THE BATTAILE OF AGINCOVRT FOVGHT BY HENRY THE FIFT of that name King of England against the whole power of the French vnder the Raigne of their CHARLES the sixt Anno Dom. 1415. The Miseries of Queene MARGARITE the infortunate Wife of that most infortunate King HENRY the sixt NIMPHIDIA the Court of Fayrie The Quest of CINTHIA The Shepheards SIRENA The Moone-Calfe Elegies vpon sundry occasions By MICHAELL DRAYTON Esquire LONDON Printed by A. M. for WILLIAM LEE and are to be sold at the Turkes Head in Fleete-Streete next to the Miter and Phaenix 1631. TO you those Noblest of Gentlemen of these Renowned Kingdomes of Great Britaine who in these declining times haue yet in your braue bosomes the sparkes of that sprightly fire of your couragious Ancestors and to this houre retaine the seedes of their magnanimitie and Greatnesse who out of the vertue of your mindes loue and cherish neglected Poesie the delight of Blessed soules And the language of Angels To you are these my Poems dedicated By your truely affectioned Seruant MICHAELL DRAYTON THE VISION OF BEN. IOHNSON ON THE MVSES OF HIS FRIEND M. DRAITON IT hath beene question'd MICHAEL if I be A Friend at all or if at all to thee Because who make the question haue not seene Those ambling visits passe in verse betweene Thy Muse and mine as they expect 'T is true You haue not writ to me nor I to you And though I now begin 't is not to rub Hanch against Hanch or raise a riming Club About the towne this reck'ning I will pay Without conferring symboles This 's my day It was no Dreame I was awake and saw Lend me thy voice O FAME that I may draw Wonder to truth and haue my vision hoâ—rld Hot from thy trumpet round about the world I saw a Beauty from the Sea to rise That al Earth look'd on that earth all Eyes It cast a beame as when the chear-full Sun Is fayre got vp and day some houres begun And fill'd an Orbe as circular as heauen The Orbe was cut foorth into Regions seaâ—â—â— And those so sweet well proportion'd parts As it had bin the circle of the Arts When by thy bright Ideas standing by I found it pure and perfect Poesy Ther read I streight thy learned Legends three Heard the soft airs between our swains thee Which made me thinke the old Theocritus Our Rurall Virgil come to pipe to vs But then thy epistolar Heroick Songs Their loues their quarrels iealousies wrongs Did all so strike me as I cry'd who can With vs be call'd the Naso but this man And looking vp I saw Mineruaes fowle Pearch'd ouer head the wise Athenian Owle I thought thee theÌ„ our Orpheus that wouldst try Like him to make the ayre one volary And I had stil'd thee Orpheus but before My lips could forme the voyce I heard that rore And rouze the marching of a mighty force Drums against drums theneighing of the horse The fights the cryes wondring at the iarres I saw and read it was thy Barons Warres O how in those dost thou instruct these times That Rebels actions are but valiant crimes And caried though with shout noise coÌ„fesse A wild and an authoriz'd wickednesse Sayst thou so Lucan But thou seornst to stay Vnder one title Thou hast made thy way And flight about the I le well neare by this In thy admired Periegesis Or vniuersall circumduction Of all that reade thy Poly-Olbyon That reade it that are rauish'd such was I With euery song I sweare and so would dye But that I heare againe thy Drum to beate A better cause and strike the brauest heate That euer yet did fire the English blood Our right in France if rightly vnderstood There thou art Homer Pray thee vse the stile Thou hast deseru'd And let me read the while Thy Catalogue of Ships exceeding his Thy list of aydes and force for so it is The Poets act and for his Country's sake Braue are the Musters that the Muse wil make And whe he ships theÌ„ where to vse their Arms How do his truÌ„pets breath What loud alarms Looke how we read the Spartans were inflamd With bold Tyrtaeus verse when thou art nam'd So shall our English Youth vrge on and cry An Agin-court an Agin-court or dye This booke it is a Catechisme to fight And will be bought of euery â—ord and Knight That can but read who cannot may in prose Get broken pieces and fight well by those The miseries of Margaret the Queene Of tender eyes will more be wept then seene I feele it by mine owne that ouerflow And stop my sight in euery line I goe But then refreshed by thy Fayrie Court I looke on Cynthia and Syrenas sport As on two flowry Carpets that did rise And with their grassy green restor'd mine eyes Yet giue mee leaue to wonder at the birth Of thy strange Moon-Calfe both thy straine of mirth And Gossip-got acquaintaÌ„ce as to vs Thou hadst brought Lapland or old Cobalus Empusa Lamia or some Monster more Then Affricke knew or the full Grecian store I gratulate it to thee and thy Ends To all thy vertuous and well chosen Friends Onely my losse is that I am not there And till I worthy am to wish I were I call the world that enuies me to see If I can be a Friend and Friend to thee VPON THE BATTAILE OF AGINCOVRT VVRITTEN BY HIS DEARE FRIEND MICHAEL DRAYTON Esquire HAd Henryes name beene only met in Prose Recorded by the humble wit of those Who write of lesse then Kings who Victory As calmely mention as a Pedigree The French alike with vs might view his name His actions too and not confesse a shame Nay grow at length so boldly troublesome As to dispute if they were ouercome But thou hast wakt their feares thy fiercer hand Hath made their shame as lasting as their land By thee againe they are compeld to know How much of Fate is in an English foe They bleed afresh by thee and thinke the harme Such they could rather wish t' were Henries arme Who thankes thy painefull quill and holds it more To be thy Subiect now then King before By thee he conquers yet when eu'ry wora Yeelds him a fuller honour then his sword Strengthens his actions against time by thee He Victory and France doth hold in fee So well obseru'd he is that eu'ry thing Speakes him not only English but a King And France in this may boast her fortunate That she was worthy of so braue a hate Her suffering is her gayue How well we see The Battaile labour'd worthy him and thee Where we may Death discouer with delight And entertaine a pleasure from a fight Where wee may see how well it doth become The brau'ry of a Prince to ouer come What Povver is a Poet that can add A life to Kings more glorious then they had For what of Henry is vnsung by thee Henry doth want of his Eternity I. Vaughan TO MY VVORTHY FRIEND Mr.
'e throw at all that any one dares set THe Queen who saw which way the factioÌ„ we And that these wrongs must stil reflect on he The Duke of Yorke to her destruction bent Thought with her selfe it was full time to stirre And if his plots she euer would preuent Must with the wisest of her friends conferre Their busie braynes and must together beate To lessen him like else to grow too great His pride a while yet patiently endure The Kings recouery only to attend Of which themselues they hardly could assure Who once they thought had hastned to his end But when they found his Physicke to procure His former health then doth the Queene extend Her vtmost strength to let the world to know Queene Margarite yet must not be mastred so With smiles and kisses when she woes the King That of his place the Duke he would discharge Which being done the next especiall thing She doth the Duke of Summerset inlarge And him of Callice giues the gouerning Whither his friends she caus'd him to imbaâ—dge Doubting the loue and safeguard of the Towne Thus doth the Queen turne al things vpside dowâ— Which so incenst the angry Duke to ire With those two Earles vpon his part that take Kindling in all that fierce reuenge full fire Which the deare blood of Summerset must slake 〈…〉 at into Wales they instantly retire 〈…〉 nd in the Marches vp an Army make And there by Oath were to each other tyde By dint of sword the quarrell to decide And whilst these Lords be busied in the West Of March-men mustring a rebelling Band â—enry againe his Southerne people prest â—nd settles there their forces to withstand Then Bowes and Bills were only in request â—uch rage and madnesse doth possesse the Land Set vpon spoyle on either part they were Whilst the Weale publique they in pieces teare On either part when for this Warre prepard â—pon their March they at Saint Albans met Where drums and Ensignes one the other dar'd Whilst they in order their Battalions set â—nd with his fellow euery souldier shar'd Brauely resolu'd to death to pay his debts When if that euer horrour did appeare On th' English earth it certainely was there That day the Queenes-lou'd Sommerset was slaine There tooke the stout Northumberland his end There Staffords bloud the pauement did distaine There Clifford fell King Henryes constant friend The Earle of Warwicke who brought on the Mayne All downe before him to pale Death doth send Antwessell Bapthorpt Zouch and Curwen all King Henryes friends before the Yorkists fall Whilst this distressed miserable King Amazed with such fury of the fight And perill still his person menacing His liuing friends inforc't to take their flight He as a needlesse and neglected thing In a poore Cottage hides him out of sight Who found by Yorke was as a prisoner led Though with milde words the Duke him coforted And of his person being thus possest They in his name a Parliament procure For with his Regall power they will inuest Themselues supposing to make all things sure That if their violent actions should be prest In after time they better might endure The censuring the worst and so preuent To show them done by Act of Parliament And cause the King to take into his hands What to the Crowne did anciently pertaine Besides all Honors Offices and Lands Granted since the beginning of his Raigne And not a Fee though â—e'r so little stands And are call'd in and let who will complaine And all his friends from counsaile are remou'd None must sit there but those of them belou'd The silly King a sipher set aside What was in him that in great Yorke was not Amongst themselues all places they diuide And to be Chancellor Salsbury hath got Hee is the man must take the Law to guide And Callice falls to warlike Warwickes lot And not a man at these must looke awry They make an Act their acts to iustifie This done the Duke had more to doe then this Something it seem'd more secretly to lurke In which such power though from appearance is As yet once more would fret the Duke of Yorke And let him know he of his ends might misse For now the Queene doth set her wits to worke To play the Game that must renowne her skill And shew the Law that rested in her will And from the roote of Summerset late slaine Another stem to stand for her arose Henry for Edmond of his Fathers straine One of whose life she knew she could dispose Of a strong iudgement and a working braine Great Buckingham and Excester are those She meanes to worke by and by these restore Her to that height from whence she fell before These were the men to whom shee trusted most To whom that faction much despight had done For at Saint Albans Summerset had lost His loued Sire and Buckingham his Sonne And Excester pursude from Coast to Coast From them enforc'd to Sanct'ary to runne Fetcht thence by them and to cold Pumfret sent And in a dungeon miserably pent Equall in enuie as in pride and power With eu'ry ayde to their disignement fraught Taking their turnes at eu'ry fitting houre They on the Kings much easinesse so wrought As that they seem'd him wholly to deuoure Vntill to passe their purposes they brought Lifting vp still his spirit that was so poore Once more to doe as he had done before For which at Greenewich he a Councell held Where with th' opinion of those friends supplide Those three which late with glorious titles sweld Are from their seu'rall places put aside Yet more to seeke their safety are compeld At this prodigious turning of the tide For now the wind was strangely come about And brings them in who lately were shut out The cruell Queene and cunningly had cast At Couentry to cause them to appeare With shew to pardon all that had beene past If they but then would their Allegiance sweare Which had they done that day had beene their last For she had plotted to destroy them there Of which forewarnd immediatly they fled Which then their safety only promised Yet whilst one wrong thus from another rose Twixt them at last a meeting was ordain'd All former strife and quarrels to compose Which but too long betwixt them had remain'd Which to the world though handsomely it showes Yet in plaine truth all was but meerely fain'd To outward seeming yet are perfect friends But diuelish folke haue still their diuelish ends And in procession solemnly they goe In generall ioy one smiling on the other A Yorkist and Lancastrian make vp two Enuie and mallice brother like to brother â—n mind farre sundred although coupled so Bloody reuenge and in their brests they smother Ill 's the procession and fore runs much losse Wherein men say the Deuill beares the Crosse These Rites of peace religiously perform'd To all mens thinking the enraged Queene
charge whereof proud Warwicke on him too 〈…〉 In their intended bus'nesse neuer slept Nor yet their former enterprise forsooke In t' Henryes Counsailes who had those that crept And did each day his actions ouerlooke From whom as their aduertisements still are So they their strengths accordingly prepare And in meane time the Kingdome to embroyle That with lesse noise their frieÌ„ds might raise an host They plâ—gue the seas with Piracy and spoyle And rob the Hauens all along the Coast They ne'r take pitty of their Natiue soyle For that they knew this would auayle them most That whilst the State was busied there about Armes might be rais'd within by those without And slaughtring many that were set toward Th' especiall Ports th'vnweldy Anchors wayde Of the Kings ships whose fraught as prize they sharde And them to Callice carefully conuayd With their stoâ—nâ— Fleet and his great Nauy darde As late by land so now by Sea they sway'd All in Combustion and their bloody rage Nor Sea nor Land can possibly asswage Then haue they Forces rais'd for them in Kent Their next and most conuenien place to land Where should the aduerse power their hopes preueÌ„t In Douer Road yet were their ships at hand And by their Posts still too and fro that went They certainly were let to vnderstand That Kent was surely theirs and onely stayd To rise in Armes the Yorkists power to ayde When Falconbridge who second Brother was To Salsbury they send away before To see no ships should out of Sandwich passe To hinder them from comming to the shore There of Munition tooke a wondrous Masse Heapt in that Towne that with abundant store He Armed many at their comming in Which on their side would scarcely else haue bin That they no sooner setled were on land But that in Armes th'rebellious Kentish rose And the Lord Cobham with a mighty band With their Calicians presently doth close That now they sway'd all with a powerfull hand And in small time so great their Armie growes From Sussex Surry and those parts about That of her safety London well might doubt But yet at last the Earies shee in doth let To whom the Clergy comming day by day From further sheers them greater forces get WheÌ„ towards Northampton making forth their way Where the sad King his Army downe had set And for their comming onely made his stay With all the force his friends could him afford And for a fight with all things fitly stor'd Who in his march the Earle doth oft molest By their Vauntcurrers hearing how he came In many a straight and often him distrest By stakes and trenches that his Horse might lame But the stout Yorkists still vpon them prest And still so fearefull was great Warwicks name That being once cryde on put them oft to flight On the Kings Army till at length they light When th' Earle of March theÌ„ in the pride of blood His Virgin valour on that day bestowes And furious Warwicke like a raging flood Beares downe before him all that dare oppose Old Salsbury so to his tackling stood And Fauconbridge so sayes amongst his foes That euen like leaues the poore Lancastrians fall And the proud Yorkists beare away the Ball. There Humphrey Duke of Buckingham expir'd King Henrys comfort and his causes friend There Shrewsbury euen of his foes admir'd For his high courage his last breath doth spend Braue Beamout there and Egremount lay tyr'd To death there Lucy had his lucklesse end And many a noble Gentleman that day Weltring in gore on the wild Champion lay The wretched King as Fortunes onely sonne His souldiers slaine and he of all forsaken Left in his Tent of men the most forlorne The second time a prisoner there is taken The wofull Queene out of the Battaile borne In a deepe swound and when she doth awaken Nothing about her heares but howles and cryes Was euer Queenes like Margarites miseries YOrke comming in from Irelandâ—n â—n the end And to his hands thus finds the Battaile wonâ— By the high Prowesse of his faithfull friend Great Warwicke and that valiant March his son Hâ—s present hopes the former so transcend That the proud Duke immediatly begun By his bold Actions to expresse his thought Through so mucâ— blood which he so long had sought The Kings Command'ment daring to deny His Soueraigne Lord being cal'd to waite vpon And on his Fortune beares himselfe so hiâ— That he in State presumes t'ascond his Throane From the Kings lodgings puts his â—â—â—uâ—nâ—s by And placeth in them such as were his owne So infinitely insolent the growes As he the Crowne at pleasure would dispose When he procures a Parliament with speed In which himselfe Protector he doth make And only Heire apparent to succeâ—d The King when death him from the world doth take And what had bene at Couentry decreed He there Annulls from him and his to shake The seruile yoke of all subiection quite Downe goes the red Rose and vp goes the white And he with Fortune that this while doth sport Seeing the Southern to him still were sure Thinks to the North if he should but resort He to his part the Northerne should procure Seeking all wayes his greatnesse to support Nor would an equall willingly endure Downe into Yorkshire doth to Sandall ride Whose lofty scyte well suted with his plide The vexed Queene whose very soule forgot That such a thing as patience it had knowne And but shee found her friends forsooke her not As madde as euer Hecuba had grovvne Whilst both her wrongs and her reuenge were hot Her mighty mind so downe could not be throvvne But that once more the bloody set shee le play With Yorke ere so he beare the Crovvne away And dovvne to Sandall doth the Duke pursue With all the povver her friends could her prouide Led by those Lords that euer had been true And had stood fast vpon King Henryes side With that most valiant and selected crue This brau'st of Queenes so vvell her businesse plide That comming soone to Sandals lofty sight Into the Field she dares him foorth to fight And for this Conflict there came on with her Her hope Prince Henry her deare only Sonne Stout Somerset and noble Excester Dukes that for Margarite mighty things had done Devon and Wilt Earles vsing to conferre With this vvise Queene when danger she vvould shun Vndaunted Clifford Rosse in vvar vp brought Barrons as braue as ere in battaile fought When this stout Duke who in his Castle stood With Salsbury who beat them all at Blore Both which were flesht abundantly with blood In those three But aâ—les they had wonne before Thought in their pride it would be euer Flood Noâ— gainst Queen Margarite that they needed more For they â—d Fortune chain'd with them about Thâ—t of theâ—â— conquest none but fooles could doubt And for the Field soone Marshalling their force All poore delayes they scornefully defie Nor will the Duke stay for
haue built thee Trophyes euery whâ—â— Wrought with our Crowne supported by thâ— Beâ—â— What glory had it wonne the Neuils name To haue vpheld the right succeeding race Of that fift Henry hee that was of â—ame The onely Mineon whom thou now dost trace But Salsbury the first against vs came Then Falconbridge and Mountâ—cute ô base To aduance a â—raâ—tor to his â—oueraigne thus But to our Crâ—â—ne your name is ominous How many a braue Peere thy too-neere Allies Whose losse the Babe that 's yet vnborne shall â—â—e Haue made themselues a willing Sacrifice In our iust quarrell who it rightly knevv Whose blood gainst Yorke and his adherents crâ—es Whom many a sad cuâ—se euer shall pursue O Warwicke Warwicke expiat this gilt By shedding theirâ— for whom our blood was 〈…〉 When in like language this great Earle agaiâ— Regreets the Queene and vvoes her to forbeare Of former greeâ—e one thought to â—ntertaine Things are not now quoth he as once they were To talke of these past helpe it is in vaine What though it ease your heart please your eaâ—â— This is not it no â—t must be our Swords Must right our vvrongs deare Lady not our w 〈…〉 Madam quoth he by this my vexed heart On Edwards head which oft hath wish'd the Crown â—t but Queene Margarit cleaue to VVarwicks part â—his hand that heau'd him vp shall hew him downe â—nd if from Henry Richard Neuill start Vpon my house let Heauen for euer frowne Of backe the Crown to this yong Prince I le bring Or not be VVarwicke if he be not King When they accord Prince Edward should affye Anne the Earles Daughter to confirme it more By Sacrament themselues they strictly tye By Armes againe King Henry to restore Or in the Quarrell they would liue and dye 〈…〉 ptising likewise in the oath they swore That th' Earle and Clarence should Protectors be When they King Henry and the Prince should free When soone great VVarwicke into England sends â—o warne his friends that they for Warre prepare â—â—g Henrys Title and to them commends â—â—at they should take his cause into their care â—ow is the time that he must try his friends â—hen he himselfe gainst Edward must declare And vvhen much strife amongst the coÌ„mons rose Whom they should ayde and whom they should oppose Furnish'd with all things well be fitting Warre â— great King Lewis to Queene Margarite lent â—arwicke vvhose name Fame sounded had so far 〈…〉 t men with Wonder view'd him as he went Of all men liuing the most popular Thought eu'ry houre to be but idely spent On Englands troubled earth vntill he were To view the troupes attending for him there And in his Army tooke with him along Oxford and Penbrooke who had beene destroy'd By Edward sworne now to reuenge their wrong By Burgoyne the French Admirall conuoy'd At whose Aâ—iue the shores with people throng At sight of Warwicke and so ouerioy'd That eu'ry one a VVarwicke VVarwicke cryes Well may the Red-Rose by great VVarwicke riâ—â— Like some black cloud which houering lately hu 〈…〉 Thrust on at last by th'windes impetuouspower The groues and fields comes raging in among As though both foules and flockes it would deuoure That those abroad make to the shelters strong To saue themselues from the outragious shower Sofly the Yorkists before VVarwicks Drummes Like a sterne Tempest roaring as he comes When Edward late who wore the costly Crowne Himselfe so high and on his Fortunes bore Then heard himselfe in euery place cry'd downe And made much lesse then he was great before Nor dares he trust himselfe in any Towne For in the In-lands as along the shore Their Proclamations him a Traytor make And each man charg'd against him Armes to takâ— For which the VVashes he is forc'd to wade And in much perill lastly gets to Lin To saue himselfe such shift King Edward made For in more danger he had neuer bin Where finding three Dutch Hulkes which lay for trade â—he great'st of them he hires to take him in Richard his brother Hastings his true friend Scarse worth one sword their personâ— to defend When VVarwicke now the only Prince of power Edward the fourth out of the Kingdome fled Commands himselfe free entrance to the Tower And sets th' Imperiall wreath on Henrys head Brings him through London to the Bishops bower By the applanding people followed Whose shâ—ill re-ecchoing shouts resounds from far A VVarwicke VVarwicke long liue Lancaster And presently a Parliament they call In which they attaint King Edward in his blood The lands and goods made forfâ—itures of all That in this quarrell with proud Yorke had stood Their friends in their old honours they install Which they had lost now by an act made good Intayle the Crovvne on Henry and his heyres The next on Clarence should they fayle in theirs Whilst VVarwicke thus King Henry doth aduance â—ee but the Fate still following the sad Queene â—uch Stormes and Tempests in that season chance â—efore that time as seldome had bin seene That twice from Sea she was forc'd back to France As angry Heauen had put it selfe betvvene Her and her loyes and would a witnesse be That naughâ— but sorrow this sad Queene must see This might haue lent her comfort yet at last So many troubles hauing vndergone And hauing through so many perils past T' haue seene her husband setled on his Throne Yet still the skies with clowds are ouercast Well might shee heare but of this sees she none Which from far off as flying newes doth greet her Naught but mischance when she comes in must meet her But all this while King Edward not disâ—ay'd His brother Charles of Burgondy so plyes That though the subtill Duke on both side play'd Edward and Henry both his neere Allies Vpon the Duke King Edward yet so layd Hauing his sisters furtherance who was wise That Vnderhand his strength he sorestores As that he dar'd t' attempt the English shores With foureteene Ships from th' Easterlings being hir'd And foure Burgonians excellently man'd After some time with stormes and tempests tyr'd He neere the mouth of Humber haps to land Where though the Beacons at his sight were fir'd Yet few or none his entrance doe withstand For that his friends had giuen it out before He sought the Dukedome and he would no more Vpon his march when forward as he came Resolu'd to trye the very worst of Warre He Summons Yorke where of he bare the name To him her Duke her Gates that doth vnbarre And comming next to Rocke-rearâ— Nottingham Mountgomery Borough Harrington and Par Bring him their power at Lecester againe Three thousand came to Hastings that retaine To Couentry and keeping on his way Sets downe his Army in the Cities sight Whereas that time the Earle of Warwicke lay To whom he sends to dare him out to fight Which still the Earle deferrs from day to day Perceiuing
doth enclose her eyes Neuer did death so terribly appeare 〈…〉 e first their Armes the English learnt to weeld â—ho would see slaughter might behold it heere 〈…〉 the true shape vpon this fatall field 〈…〉 vaine was valour and in vaine was feare 〈…〉 vaine to fight in vaine it was to yeeld In vayne to flye for destiny discust By their owne hands or others dye they must Here her deare Deuonshire noble Courtney dyde â—er faithfull friend great Somerset here fell â—â—lnes Leuknâ—r Hamden Whittingham beside O Margarite who thy miseries can tell â—harp were those swords which made their wounds so wide Whose blood the soyâ—e did with abundance swell Other her friends into the Towne that fled Taken no better then the former sped But the amazing misery of all 〈…〉 heauen the great'st vntill the last had kept 〈…〉 it would say that after this none shall 〈…〉 mortall eyes be worthy to be wept The Prince her sonne who sees his friends thus fall And on each side their â—arkases lye heapt Making away in this most piteous plight 〈…〉 s taken prisoner in his tardy flight And forth by Crâ—fts before the con 〈…〉 or brought â—is Proclamation cleering euery doubt 〈…〉 he youths safety liuing where he caught 〈…〉 a reward to him should bring him out But when they once had found him whoÌ„ they soug 〈…〉 Hearing his answeres Princely wise and stout Those bloody brothers Hastings and the rest Sheath'd their sharpe ponyards in his many br 〈…〉 Queene Margarite thus of mortalls most forlo 〈…〉 Her sonne now slaine her army ouerthrowne Left to the world as fortunes only scorne And not one friend to whom to make her moane To so much wo was neuer woman borne This wretched Lady wandring all alone Gets to a homely Cell not farre away If possibly to hide her from the day But wretched woman quickly there bewray'd She thence is taken and to Prison sent Meanely attended miserably array'd The people wondring at her as she went Of whom the most malicious her vpbray'd With good Duke Humphries death her heart to rent Whilst her milde lookes and Gracefull gesture drue Many a sad eye her miseries to rue Till by Duke Rayner Ransomed at last Her tender Father who a Prince but poore Borrow'd great Summes of Lewis with much wast Which for he was not able to restore Prouince and both the Cicils to him past With fruitfull Naples which was all his store To bring her backe from earthly ioyes exil'd The vndon Father helpes the vndone Child And though enlarg'd ere she could leane the land 〈…〉 king a long yeere of each short-liu'd houre 〈…〉 e heare 's that by Duke Richards murthering hand â—he King her husband suffers in the Towre As though high heauen had layd a strict command Vpon each starre some plague on her to powre And vntill now that nothing could suffice Nor giue a period to her miseries FINIS NIMPHIDIA THE COVRT OF FAYRIE OLde Chaucer doth of Topas tell Mad Rablais of Pantagruell A latter third of Dowsabell With such poore trifles playing Others the like haue laboured at Some of this thing and some of that And many of they know not what But that they must be saying Another sort there be that will Be talking of the Fayries still Nor neuer can they haue their fill As they were wedded to them No tales of them their thirst can slake So much delight in them they take And some strange thing they faine would make Knew they the way to doe them Then since no Muse hath bin so bold Or of the Latter or the old Those Eluish secrets to vnfold Which ly from others reeding â—y actiue Muse to light shall bring The court of that proud Fayry King And tell there of the Reuelling Ioue prosper my proceeding And thou Nimphidia gentle Fay Which meeting me vpon the way These secrets didst to me bewray Which now I am in teiling My pretty light fantasticke mayde â—here inuoke thee to my ayde That I may speake what thou hast sayd In numbers smoothly swelling This Pallace standeth in the ayre By Negromancy placed there That it no Tempests needes to feare Which way so ere it bloweth And somewhat Southward tow'rd the Noone Whence lyes a way vp to the Moone And thence the Fayrie can as soone Passe to the earth below it The Walles of Spiders legges are made Well mortized and finely layd He was the master of his Trade It curiously that builded The Windowes of the eyes of Cats And for the roofe instead of Slats Is couer'd with the skinnes of Bats With Mooneshine that are guilded Hence Oberon him port to make Their rest when weary mortalls take And none but onely Fayries wake Descendeth for his pleasure And Mab his merry Queene by night Bestrids young Folkes that lye vpright In elder Times the Mare that height Which plagues them out of measure Hence Shaddowes seeming Idle shapes Of little frisking Elues and Apes To Earth doe make their wanton skapes As hope of pastime hasts them Which maydes thinkes on the Hearth they see When Fires well neere consumed be Their dauncing Hayes by two and three Iust as their Fancy casts them These make our Girles their sluttery rue By pinching them both blacke and blew And put a penny in their shue The house for cleanly sweeping And in their courses make that Round In Meadowes and in Marshes found Of them so call'd the Fayrie ground Of which they haue the keeping These when a Child haps to be got Which after proues an Ideot When Folkes perceiue it thriueth not The fault therein to smother â—ome silly doting brainelesse Calfe â—hat vnderstands things by the halfe â—ay that the Fayrie left this Aulfe And tooke away the other But listen and I shall you tell â— chance in Fayrie that be fell Which certainely may please you well In Loue and Armes delighting Of Oberon that iealous grew Of one of his owne Fayrie crue Too well he fear'd his Queene that knew His loue but ill requiting Pigwiggen was this Fayrie Knight One wondrous gracious in the sight Of faire Queene Mab which day and night He amorously obserued Which made King Oberon suspect His seruice tooke too good effect His saucinesse and often checkt And could haue wisht him starued Pigwiggen gladly would commend â—ome token to Queene Mab to send â—f Sea or Land him ought could lend Were worthy of her wearing â—t length this Louer doth deuise â— bracelet made of Emmotts eyes â— thing he thought that shee would prize No whitt her state impayring And to the Queene a letter Writes Which he most curiously endâ—es Conâ—â—ring her by all the rites Of loue she would be pleased To meete him her â—â—ne Seruant where They might without suspect or feare Themselues to one another cleare And haue their poore hearts cased At mid night the appointed hower And for the Queene a fiering Bower Quoth he is thâ—t faire Cowslip flower On Hipcut hill that
can And you shall see I le quickly be a man Who me thus answered smiling boy quoth he If you 'le not play the wag but I may see You ply your learning I will shortly reade Some Poets to you Phoebus be my speed Too 't hard went I when shortly he began And first read to me honest Mantuan Then Virgils Eâ—ogues being entred thus Me thought I straight had mounted Pegasus And in his full Careere could make him stop And bound vpon Pernassus by clift-top I scorn'd your ballet then though it were done And had for Finis William Elderton But soft in sporting with this childish iest I from my subiect haue too long digrest Then to the matter that we tooke in hand Ioue and Apollo for the Muses stand That noble Chaucer in those former times The first inrich't our English with his rimes And was the first of ours that euer brake Into the Muses treasure and first spake In weighty numbers deluing in the Mine Of perfect knowledge which he could refine And coyne for currant and as much as then The English language could expresse to men He made it doe and by his wondrous skill Gaue vs much light from his abundant quill And honest Gower who in respect of him Had onely sipt at Aganippas brimme And though in yeares this last was him before Yet fell he far short of the others store When after those foure ages very neare They with the Muses which conuersed were That Princely Surry early in the time Of the Eight Henry who vvas then the prime Of Englands noble youth with him there came Wyat with reuerence whom we still doe name Amongst our Poets Bryan had a share With the two former which accompted are That times best makers and the authors were Of those small Poems which the title beare Of songs and sonnets vvherein oft they hit On many dainty passages of wit Gascoyne and Churchyard after them againe â—n the beginning of Eliza's raine Accoumpted were great Meterers many a day But not inspired with braue fier had they Liu'd but a little longer they had seene Their workes before them to haue buried beene Graue morrall Spencer after these came on Then whom I am perswaded there was none Since the blind Bard his Iliads vp did make Fitter a taske like that to vndertake To set downe boldly brauely to inuent In all high knowledge surely excellent The noble Sidney vvith this last arose That Heroe for numbers and for Prose That throughly pac'd our language as to show The plentcous English hand in hand might goe With Greeke and Latine and did first reduce Our tongue from Lillies vvriting then in vse Talking of Stones Stars plants of Fishes Flyes Playing with wordes and idle Similes As th' English Apes and very Zanies be Of euery thing that they doe heare and see So imitating his ridiculous tricks They spake and Writ all like meere lunatiques Then Warner though his lines were not so trim'd Nor yet his Poem so exactly lim'd And neatly ioynted but the Criticke may Easily reproue him yet thus let me say For my old friend some passages there be In him vvhich I protest haue taken me With almost wonder so fine cleere and new As yet they haue beene equalled by few Noat Barlow bathed in the Thespian springâ— Had in him those braue translunary things That the first Poets had his raptures were All Ayre and fire which made his verses cleere For that fine madnes still he did retaine Which rightly should possesse a Poets braine And surely Nashe though he a Proser were A branch of Laurell yet deserues to beare Sharpely Satiricke was he and that way He went since that his being to this day Few haue attempted and I surely thinke Those words shall hardly be set downe with inke Shall scorch and blast so as his could where he Would inflict vengeance and be it said of thee Shakespere thou hadst as smooth a Comicke vaine â—itting the socke and in thy naturall braine As strong conception and as cleere a rage As any one that traffiqu'd with the stage Amongst these Samuel Daniel whom if I May speake of but to censure doe denie Onely haue heard some wise men him rehearse To bee too much Historian in verse His rimes were smooth his meeâ—ers well did close But yet his manner better fitted prose â—ext these learn'd Iohnson in this List I bring Who had drunke deepe of the Pierian spring Whose knowledge did him worthily prefer â—nd long was Lord here of the Theater Who in opinion made our learnd'st to sticke Whether in Poems rightly dramatique â—trong Seneca or Plautus he or they â—hould beare the Buskin or the Socke away Others againe here liued in my dayes That haue of vs deserued no lesse praise For their translations then the daintiest wit Thaâ— on Parnassus thinks he highest doth sit And for a chaire may mongst the muses call As the most curious maker of them all Aâ— reuerent Chapman who hath brought to vs Musaeus Homer and Hesiodus Our of the Greeke and by his skill hath reard Them to that height and to our tongue endear'd Thaâ— were those Poets at this day aliue To â—â—e their bookes thus with vs to suruiue They would thinke hauing neglected them so long They â—ad bin written in the English tongue And Siluester who from the French more weakâ— Maâ—e Bartas of his sixe dayes labour speake In naturall English who had he there stayd He had done wâ—ll and neuer had bewraid His owne inuention to haue beene so poore Who still wrote lesse in striuing to write more â—hen dainty Sands that hath to English done Smouth sliding Ovid and hath made him run With so much sweetnesse and vnusuall grace As though the neatnesse of the English pace Should tell the letting Latine that it came But slowly after as though stiffe and lame So Scotland sent vs hither for our owne That man whose name I euer would haue knownâ— To stand by mine that most ingenious Knight My Alexander to whom in his right I want extreamely yet in speaking thus I doe but shew the loue that was twixt vs And not his numbers which were braue and hie So like his minde was his cleare Poesie And my deare Drummond to whom much â— owe For his much loue and proud I was to know His Poesie for which two worthy men I Meâ—stry still shall loue and Hauthâ—rne-den Then the two Beamounts and my Browne arose My deare companions whom I freely chose My bosome friends â— and in their severall wayes Rightly borne Poets and in these last dayes Men of much note and no lâ—sse nobler parts Such as haue freely told to me their hearts As I haue mine to them but if you shall Say in your knowledge that these be not all Haue writ in numbers be inform'd that I Onely myselfe to these few men doetye Whose workes oft printed set on euery post To publique censure subiect haue bin most For such whose Poems be they nere so rare In priuate
there were Yet of all comfort they câ—nnot bereaue Her but his hope her pensiue hâ—art doth cheere That he in France shall haue his most resort And liue securely in her Fathers Court. His mighty minde nor can this doome molest But kicks the earth in a disdaâ—nâ—full scorne If any thing do corrosiue his brest Iâ— was that he was in base England borne He curst the King and Kingdome but he blest The Queene but if in any thing forlorne T was that he should her happâ— presence misse The endlesse Summe of all his earthly blâ—sse His Sentence scarse in Parliament had past But that the rascall multitude arise Plucke downe his houses lay his Lordships wast And search how they his person may surprize That he from England instantly must hast Coueâ—'d by night or by some strange disguise And to some small Port secretly retyre And there some poore Boate for his passage hire From Harwitch Hauen and embarqu'd for France As he for Callice his straight course doth steere â—O here behold a most disastrous chance A man of Warre the Seas that scoured there One at his actions that still look't ascâ—nce And to this Duke did deadly hatred beare After a long chase tooke this little Craâ—e Which he suppos'd him safely should conuay And from the fisher taking him by force He vnder Hatches straightly him bestow'd And towards his country steering on his course He runnes his vessell into Douer roade Where rayling on him without all remorse Him from the ship to all the people showâ—â— And when no more they could the Duke deâ—â—â—e They cut his head off on the Cock-boat-side SVffolke thus dead and Summerset disgrac'd His title Yorke more freely might preferre The Commons loue when cunningly to taste Lest ouerweening he perhaps might erre He first subbornes a villane that imbrac'd The Nobler name of March borne Mortimer Which in the title of the house of Yorke Might set the monstrous multitude a worke His name was Cade his natiue country Kent Who though of birth and in estate but poore Yet for his courage he was eminent Which the wise Duke well vnderstood before He had a minde was of a large extent The signe whereof on his bould brow he bore Sterne of behauiour and of body strong Witty well spoken cautilous though yong But for thâ— Duke his title must deriue Out of the blood which beare that honored name Therefore must cast and cunningly contriue To see how people relished the same And if he found it fortuned to thriue Then at the marke he had a further ayme To show himselfe his title good to make And raise him friends and power his part to take All opposition likewise to preuent The crafty Duke his meaning doth conceale And Cade doth rise t' informe the gouernment And base abuses of the Publique Weale To which he knew the commons would consent Which otherwise his Treason might reueale Which rightly tooke for by this collour hee Drew twenty thousand on his part to be From Sussex Surry and from Kent that rose Whom hope of spoyle doth to this Act perswade Which still increase his Army as it goes And on Blacke Heath his Rendauous he made Where in short time it to that vastnesse growes â—s it at once the Kingdome would inuade And he himselfe the Conquest could assure Of any power King Henry could procure And did in fight that generall force defeate Sent by the King that Rebell to pursue When vnder collour of a fram'd retreat He made as though he from the Army flew The slaughter of the souldiers must be great When he those Staffords miserably slew Captaines select and chosen by the Queene To lead the powers that should haue wreakt her teene When for a Siege he to the city came Assaults the Bridge with his emboldned power And after oft repulsed takes the same Makes himselfe Master of the towne and Tower Doing such things as might the Deuill shame Destroyes Records and Virgines doth deflower Robs ransacks spoyles and after all this stirre Lastly beheaded the Lord Treasurer These things by Yorke being plotted vnderhand Wise as he was as one that had not knowne Ought of these Treasons hasts to Ireland To tame those Kerne rebellious that were growne He knew it was not in the barren Sand That he this subtill poysonous seed had sowne Which came it on as very well it might It would make way for his pretended right Whilst these rebellions are in England broacâ—d As though the Faâ—es should enujoâ—sly conspire Our vtter Ruine which too fast approacht About our eares was Aquitaine a fire Their Conquest so vpon our Townes incroach't That Charles the French King then had his desire To see these troubles tyre vs here within That he the whilst in France from vs might winnâ— To add to Margarites miseries againe Talbot in France so brauely that had done Who many a yeere had aw'd proud Aquitaine And many a Fort and famous Battaile wonne At Shatiloon O endlesse griefe was slaine With the Lord Lyle his ouer valiant Sonne When all the Townes that he had got before Yeelded nor would for England be no more Yorke in the nike from Ireland comming in Finding the Kingdome cumbred in this wise Thinks with himselfe t were time he did begin But by no meanes he gainst the King must rise O such a thought in any man were sinne But that he would proud Summerset surprise Yet waÌ„ting streÌ„gth gainst the whole state to stand He beares his businesse with a moderate hand And first to mighty Salsbury doth sue And his sonne Warwicke and doth them intreate With equall eyes they would be pleas'd to view His rightfull Title these two Neuils great â—â— power and with the people whom he knew Deadly the Duke of Somerset to hate By his large offers he doth winne at last In his iust quarrell to cleaue to him fast Thus his Ambition hauing strongly back't With these two fatall firebrands of Warre To his desires there very little lackt He and the Earles all three so popular To aduance himselfe he no occasion slackt â—or nought he sees him from his ends to barre T is no small tempest that he needs to feare Whom two such Collumnes vp betwixt theÌ„ beare And by their strengths encourag'd doth not sticke The others actions boldly to o'relooke And for the season that the King was sicke Vpon himselfe the Regency he tooke â—or now his hopes vpon him came so thicke His entrance doores from off the hinges shooke â—e with a nodde the Realme seem'd to direct Who 's he but bow'd if this great Prince but beckt And in the Queenes great chamber doth arest Great Summerset and sendeth him to ward And all his followers suddenly supprest Such was the number of his powerfull guard With the proud Queene this Prince as proud contests â—or for her frowne one friend of hers he spar'd Lucks on his side while such stand by to bett Heel