of Straw of Lyster tag and rag Of Villains Of-skoms Clownes knaues that checkmate durst to brag With Richards self to their deaths his chiefest Princes drag Till VVal 〈…〉 ths girdle-Armor made the Armes of London more Because his courage chiefly gaue an end to that vprore And what-so-els Occurrants much may interrupt our Vayne Digesting Yorke Lancaster acquiring eithers Rayne Our Penne shall not endenizen Now drops it sacred blood Of Men-Gods English Potentates that in this Faction stood Richard begun that ciuill warre that till the Seauenth from him Did last though often fields with blood of Citizens did swim Against the Nobles the vphild innoble and his Peeres And Commons went alike to wracke nor God nor man he feares In fewe Ambition Auarice and Counsell lewd had wrought In him a nature worser than into the world he brought Whereby and thus himselfe and house at length a down-fal cought Twixt Mowbray D. of Norffolke and the D. of Hertford sonne To Iohn of Gaunt close Conference of better dayes begun The King sayd Henry Hertford more remisse than doth beseeme Leaues France to French Scotland to Scots and vs to woes extreeme His Flatterers doe fleece the Crowne and Commons not a State Doth or dares counsell ancient Coats that on the Crowne should wate Giue aime to bastard Armorie what resteth then but this Plucke downe those grating Harpies that seduce our King amis If worthles still set vp a King worthier than he that is The other saying little then immediatly reueales The secrete and before the King his Foe-made frend appeales Whose Gauntlet raysed by the Duke defendant at the last It grew to single Combate when the King his Warder cast And to the Duke of Norffolke iudg'd for euermore exile And selfe same law Duke Henry had saue for a lesser while Thus That did This but This and That their Iudge did thus begile And to his Coffers did escheate a world of wealth a Pray Vnto his Parasites which thriu'd by other mens decay Meane while whose actious life had lawd did Iohn of Gaunt decease So to the banisht Duke his Sonne fiue Cronets did increase But with his kindly aire the King withheld him all the same Till entring ayded by his friends he wonne beyond his clame For Richard was imprison'd and by Parlament put downe And Henry Duke of Lancaster elected to the Crovvne The Lyne Lancastrian frollicke but the house of Yorke did frowne For to those Hydra-kinded warres that after did ensue Those Families gaue name though first the Diadem was due Vnto the house of Clarence till to Yorke that interest gre we By marriage here omitted for we onely giue a viewe How Yorke mis-raigning Lancaster did enter then how This Was dispossest That repossest and how their Vnion is THE SIXT BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XXIX HEnry the fourth so named hild the King deposed strate In Pomfret Castell howebeit in honourable State And got an Act that who so wrought the Prisner to restore That Richards selfe to voyd their hope should dye the first therefore Whose birth brought Nature gentle Lord returning whence it straid Now altred him erst altring it and Richard mildly said I must not say I am and would I might not say I was Of great the greatest lesse they grieue from whom doth little passe Nor more it grieues to contrarie the same I haue been then To haue deserued not to be vnmaliced of men Thus humbled and full penitent liues he lesse mal-content Than was the Duke of Exeter his brother whose intent Was as at a lusts to haue destroyd King Henrie but descryed Himselfe fower such and many Knights the death of Traytors dyed And by these primer Yorkests thus King Richards date grew out But whether brayned famisht or exiled rests a doubt For often Vprores did ensue for him as vndeceast How beit solemnely inter'd himselfe or Signe at least Twise by confedrate Chiualrie the Pâ—ercies and their frends Did fight and fall for either warre to Henries honor ends He neuer had but warre and was victorious euermore Aswell at home as also of his Foes on forraine Shore Till lastly Armor ouercame all Enuie and he liues Of all beloued and his death a common sorrow giues HOt spur his Sonne Henry the fifth hung at his Fathers eyes To watch his Ghoste and catch his Crowne and that or ere he dyes And where the Father doubted if he got it well or noe The Sonne did sweare how so it came he would it not forgoe His bad did blisse the Bad the Good dispaire all good But neither Did aime aright for sodainly his chaunge deceiued either Of good becomming best that was of ill the baddest and The true perfection of a King was not but in this Land He lead good fortune in a line and did but warre and winne Fraunce was his Conquest Scots but brag and he did beate them in A friend vnto weldoings and an Enemie to sinne Yeat of the Yorkests neuer lackt he Princes that rebell Nor other than confusion to their still coniuring fell In fewe if any Homer should of this Achilles sing As of that Greeke Myâ—midon the Macedonian King Once noted would I note both Prince and Poet happiest men That for deseruing prayse and This for well imployed pen For well this Subiect might increase the Worthies vnto ten He aged thirtie sixe deceast and left his infant Sonne His Kingdome Conquests and his Queene whose Fathers Realme he wonne To graue protection Regents and so royall for the port As that his Orphants Cradle seem'd an Alexanders Court Queene Katherin Daughter of the French King Henryes wife of late The fayrest Ladye in the West hild with her sonne Estate She oft behild and hild her peace a braue Esquier of VVailes That tyde her fancie to his forme till fancied forme preuailes All liking was reuersed Loue saue Owen Tuder all Saue him that durst not dreame such good to her was lesse than small She formally by quaint degrees attracting him to fauor Did nourish burnings in her selfe by noting his behauor She pitched Tewe he masshed She vncompaned To flie He bids her solitary moodes She askes the remedie Disclosed pangues sometimes quoth he in Phisicke Phisick is Which sometimes to obserue quoth she doth Patients patience mis Cureles to Aesculapius and Apellos selfe am I The latter felt my languor and immortall wisht to die And yeat saue one no one disease lay hidden to his Art For you were bootlesse then to gesse how to vngreeue my smart Had Daphne to Apollo beene Apollo Tuder said His might haue beene and so may be your Graces humor staid He other Gods and Goddesses found more contented Loue Beloe in diffring bosomes than in equall beddes aboue I aime at Loue for thereto your Aenigma doth incline And aime to him a Deity for whome I so deuine But gladly doubt I of the Man for if I doubted not I should but massacer my lacke in enuy of his lot Yeat are vnworthie
remoued So did I loue and so I left so many a skorne and skoffe Care cost disgrace and losse of time were and may be cut off And women so lesse stand aloofe when men can so be wise So lesser sute hath lucklier speede than to be too precise Not women but our wilfulnesse doth worke our owne vnrest Though Beautie Loue and they lacke fault we may abuse the best SO helpe me Iupiter quoth Mars in Loue so may Ispeede As Mercurie and Pan doe erre in poynts of Loue indeede Precisians and plaine Plodders such is This and so is That In Loue doe swallow Cammels whilest they nicely straine a Gnat. Why what be Women Women geld the latter sillabell Then are they nothing more then Woe their names remaine doth tell Their yea or no euen when they sweare they loue or loue vs not Beleeue who list soone be they gone as sodainly are got What neede we creepe the Crosse to giue vnto a begging Saint Tush tush a Flye for booke-Loue none be fortunate that faint Not paper pursse or kerchiefe Plea lets Fancie sooner loase Then at the Shrine to watch the Saint She is not coy but cloase Pollitians know to cheapen what to offer when to skoase The Clowne no doubt that potted Pan lackt Art to glose and flatter And yeat nor Pan nor Mercurie went roundlier to the Matter He found right Methode for there is a Methode time and place Which Fooles obseruing do cōmence ere Wisemē haue their grace Though dastard Hawkes doe sore aloft and dare not seaze vpon Or Bussards-like doe sit aloofe vntill the game be gon Kinde killing Hawkes but wag the wing and worke tolsowse anon Once Loue surreuerence made my selfe vale Bonnet So submis My ceremoniall wooing was as common wooing is With rufull lookes sighes sweete Pigs-nye and Fooleries more than few I courted her so much more stout by how much more I sew Till aptly singled as it hapt I say not what did hap But Loue that late did load my Head did load her willing Lap. Nor this Lad Loue of that same Loue is guiltie any whit For why nine Moones did wexe and waine betweene his birth it Alas poore Boy before he was Loue was a common game The first-made Man the Rib-reft Man in Eden shewd the same For when his sudden eyes admir'd the boan-flesht faire Conuart Deriued from his Side his tongue directed by his hart Foorthwith pronounced Woman but a moment earst vnknoen So deare as flesh of his owne flesh and bone of his owne boen Quit then ye Gods this Lad and let your search of Loue alone Who will in power be felt of all in person found of none Or rather is not reall but some Fansie if not then Fantasticall in Women but essentially in Men. If Loue be such in Women But mistake me not for whie I note them but fantasticall in fault of Destinie Deferre were then to erre When all is done that doe we may Labor we sorrowing all the night and sewing all the day The female faultie Custome yeelds lesse merit greatest pay And ventrous more then vertuous meanes doth beare the bell away Now touching Venus worthie such a Pheere not such a Foe Vulcan me thinkes obserueth well slight proofe in yea and noe The Court therefore is well aduis'd to Sentence not to groe The Gods that did ere while but aime at Vulcans wiues sonnes Father Saw Venus blush and held that aime autentical the rather End Gods and Goddesses quoth Ioue to argue to and fro Like good and bad is either Sex Nay more behold than so I viewd erewhile the Destenies and thence I thus did know Zimois when Troy must perish shall send downe her Floods a Fleete And world it were our Father ruld when Create thought him vnmeet But long time hence farre Starres thence that World shall world an I le Enuyrond with the Ocean waues then famous in short while Through often Triumphes ouer Foes and Traffike euery wheare Howbeit thrice orerunne and once a Conquest shall be theare * Those Changes notwithstanding they a People shall remaine Vnchased thence and of that Streene shall Fiue at length re-raigne Dread terrene Gods the Fift of those a terrene God desse She Euen at the firie Trigon shall your chiefe Ascendant be Right Phoebe-like Phoebe may like a Compeere like to her Retriue her named Name to time the tryall we refer This sayd he bids adiorne the Court and willed Mercurie Thencefoorth not to conuent the Gods for such a Foolerie As Loue the idle Bodies worke and Surfet of the Eie And thus the Queene and Tuder chat But thought of nothing lesse Then that from them Ioues noted fiue fated to such successe Should spring as sprong and part springs yet But cease we to digresse And shew we how her Sonne did long and lucklesse Raigne possesse CHAP. XXXII IT rests fifth Henries Sonne that made the Henries more by one Did in his Infancie possesse his Conquering Fathers Throne And happely was rulde a Child rulde an happie man Till with his Parrasites his Peeres and hee with them began A bloodie quarrell offering so vnto the Yorkests spright For to reclaime in bold attempts their discontinued right Richard Plantagenet the Duke of Yorke by VVarwicks ayde Did get the Gaole not long enioy'd for he in Armes decayde Subdued by King Henries Queene when as by frends and force He had in Parlament obtaynde in euery clause his corse For mounted thear the Kingly Throne that Yorkish Heros sayd Here should I speake and shall I hope and so his Claime conuayd From Clarence his Progenitor with reasons such among As he Protector of the Realme King Henries heires were wrung From all Reuersion hearts and eares did so applaud his tung Edward his Sonne then Earle of March the Duke his Father slaine Wonne by the Earle of VVarwicks ayde in double battell Raigne King Henry fled to Scotland and the Queene and Prince their Sonne From France sollicet Succors which vnto their losse they wonne Henry was taken they and their Confedrates were subdu'd Yeat still the Queene escaped and she armour still pursu'd But VVarwicke pleased all attempts did faile to Edwards Foes Displeased Edward fayled and declined Henry rose He crowned Either and the same discrowned them againe Admyrd of all belou'd of all howbeit lastly slaine By Edward whilst he did vphold vnchancie Henries Raigne So VVarwicke perisht Henry so refalne from Kings estate Was reimprison'd and his Queene did land her aydes too late But landing when of Barnet field she heard the luckles fate Albeit Knights Lancastrians store did flocke in her defence She stoode a second Niobe bereft of speech and sence And whilst the Duke of Somerset an ouer-hardie Knight Did brauely marshall out her force to ouer-matched fight Hers and King Henries Sonne the Prince of VVales a proper Lad In comforting his mother did continue her more sad Ah Sonne quoth she through oft mishaps mishaps I can disgest I feare for thee
by grieuous Draught as Beasts to plough their Land Of whom the English as of Gods or Feends in terror stand The Husband durst not vse his Wife if liked of a Dane Nor House nor Goods nor ought he had for who resists was slaine That frankes and feedeth daintily This pines and fareth ill And of his sweat that hath the sweete and is imperious still Each house maintained such a Dane that so they might preuent Conspiracies if any were and grope how mindes were bent Lord Dane the same was called then to them a pleasing name Now odiously Lur-dane say we when idle Mates we blame When Swaine the DaciaÌ„ King did hear his Danes were murther dso With bitter vowes he shipt his men for Englands ouerthroe And landing spar'd no shrine nor Saint nor Sex nor any State Not wanting Aiders English-men that held their King in hate Especially false Edricus the Admirall deceiues His King and Countrey oftentimes and Bribes of Swaine receiues And Egelred his cowardisse incouraged the Foe Till Swaine at length for Masses great was bribed hence to goe But making short returne the Peeres of England that disdaine Th'indignities of such a King that did so feebly raigne Submit them Subiects vnto Swaine and Egelred did flie Vnto the Father of his Queene the Duke of Normandie And Swaine possessed of the land did shortly after die His sonne Canutus present here had Seazon of the Crowne Till Egelred returning back by Armor puts him downe Who scarcely giueth breathing time but that he back resailes From Denmarke and by force by friends and fortune here preuailes For in this Warre King Egelred did sicken and decease And then the broiles Canutus king did for a time decrease Till Edmund sonne of Egelred did interrupt that peace COnferring Armes to Edmonds age when Egelred did lie On death-bed to his sonne he said not quite forlorne am I Whose life hath had so much of griefe thus gratiously to dye Ad more thy vertues glad my death yeat two things greeue among To leaue my Kingdom so in Warres and thee for Warres too young So may these troubles weare to none as thou doest waxe I pray And so possesse thy Fathers Seate that all approoue thy sway Not to be made a King my Sonne is so to make thee proude For Mildenes fitteth maiestie high mindes are disaloude See me thy Father now a King and by and by but earth Nor thinke that euerie King hath hap to die a happie death Let nature for perfection molde a Paragon each way Yeat death at last on finest lumps of liuing flesh will pray For nature neuer framed it that neuer shall decay The brauest are as blossomes and the longest Liuer dies And dead the louelest Creature as the lothsom'st Carrion lies Then thinke not but that kings are men and as the rest miscarrie Saue that their fame or infamie continually doth tarry Deeme past Examples Sentences and which did fayle in me Make vse of those not now in vse for now will cease to be Attempt not things beyond thy reach ioyne fortune to thy will Least Phoebus Chaire doe else surcharge rash Phaeton his skill If Fortune helpe whom thou would'st hurt fret not at it the more When Aiax stormed then from him the Prize Vlysses bore Try friends by touch a feeble friend may prooue thy stroÌ„gest Foe Great Pompeâ—s head to Caesars hand it was betrayed so Admit thou hadst Pactolion waues to land thee Golde at will Know Craesus did to â—yrus kneele and thou maist speed as ill Abandon lust if not for sinne yeat to auoyd the shame So Hogges of Ithacus his men the Latian Witch did frame Be not too moody in thy wrath but pause though fist be bent Oft Philips Sonne did rashly strike and leisurely repent Content thee with vnthreatned Meane and play not Aesops Dogge The Golde that gentle Bacchus gaue did greedy Mydas clogge Be valiant not too venterous but fight to sight againe Euen Hercules did hold it ods for one to striue with twaine Be not ambitiously a King nor grudgingly decline One God did root out Cis his stock and rayse vp Iesses line Iest nor with edge tooles suffer Saints let mightie Fooles be mad Note Seneca by Neroes doome for Precepts pennance had Haue care to whom of whoÌ„ what to speak though speech be trew That Misse made Poeâ—â—us contrary his Rauens Swan-like hew He frameth torments to himselfe that feeds a Tyrants vaine Perillus was by Phalaris adiudg'd to self-taught paine Prayse not the beautie of thy Wife though she of forme be sped For Gyges moued so did graft on Candaules his head Shunne Ielousie that heart-breake loue if Cat will goe to kind Be sure that Io hath a meanes that Argus shall be blind Commit not Treasure with thy Child to greedy minded men Thou leauest Polidor a spoyle to Polymnestor then Occurrants giue occasions still of like in which be sure To serue thy God to saue thy selfe and well to all procure Be vertuous and assure thy selfe thou canst not then but thriue In onely vertue it is sayd that men themselues suruiue As for the vicious such they are as is the heedlesse Flye That killes it selfe and hurts his sight that hath her in his eye Farewell my Sonne England farewell thy neuer happy Prince Doth take his leaue an happy leaue if taken so long since And Edmond burying not with me thy vertues nor my speech I blesse thee in his blessed Name whome I of blesse beseech Said Egelred and shortly gaue a quiet gaspe or twaine And being dead his noble Sonne succeeded him in Raigne THis like himselfe euen Knight-like and an English-man indeede Did quickeÌ„ Englands quailing Prowes Mars-like did proceed A brauer Captaine than was he not any band might haue And yeat a Mars did match this Mars Canutus was as braue These wonders of that age for Armes and Dirii of those dayes Did often battell equally to eithers losse and praies Now after many bloody Fieldes when none might estimate The better or the worser part a Knight that saw the state Then present and by likelyhoods presaged what might fall Said hearing it the differing Kings and Souldiers almost all We euer warre and neuer winne Edmund hath Fortitude Canutus Fortune neither thus of other is subdude Death feares not vs nor for their liues our Contraries doe care It followes then that all must die wheare all so despret are If all be slayne then who shall serue our Princes that suruiue Or fence out Forrens better one then none of both should thriue To thriue therefore were not a-misse that seeing one of twaine Will Owner all that onely they the quarrell doe maintaine Or if Combattensie not please the Land is rich and large And they Copernicers may liue and vs of death discharge If Combat nor Partition be then will his Warre reuiue Till one suruiuing all of vs wants one with whome to striue This sayd the Kings did marke and make a profit of the same And did
conclude by Combacy to winne or loose the Game Within a little Island neare round which the Armies stand The Kingly Champions trie their Force by fighting hand to hand They spur their Horses breake their Speares beat at Barriars long And then dismounting did renew a Battell braue and strong Whil'st eyther King thus Martially defends and did offend They breathing King Canutus said we both I see shall end Eâ—e Empire shall begin to one then be it at thy choyce To fight or part With it their Knights crie out with common voyce Deuide most valiant Kings deuide enough ye haue of Fight And so the Champions did embrace forgetting malice quite Partition equally was made betwixt these Princes twaine And Brother-like they liue and loue till by a deu'lish traine Earle Edricus a Traytor to the Father and the Sonne Did murther Edmund and his head supposing to haue wonne The fauour of Canutus so presenting sayd O King For loue of thee I thus haue done Amazed at the thing Canutus sayd and for that thou hast headed him for me Thy head aboue all English heads exalted it shall be The Earle was headed and his head poold vp for all to see Of England Danske Norway then Canut was perfect Lord And in this triple Regiment all with vertue did accord Harold Hardi-knought his sonnes each th' other did succeede Of either which small certaine Fame of well or ill we reede Saue by their Raigns to Englâ—sh-men did grieuous thraldoÌ„ breede But after Hardt-knought his death the Danes were chased hence Not intermedling with the state of England euersince CHAP. XXII OF foresaid Egelred his Sonnes Alured and his brother Was Edward King for Goodwins guile had made away that other Religious chaste wise fortunate stout francke and milde was hee And from all Taxes wrongs and Foes did set his Kingdome free By ouer-ruling of his Lords intreating long the same Least dying Issuelesse he leaue succession out of frame He tooke to Queene a Damsell faire howbeit by consent In vowes of secret chastitie their louing liues they spent The Father of this maiden-wife he sitting by the King And seeing one that stumbled but not falling vp to spring Did laughing say the brother theare the brother well hath eas'd His meaning was the Stumblers feete And haddest thou so pleas'd So had my Brother quoth the King bin easing vnto me The traitrous Earle tooke bread and sayd so this digested be As I am guiltlesse of his death these words he scarcely spoke But that in presence of the King the bread did Goodwyn choke His sonne Harold by Hardi-knoghts late daughter him suruiues He crossed by contrary winds in Normandie ariues Where Goodwins sonne did take an oth Duke VVilliam vrging so To keepe vnto the Duke his vse when Edward hence should go The Crowne of England claimed by Adoption and by blood But Harold after Edwards death not to his promise stood And for he was in wealth in friends in blood and Armor strong And title had his Mothers right he forced not the wrong But arming him against the Duke so vrged vnto wroth Did seaze the Crowne vnto himselfe contrary to his oth Whil'st VVilliam therfore works for war King Harold had not rest For Harold Hare-foote King of Danes and Norwaies much opprest The English with his puissant Bands But Harold him assailes And after fearce and doubtfull fight most valiantly preuailes And with the Norgaine Prince he slew his people almost all When for deuision of the spoyle did much contention fall Betwixt the King and English-men and many a noble Knight Not onely murmur and maligne but did forsake him quight Such malice growing VVilliam with his Normanes taking land Found hot hot spur Harold prest in Armes his puissance to withstand And either Battell Marshalled as either Captaine wild The King of England eagerly the Normane Oste behild And with his cheerefull speeches thus his men with courage fild See valiant War-friends yonder be the first the last and all The Agentes of our Enemies they hencefoorth cannot call Supplies for weedes at Normandie by this in Porches groe Then Conquer these would Conquer you and dread no further Foe They are no stouter than the Brutes whom we did hence exile Nor stronger than the sturdy Danes or victory er while Not Saxoâ—â—e could once containe or scarce the world beside Our Fathers who did sway by sword where listed them to bide Then doe not ye degenerate take courage by discent And by their burialles not abode their force and flight preuent Ye haue in hand your Countries cause a Conquest they pretend Which were ye not the same ye be euen Cowards would defend I graunt that part of vs are fled and linked to the Foe And glad I am our Armie is of Traytours cleered so Yea pardon hath he to depart that stayeth Mal-content I prize the minde aboue the man like zeale hath like euent Yeat troth it is no well or ill this Iland euer had But through the well or ill Support of Subiects good or bad Not Caesar Hengest Swayn or now which neretheles shall fayle The Normane Bastard Albion true did could or can preuaile But to be selfe-false in this Isle a selfe-Foe euer is Yeat wot I neuer Traytour did his Treasons Sâ—ipend mis. Shrinke who wil shrinke let Armor's wayte presse downe the burdned earth My Foes with wondring eyes shal see I ouer prize my death But since ye all for all I hope a like affected bee Your Wiues your Children liues and Land from sâ—â—uitude to free Are Armed both in shew and zeale then gloriously contend To winne and weare the home brought Spoyles of Victorie the end Let not the Skinners daughters Sonne possesse what he pretends He liues to die a noble death that life for freedome spendes As Harold hartned thus his men so did the Normane his And looking wishly on the earth Duke William speaketh this To liue vpon or lie within this is my Ground or Graue My louing Souldiers one of twaine your Duke resolues to haue Nor be ye Normanes now to seeke in what you should be stout Ye come amidst the English Pikes to hewe your honors out Ye come to winne the same by Launce that is your owne by law Ye come I say in righteous warre reuenging swords to draw Howbeit of more hardie Foes no passed Fight hath spead ye Since Rollo to your now-Abode with Bands victorious lead ye Or Turchus Sonne of Troylus in Scythian Fazo bread ye Then worthy your Progenitors ye Seede of Pryams sonne Exployt this businesse Rollons do that which ye wish be done Three People haue as many times got and forgone this shore It resteth now ye Conquer it not to be Conqured more Fot Normane and the Saxon Blood conioyning as it may From that consorted Seede the Crowne shall neuer passe away â—efore vs are our armed Foes behind vs are the Seas On either side the Foe hath Holdes of succour and for ease But that Aduantage
for thee the hope that to our House doth rest Now all are tryed we can trust if now we faile we fall Thy death is in the same request as is thy Fathers thrall And which I would it were the worst the Foe doth thirst my life To end his Triumph in the deaths of Husband Sonne and Wife Though thy great-Grandsier Grandsier thy Father wonne wore The King-ring which thy Father hild yeares thirtie eight and more Though by the cappitall Remote of Lancaster withstood Yeat fayle prescription and discents now lacke they but our blood Then learne against thou proue a man ah hardly hope I so The Line Lancastrian naturally doth labour of that Foe The Queene concluding thus in teares did then to Armor goe Fierce was the Field and either part did valiantly offend But Edward ouercomming when the Battell was at end The Queene was carried Captiue thence And Edwards men did bring Her Sonne the Prince sole sonne and heire vnto the captiue King Before the Victor whose demaunds receiuing answers stout He thrusts the manly Boy from him whom Glocester about The King Churle that he was did stab So tragicke was the spight Betwixt those Linages that oft each others so requite His death was more than death vnto his Parents but not long His Father moned vndispatcht alike for death and wrong By foresaid Duke of Glocester of whom succeedes our song THus won the Yorkestes ancient Raigne sixe bloodie Fields did seate Edward the Fourth in Englands Throne possest a while in queate He wonne his Subiects loue and loue was debt to his desarts But as must ours so lastly his vn-bodied Soule departs He left his Kingdome to his Sonne his Sonne to be protected By Richard Duke of Glocester Who pietie reiected Grew treble-wise tyrannicall malicious to the blood Of his deceased brothers Queene And what so Yorkest stood Betwixt the Scepter and himselfe aliue he pricked dead A Foe to all Lancastrians as the same by nature bread This common Deaths-man of those Kinnes and euery Nobles fall Whom he but gest Coriuall or might crosse him near so small This stoope-Frog Aesops Storke alike tyrannous vnto all To giltie giltlesse friend or foe was not secure one day But Either dyes as eithers death might fit him any way Yea euen whilst his Brother rulde when all Lancastrians and His Brothers twaine his Nephewes twaine Neeces three did stand Betwixt himselfe and home euen then by blood he hunted Raine For when his owne and ruthles hands King Henries heire had â—â—ayue Then Henries selfe Henrie the sixt a giltles King in bands He stabd his brother Clarence dide through him by other hands But now Protector as doe Wolues the Lambes protected he And fared as if fearing that one wickedder might be Queene mother and her kindred hild the Orphant King a while Her Kinne hee murdred and from her he got the King by gile Whom though vncrowned tituled fist Edward rest his mother He made be murdred with the Duke of Yorke the yonger brother When neither Yorkest his Allies and of Lancastrians none Were left to let it who should let but he might leape the Throne He wore indeede the wrested Palme But yeat to better bad By murder of his wife he sought new marriage to be had With that Elizabeth that was the Eldest daughter to Edward the fourth But all in vaine the King his Neece did wowe For Henrie Earle of Richmonds friends such doings did vndoe Which Henry and Elizabeth by secrete Agents were Contracted he of Lancaster and she of Yorke the heire Of which letigious Famelies heer mapped be the Lines Euen till the Heire of these two Heires both Stockes in one combines CHAP. XXXIII HEnrie as if by myracle preseru'd by Forraines long From hence-ment Treasons did arriue to right his Natiues wrong And chiefly to Lord Stanlie and some other Succors as Did wish and worke for better dayes thâ— Riuall welcome was Now Richard heard that Richmond was assisted and a shore And like vnkenneld Cerberus the crooked Tyrant swore And all complexions act at once confusedly in him He studieth striketh threates intreates and looketh mildly grim Mistrustfully he trusteth and he dreadingly did dare And fortie passions in a trice in him consort and square But when by his conuented force his foes increased more He hastned Battell finding his Coriuall apt therefore When Richmond orderly in all had battelled his ayde Inringed by his Complices their chearefull Leader sayde Now is the time and place sweete Frends and we the Persons be That must giue England breath or els vnbreath for her must we No Tyrannie is fabled and no Tyrant was in deede Worse thaÌ„ our Foe whose workes wil act my words if wel he speede For ill to ills Superlatiue are easely intist But intertaine amendment as the Gergesites did Christ. Be valiant then he biddeth so that would not be out-bid For courage yeat shall honor him though bace that better did I am right heire Lancastrian he in Yorkes destroyed right Vsurpeth But through Either ours for neither Claime I fight But for our Countries long-lackt weale for Englands peace I warre Wherein he speed vs vnto whom I all Euents refarre Meane while had furious Richard set his Armies in array And then with lookes euen like himselfe this or the like did say Why Lads shall yonder Welshman with his Straglers ouer-match Disdaine ye not such Riualles and deferre yee their dispatch Shall Tuder from Plantagenet the Crowne by craking snatch Know Richards very thoughts he toucht the Diademe he wore Be mettall of this mettall Then beleeue I loue it more Than that for other law than Life to super sead my Clame And lesser must not be his Plea that counter-pleads the same The weapons ouer-tooke his words blowes they brauely change When like a Lion thirsting bloud did moody Richard range And made large slaughters where he went till Richmond he espied Whom singling after doubtfull Swords the valerous Tyrant died THus ended Englands warre and woe vsurping Richard dead When Henry and Elizabeth vniting titles wed Of which two Heires th' vndoubted Heire of either Line did cum The Epilogue vnto these wounds digested in this sum Fourth Henry first Lancastrian King put second Richard downe Fourth Edward of the House of Yorke re-seazd sixt Henries Crowne Lad-Princes twaine were stabd in Field of either Linage one Foure Kings did perish Sundry times now-Kings anon were none Sixe three of either faction helde successiuely the Throne But from the second Richard to seuenth Henry we pretend Eight Kings this Faction to begin continue and to end The Princes Earles Barons and Knights this quarrell did deuour Exceede the tale of Gentry best and bacest at this houre So plagueth ciuill Warre so from Robe to Ragge dooth scoure Then luckiest of the Planets weare Predominants say we When by this Bedmatch either Heire that Bloud-mart did agree When Seuenth begot the Eight and Eight the First and Last for like Our now Pandora
nor till her our humbled sailes we strike For should we at her Grandsier reare our Colome yet too poore We could not write as Hercules on his Beyond no more For he lackt search our Muse hath Kend an Ocean is in store Euen matter that importeth worth coparing all before THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XXXIV NOw let vs poste-alone to Mars and Mercury repaâ—r At least so farforth as wee maye without controwlment daer Richard the third Henry the Seauenth last subiects of our pen Was slaine was crownde with hate with loue as worste as best of men So not with Yorke and Lancaster doth wonted enuie raigne Nor can Aeneas Off-springs now of Orphansie complaine But that Cadwalladers Fore-doomes in Tuders should effect Was vnexpected saue that God doth destinies direct Els Owen Tuder had not wiu'd Fift Henries noble Queene Nor had they of their bodies Earles Penbrooke and Richmon seene Nor Margret Somersets sole heire to Richmon had beene weade Nor they the heire of Lancaster Henry the Seuenth had bread Nor he of Yorks Inheritrix Elizabeth had sped Nor they vnited either house all other titles dead Yeat eare this vnion Either so ariued to their right As Psiches on an errant sent to Hell by Venus spight Worse Ferrymen than Charon Hoods contagious more than Styx Worse Porters than fowle Cerberus were pleas'd past stood betwix How therefore Either dangerously their Labyrinth did passe Shall not be ouerpassed Thus their seuerall fortune was Henries the fourth the fifte and sixt successiuely did raigne Vntill fourth Edwards sword to him did lawfull Empier gaine Lancastrians droupe the Yorkests had their long expected day Sixt Henry and the Prince his sonne by stabbes were made away The foresaid Margaret sole heire of Somerset earst wife Of Tuder Earle of Richmond had by him a Sonne in life To whom from her the Crowne-right of LancastriaÌ„s did accrewe He from his English foes himselfe by secrete stealth withdrewe To little Brutaine wheare he found the Duke a frendfull trewe This Henry Earle of Richmond now poore Lancasters Remaine Was by fourth Edward practis'd home by many a subtell traine Whome once the gentle Duke beguilde with promises vnment Deliuered to the English-men with whome he homewards went Forsaken Ladd for yet he was a Ladd what did remaine But certaine death so to assure his foes vncertaine raine Which to establish many a Prince of his Allies weare slaine But him eare broughta-boorde the Duke aduised better stayd And him as if by câ—â—â—nce escapte to Sanctuarie conuaid The Lambe so rescued from the Wolfe that priuiledged place Assured him till Edwards death and then he hoped grace But he that was Protector of his murthered Nephewes than Vsurped England and became a Monsture not a man Richard the third omitting all his tyrannies beside To be possessed of the Earle by many a message tride Great wealth was sent greater assum'de but nothing might preuail The gracious Duke abhord to set his guiltles frend to sayle But furnished with money men and armor shipt him thence To winne his right yeat churlish Seas did lett such kind pretence Full hardly Richmonds threatned Ship escapt our armed Shoore For Richard of the Riuall got intelligence before Return'de the Duke did sicken and Landoise did beare the sway And he for Masses great was brib'de Earle Henry to betray Yeat through wise Bishop Murtons meanes by stealth he scap'te away In trauell then from Brutaine to his Grome himselfe was Grome By interchaunged rayment till to Anger 's they weare come The French King pittying his distresse pretended asked aide And secrete platformes for his weale his English friends had laide Henry in France at home his Friends bester them and the Foe Meane time with hope with fraud with feare imployde his witts also Now of the Earles conspiracy the totall drift was this Elizabeth the daughter of fourth Edward vow'd he his And she was vow'd to him if God with victory him blisse Our wounded Englands healing balme for thus thereof ensew'de The factious Families vnite the Tyrant was subdew'de And thence the surname Tuder doth Plantagenet include AS hardly as her husband did Elizabeth escape For why like Stratageme for both did bloody Richard shape Whilste that her Father liued now a King and now exilde Her Crosses then did happen from such victors as weare milde But now the same that murthered her Brothers to be King That did withfraud begin and then with bloud conclude ech thing That flattred friends to serue his turne and then destroyde the same That was her Vncle yeat did hate her Mothers very name That thought he liued not because his Neeces weare vndead Theis now and blame her not in her a world of terror bread But of vnpriuiledged bloud yet had he store to spill Yet sanctuaries weare not forc'te yet but expecting ill Theareofte the Queene her Mother Shee and Sisters would reporte Their happie and vnhappie daâ—es the fewer of first sorte Happy was I the olde Queene said when as a Maide vnweade Nor Husbands weale nor Childrens woe mistempered my head Yeat I beloued loued and so left that free estate And thought me happyer than before for louely was my Mate Iohn Gray a sweet Esquier for his prowysse dubbed Knight Was as behoued all my ioy who slaine in factious fight Your Father Daughters late my Lord and Husband now in earth From me had many a secrete curse as motyue of his death Lancastrian was my husband and that faction had the wourste So to releeue my Widdowhood I kneel'd to whom I curste Edward for Henry was depoes'de and Edward seaz'd the Crowne I wot not for what forme of mine did raise me kneeled downe And gaue me chearefull wordes and tooke me curteously aside And playd the ciuell Wanton and me amoroufâ—y he eide His plea was loue my sute was Land I plie him he plies me Too baece to be his Queene too good his Concubine to be I did conclude and on that point a while we disagree But when I was his Queene sweete King not for I was his Queene But for himselfe and for the loue that passed vs betweene I held me happiest vnderheauen yea when his aduerse Line Discrowned him I had inough that I was his he mine Then after fortunes often change he died and I suruiue A life exceeding death for griefe and greefes Superlatiue My heart ah Sonnes my heart deare Hearts was dead eare yee did die Too yong weare yee to censure of your vncles tyranny Then wept shee and her daughters wept their onely talke alwaies Was passed ioyes or present woes nor hope they better daies But in Earle Richmonds good successe that now a power did raise Too soone had Richard notice that Earle Henry would ariue By precontract his eldest Neece Elizabeth to wiue And well he knew in Yorks descent she was immediate heire And Henry like in Lancaster a Match for him to feare Which to preuent he flattered his Neeces from their mother Who fearefull Ladies
lingring Torments who Fault to their Inquisition oâ— their Damned Rytes must doe Then better Bodies perish than should soules miscarrie too Of neither which hath Rome or Spaine remorse but thristing Sway Regard not whome by whom or how they treacherously berray How oft haue they the rest ore past subborn'd our Queenes decay By wars wiles witchcrafts daggers dags Pope poyson what not To her haue they attempted death for liewe the Traytors lot Vouchsafe O God those loues of thine be neuermore forgot Was neuer any thryued yet that threatned her amis For of anoynted Princes God sole Iudge and Rector is And if Examples might preuaile then Traytors might perceaue They perish in their purpose or but Spyders webbes doe weaue And heere occasion apteth that we catalogue awhile And vnto English Dukes from first to last addresse our Style Though numbers greater as great of power did pryde begyle Yeat in this one degree obserue what headding and exile Yf then such Mighties felt Gods frowne shal Meaners hope his smile CHAP. XLV EDward surnam'd the blacke Prince and third Edwards eldest sonne Third Thomas Duke of Norffolke This did ende and That begonne From Normaine VVilliams Conqueste heere of Dukes the Title hie Of fortie seuen but twentie two a naturall death did die Edward y e Duke of Yorke that lead fifth Henries Vaward Knightly Then slaine at Agencourt with fame we ouerpasse him lightly Nor Humfrey Duke of Glocester heere catalogue we rightly Nor VVilliam Duke of Suffolke who exilde on seas was met And hated headded howbeit sixt Henries Fauoret Nor Edmund Duke of Somerset that Henries loued Peere Nor Humfrey Duke of Buckingham to that same King as deere Nor sweet yong Richard Duke of Yorke of Glosters kyn too neere We also two Plantagenets both Dukes of Clarence cleere Of which was Thomas slaine in France George drownd in Malmsie heere For though these Eight remembred Dukes deceast not in their beads Yeat none of these had traytrous hearts that forfetted their heads Howbeit otherwise of these weare some that erred so That stomack't for such Errors did their ends vntimely groe Nor was the Duke of Ireland Vere in second Richards time A Traytor but a Parasite which proude no lesse a crime He as ambitious as he was enuious and enuied Was banisht by the Nobles and in banishment he died Mowbreie of Norffolke right or wrong by foresaid Richard was Exiled and in Italie did hence to nature pas When second Richard was deposde and Henrie wore the Crowne Two Hollands to restore the one and put the other downe Conspiring weare detected and at Cercester they both Of Excester and Surrey Dukes found death in Vulgar wroth Richard Plantagenet the Duke of Yorke fourth Edwards father Sought to depose fixt Henrie and was heard therein the rather For that to him by law-Descents the Scepter did acrew But they compound howbeit warres were reard and him they slew Iohn Holland Duke of Excester fourth Edwards sentence fleade And was long after in the sea suspuicusly found dead Then Henry Duke of Somerset rebelling lost his heade Of Edmund Duke of Somerset the like is also reade So Henrie Duke of Buckingham third Richards friend-foe speade And that tyrannous Richard Duke of Glocester his Raigne Vsurped was suppressed he for blood payd blood againe Iohn Duke of Norffolk fought and fell at Bosworth field His sonne Duke Thomas in Eight Henries daies did heading hardly shonne Adiudg'd perpetuall Durance in Queene Maries raigne vn-donne VVolsey that slye officious and too Lordly Cardnall wrought Who could would effect his wil that to the blocke was brought Eight Henrie raigning Edward Duke of Buckingham whose end That Prelate ioyde the people moend because his foe their friend Seimer the Duke of Somerset enuied more than reason By one that came the next to Blocke though mightie at that season Sixt Edward in Minoritie dide quit although of treason No sooner Marie got the crowne more liklie to be gon But Iohn Duke of Northumberland beheaded was anone Who wrought to set the Diedeme Iane Dudlies heade vpon Her Father Henrie Gray the Duke of Suffolke was also A friend vnto that Faction the Spanish Wowers foe But by that act he lost his heade as did too many moe In blessed Queene Elizabeth her happie Raigne of peace The Tragedies and Tytles too of English Dukes did cease Which Thomas Duke of Norffolke laste Tragedian did increase All theis weare mightie in their times yeat being Male-contents Both they and hundreds powerfull Peeres for like found like Euents Howbeit of the common wealth none worser did desarue Than such as flattred Princes faults who faulting all did swarue Which in their Pollicie the States of Hell did then fore-see When as they ioyned others Aydes vnto the Furies three Narcissus Shadowe and the Voice of Eccho than which twaine How fabulous so-ere it seeme nought hath or more doth baine Wherefore to such as know them not we either thus explaine CHAP. XLVI WHeare Cadmus old Agenors sonne did reste and plant his Raigne Narcissus of his Of spring theare for beautie fame did gaine His Mother was Lyriope faire Thetis fairer Daughter Whome cheefest as the choisest wowde and braue Cephisus caught her Boeotia was the fertile Realme Parnassus Plaine the place Whear this admired Youth was borne this Lass-Lad forme and face No Nymph so faire but wisht him hers howbeit all in vayne His selfe-loue wrought his selfe-losse his beauty prou'd his baine Who proud of Natures plentie hild all others in disdaine Till God who had created Man the fairest Creature Howbeit but a shadow of his proper Feature More differing far than Sun-shine froÌ„ the Suns selfe-substance pure Narcissus ouer-scornfull pride not longer would indure But froÌ„ his forme that pleas'd him most his plague did thus procure As this same fond selfe-pleasing Youth stood at a Fountaynes brym And proudly sees his shadow theare admiring euery lym Eccho an amiable Nymph long amorous of hym But louing vnbeloued now at least to please her Eye Conuaies her selfe vnseene into a Thicket ioyning by And thear as much ore-gone with loue as he ore-gone with pride She hears and sees and would haue pleas'd three Senses more beside And nothing more than euery part thus stealth-seene liked her And nothing lesse than hidden with vnhidden to conferre For well it had contented then in more then sight to erre Although not meanely did his scorne gainst it her stomacke sterre Meane while the Lad such power hath pride mens Senses to subdue Doats on his Shadow now suppos'd to be a Substance tâ—ue And lastly wowes so formally in words and gestures sweete That Eccho found his error and he saying Let vs meete Let 's meete quoth Eccho mockingly which hearing he with speed Beleeuing that his shadow was a Nymph and spake in deed Did leape into the Fountaine whear that Gallant drowning thus Hath left example how like pride may cause like plague to vs. How smooth-tongu'd Eccho that for him