henry saw himselfe to farre in dangers mouth From Couentry he came still gathering vp his Host Made greater on his way and doth the