Vpstarts and all Were ouercome So Spencers both from heauen to hell did fal Put to a fowle and shamefull death with others that misled The King in Out-rages more great than earst in England bred Prolers Blood-thirstie Parasites Make-shifts Bawdes did thriue Nor was an ancient English Peere vnbanisht or aliue For forraine and domesticke Swords Plague Famine and Exile Did more than tythe yea tythe the Tythe of men within this I le Of Baldricks Hoodes Tabrides and Furres from Knights disgraded tore Attaintures of Nobilitie and Armes reuersed store So many Spurres hewen off the heeles and Swords broke ouer head Were through a King so light and lewd a Councell neuer read The King in prison and depos'd tyrannised he dide By Trecheries of Mortimer that ruld the Roste that tide Whilst Edward in Minoritie his Fathers throne supplide CHAP. XXVIII THIS third of that same Name as yet in Nonage for a time Although a King was vnder-kept by some that ouer-clime Queene mother proude Mortimer familiar more than should Did and vndid more than they might not lesse than as they would Till Edward better counselled hong Mortimer the death Of many a Peere who Earle of March and haughtie for his birth Was Lord of nine skore dubbed Knights his other traynes except For greater pompe than did his Prince this Lord of VVigmore kept But more he had bene happie though lesse hautie in his Halls More honour in humilitie than safetie in walls Proud Climers proue not monuments saue onely in their falls The senselesse pride of Fooles therefore whome reuerently we ride Should lessen at the least because that earth their earth shall hide The Countrie purg'd of Fleecers and of Flatterers the Court The King became a Mars for Armes a Iupiter for Port Th Olympâ—ds the Pythea and the prowesse of the Earth Did seeme euen now and not but now to haue in him their birth East South and North gaue ayme farrc off admiring so the West As if that Mars discarding them had set our Realme his Rest. Philip Valois Dauid Bruz of power and courage more Than any French or Scottish Kings since or of long before Confedrate with three other Kings and Princes farre and neere Warre all at once on Edward but did buy their warring deere Dauid debelled left his land but lastly did returne And whilst our King did war in France much did he spoyle burne And proud of mightie Troopes of men of vnresisted prayes And Edwards absence prosperously he on aduantage playes Vntill not sending hence for helpe the Queene did muster Knights And with the Foe though tripled-wise victoriously she fights The Scots for most did perish and their King was Prisner taine And Scotland wholly for a pray to England did remaine Meane while was Paris scarcely left to rescue Philips Goale Whom Edward ferrits so from hold to hold as Fox from hoale That Melancholie he deceast and valiant Iohn his sonne Was crowned King of France and then the wars afresh begonne But after many fieldes vnto the Foes continuall wracke The French King captiuated to the English Monarke backe His Victor sayles the Prince of VVales Edward surnamed blacke The flower of Chiualrie the feare of France and scourge of Spaine Wheare Peter dispossest of Crowne was crownde by him againe Fower yeeres the French eleuen yeres was the Scotch K. prisners heere Whose the Dolphines ransomes were as great as good their cheere PRince Edw. Iohn of Gaunt all their Fathers sonnes might boaste Of famous Sier and he of sonnes matchlesse in any Coaste Howbeit King and Prince at last misled by counsell ill Through Taxes lost a many hearts that bore them earst good will Thence finding Fortune contrary to that she was before Yeat either dying seaz'd of French and Scottish Conquests store Yea Callice late and Barwick yet of their Exployts is lest Though Sonne before the Sier and both of liues long since bereft When Barwick was besieged and stood brauely at defence Sir Alexander Seiton theare chiefe Captaine had pretence To linger forth the Siege till Scots should draw the English thence In rescue of Northumberland and therefore sent his sonne A Pledge of treated Truce and when the guile-got Truce was done And Barwick not releeued nor resigned as it ought Two sonnes of Seiton were before the walls besieged brought They ready for the Iybbet and their Father for his Graue For eyther he must yeeld the Towne or them he might not saue In griefe he then his Countries cause and Childrens case reuolues But partiall vnto either he on neither Choyce resolues To be a loyall Subiect and a louing Father too Behooued him but both to bee was not in him to doo Nature and honour wrought at once but Nature ouer-wrought And but his Ladie it preuents to yeeld the Towne he thought O what pretend you Sir quoth she is Barwick woorth no more Than error of such loue I ioy that I such Children bore Whom cruell Edward honoureth with such a cause of death For that especiall cause for which we all receaue our breath Euen for their Countries cause they dye whose liues for it be dewe Why see their faces constantly she did their faces viewe The same my Seiton seeme so farre from dreading any woe As if they skornde that Barwicke should redeeme them from the Foe Full deere they were to me vnborne at birth and borne and now And Mother like I moane their death and yet their death allow Moe Sonnes and such you may beget your honour if you staine Defected honour neuer more is to be got againe Preuent not then your selfe your Sonnes and me so great a blis Adiew dye sweet Sonnes your soules in heauen shall liue for this With such perswasions did she win her husband from the walls And Edward executes their Sonnes and to assault he falls So long that Barwicke yeelds at length and still vs master calls THese were the dayes when English armes had eu'rie where request And Edw. knights throughout the world had prick praise for best Not Knights alone but Prelates too Queenes whereof were twain The quondam in esse Queenes by Armour honour gain By Warre the Queene that was did cease her husbands tragicke Rayn And by the Queene then being was the Scotch King Prisnet tayne It followes then that as the Pawnce doth circkle with the Sonne So to the vice or vertue of the Prince are people wonne O that our Muse might euermore on such a Subiect ronne But Vulcan forgeth other Tooles and sharpneth deadlier swords For little els then ciuill warres our following Penne affords French Expeditions badly thriue whereof we cease to speake Not forraine but Domestick warres grew strong to make vs weake Melpomen here might racke her wits Sylla Marius hate Pharsalian Fields were gentle Frayes regarding this debate The second Richard sonne vnto the blacke Prince Edward dead Was crownde an Infant and from him the Stratagem was bread The bace attempts of Ball
Vnto Ixeon stood their Sprights that had their lusts for law Rebellants to a common good and sinning without awe To Titius lastly ioyned Ghosts whose hearts did emptie hate As Todes their poyson growing when it seemeth to abate About flie Apples Stones and Tubs the wheele was tumbled downe The Vultur girds no Ghoste but had at least a broken crowne This skufling and confedracie in hell made such a reare That wontles of such braules and blowes Proserpine did feare But Pluto laughing told his Bride to Ela it was Fa To morrowes dinne should prooue that same to be a ciuill day In peace these were their practises on earth and here in hell Saue that their Soules haue neuer peace we finde them as they fell They worke to me each of these fiue though dailie count I aske Doe newlie number Million Soules whose torments is their taske The Queene of such not free of fear replied thus againe And yeat me thinks that Pluto should haue pittie on their paine He lowers and Feast with Fray had end and drinke did euery soule Of Lethe who their ioyes forgot euen yet in torments houle Nay Pluto must be Pluto still and so I will quoth he For this same onely day the Ghosts indebted are to thee For as the like shall neuer come so neuer like befell But henceforth all yea Prince and Pope shall euer find it hell So dreamed one but ouer-long on fantazies I dwell CHAP. XIX THe Cosen of great Constantine in Rome and here succeeds Betwixt the Brutes the Scots and Pichtes continuall trouble breeds And long the reg'ment of this Land the Romanes did inioy Transmitting Captaines euermore as Foes did here anoy But Rome it selfe declined now and Brutaine was opprest No longer were the Scottish Spoyles by Romaine Swords redrest Then ends the Tribute then began new troubles worser farre Then Tribute for the Scots and Pichtes inferre consuming warre The Brutons vnder Rome secure as men that did relie On others were disabled now by Martiall meanes to trie The fame of fight but Captainelesse confusedly they deale And giue a wretched instant of an headles Common-weale And whom so many Romaine Peers grand-Captaines of such might Of whome nine Emperors themselues in persons here did fight Could hardly foyle were fronted now euen of a barbarous Foe And at the point a wondrous change their Country to forgoe Such fruit hath ease such pollicie did serue the Romaines turne Who waining Martiall minds themselues the quietlier here soiorn The Brutons thus dispoy'ld of Armes and courage in effect Of Prince of Captaines and aduise their busines to direct Dispatch their Legate to the Land Diminutiue in name To Brutaine where the Legate thus his Ambassie did frame The back-slide of our helplesse friends the down-fall of our flate Our lacke of Prince of people and our wealth not now as late The sauage dealing of our Foes consuming outs and vs Is cause right mightie King that we approach thy presence thus Not for we are in blood allied or that whil'st Fortune smil'd Your Ancestors had rule from vs not for the Dames defil'd At Cullin who withstanding lust for it did loose their liues That els to Conon and his Knights had liued noble wiues We are emboldned in our suit though all of these might mooue But for our former wants O King and for thine owne behooue Great Brutaine doth submit it selfe thy Subiect if thou please Or els dispose it at thy will Prouided we haue ease Against such Foes as would not saue our liues to haue our Land Whom to conclude except thou helpe we neuer may withstand The King Aldroen pittying much the cause of his Allies Arm'd thence his brother Constantine a Captaine stout and wise He chasing hence the Scottes Pichtes with glory wore the Crowne And through his vertue stayed vp a Kingdome sinking downe WIthin a while did Vortiger the Duke of Cornewalle raigne When Constans Sonne of Constantine he traitrously had slaine The Scotts did ruffle then anew nor did the King affye In Brutones for they hated him and reason had they why And Saxon Fleetes from Germanie in Armor here arriue Through whose support the King in wars against the Scots did thriue The Foe by Hengest foyled thus he and his brother git The chiefest credit with the King but few gaine-saying it Necessitie of Souldiers here so well for them did fit And Hengests Daughter intertain'd King Vortiger so well That to misliking of his wife and liking her he fell And sotted thus in forren Loue did wed the Saxon Wench Which wrought vnto the Saxons weale but to the Brutes offence For whatsoere the Queene did aske the King would not deny Vntill his Subiects ran to Armes and made the Saxons flie They putting downe the Father then did set vp Vortimer He poisoned by his Stepdame they restored Vortiger With this condition that he should no Saxons intertaine But Hengest hearing from the Queene that Vortimer was slaine And Vortiger his Sonne-in-lawe re-kinged did resaile With Saxon forces though with fraud not force he did preuaile For thus by pollicy he did the Brutons circumuent He craued Parlie as a man that were to quietnes bent The place appoynted Parlantes him in simple meaning meet Farre from their Armie all vnarm'd whom Saxon Traitors greet With deadly wounds by hidden kniues held the King with them Confounding so the Brittish Oste. Nor cease they to contemne Both Christian rights and ciuill Rule subuerting either twaine And what they would of Vortiger through feareâ—ull threats they gaine And plant themselues in Southfolke Kent and elsewhere at their will And ruffling runne throughout the Land oppressing Brutons still The King and Brutons fled to Wales and Feend-got Marlin theare Bewraied more then I beleeue or credit seemes to beare As shewing how the Castell worke rear'd daily fell by night By shaking of two Dragons great that vnderneath it fight With other wonders tedious if not trothlesse to resight Aurelius Ambrose brother to King Constans murdred late From either Bruton hauing aid wonne so the kingly state And ere that Hengest or his Sonne stout Octa he subdew'd First to reuenge his Brothers death he Vortiger pursew'd In vaine the Welsh wild Mountaines fence the Flier from his Foe Or Gerneth Castell when as flames throughout the buildings goe In midst whereof the wretched King did end his dayes in woe THe Brutons thus had peace a while till Vortigerus Sonne And Gutllamour the Irish King in new Conflicts begonne Whom whil'st that Vter valiantly in VVales to wracke did bring His Brother Ambrose did decease and Vter then was King What Vter did by Marlins Art in compassing his will Vpon the Wife of Garolus transfigured by skill Into the likenesse of her Lord on whom he got a Sonne Renowmed Arthur or to name the Acts by Vter donne Were much and needlesse onely note he was a valiant Prince But such as was his noble Sonne was not before or since Yeat blazing Arthur as haue some
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
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
to the fatall Blocke she praying on her booke Wence hauing made a godly end he was return'd whilst Shee Prepard for like and of her Lord the senceles Tronke did see A sight more deathful than her death that should consort him straite And for the which her feareles eies did euery moment waite She vnabashed mounting now the Skaffold theare attends The fatall Stroke-and vnto God her better parte commends And as she liu'd a vertuous life so vertuously she ends CHAP. XLI OMitting Knights three Dukes three Lords also a Queene elect Then perisht thus and somewhat some of Edwards death suspect All which fell out a Stratagem in God his secre Dome That should induce a Tragedie to England meant by Rome For when these mighty Protestants through Ones Ambition fell Queene Mary seem'd to shut vp Heauen and set wide open Hell Whence swarmed papish Tyrants that false doctrine did erect Whilst that seduced Mary did Gods threatned cause neglect Blamelesse she was not for a Crowne that could her Foes ore-goe Nor all too blame for mightie States do and haue erred so To Whome the Scriptures weare obscur'd by Christs Italian Foe Her courage was not common yeat abused ouer much By Papists cheefly She her selfe too naturally such Heere hence she is reprooued of a moste tyrannous Raigne And of a thriftles Mariage with the trustles King of Spaine But when rich Brabants supreame Faire the Bakers daughter staide The King in dalliance and the Queene had newes that false he plaide T is thought his tarriance greeu'd told that one should counsel this Haue patience Madam so it was and wil be as it is Fourth Edward did the like yeat lou'd his Queene no whit the lesse Nor did the like vnpatient her that knew him to transgresse As guiltie of a Leash of Loues Shores wife and other twaine She knew as Streams if stopt surrownd so Kings wil shew they raign As did our second Henry whome his Queene oft crost in vain◠Which and one other Story if it please you that I tell I shall Yea doc quoth she Then thus quoth he it once befell NOt knowen of Rosamund his eie had stoed her in his heart Faire Maide quoth he beleeue me faire and all so faire thou art That weare I Henry Englāds King thou shouldst be Englāds Queene But so must fayle for Elenour already is betweene He bod me buy thy loue if so it might be bought with Golde If not he bod me sweare he loues in fayth he loues be bolde He bod me aske if so he came what should his welcome be And if perhaps he lated weare if he should lodge with thee Protesting secreasie thereof to all vnlesse to me With promise to performe at full each promise as I make it I promise Loue Wealth Secresie then promise thou to take it Content you Sir quoth Ro amund you aime your markes amis I am not for his Highnes nor for me his Highnes is And should he know I shame he should of this your Brokage bace He would acquaint you what it weare your Soueraigne to disgrace Whoso you be be still the same or better if you may Think not Lord Cliffords daughter will vn-maiden her for pay But know if Henryes selfe were heere himselfe should haue a nay Then know quoth he which being knowen well maist thou know I loue thee I am the King and for I am the rather let it moue thee In sooth sweet Wench thou saiest nay thou knowest not whereto For weare my wish at work lesse good wy wish than work would do What fearst thou shame no shame to be beloued of a King Or dread'st thou sinne The Pope for pay absolueth euery thing Or doubt'st thou iealous Elenour I will remoue that doubt At Woodstock shall she finde thy bower but neuer finde thee out Theare shalt thou passe a pleasant life commanding me and mine Then loue beloued Rosamund a King subiects him thine He kist She blusht and long it was ere loue from her he wroung For whilst vp played in her heart it paused on her toung Not Sibils Caue at Cuma nor the Labyrinth in Creat Was like the Bower of Rosamund for intricate and great The Pellicane theare neasts his Bird and sporteth oft with her Conducted by a Clew of thread els could he not but err Besides her Maydes a Knight of trust attended on her theare Who suffred for her Beautie long concealing it for feare At length at full and formally he courted her for grace But all in vaine nought booted him to haue both time and place Henry quoth she begonne and he shall end my thoughts vnchast Nor peach't she him nor he dismist did hold himselfe disgrac'st The Kings three Sonnes had notice of their Fathers Leiman now So had the Queene and the yof such coriuing disallowe Came I from France Queene Dowager quoth she to pay so deere For bringing him so great a wealth as to be Cuckquean'd heere Am I so old a woman he so young a wanton growen As that I may not please that pleas'd and still might with his owen What is the Drab or tempting Diuell or wherefore doteth he The French King once himselfe euen now for faire preferred me And hath he toyled vp his Game and settels he to loue her Nor Heauen nor hell shall crosse my course but that I will remoue her Like Phrogne seeking Philomel she seeketh for and found The Bower that lodg'd her Husbands Loue built partly vnder ground She entred but so intricate weare Turnings to and fro That welneere she had lost her selfe but could not finde her Foe Yeat out she got and backe she goes with her Attendants who Admire their furious Mistresse and mislike what she would doe With her Confedrates oft she went preuented of her will Howbeit lastly did preuaile For hap did hit so ill That whilst the Knight did issue out suspecting no assaut He was assailed from his giding Clewe they caught So wonne they vnto Rosamund Whom when the Queene did vew Most brauely clad in rich Attire her selfe more rich of hew The beautie and the brauenes of the Person and the place Amazed her and hers who stoode at gaze a certaine space No maruell quoth the Queene that oft the Court did mis the King Soone such an Hebe hither such a Iupiter might bring Now trust me weare she not a Whoore or anies Whoore but his She should be pardon'd But in faith I must not pardon this A Queane coriuall with a Queene Nay kept at Racke Manger A Husband to his honest bed through her become a Stranger Abide who list abye she shall how so I buy the daunger Faire Rosamund surprised thus eare thus she did suspect Fell on her humble Knees and did her fearefull hands erect She blush't out beauty whilst the tears did wash her pleasing face And begged Pardon meriting no lesse of common grace So farforth as it lay in me I did quoth she withstand But what may not so great a
Vnwilling though by what Presage I wot not Dauid seem'd Of Ammens going but what Fate ordain'd hath none redeem'd Go did he wheare full merily he frollicked that tyde When by his Ostes Attendants there of sudden Wounds he dyde Which after Bar quet did their Lord for onely him prouide More skar'd than hurt the other Sonnes of Dauid flead with speede Yeat eare their home-returne the King had notice of the deede And feared much their safetie till them he saw and then Was such confused sorrow more was neuer seene among'st Men. To Geshur Absolom escapes three yeares an Exile thear Till Dauids kinde relenting heart to Ioah did appeare By meanes of whome recalled home he lastly purchast Grace Yea well-appay'd was Dauid if weare Absolom in place Lou'd neuer Father more a Sonne than him his Father lon'd Prou'd neuer Sonne vngratefull more than he vngratfull prou'd For hauing stolne the Peoples hearts by affable Pretexts He faines his vowes at Hebren but the Diadem affects And by collected Forces theare distressed Dauid more Than S 〈…〉 le the Cananites or all hap't after or before Enforcing him to flie the Land But dwell we not of this God neuer fauor'd such Attempts or euer sayled His. When Dauid seem'd in common Sence already on the hip Was Absolom himselfe ore-throne whom God made ouer-slip What wisely false Achitophel had counseld him to doe Whose Counsell not receau'd he hong himselfe and worthie too Ambitious Absolom now foyl'd as on his Mule he flead Was carried vnderneath an Oke wheare caught-vp by the head EueÌ„ by those bewtious Locks of which him such praise is read He sighte and cause he had and said or say he might that All Which so vniustly seeke to clime most iustly so doe fall But whatsoeare he thought or spake this holds autenticall We thinke no greater blisse than such to be as be we would When blessed none but such as be the same that be they should Had one Man all that all Men haue he nothing had vulesse He also had a Soule that All as nothing did possesse Natures Mynion Eyes Admier and now in-ayred Earth For hanging Ioabs ruthles speare had vented vitall breath Although the King his counter-maunde should haue contraried so Effected had his Fathers heart no Substance else but woe So kinde and ouer-kinde was he in mouing such a Foe But thus of this and thus to him this following Crosse did groe CHAP. LX. TO epilogue our Tragedie now Adoniah acts With whome olde Dauid to depose euen â—oabs-selfe compacts Yeadiuers Captaines did reuolt and with the Sonne rebell Which not a little greeu'd the King that lou'd the young-man well Who next his brother did for forme and soly now excell Remayn'd but Salomon and he and he the elder Sonne Too forward yeat to practise Rule eare Dauids Raigne was donne But what God meaneth is Amen The Scepter was behight To Salomon and Nathan mou'd the King to doâ— him right Who aged caus'd his Diadem to roâ—alize the head Of Salomon annoynted now which heard the Rebel flead So haue we seene not yeares farre-past long-Plottings ouerthrone Euen in a trise to day a Queene to morrow lesse than none Such was her Fate but not her Fault that stoode for Maries Throne Nor cite I this A Noueltie like Pul-backs many an one Repentant Adâ—niâ—â— now vnto the Altar flies 〈…〉 thereof which one that it espies 〈◊〉 vnto Salomon that sent to fetch him Thence Which wâ—uld not be till swore the King to pardon his offence Whom◠〈◊〉 we now so pardoned or rather in suspence â—or though a Kings Competitor in one same Land may liue â—eat take he heed the sleightest cause a cause of death doth giue Which hapned him eare hapned this inserted by the way Dauid decea'ste in Salomon was sole and sou'raigne Sway When 〈◊〉 to prolong his life did at the Altar stay Euen he that in so many Brunts for Dauid did preuaile That saue for Adoniah now Allegiance neare did faile That saue for sheaded blood of twaine could none impeach of wrong Euen this grand Captaine of the Hosts a luckie Knight so long Hand-fasting now the Altar clames that Priuiledge in vaine For thence he would not and the King commaunds he thâ—are be slaine Which Warrant did Banaiah serue And so this Worthie died For Abner and Amasas blood like-Worthies and as-tried With Adoniah now remaines we act and ende our Sceanes To whoÌ„ might seeme small good was meant what il soere he meanes Wheare crowned Might crossed Right so neere together dwel Behooues that Forrest-flying Feare whereof the Fox did tell Our factious Lancaster and Yorke thereof could witnes well Abisag Dauids Hebe that in comfort of his Age Attended him at Bed and Boarde when naturall heate did swage Howbeit still a Virgin and the goodliest Wench aliue Enamours Adoniah at the least with her to Wiue He drifteth not detayned but for Salomons consent Of which he moued Bethsabe for which she Sutor went To Salomon that thearewithall was onely not content But also tooke occasion hence of more perhaps than meant â—â—naâ—ah by the Kings Commaund did Adontah slea For Cryme perhaps perhaps because a Crowne might come in Plea For Salâ—mon diuinely wise could Subtellizings sound That much the Maâ—d knew Dauids mind that Many she had bound Whilst gratious earst with Benefits her Kinred strong he found That â—oaâ— and Abiatâ—ar weare on his Brothers side That his aspiring sleepes nor must be slept the King espide Or else-what Adoniah was dispatched out of hand So sped his Suâ—e so was confirm'd to Salomon the Land If Others otherwise not I as others vnderstand Nor better Meede for Merits could these Dauidists alleadge Yeat did their Father eate the Grapes that set their Teeth on edge Then charitable godly-wise and continent weare fit Should Parents be So prosper they Theirs and whom Theirs begiâ— Of Scotland quieted by our Queene and France by her kept French Is toucht Of Belgike long selfe-vaind rests how the blood doth steÌ„ch CHAP. LXI THe Inquisition threatned wrought in â—etherlanders feare And Signes of altring Regment in their ancient State appeare As ful-fead Children with their Foode by Peace this People play Till in world-matchles Wealth did them Securitie betray They hearing what King Philip meant against their State did minde What in the Fables Morall of the Stock and Storke we finde For in the Ladie Regent and her Brother Philips Corse Their hearts presaÌ„g'd like diffâ—ence 〈◊〉 twixt Rigor and Remorse Arm'd was the Duke of Alâ—â— who by warres by wiles by 〈◊〉 Shuld coÌ„quer circuÌ„uent coÌ„sume those Lands their Lords the Good These to haue his sufficed not the Spanish King vnlesse He Monarchize their Land their Lawes and Liberties depresse The other Part their Consciences and Priuiledges pleades Nor other cause than only thus to Armor Either leades For There else-Where and euer Spayne when Spayne wold Scepters lurch Concludes for Spayne though euer Spayne begins for holy-Church No Armie was as yet
ALBIONS England A Continued Historie of the same Kingdome from the Originals of the first Inhabitants thereof And most the chiefe Alterations and Accidents there hapning vnto and in the happie Raigne of our now most gracious Soueraigne Queene ELIZABETH VVith varietie of inuentiue and historicall Intermixtures First penned and published by VVilliam VVarner and now reuised and newly inlarged by the same Author BY WISDOME·PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY LONDON Printed by the Widow Orwin for I. B. and are to be sold at her shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Bible 1597. To the right Honorable my very good Lord and Maister Henrie Carey Baron of Hunsdon Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter Lord Chamberlaine of her Maiesties most Honorable Houshold Lord Gouernour of Barwick Lord Warden of the East Marches for and anenst Scotland Lord Lieftenant of Suffolke and Norfolke Captaine of her Maiesties Gentlemen Pencioners and one of her Highnes most Honorable Priuie Counsell THis our whole Iland anciently called Brutaine but more aunciently Albion presently containing two Kingdomes England and Scotland is cause right Honorable that to distinguish the former whose only Occurrents I abridge from the other remote from our Historie I intitle this my Booke ALBIONS ENGLAND A subiect in troth without vaine-glory be it spokeÌ„ worthy your Honorable Patronage had it passed froÌ„ the Pen of a more countenaunced Author But for great Personages gratefully to entertaine the good wils of meane workemen is answerable to themselues and animating to feeble Artists I therefore secure of your Honors Clemencie herein not vnlike to Phaëton who at the first did fearefully admire eueÌ„ the Pallace of Phoebus but anon feareles aduenture euen the presence of Phoebus hauing dedicated a former Booke to him that from your Honor deriueth his Birth now also present the like to your Lordship with so much the lesse doubt and so much the more duty by how much the more I esteeme this my latter laboure of more Valew I owe your Lordship expecteth especiall dutie at the hands of your Seruant And thus right Honorable hoping better than I may offend desirous to please desperate of praise destitute of a better Present I make Tender onely of good will more I haue not for your Honors good word lesse I hope not Your Lordships most humble and dutifull Seruant W. Warner To the Reader WEl know I that Pearls low-prised in India are precious in England that euen Homer was slightly authorised in Greece but singularly admired elswhere and that for the most part the best Authors find at home their worst Auditors howbeit whatsoeuer VVriter is most famous the same is therefore indebted to his natiue Language Neither preferre I aboue three speeches before ours for more sententious VVritten haue I alreadie in Proese allowed of some and now friendly Reader offer I Uerse attending thine indifferent ensure In which if grosely I faile as not greatly I so feare in Ueritie Breuitie Inuention and Uarietie profitable patheticall pithie and pleasant so farre off shall I be from being opinionate of mine owne Labours that my selfe will also subscribe to prescribe the same for absurd and erronious But in Uaine is it either to intreat or feare the Courteous or Captious the one will not cauill nor the other be reconciled My labour is past and your liking to come and things hardly founded may easily be confounded Arrogancie is Linx-eyed into aduantages Enuie and selfe-conceited Readers capable of the least errour But such are good Mindes and the Contraries of these Men in reading of Books as were the Paganes in reuerencing their Gods sacrificing as deuoutly to a woodden Iupiter as to a golden Iupiter to an Oxe a at or vnreuerent Priapus as to the Sunne the Starres or amiable Venus deuotion and discretion being euermore senceles in detraction Of the latter sorte therefore I craue pardon presupposing their patience to the former presupposing impatience I offer pardon resting to either and to you all in good will such as I should Yours W. W. A Table for euery of the seuerall Bookes to find out the speciall Stories and matters directing from their Chapters and Pages The first Booke OF the deuision of the World after the generall Flood And of the confusion of Tongues chap. 1. pag. 1 How and vnder whome the first Monarchie began pag. 2 Of the debate betwixt Titan and Saturne for the kingdome of Crete and of their conditionall Attonement pag. 2 How Iupiter at his birth by commaundement of Saturne his Father should haue been put to death and how he was preserued chap. 2. pag. 4. Of the crueltie of Lycaon and how hee was driuen out of his kingdome by Iupiter chap. 3. pag. 7 How Iupiter deliuered his Parents being imprisoned by Titan. pa. 7 Of Aesculapius and of his death pag. 8 How Saturne wilfully enforcing his Sonne Iupiter to Armes was chaced out of Crete and Ganimaedes taken prisoner pag. 9 How Iupiter on the Sea ouercame the cruell Gyant and Pyrat Aegaeon pag. 10 How Iuno pretending the death of Hercules and hismother being in trauaile of him was preuented chap. 4. pag. 11 How Hercules vanquishing the Gyant Philoctes fetched a bootie out of the Isle of Hespera pag. 12 How Hercules rescued fayre Hesione King Laomedons Daughter from death and of Laomedons treachery towards him pag. 13 How Hercules sacked Troy and put Laomedon to flight pag. 15 How dangerously Hercules ouercame three fierce Lyons in the Forrest of Nemea chap. 5. pag. 16 How Hercules in Agypt subdued and sacrificed the Gyant Busiris pag. 17. How Hercules rescued Hippodame the Bride of Pirithous from the Centaures that would haue rauished her pag. 18 How Proserpinc was rapted by Pluto her deliuerie attempted first by Orpheus then by Theseus and Pirithous and how she was at the length rescued by Hercules chap. 6. pag. 19. How Androdamus ouercame Philoctes spoyled Thaebes slew King Creon How Lycus vsurped in Thaebes imprisoned Megara the wife of Hercules and how hee and Megara were lastly slaine of Hercules pag. 23 How King Laomedon was slaine by Hercules and Troy by him the second time spoyled c. pag. 25 The second Booke OF the warre and fierce Combat betwixt Hercules and Antaeus and of King Atlas chap. 7. pag. 26 How two Amazonian Ladies challenged the Combat of Hercules and Theseus and of the braue performance thereof pag. 29 Of the warre contention and Combat betwixt Hercules and Achelous for the loue of Deianira pag. 30 How the Centaure Nessus would haue rauished Deianira of his death and malitious treacherie towards Hercules chap. 8. pag. 32 How Hercules slew the subtile and cruell Monster Hydra pag 34 Of Gerion subdued and slaine by Hercules pag. 35 How the Tyrant Cacus driuen out of his kingdome by Hercules liued in a Caue with three Ladies Daughters to King Piâ—us pag. 36 The tragicall Storie of Queene Daphles and Doracles chap. 9 p 37 The Tale of the old woman and Battus
chap. 10. pag. 45 The Storie of Iupiter and Calisto chap. 11. pag. 49 Of Cacus his secret Thefts and Tyrannies and how he was lastly discouered and slaine by Hercules pag. 53 Of the honour done to Hercules in Italie and of Queene Marica on whom he was supposed to beget Latinus Grandfather to Brute chap. 12. pag. 55 How Hercules vanquished King Picus and fell in loue with Iole p. 56 How Hercules ouercame the Tyrant Diomedes and gaue him to be eaten of his owne horses and how in Lycia hee betooke himselfe to ease and effeminacie pag 57 Of the tragicall end of Hercules and Deianira chap. 13 pag. 59 The occasion and circumstances of the third and last warre at Troy The destruction thereof and banishment of Aeneas pag. 61 Brute his petigree from either Parent his Exile from Italie and ariuall in this Isle then called Albion pag. 62 The third Booke HOw Brute named and manured this Iland built Troy-nouant or London and at his death deuided the Isse between his three Sonnes chap. 14. pag. 63 How Locrine ouercame Humbar and his Hunnes fell in loue with Estrild and of Queene Guendoleine her reuenge on him Estrild and Sabrin pag. 64 Of King Leir and his three Daughters pag. 65 Of Porrex and Ferrex and how Queene Iden murthered her sonne Porrex chap. 15. pag. 67 How and when the Scots and Pichts first entred Brutaine and of their Originals pag. 68 Of Belinus and Brennus their Contention Attonement renowmed Acts and death of Brennus chap. 16. pag. 69 Of the kindnes shewed by King Elidurus to his deposed Brother Archigallo pag. 76 How Iulius Caesar after two Repulses made the Brutaines tributarie to the Romaines chap. 17. pag. 77 The Fable of the old man the boy and the Asse pag. 80 The Birth of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. chap. 18. pag. 81 How Guiderius his brother Aruiragus ouercame the Romaines how Aruiragus was reconciled to the Romaines and married the Emperours Daughter pag. 81 How Queene Uoada vanquished the Romanes and of hers and her Daughters deaths pag. 82 Of the first Christian King in Brutaine how the Crowne thereof became Emperiall and of the Marriage and Holiday in Hell pag 85 Of the extreame distresse and thraldome that the Brutaines were brought vnto by the Scots and Pichts and how they were relieued by the King of little Britaine chap. 19. pag. 87 How King Vortiger intertained Hengistus and his Saxons how they droue Uortiger and the Brutaines into Wales and planted themselues in Britaine pag. 88 Of King Arthur and his Chiualrie pag. 90 How after the death of King Arthur the Saxons altogether subdued and expelled the Brutaines and of Cadwallader their last King pag. 91 The fourth Booke THe Storie of Curan and Argentile chap. 20. pag. 93 Of King Sigibert his tyrannie miserable end chap. 21. pa. 98 Of the amorous King Osbret slaine by the Danes who vnder Hungar and Hubba did warre and win much of England pag. 99 Of the politick and couragious Kings Alured and Adelstone and how they vanquished and chased the Danes pag. 100 How Egelred by treason of his mother became king and how all the Danes were murthered in one night pag. 101 Of the extreame thraldome wherein the English liued vnder the Danes How Swayne king of Denmarke and Canutus his sonne wholly subdued England to themselues chap. 22. pag. 102 Of the precepts that King Egelred on his death-bed gaue to his son Edmond Irneside pag. 103 Of the noble warre betwixt Edmond Irneside and Canutus of their Combat Attonement and friendly partition of England betwixt them c. pag. 105 Of the holy king Edward his vertuous and valiant gouernment Of the treacherous Earle Goodwin and of his End How king Harold was slaine and England Conquered by William Duke of Normandy chap. 22. pag. 107 Of the holy king Edward and of his sayings pag. 111 The fift Booke HOw king William Conqueror altered the lawes and gouernmet in England Of Edgar Athelstone and of his mother and Sisters entertainement in Scotland And of the restoring of the English royall blood chap. 23. pag. 113 Of King Henrie the second of Thomas Becket and of his death pag. 114 Of King Richard the first his Victories his imprisonment in Austrich his reuenge therfore and of his death chap. 24. pag. 117 Of King Iohn and how he was poysoned by a Monke pag. 118 A Tale of the beginning of Friers and Cloysterers pag. 119 Of a blunt Northerne man his speeches pag. 120 How king Edgar wowed the Nunne and of his pennance therefore pag. 121 Of the warres betwixt King Henrie the third and his Barons chap. 25. pag. 123 Of the vertuous and victorious Prince king Edward the first and of his counsell giuen to his Sonne c. pag. 124 Of king Edward the second his euill gouernment Of good Thomas Earle of Lancaster of his conference with an Hermit pa. 125 How lecherous Turgesius the Norwegane hauing conquered Ireland was by certaine young Gentlemen in the habites of Ladies slaine and Ireland so recouered chap. 26. pag. 126 Of amorous king Dermot and his Paramour the Queene of Meth in Ireland and of Ireland conquered to England pag. 129 Of the Hermits speeches to Earle Thomas of Lancaster chap. 27. pag. 131 How King Edward the second for his euill gouernement was deposed and his Parasites put to death chap. 28. 136 Of King Edward the third his Victories and noble Gouernement pag. 137 Of the magnanimitie of a Scottish Lady Sir Alexander Seitons wife at the besieging of Barwicke pag. 138 Of the troublesome Raigne of king Richard the second and how he was deposed by Henry surnamed Henry of Bolingbroke Duke of Hertford and Lancaster c. pag. 140 The sixt Booke OF king Henry the fourth of the Rebellions in his time and of Richard the seconds death chap. 29. pag. 142 Of the victorious Prince king Henry the fift Of Queene Katherine and Owen Tuder pag. 143 Of the wowing and wedding of Vulcan and Venus and of the strife betwixt Venus and Phoebus chap. 30. pag. 146 How Pan wowed and was deceiued chap. 31. pag. 152 Of Mercurie his successes loue pag. 154 Of Mars his Censure of loue and women and of Iupiters Sentence and sayings pag. 156. and 157 Of the troublesome Raigne of King Henrie the sixt how he was lastly deposed And of King Edward the fourth chap. 32. pa. 158 Of King Richard the third and of his Tyrannies pag. 160 How Henry Earle of Richmond ouercame and slew King Richard the third chap. 33. pag. 161 Of the vniting of the two hous 〈…〉 Lancaster and Yorke by intermariage pag. 163. The Seauenth Booke OF the great difficulties ouerpassed by Henrie the Seauenth heire of the Line of Lancaster or euer he attained to the Crowne chap. 34. pag. 164 Of the like great difficulties ouerpassed by his wife Queene Elizabeth heire of the Line of Yorke or euer the same two houses by their intermariage were vnited pag. 166 Of
a great Rebellion in England occasioned by a Priest Of Queene Elizabeth wife to Edward the Fourth chap. 35. pag. 168 Of Perken Warbeck and his rebellious Complottors Of the malicious Duchesse of Burgoine Of the great Constancie of a chast Ladie wise vnto the same Perkin pag. 169 Of a Scottish Knight distraught through his Ladies disloyaltie Of his mad passions and speeches of his Death and of her euill ending chap. 36. pag. 171 A Tale of the Bat and the Moole c. chap. 37. pag. 179 Of the Cuckooe and the Owle part of the former Tale. pag. 185 Of Perken Warbecks End Of a Third rebellion pag. 187 Of Empson and Sutton aliàs Dudley pag. 188 The Eight Booke OF King Henry the Eight Of his Sister Mary the French Queen and Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk chap. 38. pag. 190 Of Queene Katherine Dowager c. pag. 191 Of King Edward the sixt his vertuous Raigne c. chap. 39. pag. 192 Of Edward Seimer and Lord Protector Duke of Somerset chap. 40 pag. 195 Of Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland pag. 195 Of the Lord Gilford Dudley and Lady Iane his wife pag. 196 Of Queene Mary chap. 41. pag. 198 Of fayre Rosamund and King Henrie the second pag. 199 Of a Ladie who by patience and quiet policie reclaimed her Lord from wantonnes chap. 42. pag. 202 A Catalogue or Epitomie of all the most valiant and famous Kings of this Land and of their Acts from Brute to her now Maiesties most blessed Raigne chap. 42. pag. 206 An obseruation touching the letter H. pag. 208 The ninth Booke A Fiction alluded to our now most gratious Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth her Persecutors Persecution and her passage thereout chap. 44. pag. 212 More of her Maiesties Troubles wonderful deliuerie pa. 212. c. Of the vntimely Ends of most our English Dukes since the Conquest by way of Caueat to Parasites Rebels and Conspirators chap. 45. pag. 214 The Tale of Narcissus and Eccho chap. 46. pag. 216 A Fiction of their Authoritie from Hell Their present corrupting of Mankind and wherein pag. 218 Of the Chat passed betwixt two old Widowes concerning new Fangles now vsed by women chap. 47. pag. 220 More of their Chat. chap. 47. pag. 222 Of Spaynes ambitious affecting Kingdomes chap. 48 What the Spanyards in Councell cōcluded touching English Papists at their pretended Inuasion of England and of the small securitie wherein Spayne standeth pag. 225. c. The ouerthrow of the Spanish Armada that anno Dom. 1588. threatned the Conquest of England chap. 49. pag. 227 How Sathan by the only sinne of Pride hath euer preuailed cap. 50. pag. 229 The Legend of S. Christofer Of the Popes Drifts and Infirmities pag. 230. and 231 Of the Spanish Inquisition chap. 51. pag. 232 Of the beginning of Iesuists An admonition to such of them as bee our Natiues Of chiefe poynts wherein the Papists dissent from vs in Opinion pag. 233. and 234 Of the Combat betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit chap. 52. pag. 235 How our Religion is autenticall Of the chiefe poynts wherein we dissent from the Papists pag. 236. c. A Commendation of our prosent Gouernment With a remembrance of somewhat that in some Persons faulteth cap. 53. p. 239 Of the Hypocrites of our time pag. 240. c. The Tenth Booke HOw the King of Spayne and Pope first quarrelled vs receiued armed abetted our Rebels and Fugitiues Of the Popes arrogant Bull and of the Scottish Queene c. pag. 242. c. Of the Scottish Queene he Pretexts and intemperate affecting the Crowne of England Her many and most daungerous Conspiracies with a Catalogue of most her trayterous Complottors c. chap. 55. pag. 245. c. Of her lawfull and orderly Triall Of the most deliberate and mercifull handling of her cause c. chap. 56. pag. 248. c. Of her Death c. pag. 250. c. Of what Councell the ciuill warres in France had Originall chap. 57 The beginning of the same ciuill warres By whom and against whom pag. 253. c. How the Spanyard in those Tumults drifted for France The Popes incharitable acting therein Of our Queene her charitable and necessarie succours to the oppressed French and the Progresse of those ciuill warres c. chap. 58. pag. 255 The tragicall historie of King Dauids Children applied c. chap. 59 pag. 256 More of the same Historie chap. 60. pag. 263. c. Of the warres in the Low Countries c. chap. 61. pag. 265. c. The Eleuenth Booke OF Sir Iohn Mandeuil and faire Elenors loue his Prowesse for her sake performed and his departure to trauell strange Countries pag. 296. c. Of Sir Hugh Willough by his Voyage and death Of Chancelor performing the same Voyage pag. 273 Of Discoueries by Chancelor his stately Intertainment and succesfull dispatch of affayres in Russia pag. 274 More of Mandeuil and Elenor and of his Letter sent vnto her c. pag. 275. c. A description of Russia Somewhat of their Manners Religion and Policie c. chap. 65. pag. 278 More of Chancelors laudable Actions and of his death pag. 279 Of Elenor her speeches to one Stafford in answer of Mandeuils Letter c. chap. 66. pag. 281 Of Burrough his Discoueries c. chap. 67. pag. 283 Of Ienkinson his Discoueries and succesfull imployments pag. 284 More of the same pag. 285 Of Mandeuil offered a great Marriage in Aegypt Of Women and Marriage and a Censure of Either chap. 68. pag. 286 More of Ienkinson labouring our affaires in Persia c. chap. 69. pag. 289 The Twelfth Booke OF the meanes whereby Elenor thereof before ignorant had notice that Mandeuil was her Knight beloued cap. 70. p. 292 Of East South Southeast Discouerers and Discoueries c. chap. 71. pag. 295. c. A Woman simply deliuering the Soothe concerning her owne Sexe c. chap. 72. pag. 297 Of the Seuenteene Kingdomes in Tymes by-passed whereof her Maiestie is now sole Monarch c. chap. 73. pag. 300. c. Old Rome discribed in her Ruines chap. 74. pag. 302 Of Romes politicke Gouernement from the Originals vnto Constantines Donation c. pag. 304 Of the Gouernors and Gouernment of Rome since the Papacie chap. 75. pag. 305 Of the free-States in Italie pag. 306. c. A new Reuiuer of an olde Merriment of one crossed in his amorous drifting chap. 76 pag. 307. c. Of Mandeuil and Stafford met at Rome c. pag. 309. c. The residue of the former Merriment chap. 77 pag. 312 Mandeuil and Elenor met and of their loues Euent c. pa. 304 c Aeneidos in Prose pag. 317. c. FINIS ALBIONS ENGLAND THE FIRST BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. I. I Tell of things done long agoe of many things in few And chiefly of this Clyme of ours the Accidents pursue Thou high Director of the same assist mine artlesse pen To write the gests of Brutons stout and actes of English
such woes And how the Gods of Sun and Seas offended doe require Each month a Virgin to appease a seaish Monsters ire Wherefore to saue their common weale the Troyans did agree One Virgin as her Lot did light should pay that monthlie fee. Now after many murdred Maids for monthlie at one day The fearefull Monster at the Port expects his wonted pray The lot fell to Hesione the daughter of the King Whom to the Port to be deuourd with teares the Troyans bring When Hercules thus vnderstoode the hard occasion why The guiltles Lady should haue died he purposing to trie His valiantnesse for what was it that Hercules would flie Did aske the King what gift should grow to him that should both free His Daughter and his kingdome of that bloody monthly fee. The king whom now a doubted hope of profered helpe made glad Made promise of two milk-white Steedes as chiefest gemmes he had Braue Hercules whose ventrous heart did onely hunt for fame Accepts th'assumpsit and prepares the fiend-like fish to tame Anone the dreadfull Diuell driues the Sea before his brest And spitting mighty waues abrode disgorgde from monstrous chest Lifts vp his vgly head aboue the troubled waues to catch The trembling Lady for which pray his yawning iawes did watch But he whose strength exceeded sense with yron Club in fist Did bootlesse long with brusing waight the boistrous Whale resist The greater strokes the fiercer was the monsters awlesse fight So that the Greekes and Troyans all misdoubt their dreadlesse knight Still Hercules did lay on load and held the fight so long That in the end the Sea retirde and left the fish among The bared sands and so for want of water not of strength Good fortune honours Hercules with victorie at length Now when the King his Troyans and the Grecians had behild The substance of the vgly shape euen dreadfull being kild They bring the Champion to the towne with triumphs gifts praise And who but he belou'd in Troy whiles that in Troy he stayes Alone the King a man no doubt predesinate to ill Obseruing how his Subiects bore to Hercules good will And fearing least their loue to him might turne himselfe to hate And seeing now himselfe and land in prosperous estate Vnfriendly did exclude his friend from out his City strong Whilest with his Greekes he hunts abroad mistrustlesse of such wrōg And when the Champion and his men did from their sporte returne Not onely did gain say in Troy that longer they soiourne But also impudent in guiles withheld the Corsers twaine Which Hercules so dearly wonne in hazard to be slayne Alemenas Sonne abashed then to finde so lewd a meede In lieu of well deserued loue was chollerick indeed And made a vow if life gaue leaue he would such vengeance take On Troy that euen the stones thereof for dread of him should quake And that the liuing Troyans then should say and iustly say That they were happie whom the plague and Monster made away And threatning so the trothlesse King did leaue the hated Port And shortly did ariue at Thaebes and feasts in Creons Court. THence brought he war and wrack to Troy and in his armie Kings And by the way Larnessus walles vnto the ground he flings And setteth Tenedos on fire whose fearefull flames espide Gaue Sommons vnto carelesse Troy for worser to prouide Before the Greekes had reached Troy the Troyans by the way Did bid them battaile many men on either part decay The sounding armours crack with blows whilest piercing arrows flie This lyeth dead that same is maimde and more at poynt to die Heads armes and armour flie about and bodies swimme in blood And fresh supplies did fall with them on whom they fighting stood But Hercules aboue the rest bestird himselfe so well That still before his balefull Club by Shocks the Troyans fell Who fainting now seeke to retire into their fensiue towne Where Hercules their Porter was and rudely knockes them downe Thus wonne he Troy and sacked Troy and Chanels flowed blood Nor did he breath whilest any part of all the Citie stood Saue stately Ileon In the same a many Ladies weare Whose piteous teares wrought Hercules that onely place to spare As for the false Laomedon he secretly was fled And valiant Pryamus his sonne to Greece was captiue led CHAP. V. AT home returne Queene Iuno craues his companie at Creat Whom there arriud with hartlesse ioy his stepdame did intreat What Hearest thou not my sonne quoth she how Argiue folke complaine Of Lions three that in their fieldes both men and heardes haue slaine All this she said as knowing him to seeke such hard affaires To win him to which desperate fight no Course nor cost she spares When this was said enough was said and halfe was yet behinde When Hercules did vow redresse and Iuno had her minde He ioyes to heare of that exploit such was his ventrous hart And thanking Iuno for her newes did so from thence depart Philoctes now and Hercules in Nemea Forrest be Long seeking what they could not finde till crying from a tree An Heards-man said friends shift away or else come vp to me Least that those cruell Lions three now ranging in this wood Which haue deuourd those Heards I had and with my Manies bloud Imbrud their fierce deuouring chappes and forced me to clime This Tree where I vnhappie man on leaues haue fed long time May all too soone with tearing teeth destroy you in like case The quaking Heards-man scarce had said thus much when as a pace From out a Thick the Lions three on Hercules did run Philoctes trustlesse of his Prowse by climing did them shun And now the Rampant Lions great whose onely view would quaile An hundred Knights though armed well did Hercules assaile And sometimes with their churlish teeth and pinching pawes againe So grieuously indanger him that neere he faints with paine How beit glorie checking griefe he twaine had now dispatcht The third and dreadfulst of the three though many a blow he catcht Yet neither Club nor Sword had force to harme his hardned Hide Vntill that weapons laid apart by strangling hands he dide Not Hercules himselfe conceaud more ioy of this successe Then did Philoctes who ere while did hope of nothing lesse The Herds-man poore Melorcus like as Hercules him wild Vncaest the Lions fearing long to touch them being kild And in his Cottage to the Knights a Countrey feast he hild The Argiues hearing of this deed with Triumphs him intreate And offer all but leauing all he doth returne to Create Whom glozing Iuno gainst her minde with cost did intertaine And with a tongue repugnant quite to her malicious vaine Commends his deeds whē rather she did wish he had been slaine And therefore with an harder taske his labour did renew But what was it that manhood might and he would not pursue IN Aegypt was a grieuous drought the cause thereof vnknowen Which to redresse their Diuelish Gods and
you shall vs obay But hope not so more profite giues our bountie then our bloes And vninforced tribute may procure your friendly Foes Then Hercules admiring much the Chalengers did yeeld Two aduerse Knights the morrow next should meet them in the field And mounted well on Corsers twaine next light by dawne of day Into the Listes came Hercules and Theseus Mid the way Vpon a brace of milke white Steedes the two Viragoes meete The Knights and each the other did with ciuill Congies greete Then either parte retiring backe began to make their race And couching well their valiant Speares did run a wondrous pace With Menalippe Hercules the fight did vndertake And Theseus with Hippolite did his Encounter make They meeting either part both Horse and load to ground were cast Whereat the Africanes did muse and Scythians were agast Vnhorsed thus disdainefully each Knight defendant tooke it And either Ladie so disgrac'd as scornefully did brooke it Then settle they to handy Armes the which was long and fierce And with their cutting weapons did both Helms and Harnesse pierce But Hercules though neuer matcht so hardie in his life Disarmes at length his Scythian Taske and ended was their strife But Theseus with his Combattesse in doubtfull battell fights Till blushing at the Maidens blowes he checks his mending sprights And laid so hardlie to her charge not able to sustaine His fresh-got force that he also the second Prize did gaine Antiope a third vnto those warlike Sisters twaine Beholding how sinisterly the double fight had past Makes sorow whilst the Africanes reioice for it as fast The Scythians to the Africanes did homage then and pray Their Ladies might be raunsomed That sute did Theseus stay For he through launce his Foe through loue went victoresse away And therefore when th' Athenian Knight and Amazon were matcht In mariage Menalippe then from durance was dispatcht And Hercules then which to him no greater prize could be Had Queene Antiope her Bealt and armour for his fee And sets the dames of Thermodon from other raunsome free And Theseus with Hippolite at Athens landing takes And Hercules to Calidon a Dismall viage makes THeare did King Oeneus bounteously receaue so great a Guest Where scarcely had he any time from passed toiles to rest But that proud Achelous sent Ambassadors to knowe If that King Oeneus on him his daughter would bestowe If not to threaten wreakfull warres which much abasht the King Till Hercules who then was come about the selfe same thing For loue to Deianira both competitors did bring Expelled feare by offring aide to backe him from the Foe By meanes whereof vnsatisfide awaye the Legats goe The Tyrant Achelous then with all Epirus force Inuades the bounds of Calidon and spoyls without remorse But Hercules he leading forth his Armie got the day And well was he amongst his foes that fastest ran away They and their King with hard escape inmure themselues at length Within a Castle neere the Sea an Hold of wonderous strength The Thaebane then as resolute to spoyle both Foe and Fort Did burne his foes forsaken shippes left riding in the Port And with a fewe besets the hold When Achelous he So slender watch about the walles of Enemies did see He scorned that so weake a siege should pen him vp so straight Who hauing ten for one of them did issue out the Gate Against the Greekas that willingly his comming did awaite Espying Hercules he cride lo yond same diuell is he That droue vs out of Calidon who so of mine he be That â—â—aieth him shal be inricht with great rewards by me But he that made such offers large did offer them in vaine For when his men saw Hercules approching them amaine With fierie eyes and angrie lookes and dreadfull Club in fist They thought it needles to assaile and booteles to resiste And euerie man retired backe into the holde againe Wheare many dayes attempting flight they cowardly remaine From warre at length they fell to wieles There lay vpon the shore A broken Hoy that bad not brookt the Seas of long before The Mast they boring full of holes in euerie hole did sticke A burning Torch and lancht it out in night when clouds were thick No sooner was the fierie keele a floate vpon the waues And that the Greekes espyed it but ech man rashly craues The viewing of so strange a sight But Hercules did smell The presupposed Stratagem and raung'd his armie well And marching neere the guilefull light did finde ambushment theare That playing on aduantage thus preuented though appeare Occasion hapning Hercules would not omit the same But tooke them as he found them now and fights it out by aime When Achelous he beheld his guile by guile to faile Wel might he chafe but harder chaunce his courage might not quaile For looke how fierce and boisterouslie a chafed Bull doth fight So Achelous lustilie on either side did smite And by his only prowesse then a many Knights were slaine Whilest Hercules with like successe his Opposits did paine And now by chance amidst the brunt the valiant Woers twaine Doe single and togethers tug and as two Lions strong Each one desiring others bloud did hold a Combate long King Achelous minding her for whom began that broyle To Conquer where he did contend annexed hope to toyle Alâ—menas Sonne remembring too whose cause he did defend Euen hers on whom his being and his very soule depend So chargd his Contrarie with knocks and vsd his Club so well That vanquished though valerous King Achelous fell Th' Epirotes when they saw their King a Captiue led away Their hearts were doone and Hercules subdued them ere day And Achelous in exile did end his latter dayes And all Aetolia was fild with Hercules his praise To whom the King did giue to Wife faire Deianira shee The pleasing prise of that his prowse and dearelie earned Fee Who after of her owne decaye and his the meane should bee The Centaure Nessus was the man that made her erre so much Of which her error but his sinne the circumstance is such CHAP. VIII WHen ouer deepe Euenus Foord the passage did not fit This Giant of a Stature tall did offer helpe to it And Hercules forgetting him for at the Centaures Fray The same vnslaine but not vnskard escaped then away 〈◊〉 pray him to the farther shoare with Deianire to waide And so he did whilst Hercules this side the Riuer staid When Iunos Breed on farther bankes his Passenger had set The lust and long conceaued grudge to foule reuenge did whet Not Deianira could auoid a Rape or little lesse Or Hercules disioynd by Foord giue aide to her distresse One while contrarie to himselfe full humbly he intreates Anon like Hercules indeede he did commaund with threates But first nor latter might preuaile for Nessus halde her thence I may not follow nor in flight is Centaure thy defence Said Hercules His deeds approue his latter saying true For letting flie a fatall
Shaft the Rauisher he slue And though the arrow galled him euen at the very heart Yeat for a while he did indure the not induring smart And hauing brought his trembling Rape into a vallie said See Deianira how thy Loue an end of me hath made Yeat is my death lesse griefe to me then that thou shouldst bestow Thy selfe on such a changing Churle as Hercules I know Sweete Wench I know he dooth preferre contrarie Loues to thee Wherefore my graue the lesse my griefe in this thy good shall be Take this he gaue a folded cloth and to the baene therein He mixed somewhat of his bloud this same quoth he shall win To thee again thy Husbands loue when he shall it estrange For out of doubt I know it I he takes delight in change When thou suspectest such a wrong doe boyle a shirt with this No sooner shall he weare the same herein such vertue is But that his nouell Loue will change and fall whence it did flie Meane while doe not the vnction touch least so the vertue die In all this time betwixt his armes he did the Ladie claspe And hild her so as Hawke a Pray vntill his latest gaspe Then leauing him a liuelesse Coarse mistrusting nought his drift She meaning simply tooke with her the traitours poysned gift And Hercules by this had past the Riuer deepe and wide Who Deianira first imbrast drew from the Centaures side The fatall Shaft that should the death of braue Achilles proue In Phoebus Church by Paris hand for Polixenas loue THe Centaure left vntoombed there Hee Shee and all their traine are come to Lerna whom the King did noblie entertaine Theare had he from their common teares the cruell hauock made By Lernan Hydra whom in Fenne not armies durst inuade His vpper parts had humane forme his nether Serpentine The whole was monstrous yeat his wit more monstrous but most fine For wit is moustrous when the same from vertue doth decline Such were his subtill arguments and still supplies therein That he by often losse of heads was fained heads to winne And wittie thus to others wrong confounded all hee found Propounding questions and a word vnanswered was a wound The Scourge of Tyrants hearing this did promise death or ayde Whilst fearefull Deianira did the contrarie perswade But womans speech from weapons vse might not withdraw him then Til entring Palus he had rousd the Monster from his Denne Disdainfully did Hydra take the presence of his Foe And after subtill arguments to sturdie fight they goe Two blowes at once with Glaue and Taile made Hercules to reele Who since he first had vsed armes the like did neuer feele Not long he borrowed had the Loan but Hydra had the like So either twaine repaye their debt and neither faintly strike But who might stand with Hercules By him the monster fell Who burning vp his vgly shape did passe his soule to hell Which happie fate of Hydras fall left Lerna glad and well From whence to Athens and from thence to Lycia did he saile Then to Hesperia Gerions Realme his outrages to quaile HE by his triple tyrannie for Gerion he was said three headed in respect that him three other Giants aid So spoild and plag'd y e neighbour Realmes with daily wrongs war That all the force of Africa his furie could not barre In Gadira when Hercules his Pillers reared had The which our westerne world not knowne men farther land forbad Then with victorious ships he sets on Gerions chased Fleet And secondly at Megida did either armie meete Theare Gerion with his brothers twaine the Citie did beset And scornefullie aduance themselues as men not to be met Prouiding therefore murall workes they threaten hot assault Whilest Hercules contrarie warres vnto his souldiers taught The Gates wide opned out he comes vnto the Giants three Your men he said are well at worke well met are also wee This lesse then monster more than man a Fiende in humane shape The Spanyard said is he from whom I made so hard escape Yet hardlier shalt thou now escape said Hercules and than Betweene them foure three to one A cruell fight began And euery of the Giants thought himselfe an ouer-match To Hercules who almost gaue to one a quick dispatch The second he dispatcht in deed who fell his latest fall Then thousands came to rescue them yeat one he fights gainst all Till Theseus with the other knights did march their Armie out And ioyne to him their Foes with them and all make battaile stout Then Gerions brother fights againe and both did bathe in bloud It was no fighting where they fought or standing where they stood King Meleus Theseus Hispan and Philoctes did no lesse But soueraignlie the sonne of Ioue bestird him in the presse The Giant Gerions brother then by him did breath his last And Gerion did retire his men into their Gallies fast But where they land theare Hercules wonne landing though he past The Pikes withstanding thousand Swords warding thousand slings Himselfe alone ere that his men to fight on Shore he brings Then Gerion cursing heauen earth bestirre ye friends he cride Now is the time to liue or die let good or bad betide Doe liue as men or die as men see tenne we are for one What lets vs then from victorie that victors haue beene knowne Reuenge your selues reuenge your friends reuenge our cōmō mone Nor did he shrinke from what he said or said not as he wrought His onely deeds were manies death Till Hercules he sought Whome singling after combat long of him his end he cought So to subiection Hespera by Hercules was brought NO better Spanish Cacus sped for all his wondrous strength Whom Hercules from out his Realme debelled at the length A richer King or Tyrant worse liu'd not in any Land Nor any one gainst Hercules in hardier fight did stand Yeat chased by his Conqueror he was inforc'd to flie Vpto a Mountain in those parts where as at poynt to die Through famine by his Magicke Arte he made the Mountaine flame And by that shift escapt his Foe long wondring at the same Then fled the Giant night and day for feare did lend him wings And as about from place to place the wandring Tyrant flings He on a Mount in Italie cal'd Auentine did light Where laboured Cacus did repose his wearied limmes all night In this same Hill he found a Caue which fitting place espide He did resolue in secrecie thenceforth himselfe to hide In that same Mount from sight of men and being theare alone That words at least might vent his woes he maketh thus his mone Ah wretch quoth he no longer King that title now must change Thou late were fearfull vnto all now fearing all must range This ragged Caue must now suffice in stead of Royall seat And though alas the place should please yet want I what to eat Where be my solemne banquets now where is my stately traine My Tributes nay my
proper Goods or doe my friends remaine Not one I feare proud wealth was such that now in time of need I knowe not where to seeke a friend in any hope to speede And yeat despaire not Picus liues indebted much to me For great good turnes to him I will ere here I setled be Thus droue he foorth the dismall night and vp by peepe of day He sped him vnto Calabrie for there King Picus lay His daughters three of long before and still did loue him well And whether with the kings consent or not it so befell He took them all to Auentin and there with him they dwell About his boisterous neck full oft their daintie armes they cast Still plying him with kisses sweet no sport was ouer-past That Cacus would they might worke and more their custome was By pleasant tales in order told the wearie times to passe And once especially it was concluded on a row That each of them should tell her tale the first beginning so CHAP. IX KIng Aganippus ere his death had with his Lords decreed His only daughter Daphles should in Empire him succeed A fairer Ladie liu'd not then and now her like doth lack And nature thinke I neuer will a second She compact The King intombed Daphles of his Scepter was possest And one there was a Noble man that could it not disgest Who for he was of fame and force did bid her battaile and In doubtfull end of victorie their ciuill quarrels stand At length the Argiue Maiden Queene she Doracles subdued But Cacus of this Stratagem a Tragedie ensued Now Loues not Launces came in vre the man that lost the day And lies in Chaines left her in cares her Conquest was his pray Full often did she blame her selfe for louing him her Foe But oftner thought she it more blame not to haue erred so Thus whom in Campe she loathed late in chaines she loued now And thought him sure because so sure To Princes prisoners bow Thinks she and watching fitting time vnto the Prison went Where at the dore of such his Lodge a many teares she spent But entring when her eyes beheld the Image of her hart To her still peerelesse though his bands had altred him in part She casting downe her bashfull eyes stood senceles then a space Yeat what her tonguelesse loue adiornd was extant in her face And now the Goaler left to her the Prisoner and the place Then cheering carefull Doracles let it suffice quoth shee That I repent me of thy bands and frankly set thee free And let that Grace grace-out the rest for more remaines behind Then being said may decent seeme to such as faults will find My selfe my Land my Loue my life and all what so is mine Possesse yet loue and saue my life that now haue saued thine Then sownes She at his sullen feete that yet abode in thrall Which to auoid he faintly rubs his Liuer on his gall And with his hand not with his heart did reare her sinking downe And faining to approue her Choise had promise of the Crowne But neither Crowne nor Countries care nor She worth all the rest Nor grace nor dutie reconcile whom enuie had possest No sooner was he got at large and wealth suppli'd his lack But he to seeke her ouerthrow to forren aids did pack Demaund not how the wronged Queene disgested such her wrong But aske if she the tidings tolde to heare them liu'd so long She liu'd in deede yet sowned oft and sowning ouerpast From her mistempered head she teares her louely Tresses fast And beateth on her Iuorie brests and casts her on the ground And wrings her hands and scricheth out and flingeth vp and downe Her Ladies pittying her distresse had got their Queene to rest From whenceforth outward signes sighs her inward griefe exprest Her sparing Diet seldome sleepe her silence and what not Had framd her now right Louer-like when thus to him she wrot WHat fault of mine hath causd thy flight doth rest in cloudes to me But faultles haue I heard of none and faultie may I be Yet not my Scepter but my selfe haue kingly Suters sought Did all amisse saue thou alone that settest both at nought At nought said I Yea well I said because so easly cought One crime but cite and I for it will shead a million teares And to be penitent of faults with it a pardon beares Ah Doracles if our extreames thy malice and my loue The formers euer ill shall not the latters good remoue I heare thou doest frequent the warres and war thou wilt with mee Forgetfull that my Argiue men impatient Warriours bee Sweet hassard not the same to sword that Loue doth warrant thee Ech Speare that shal but crosse thy Helme hath force to craese my hart But if thou bleede of that thy blood my fainting soule hath part With thee I liue with thee I dye with thee I loose or gaine Liue safe therefore for in thy life consists the liues of twaine Most wisely valiant are those men that backe their armed Steeds In beaten Paths ore boorded Tylthes to break their staffe-like Reeds Wheare not the dint of wounding Launce but some deuise of loue Sans danger hath sufficient wait their manhoods to approue Wheare braue Aspects of louely Dames Tantara to the fight Whose forms perhaps are weg'd in harts whē Fauours wag in sight Whearas the Victors Prize is praise and Trumpets sound ech blow Wheare all is well that seemes but well in courage or in show Wheare Ladies doffe their Champions Helmes and kisse wheare Beauers hid And parlie vnder Canapies how well or ill they did Retire therefore sweet heart retire or if thou wilt be arm'd Then fight as these where all things make that all escape vnharm'd Such manhood is a merriment things present are regarded Not thousand drammes of bloud in warre one drop is here rewarded In few the warres are full of woes but here euen words of warre Haue brauer grace thē works thēselues for Courts frō Campes be far Than are the valiāt who more vaine Than Cowards who more wise Not men that trauell Pegasus but Fortunes fooles doe rise Me thinks I see how churlish lookes estrange thy cheerefull face Me thinks thy gestures talke gate haue changd their wonted grace Me thinks thy sometimes nimble Limbs with armour now are lame Me thinks I see how scars deforme where Swords before did maime I see thee faint with Summers heat and droup with winters cold I see thee not the same thou art for young thou seemest old I see not but my soule doth feare in fight thou art too bold I sorrow lastly to haue seene whom now I wish to see Because I seeloues Oratresse pleads tediously to thee If words nor weepings loue nor lines if ease nor toyle in fight May waine thee from a pleasing ill yet come thou to my sight Perchance my presence may disswade or partnership delight But wo am I dead paper pleads a senceles thing of
woe It cannot weepe nor wring the hands but say that she did so And saieth so vncredited or if then thought of corse Thus thus because not passionate to paper failes remorse O that my griefes my sighes and teares might muster to thy viewe Thē woes not words thē paine not pē should vouch my writing true Yeat fare thou well whose fare-well brings such fare-ill vnto me Thy fare-well lacks a welcome home and welcome shalt thou be These lines subscribed with her name when Doracles did viewe He was so far from liking them that loathing did ensue And least that hope should ease her heart or he not seeme vnkinde In written Tables he to her returned thus his minde The Bees of Hybla beare besides sweet hony smarting stings And beautie doth not want a baite that to repentance brings Cōtent thee Daphles Mooles take mads but mē know Mooles to catch And euer wakes the Dawlian bird to ward the sloe-wormes watch I haue perus'd I wot not what a scrole forsooth of loue As if to Dirus in his Tent should Cupid cast his gloue A challenge proper to such Sottes as you would make of me But I disdaine to talke of Loue much more in Loue to be Nor thinke a Queene in case of Loue shall tie me to consent But holde the contrarie more true and it no consequent For persons must in passions iumpe els Loue it proueth lame Nor thinke I of a Womans graunt but as a Woers game Your Sex withstands not place and speach for be she baese or hie A Womans eye doth guide her wit and not her wit her eye Then senceles is he hauing speach that bids not for the best Euen Carters Malkings will disdaine when Gentrie will disgest The better match the brauer Mart and willinger is sought And willing sute hath best euent so Vulcan Venus cought I argue not of her estate but set my Rest on this That opportunitie can win the coyest She that is Then he that rubs her gamesome vaine and tempers toyes with Arte Brings loue that swimmeth at her eyes to diue into her hart But since the best at best is bad a Shrow or els a Sheepe Iust none at all are best of all and I from all will keepe Admit I come and come I then because I come to thee No when I come my comming is contrarie sights to see My leasure serues me not to loue till fish as haggards flie Till Sea shall flame till Sunne shall freese tyll mortall men not die And Rriuers climing vp their bankes shall leaue their channels dry When these shall be and I not be then may I chance to Loue And then the strangest change will be that I a Louer proue Let Beuers hide not busses hurt my lips for lips vnfit Let skarred limbes not carefull Loues to honor honor get I skorne a face effeminate but hate his bastarde minde That borne a man prepostrously by Arte doth alter kinde With fingers Ladie-like with lockes with lookes and gauds in print With fashions barbing formeles beards and robes that brooke no lint With Speare in wrest like painted Mars frō thought of battaile free With gate and grace and euery gaude so womanly to see As not in nature but in name their manhood seemes to bee Yea sooner then that maiden heares bud on his Boyish chinne The furie of the fierie God doth in the foole beginne And yeat to winne whō would be wonne these woo with lesser speed Then might be wun a towne of warre the croppe not worth the seede But let them trauaile till they tire and then be ridde for Iaides If Gamesters faire if Souldiers milde or Louers true of Maides Who loue in sporte or leaue in spight or if they stoupe to luer Their kindnes must haue kindely vse faultes onely make them suer Did fancie no did furie yea hang vp the Thracian Maide The wonders seuen should then be eyght could loue thee so perswade But loue or hate fare ill or well I force not of thy fare My welcome which thou doest pretend shall proue a thankelesse care When Daphles heard him so vnkind she held her selfe accurst And little lacked of so well but that her heart did burst And wheare she read the churlish scrole she fell into a sowne But brought againe vpon a bed her selfe she casteth downe Not rising more and so her loue and life together end Or if I so may gesse in death her soule did liue his friend The Queene enterr'd and Obbit kept as she in charge did giue A Knight was shipt to Calidon wheare Doracles did liue To offer him as her bequest the Argiue Throne and Crowne Not that we force or feare quoth he thy fauour or thy frowne We moue this peace or make thee Prince but Daphles swore vs so Who louing more then thou couldst hate nor liu'd nor died thy Foe And is she dead quoth Doracles that liued to my wrong I gladly doe accept these newes expected-for of long The Lord and Legate were imbarkt and Ship ran vnder saile Vntill into the Argiue Strond the Mariners did haile To Daphles by adoption theare inthronized a King He diuers yeares good fortune had successiue in each thing All friends no Foes all wealth no want still peace and neuer strife And what might seeme an earthly Heauen to Doracles was rife A Subiect but a Noble man did ritchly feast the King And after meat presented him with many a sight and thing Theare was a chamber in the which portraied to the quick The Picture of Queene Daphles was and deepely did it prick The King his conscience and he thought her like did not remaine So whome her person could not pearce her Picture now did paine A Kissing Cupid breathing loue into her breast did hide Her wandring eies whilst to her heart his hand a Death did guide Non moerens morior for the Mott inchased was beside Her curtesie and his contempt he calleth then to minde And of her beautie in himselfe he did a Chaos finde Recalling eke his late degree and reckning his desart He could not think or faintly thought his loue to sterne her heart And to the Maker of the feast did such his thoughtes impart And doubtes your Grace the Feaster said if Daphles lou'd or no I wish I hope I wish no harme she had not loued so Or you not loathed as you did then she had liued yet To what her latest speach did tend I neuer shall forget My selfe with diuers noble men whose teares bewraid our care Was present when her dying tongue of you did thus declare My hap quoth she is simpley bad that cannot haue nor hope Was euer wretch I wretch except held to so skant a scope I see him roue at other markes and I vnmarkt to be I finde my fault but followe it whilest death doth followe me Ah death my Lords dispaire is death and death must ransome blisse Such Ransome pleaseth Doracles and Daphles Pliant is Not bootlesse then since breathles strait
tickles too no blab she thinks the Bush. Thus whilst she thinkes her Sister Nunne to be a merrie Lasse The Wanton did disclose himselfe and told her who he was Away the Virgin would haue fled whom he withhild by force Thy loue sweet Nymph hath vrg'd this shift wel worthy thy remorse He said nor scorne with me a King to ioyne thy selfe a Queene Or doe but loue and I will liue in Phoebes Celles vnseene And theare in beds in bushes heere My fainings fit so well We may enioy what loue enioynes and none our scapes shall tell She would not loue he could not leaue she wrangleth and he wooeth She did resist he did persist and sport denied dooeth That done which could not be vndone what booteth discontent As good bee pleas'd as not be eas'd away Calisto went To Cloyster Iupiter to Court nor much she did repent Vntill her growing wombe disclosed an ante-cedent fault Then in the Chapter house she told of Iupiters assault Diana and her virgins all admyring that escape Did gird at her maligning Ioue for such his subtill Rape And who more ready to controule then Athalanta was Whome shortly Meleager brought vnto the selfe same pas The Lady Abbesse did discharge Calisto from her Cell And silly Nymph she great with child some other wheare must dwell Pelasgis it was Iupiters and he her cause of blame The King her father in exile her selfe in this defame What then remain'd euen secrecie to hyde her selfe from shame Keepe close quoth she frō world ye woods mine error Ioue his crime And setling theare in simple Caue did waite her childing tyme. At length was hairy Arcas borne no sooner could he go But that his wildnes eiked to his wretched Mothers wo. No beast so strong that he would shunne and man he neuer sawe Nor yeat his vexed mother could from fearcenes him withdrawe Long time the daughter of a King she liued thus in Caue Not wanting griefe but wanting all that poorest wretches haue And worst of all her sauage sonne whose manners did agree Vnto his birth-place howerly threats his mothers death to bee And angrie once pursued her so long from place to place That euen into the Citie gates he followed her in chase The people when they did behold so fayre a nimph in flight A Beare-like Arcas in pursute for being naked quite His skinne was swart and hairie they did wonder at the sight And some that would his passage stop he rudely casteth downe And spares no spoyle vntill the sight was noysed through the towne Then out came Iupiter in armes whom when Calisto knewe Helpe Ioue she cryde for loe thy sonne his mother doth pursue He knewe his Leiman at the first and ioyed of her sight Then kisse they when the Sauage boy by force did leaue to fight Calisto liued Ladie like yea Iunos Riuall now And Arcas nobly mannaged such vertues him indow That Ioue consenting him for King Pelasgis did allow A Sonne well worthy such a Syer and for his prowes and fame Pelasgis then of Arcas tooke Arcadia to name BVt neither might these Ladies faire by any pleasant tale Or dazeling toye of masking loue sweet Consorts to preuaile Disswade outragious Cacus from vnpatientnes of mind Who in his greatest tyrannies did chiefest pleasures finde He sleas the harmles Passengers from eldest soule to childe He burnes and spoyles the neighbour parts and women he defild And to his Caue Troponius Caue did bring the spoiles he gaines In which except to doe more harme he secretly remaynes Whilst none did passe that did repasse vnspoyled or vnkild None knowing how all Italie with feare thereof was fild But lo an helpe when Hercules had slaughtered out-right Tenne Giants of Cremona Kings and put the leauenth ' to flight From thence the worthie did ariue with his victorious band At King Euanders Cittie that by Auentin did stand Amongst a many richer Spoyles though none to him so rare He brought a sort of Spanish kine Euander taking care Because the like misfortunes oft had hapned theare before Least Hercules should loose his kyne of which he made such store Gaue counsell that within the walles they might be kept all night And better to approue his words with teares he did recite The murthers thefts and cruelties without compassion made Vpon his subiects and their goods by whom could not be said But that the Gods for so they gesse for sinne them so inuade I am resolu'd quoth Hercules wheare Gods do vengeance craue It is not strong or fensiue walles that any thing can saue My Kyne shall therefore grase abroad if mortall man it be Then know a tyrant is my taske his blood the Taskers fee. The Cattell grasing then abroad as was his vse alwaies The Gyant left his cruell Denne to seeke his cursed praies The Moone not wanting of her light the Kine he did espye And knowing them he also knewe his feared Foe was nye And far much better feare had bin then malice at that tyde But hardly shunneth policie what destinies prouide He might haue lurkte a while in Denne but of a peeuish spight Eight of the Kine with fastned cords by pollicie and might He dragged backward by their tailes into his diuelish nest Then stopping vp the subtill hole did laye him downe to rest Now Hercules the rather prickt by King Euanders talke Into the fieldes to see his Kine by prime of day did walke Where missing eight he could not gesse which waie they shuld be gō A many therefore had in charge to search them out anon The Searchers following euery signe great store of footings found Descending from Mount Auentine into the lower ground But for the footings did descend and not ascend they thought Of no such cunning as in deed in Auentine was wrought Alcaeus Grand-sonne searching long the Thefts he could not finde Was much disquieted in himselfe and angrie in his minde And chafing when he should depart he twise or thrise did shake A Tree that grew on Auentine which rooted vp did make So large a vent that one might view they hollow caue belowe And Cacus with his Leash of wiues they were disclosed so Whome when the Greeke espied theare O gracelesse King he said Whose Tyrannies haue made the Realmes of Hespera afraid Whose cruelties haue been the cause of al the losse thou hast What moueth thee in Italie to prosecute such waste Thinkste thou whom neither mightie Realmes nor royal Gards of mē Could late defend now to escape inclosed thus in den The iust reuengment of the Godds no no the Heauens we see Haue brought to light a wretch so lewd euen by a senceles Tree And since that neither wealth nor want to goodnes may thee win A greeuous death condignly shall cut off thy grounded sinne To it did Cacus answere thus doest thou pursue me stil Who onely art the chiefest cause of these my doings ill Not suffering me to liue the rest of mine vnhappie daies Among the fruitlesse Rocks a
wretch in miserie alwaies Cease further prate said Hercules in troth it greeueth much To see a King in this Distresse but since thy life is such As neither in aduersitie nor prosperous estate Thou canst afford one iot of good I purpose to rebate Thy wicked dayes by worthy death prepare therefore to dye When Cacus sawe he must perforce so harde a combate trye He by inchanted flames againe endeuored to flye But Hercules deluded once by that deuise before Had learned now for being so deceiued any more And casting feare aside did leape into the flaming Caue And theare by Arte did conquer Arte. The Gyant then to saue Himselfe did take his Axe in hand wheare Hercules and he Couragiously bestirre themselues vntill they did agree To trye it out in open ayre So doubtfull was their fight That Lookers on could not discerne to whether best should light The frighted Ladies did their best to helpe their fighting friend But Hercules had victorie and Cacus had his end CHAP. XII FOr Gyants of Cremona slayne and Cacus ridded so The Latine Princes prayse on him and presents did bestoe Wheare Rome is now Pallantia then Euander hee did frame A temple and to Hercules did dedicate the same And he intreated thereunto in Italie did stay To honor whome did Princes come from farre and euerie waye King Faunus had affaires abroad when from Laurentum came His wife Marica Facua some this louely Queene doe name From liking did shee fall in loue with Hercules and he More readie to haue made demaunde then like to disagree Conceauing her by circumstance so coupled by contract That had King Faunus neuer liu'd Latinus had not lackt Yeat home came Faunus fathering his late Corriuals act But whether gotten lawfully or thus in loue forbod Latinus Brute his Gran-dames Syer was sonne vnto a God WHilst that in loue of this same Queene and lande of all besides The vanquisher of Vulcans sonne in Italie abides Of Calabries a mightie host King Picus he prouides And in reueng of Cacus swore his Slayer should be slaine But he ere long that so did sweare vnsweared it againe When chased home into his holdes theare sparred vp in gates The valiant Thebane all in vaine a following fight awaites Who for dispatch did fayne himselfe a Legate to the King And him the Porters as the same before their Tyrant bring Then shaking off his ciuil robes his shining Armes appeare And renting downe 〈◊〉 â—roâ— sparre both Prince and people feare Some ran to Armor other some did fight with him their last Both court and Cittie in the end did lay vpon him fast Theare Picus worthely did winne of valiantnesse a name Yeat Hercules more valiantly by death did Picus tame And to attend their King his ghoste he sendeth flocke by flocke His furie was as fier to Ferne his foes as waues to Rocke Nor did his Lyons Spoyle giue place to darting or to knocke Meane tyme his men assault without whil'st he assayles within Wheare fighting to beate downe the Gates he so the Goale did win Within the King his ransackt Court he Iole espyes Whose teares then mounting froÌ„ her hart dismount theÌ„ froÌ„ her eyes King Picus now a lifeles corse was Father of this Mayde In vaine therefore did Hercules her pensiuenesse disswayde Nor could he but lament her fate and loue so sweete a face Whose person also did containe the type of female grace At first she was so farre from loue she rather seem'd to hate Yeat could she not so giue the Checke but that she tooke the Mate Then eithers loue was eithers life poore Deianira she Was out of commons yea of thought an other had her fee. WIth this so faire and portly wench he sayled into Thrace And heares how Diomedes did tyrannize in that place No Straunger scapes vnraunsomed but Raunsome wanting then He casteth them as prouender to Horses eating men A Garde of Tyrants like himselfe attending on him still Who richly did maintaine themselues by such their doings ill The Scourge of such was moued not to be remoued now By Iole whose louing teares such labours disalow With Diomedes and his Garde in Forrest did he meete Who with their common Stratagem the Stranger thinke to greete Hands of commaunded Hercules for Horse I am no hay All Straungers Raunsom once for all my comming is to pay Which sayd himselfe against them all began a noble fray The sturdie Thracians mightie men did hardly loose their ground But than the King a mightier man not any wheare was found These all at once assayle and strike and thunder on his Sheeld But number fitted to his force vnwonted so to yeeld For with his club he skuffles then amongst their Curets so That speedie death was sweeter dole then to suruiue his blo Well mounted comes the King himselfe whom he dismounts anon But reseued to his Horse againe away he would be gon Lesse hasâ—e he sayd I Harts out-runne noâ— shalt thou me out-ride Out stripping so the man-feade horse he topled ore his side The Monstrous King that resculesse to flying people cride Who lying all to frusâ—hed thus the sonne of Ioue did bring His cruell Iades that soone deuoure their more than cruell King The Thracians all submit themselues and ioye their Tyrants death And thinke some God had left the Heauens to succour men on earth From such as what they would they will and what they will they can And what they can they dare and doe and doing none withstan Nor thought they better of the man then did his deedes approue That neuer was a Conqueror vnto his owne behoue But to establish vertuous men and Tyrants to remoue This common Soldiour of the world with Iole did land In Lycia and the earth in peace discharged theare his band Sweete busses not sharpe battels then did alter man and minde Till he as others sorrowe in securitie did finde From Assur went the Empire then when Tonos he had time To court his Trulles Arbaces so espying place to clyme Secure in Tomyris her flight was valiant Cyrus slaine From Capua not from Cannas grewe braue Hanibal his baine The same to whose victorious Sword a second world was sought That Macedon in court not Campe to traytrous end was brought A louer not a Soldiour went Achilles to his graue And Caesar not in steele but silke to Rome his farewel gaue Euen so this second vnto none superior vnto all To whome did sooner Causes cease then Conquests not befall This monster-Master Hercules this Tyrant-Tamer hee Whose high Exploytes did leaue the earth from spoyl spoylers free In pleasures did he perish now that did in perils thriue A greeuous Taske I vndertake his dying to reuiue CHAP. XIII WHen Deianira vnderstood her busbands back returne She thought it strange that he froÌ„ her so strangely did soiorne Explorers sent to search the cause returne was made that he Did loyter in a Strangers Loue and Iole was she That euer hanged at his lips and hugged
Lady Flood of Floods the Ryuer Thamis it Did seeme to Brute against the foe and with himselfe to fit Vpon whose fruitful bancks therefore whose bounds are chiefly said The want-les Counties Essex Kent Surrie and wealthie Glayde Of Hartfordshire for Citties store participating ayde Did Brute build vp his Troy-nouant inclosing it with wall Which Lud did after beautifie and Luds-towne it did call That now is London euermore to rightfull Princes trewe Yea Prince and people still to it as to their Storehouse drewe For plentie and for populous the like we no wheare vewe Howbe-it many neighbour townes as much ere now could say But place for people people place and all for sinne decay When Brute should dye thus to his Sonnes hee did the Isle conuay To Camber Wales to Albnact he Albanie did leaue To Locrine Brutaine whom his Queene of life did thus bereaue THe furious Hun that drowning theare to Humber left his name The King did vanquish and for spoyle vnto his Nauie came Where Humbars Daughter Parragon for beautie such a Dame As Loue himselfe could not but loue did Locrine so inflame That Guendoleyne the Cornish Duke his daughter Locrins Queene Grewe in contempt and Coryn dead his Change of Choyse was seene To Cornwall goes the wrothfull Queene to seaze her Fathers Land Frō whence she brought to worke reuenge of warriours stout a band And bids her husband battell and in battell is he slaine And for their Sonne in Nonage was she to his vse did raine The Lady Estrild Locrins Loue and Sabrin wondrous faire Her husbands and his Leimans impe she meaning not to spare Did bring vnto the water that the wenches name doth beare There binding both and bobbing them then trembling at her yre She sayd if Scythia could haue hild the wandring King thy Syre Then Brittish waters had not been to him deserued bayne But Estrild snout-fayre Estrild she was sparde forsooth to traine With whorish tricks a vicious King But neither of you twaine Thou stately Drab nor this thy Brat a bastard as thy selfe Shall liue in triumph of my wrong first mother and her Elfe Shall fish in Flood for Humbars soule and bring him newes to hell That Locrins wife on Locrins whore reuenged her so well They lifting vp their lillie hands from out their louely eyes Powre teares like Pearles wash those Cheekes where naught saue beautie lyes And seeking to excuse themselues mercie to obtaine With speeches good and praiers faire they speake and pray in vaine Queene Guendoleyne so bids and they into the Flood are cast Whereas amongst the drenching waues the Ladies breath their last As this his Grandame such appear'd Mempricius Madans sonne Whose brother Manlius traytrously by him to death was donne And since of noble Brute his line prodigious things I tell I skipping to the Tenth from him will shewe what then befell ABout a thirtie yeares and fiue did Leir rule this Land When doting on his Daughters three with them he fell in hand To tell how much they loued him The Eldest did esteeme Her life inferior to her loue so did the second deeme The yongest sayd her loue was such as did a childe behoue And that how much himselfe was worth so much she him did loue The formost two did please him well the yongest did not so Vpon the Prince of Albanie the First he did bestoe The Middle on the Cornish Prince their Dowrie was his Throne At his decease Cordellas part was very small or none Yeat for her forme and vertuous life a noble Gallian King Did her vn-dowed for his Queene into his Countrie bring Her Sisters sicke of Fathers health their husbands by consent Did ioyne in Armes from Leir so by force the Scepter went Yeat for they promise pentious large he rather was content In Albanie the quondam King at eldest Daughters Court Was setled scarce when she repines and lessens still his Port. His secōd Daughter thē he thought would shewe her selfe more kind To whom he going for a while did franke allowance finde Ere long abridging almost all she keepeth him so loe That of two bads for betters choyse he backe againe did goe But Gonorill at his returne not onely did attempt Her fathers death but openly did hold him in contempt His aged eyes powre out their teares when holding vp his hands He sayd O God who so thou art that my good hap withstands Prolong not life deferre not death my selfe I ouer-liue When those that owe to me their liues to me my death would giue Thou Towne whose walles rose of my welth stand euermore to tell Thy Founders fall and warne that none do fall as Leir fell Bid none affie in Friends for say his Children wrought his wracke Yea those that were to him most deare did lothe and let him lacke Cordella well Cordella sayd she loued as a Child But sweeter words we seeke than sooth and so are men beguild She onely rests vntryed yet but what may I expect From her to whom I nothing gaue when these doe me reiect Then dye nay trye the rule maye fayle and nature may ascend Nor are they euer surest friends on whom we most doe spend He ships himselfe to Gallia then but maketh knowne before Vnto Cordella his estate who rueth him so poore And kept his theare ariuall close till she prouided had To furnish him in euery want Of him her King was glad And nobly entertayned him the Queene with teares among Her duetie done conferreth with her father of his wrong Such duetie bountie kindnes and increasing loue he found In that his Daughter and her Lord that sorrowes more abound For his vnkindly vsing her then for the others crime And King-like thus in Agamps Court did Leir dwell till time The noble King his Sonne-in-lawe transports an Armie greate Of forcie Gawles possessing him of dispossessed Seate To whom Cordella did succeede not raigning long in queate Not how her Nephewes warre on her and one of thē slew th' other Shall followe but I will disclose a most tyrannous mother CHAP. XV. GOrbodugs double Issue now when eighteene Kings were past Hild ioyntly Empyre in this land till Porrex at the last Not tyed so by brotherhood but that he did disdaine A fellowe King for neuer can one Kingdome brooke of twaine Did leuie secrete bands for dread whereof did Ferrex flye And out of Gallia bringeth Warre in which himselfe did dye Then Porrex only raigned heere and ruled all in peace Till Iden mother Queene to both her furie did increase So fearcely as she seekes reuenge euen in the highest degree Why liueth this quoth she a King in graue why lyeth he Dye Iden dye nay dye thou wretch that me a wretch hast made His ghost whose life stood in thy light commaundeth me of ayde Nor want I Ferrex will to ayde for why the Gods I see Deferre reuenge nor with a Deuill the Deuils disagree The heauens me thinks with thūderbolts should presse his soule to hell
Belles offend the Romaine eares When Caesars oft succesles fight had tyred him and his Inringed with his mayhmed Campe the Romane speaketh this Are these same Bands those selfe-same Bands that neuer fought in vaine And ye the men that following still my Standard still did gaine Euen these and ye are verie those nor can I discommend Your manhoodes that with lesser work brought greater Wars to end But not as was my wont to wright the Senate now shall reede I came I sawe I ouer-came such Foes forbid such speede Nor let the Senate muse for Troy with Troy doth here contend This warlike people fame is so from whence sprong we discend Yea if Aeneas had not left the Phrygian Gods to vs And Greekes Palladium Shipt to Greece this Fortune foyling thus I would haue thought those very Gods had followed our anoy But them haue we these onely haue vndanted harts from Troy But what shall Caesar doubt to fight against so brauea Foe No Caesars Tryumphes with their Spoyles shall giue the brauer shoe Ye Gods that guide our Capitoll Mount Palatin thou Throne Of stately Rome ye Followers too of her affayres each one Delay not but depriue me quite my Triumphes now in hand Nor let me liue if so I leaue vnconquered this Land This Land the last of Westerne Isles an Isle vnknowen ere this Which famous now through Caesars fight and our misfortune is Enough my fellow friends in Armes enough we Romaines haue To seeke reuenge your Conquest loe a Countrie rich and braue And which perswadeth victorie in Troynouant there bee That hold that Citie to our vse the Brutons disagree No Scot or Pichte assisting them in these our Warres I see Their ciuill strife will proue their scourge how stout soere they seeme And perpetuitie doth faile in euery thing extreeme Not Fortune still is good or bad and now let be our day Too long we liue if that so long we shall on trifles stay Said Caesar. And with such his words did so inflame his men That with lesse patience did they liue than linger battell then The Romaines bid the Bace and then did cruell Warre begin And little wanted that the Brutes the better did not win But Caesar so foresawe Supplies and Succors here and theare Perswading this disswading that controuling flight and feare That after many Romaines slaine the Brutons tooke their flight To Southerne Shores whereas to proofe Cassiuelan did fight With oft Eruptions out of Woods vntill the traiterous Knight The Earle of London yeelds his Charge and Citie to the Foe Through which disloyall president did other Cities soe And then with hard-won Tribute hence the Conquerour did goe BVt he that wonne in euery Warre at Rome in ciuill Robe Was stab'd to death no certaintie is vnderneath the Globe The good are enuied of the bad and glorie finds disdaine And people are in constancie as Aprill is in raine Whereof amidst our serious penne this Fable intertaine An Asse an Old-man and a Boye did through a Citie passe And whil'st the wanton Boye did ride the Old-man led the Asse See yonder doting foole said Folke that crauleth scarce for age Doth set the Boye vpon his Asse and makes himselfe his Page Anon the blamed Boy alightes and lets the Old-man ride And as the Old-man did before the Boye the Asse did gide But passing so the people thē did much the Old-man blame And told him Churle thy limbes bee tough the Boye should ride for shame The fault thus found both Man and Boye did backe the Asse and ride Then that the Asse was ouer-charg'd each man that met them cride Now both a-light and goe on foote and leade the emptie Beast But then the people laugh and say that one might ride at least With it they both did vndershore the Asse on either side But then the wondring people did that witles pranke deride The Old-man seeing by no waies he could the people please Not blameles then did driue the Asse and drowne him in the Seas Thus whil'st we be it will not be that any pleaseth all Els had bin wanting worthely the noble Caesars fall CHAP. XVIII AVgustus quayling Anthonie was Emperour alōe In whose vn-focd Monarchie our cōmon health was knowne The Brooser of the Serpents head the Womans promisd Seede The Second in the Trinitie the Foode our soules to feede The Vine the Light the Doore the Way the Shepheard of vs al Whose Manhood ioynd to Deitie did Raunsome vs from thrall That was and is and euermore will be the same to his That sleepes to none that wake to him that turns our Cursse to blisse Whom yet vnseene the Patriarkes saw the Prophets haue foretold Th'apossles preacht the Saints adore and Martyres doe behold The same Augustus Emperour in Palestine was borne Amongst his owne and yeat his owne did crosse their Blisse in skorne Bi-formed Ianus then in Mewe so would this Prince of Peace That Caesars Edict euerie wheare should Mars his enuie ceace THen raigned here King Cymbelyn King Theomantius sonne Next him Guiderius that with-held the Tribute Caesar wonne The Romaines that in our respect neglected Misia Spaine Armenia France and Siria then Recusants of their Raine Not by their Captaines but himselfe the Emperour of Rome Into relapsed Brutaine with imperiall Ensignes come Then hotter than the Punike Warres to Romaines did begin And Claudius looseth valiantlie all that the Brutons win But Romish Hamo from whose death Southhampton had that name In Brittish Armes salutes the King and slewe by guile the same Duke Aruiragus vsing then the Armor of the King Maintained fight and wonne the field ere Brutons knewe the thing This hardie Knight his Brother slaine was Crowned in his place And with his winnings also wonne the Emperour to grace Who sending for his daughter faire Genissa so did ende The Warres in Wedding and away did Claudius Caesar wende But Aruiragus after this reuolted and to stay The hauocke made of Romaines here came succors euery day His Queene Genissa childing died when his Reuolt she knew And Voada deuorsed late became his Queene of new Then he that at Ierusalem the fatall siege begonne Was sent from Rome and warring here the wonted Tribute wonne And through his gentle Victorie bound Aruiragus still A friend to Caesar whome the King adopted heire by will I here omit the dismall Warre in Isle of Mona made Against the Romaines whome the Priests the Druides inuade With banning words and women with their haire vntrussed stand With brands of fire in furious wise about their desperat Band. The King deceased Voada and her two daughters they Abused by the Romaine Lords doe hotter warres assay THe noble Scot King Corbred he confedrates with the King of Pichts and they and Brittish Peeres to field their Armies bring To aide the Queene of Brutes that like the Amazonian Dame That beating downe the bloodie Greekes in Priams succour came Had pight her Iauelin at her feete when entred in among The fearce confedrates
Kings oppresse the mightier ones the weake Each trifling cause sufficing here their loue and leagues to breake One seazeth of his Neighbours Realme and is disseaz'd ere-long For Empire some for Enuie some and some to right their wrong Contend vnto their common losse and some like Monsters rain As Sigâ—ert who for tyrannie did banishment sustaine He wandred vnbewailed long a man whom men exempt From house and helpe pursuing him with capitall contempt Forlorne therefore with drouping lims and dropping eies in vaine He frendles walks the fruitles Woods and foodles did complaine A Swineheard meeting him by chaunce and pitying his estate Imploy'd the Westerne King vnknowne on his affaires to wait Nor did the needie King disdaine such roome for such reliefe An vnder-Swineheardship did serue he sought not to be chiefe But when by speech and circumstance his Maister vnderstood His seruant was the somtimes King blood cries quoth he for blood My giltles Master in thy pompe thou Tyrant diddest slay Nor vnreuenged of his death thou shalt escape away With that he tooke a Libbat vp and beateth out his braines And dead so odious Tyrants be not one for him complaines NOt all so ill yeat cause of worse vnto the English state Was Osbert of Northumberland his loue did winne him hate Enamored on Lord Buerns wife as tired in the Chace He left the Hounds and with a fewe dismounts at Buerns Place Her husband absent heartely his Lady entertaines The King and feasts him Royally not sparing cost or paines But he that fed on Fansies food and hungred whil'st he eates Thought Venus sparer in her loues then Ceres in her meates The Trayne and table voyded then he taking her apart Directs her by his tongue and teares vnto his louing heart Delay he sayth breedeth doubts but sharpe deniall death Or do not long surcharge my blisse or soone discharge my breath For if my praiers adde no edge vnto thy begged doome The vintage of my thriftlesse loâ—e is blasted in the bloome Be fauorable to my fire for thy sweete sake be bolde I durst attempt euen Hell if hell so sweete a thing might holde Doe thinke her coie or think her chaste my Censure I suspend Some Women yeeld not at the first yeat yeeld they in the ende She gaue repulses to his lust and he replies of Loue Not all the Writs Diana had might Cupids Plaint remoue She countermaunding his demaund he ceased Courting now And did with her by violence what vertues disalow And then departed leauing her in selfe-conceit disgraste More trespassed then some would thinke and yeat perhaps as chaste Home came her Lord whose browes had buds and found his wife in tears And foolish thing she told a troth for which reueÌ„ge he swears But so the man did proue a beast he better might haue hid it Some such are mistically domme yeat domly doe forbid it His Wiues escapes done secretly if by the man detected Shewes hilled buÌ„ps supposed buÌ„ps meerehornes not hornes suspected At Denmarke in his Cosins Court he telleth of his wrong And gaines against his soueraigne Lord of Danes an Armie strong Hungar and Hubba and himselfe Conductors of this Hoast Did with their forren forces land and spoyle the Northerne Coaste The vicious valiant Osbret that had vanquished ere then The King and Kingdome of the Scots though wanting armes men Thought skorne his foes should beard him so bar him vp in walles And therefore issuing out of Yorke vpon the Danes he falles A Bloodie Bargaine then begonne no fight might fearcer be And of the Danish part were slaine for euery English three But manhood lost and number wonne the Danes they got the fielde And Osbret dyed valiantly that not to liue would yeeld MEane while the Danes with fresh supplies ariue at euerie Shore And warre almost in euery shire infesting England sore With whome couragious Etheldred contended long in vaine By them was he King Ella and the holy Edmund slaine Nothing was done but all vndone till King Alured hee In daunger of his Royall selfe did set his subiects free For euery day in euery place the Danes did so increase That he nor any English King enioy one day of peace Nor mightier men at Armes than they might any wheare be found Who in their diuers Wars els-where did diuers Realmes confound For as the Gothes the Vandales Hunnes and Saxons earst did range So now the Danes did plague the world as sent by interchange This Westerne and victorious king and greatest Monarke heere Perceiuing of this spoyled Isle a toward Ruine neere Disguised like a Minstrill poore did haunt the Danish Tents And with his feats and melodie the Enemie presents And of their sloth their gluttonie and Counsels priuie so He tooke aduantage giuing them a sodaine ouerthrow And sâ—ayeth Hubba Hungar and the Cause of their repayr And putteth all to sword and Seas that vnbaptized wair Yeat to Northumberland return'd fearce Gurmond with the Danes Meane time did king Alured die the Hatchet of their Tranes But Adelstane one king betwixt not onely clear'd the Land Of Danes but of all England had sole Empire in his hand Thus of this long dismembred Realme was he the onely King In which till Egelred his raigne did prosper euerie thing He raigning much of England then the Lordly Danes did hold Exacting Tributes euery yeare and selling Peace for Gold And which no doubt did hatch those Plagues the King a wicked one Did enter by his Brothers blood extorting thus his Throne King Edgar that subdu'd the Scots and slaughtered the Danes And of the VVelch had tribute Wolffs of whom it more remaines That as it were in Triumph-wise Eight Vnder kings did roe Him Sterns-man on the Riuer Dee with diuers honors moe This Edgar by a former wife had Edward by an other This Egelred a Sonne vnto a kind and cruell Mother For as she labors to preferre her owne by well and ill So to destroy her Son-in-law she wanted meanes not wil. And meanes did hit King Edward hunts and hunting lost his Traine Whom man-les at her Castle Corfe the Queene did entertaine He hauing seene to whom he came in curtesie to see Made haste away in Quest of them that still a hunting be And when he mounted should depart to him his Stepdame drinkes Whom pledging him an Hierling stab'd life-les downe he sinkes Thus Egelred obtain'd the Crowne but for his crâ—wing so His Subiects grudge and he became a Preface to their woe For when this proud and vitious king was neither lou'd of his Nor liued safely for the Danes his secret Edict is That sodainely in one selfe hower throughout the Land should passe charge A common Massaker of Danes which so performed was Hartfordia VVelwyn VVealth-wyn then for promptnesse in that Beginning other Townes as it themselues from Danes inlarge CHAP. XXI THis common muâ— her of the Danes was common mirth to all The English whom they did oppresse with slaueries not small Compelling meÌ„
shall returne their Disaduantage thus If ye obserue no shore is left the which may shelter vs And so hold out amidst the Rough whil'st they hale in for Lee Whereas whil'st men securely sayle not seldome shipwracks bee What should I cite your passed Acts or tediously incence To present Armes your faces shewe your hearts conceiue offence Yea euen your courages deuine a Conquest not to faile Hope then your Duke doth prophecie and in that hope preuaile A People braue a terren Heauen both Obiects wroth your warres Shall be the Prizes of your Prow's and mount your fame to Starres Let not a Traytors periur'd Sonne exâ—rude vs from our right He dyes to liue a famous life that doth for Conquest fight By this the furious Battels ioyne a bloody day to eyther And long they fight the victory inclining vnto neyther At length the English had the ods who keeping close aray Vnto the Duchie Forces gaue no entraunce any way Who fayning feare and Martially retyring as opprest The English so became secure and follow on disperst To which aduantage furiously the Normanes did returne And got a bloody victorie In vayne the English spurne Amidst the Pikes against the pricke King Harold then was slayne From whom began the Normanes sole but soone conioyned rayne For second Henry Mawd her Sonne freed Englands blood agayne Since when and euer may they so that Of-spring ruled vs Of whose Coniunction in the Crowne the Genalogue is thus King Edmund Irn-side Issue had Edward the Out-law he Had Margaret Mawd by Malcolme theÌ„ the King of Scots had she Mawd to the Conqueror his Sonne first Henry Mawd did beiâ—e This second Mawd the Angeos wife had second Henry heire EDward King Harolds Preregnant of the same Change foretold Who present and succeeding times thus dying did vnfold It is a world to note quoth he the wayes that men adore And how Hypocrisie hath bred of Godlike Deuils store That speake to seeme that seeme to shift that shift to spoyle by guile That smooth sooth yeat deceiue with Scriptum est meane while But let them heaue their hands to Heauen they haue their hier in Hell That seeme deuout to cloake deceit and say but doe not well The Rich are retchles in their willes their liking is for law The Poore repine and Goods not theirs by idle shiftings claw The Lords and Landed ouer-rent and cunningly the same The Parasite doth ouer-reach and beares away the game One riseth by anothers fall and some doe clime so fast That in the Clowdes they doe forget what Climates they haue past But Eagle-winged mindes that fly to nestle in the Sunne Their lofty heads haue leaden heeles and end where they begun It is a common point on which the aged grossely ronne Once to haue dared sayd and seene more then was euer done The Youth are foolish-hardie or lesse hardie then they ought Effeminate phantasticall in few not few are nought At Cyprus not the wanton Saint nor yeat her wylie Sonne Did want her Orgies nor at Rome did Vesta lacke her Nonne The Lampsacens gaue Pryapus his filthie Rites and Create To Ioue his Bulles and Siâ—ilie to Ceres tithed Wheat The Thracians with their Bacchanales did Lybers Temple fill And Italie did blood of Babes on Saturnes Altars spill And fatall wreathes of Myrâ—ill boughes were sacred vnto Dys In fewe there was no Pagane God his Sacrifice did mis. But English-men nay Christian men not onely seeme prophane But Man to Man as Beast to Beast holds ciuill dueties vayne Yea Pulpits some like Pedlers packs yeeld forth as men affect And what a Synode shall conclude a Sowter will correct The rude thus boasting Litrature one Schisme begets another And grossely though a Sehisâ—â—e yeat hath cach Schismatike his Soother Meane while the learned want their Meed none with profit heares The tedious Doult whose artles tongue doth preach to weary eares Here could I enter in a Field of matter more than much But gesse that all is out of frame and long time hath bin such And what shall be let time disclose This onely will I touch A Greene Tree cut from withered Stock deuided Furlongs three From proper Roote it shall reioyne and after fruitfull bee Thus sayd the King And thus doe some expound that Prophesee The Tree this Land the Stock and Roote the thralled English line King Harâ—ld and the VVilliams twaine the Furlongs some define Henry the Normane that begot on Mawde his English Queene Mawde second Henries Mother was the Trees Returne to greene King Stephen first though not so firme did in this Turne proceede But second Henrie perfectly restalled VVodens Seede THE FIFTH BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XXIII ASsisted by the former Bowne persist my Muse and tell How by the Normane Conquest here an other world befell New lawes not Labyrinths as now through wrested Quirkes came in New Lords also at whom for most our auncient Crests begin The English sinke the Normanes swimme all topsie turute was Vntill the Conquerour had brought his whole command to pas Then was one Edgar sonne vnto the out-law Edward he To holy Edward had been heire had not King Harold be And VVilliam pleading too by sword admits no milder law So Edgar in his soonest flight his safest issue saw Who with his mother daughter to the King of Hungarie And Sisters did attempt into his Grandsiers Realme to flie Thus Englands hope with Englands heir in one same Barke did sayl When desprate from their villanage was English blood of baile 〈◊〉 God that to the hopeles is not helples if he please Did driue the storm-beate English ship into the Scottish seas Wheare cast a shore King Malcolme soone had notice of the wracke And did become a gracious Lord vnto their present lacke And Agatha a Votarisse tooke Margaret to Queene Protects her brother euen by Armes against King Williams teene Vntill by warre and wise conuay he so to passe did bring That Edgar reconciled was vnto the English King In credit though withheld his Crowne and thus at least did good His flight Scotch-queen'd his Sister she regraded Englands blood For let we Edgar gainst the haer preserued as exprest And either VVilliam luckie Knight at armes interred rest And set first VVilliams yongest sonne first Henry on the Throne Through him the royall English and the Normane bloods grew one On Mawd Scotch Malcomes daughter by the foresaid Margaret he Had Mawd that solie did suruiue her drowned brothers three Her Empresse to the Emperour then newly being ded Did Geffrey Plantaganet the Earle of Anioy wed And she vnto Plantaganet did second Henry beire Of England Angeo Gascoyne and of Normandie the heire Yeat Stephen first VVilliams daughters son whoÌ„ th' Earle of Bloys did marrie Did with the Empresse and her son now King now Captiue varrie But lastly tyred and inter'd all England by his death Was quietly second Henries who was lawfulst heire by birth With Hengests blood our droupen Muse it
also now reuiues For harshly sounds our Poeame saue in matter where it thriues Let be your bitten Vine we here a blisfull vintage gayne That did and doth and euermore vnblasted may remaine For this coriuall seede begot England English againe From whence we note what Scepters what discents turnes befel Lesse pleasing vnto some perhaps than toyes which many tell That but of phansies women loues and wantonnes can sing From which their tunes but pip their toungs theÌ„ they hang the wing THis second Henry mightie both in Empire and in Armes Was onely by his Cleargie crost with vnbeseeming harmes Perplexed therefore at th'apeales that waiward Becket made To some demaunding his disease at Normandie he sayd Our Popes that seeme they do but seeme S. Peter to succeede Who did denie although deserue high Styles to him decree'd Are quite vnlike to Peter and Popes thirty three fore-past Who liu'd in miserie and died by Martyrdome at last Now neede not Tyrants Popes to Popes be Tyrants and they all Doe wrest euen Principalities submissiue to their Pall. Peter did sinne and sinning to repentant teares did flye Popes sinne not but to others sinnes giue pardon els they lye Christ washed feete Kings kisse their feet Christ gaue to Caesar his They take and say that either Sword in their subiection is The Pope did so our mothers Pheare the Emperour intreate As that his proud attempts I shame and sorrow to repeate What cite I forraine matters when our natiue Stories yeeld Of Myters medling with our Sword an ouerplenteous feeld We offer Tapers pay our Tythes and Vowes we Pilgrimes goe To euery Sainct at euery shrine we Offrings doe bestoe We kisse the Pix we creepe the Crosse our Beades we ouer-runne The Couent hath a Legacie who so is left vndone We fast the Eaue we feast the day of euery Saint they make Their houslings Shrifts and Sacraments most reuerently we take By-tale we say Orysons and to words vnknowne Amen The Quier doth chaunt we knock our brests we bow crosse vs theÌ„ Their skaer-spright water boxed Boans their hoasts what not brings The Priest the Frier or Pardoner we count not holy things We seat them in our fattest Soyles for Pasture wood and spring We lodge them safe in stately walles we sorrowing when they sing Their Belles call them from easie beds to sing in gownes as warme But Larums vs from restles Campes by wounds to heale their harme And meete is so but meete also that they protected thus Be â—ot vnquiet but for their quiet pray for and further vs. When our great GraÌ„dsier thought this Isle by CoÌ„quest cleerly woÌ„ne And entred Kent what earst he did did seeme in Kent vndone A moouing wood stole marching on and hem'd his Armie round When al at once their boughes cast downe was heard a warlike souÌ„d That to the Normanes did disclose an Armie ordered well Resolu'd to die rather then leaue the lawes where they did dwell For so in way of Parlie did their mytred Stygand tell Their Bishop their Contriuer and their chiefe conduct was he By whose deuise the conqueror intrapped did agree To ratifie the lawes of Kent such as they were and be But bearing in a common good with Crosiers crossing Crownes Proud Anselme in our Vncles raigne did farre exceede the bownes Of Prelacie or pietie for Church-men should be meeke Yeat some in practise leaue what they of vs in preaching seeke For they that bid me doe and doe themselues the good they bid Doe leade me to the substantiue and leaue me not in quid Yea either of our Vncle 's thriu'd in Forraine Conquests more Than gainst their Church-men setting al their Kingdome in vprore One Prelate wrought the pope to curse crosse his Prince withfoes Twixt others long ambitions Pleas for Primacie aroes And now through Becket to our selfe no lesser damage groes I haue had hardy Knights for warres and helpfull friends in peace Yeat helples friends and hartles Knights this Cleargie-pride to ceace These words heard diuers present Knights who vexed at the wrong Did cleane vnwitting to the King ariue in Kent ere long And at S. Bennits Altar in the Minster of his Sea At sacring for a sacrifice the sawcie Clerke did slea Which heard the Pope canonized the slir-strif Priest a Saint Insencing Kings against our King till warres made Henry faynt Then humbled vnto haughty Priest as Legats sent from Rome He basely bowes and they to him for begged Pennance dome Purs-payne and heathen battels and which worser was decreed Barefoote he went whom Monkes did whip till feete bodie bleede Barefoote to Iurie fare the Knights fo dying for their deede Nor might they mend it for as bad euen Emperors did speede CHAP. XXIIII THe Kings fayre Leiman Rosamund and how his Sonnes rebell Iouer-passe To Richard next the Dyadem befel He did in Cypris Sycil and in Syria warre and winne Whose glory his confederate Peeres to enuy did bginne And warring with the Souldan left the English King behinde Who left not fighting till he forst Conditions to his minde And of Ierusalem was King But as he did returne The Austrich Duke whose reared flagge our wroÌ„ged king did spurne From Acon walles his victorie did Richard intercept And him in easelesse prison for reuenge and raunsome kept The Duke his daughter as the King did theare a captiue lie Did labour strongly in the loue she would but could not flie And sighing wept and weeping spake and speaking thus shee sayd Richard through hate through loue am I in diffring bands betrayd My haruest hangeth in the grasse and ere the proofe may blast Or clew-led Theseus from the denne of Minotaurus past To farre more harder starres than was poore Ariadne lest Leaue me he may of all yea more than all of him bereft Sweet Loue Saint Loue or rather I thy Saint and thou my God In such desarts let such deceite be as should be forbod The Gailor bribed with his keyes to stay or free him sent her Loue louely Richard makes quoth she that I this hell-house enter Hence make escape remembring me that thus for thee doe venter Attentiue to her sprech but more retentiue of her shape The King awaking to her forme did sleepe his owne escape And giuing her a meeting kisse quoth he so God me keepe As true desire to quite this good in mee shall neuer sleepe Yeat ransomelesse I will not hence but fetching backe the lone When as thy Father shall repay to England tenne for one I vow thy loue a recompence till when I liue to thee Thus seuer they and raunsome him ere many weekes did free Soone after on the Belgicke towers he English-flags did reare Austrich and all the Empire of his prowesse stoode in feare Vntill a desperate Stragler with an arrow pierst his head And sent the wofull English home their worthie Leader dead Thus Lyons-hart his courage got that surname lastly sped To whom King Iohn in courage not inferior to
the other Succeeded but in life and death moretragicke than his brother IN Scotland Fraunce Ireland and VVales he warred wearied lesse Than by the Pope and English Priests wronged without redresse Nor was saue from their Soueraignes death their malice out of date Yeat Iohn faine they hut they felt Iohn did trouble Church and state When for as Gaylers with Conuicts so Popes deale with a faulter Their sin-salue like the setting loose from Shackles to the haulter When Masse and all the Sacraments were Strangers many a day And that so farreforth as it in the triple Myter lay Euen God himselfe was barred hence and that prostrate before His Vassall Bishop Langtons feete the King did grace implore When Peter pence were graunted and the English Crowne to hold By rent and Homage of the Pope and that for sums of gold The French Kings son was cursed hēce who els had wore y e Crowne And that the reconciled King did seeme on surest ground Then he whil'st he in progresse did at Swinshed Abbey lye Was poysned by a Monke that baend himselfe that Iohn might dye The Monke more solemnely inter'd and song for than the King Was cause that diuers diuersly did consture of the thing Some charg'd the Popes of Auarice for that when Rings offend They sell them peace of pride for that to them euen Monarks bend Of meere incharitie for that to wreake their priuate spight Gainst Kingdomes Kingdomes they incense and worser do acquite Euen subiects to allegiance sworne against their Lords to fight Of Treason for that to intrap such as from them discent With othes and al things they dispence Some bid vs thus preuent Their sinnes and sleights doe not as they not deale with them for why Who doth must liue their Vassal or their Victorie must die A merrie mate amongst the rest of cloysterers thus told THis cloystring and fat feeding of Religious is not old Quoth he Not long since was a man that did his deuoire giue To kill the passions of his flesh and did in penance liue And though beloued of the King he liued by his sweat Affirming men that would not worke vnworthy for to eate He told the erring their amisse and taught them to amend He counselled the comfortlesse and all his daies did spend In prayer and in pouertie Amongst his doings well High-waies he mended doing which this Accident befell A dosen Theeues to haue beene hang'd were lead this Hermite by To whom he went exhotting them as Christian-men to dye So penitent they were and he so pitifull good man As to the King for pardon of the Prisoners he ran Which got he gaue it them But this Prouiso did he add That they should euer worke as he They graunt poore soules glad He got them gownes of countrey gray and hoods for raine and cold And hempen girdles which besides themselues might burthens hold Pick axe and Spade and hard to worke the Couent sell together With Roabes Ropes eu'rie toole for eu'rie worke wheather So did they toyle as thereabout no Causie was vnwrought Wherefore new labours for his men the holie Hermite sought But at departure prayed them to fast to watch and pray And liue remote from worldly men and goeth so his way The holy Theeues for now in them had custome wrought contēt Could much of Scripture and indeede did hartely repent But when the countrey folke did heare of these same men deuout Religiously they haunt their Celles and lastly brought about That frō the woods to Buildings braue they wound the Hermits crew Who was from found-out worke returnde and their Aposta knew He going to their stately place did finde in euery dish Fat beefe and brewis and great store of daintie fowle and fish Who seeing their saturitie and practising to winne His Puples thence Excesse he sayd doth worke accesse to sinne Who fareth finest doth but feeed and ouer-feedeth oft Who sleepeth softest doth but sleepe and sometimes ouer soft Who clads him trimmest is but clad the fairest is but faire And all but liue yea if so long yeat not with lesser care Than formes backs boanes bellies that more hōely cherisht are Learne freedome and felicitie Hawkes flying where they list Be kindlier and more sound than Hawkes best tended on the fist Thus preacht he promist abstinence and bids them come away No hast but good well weare they and so wel as they would stay The godly Hermit when all meanes in vaine he did perceiue Departing sayd I found you knaues and knaues I doe you leaue Hence sayd this merrie fellowe if the merriment be trew That Cloystring Friers cloathing and a Couents number grew This heard a simple Northerne-man no friend to Monke or Frier Or preaching Lymmer for his speach disclosed thus his yre AFowle ill on their weazens for the Carles garre syke a dinne That more we member of their iapes than mend vs of our sinne At Ewle we wonten gambole daunce to carrole and to sing To haue gud spiced Sewe and Roste and plum-pies for a King At Fasts-eue pan puffes Gang tide gaites did alie Masses bring At Paske begun our Morrise and ere Penticost our May Tho Roben hood liell Iohn Frier Tucke and Marian deftly play And Lard and Ladie gang till Kirke with Lads and Lasses gay Fra Masse and Eensong sa gud cheere and glee on ery Greene As saue our wakes twixt Eames and Sibbes like gam was neuer seene At Baptis-day with Ale and cakes bout bon-fires neighbors stood At Martelmasse wa turnd a crabbe thilke told of Roben hood Till after long time myrke whē blest were windowes dares lights And pails were fild hathes were swept gainst Fairie-elues sprits Rock plow Mōdaies gams sal gāg with saint-feasts kirk-sights Iis tell yee Clearkes earst racked not of purpoe ne of pall Ylke yeoman fed moe poore tume wambes than Gentiles now in Hall Yea ledge they nere sa hally Writ thilke tide was greater wrang Than heretoforne tho words had sooth na writing now so strāg Iis na Wizard yet I drad it will be warse ere lang Belyue doone lyther Kirk-men reaue the crop and we the tythe And mykell bukish ben they gif they tache our lakines blithe Some egge vs sla the Prince and shewe a Bullocke fra the Pape Whilke gif it guds the sawle Iis sure the cragge gangs till the rape Syke votion gyles the people sa but sylde gud Princes scape Sa teend our King his life and song is Requiem for the Monke Gud King God rest thy sawle but Feēds reaue him bath sawle trōke Such talke was long on foote and still was quittance tale for tale Dunstone quod one made Edgar earst an English Monarke quale For matter of lesse moment euen for wedding of a Nunne Whom in her Cell the King espi'de lou'de wooed and thus wonne THe same quod he that rules this Land the same intreateth thee Thou maist sweet Wench vnto thy selfe deriue a Queene
erst wonne and more then all was lost Yeat of more multeous Armies we than Scotland were at cost No Land deuided in it selfe can stand was found too true To worser then the wars abroad the home-bred Quarrels grewe Grange gotten Pierce of Gauelstone and Spensers two like sort Meane Gentlemen created Earles of chiefe accoumpt and port Enuying all equalitie contrine of many a Peere The wrested death those fewe that liue liu'd mal-contented heere Good Thomas Earle of Lancaster on whom the rest relye The chiefe and grauest of the Peeres did ouer-warred flye Into the woods whereas himselfe and state he did bewray Vnto an Hermite vnto whom he sighing thus did say Happie are you sequestred thus from so I may deuine Our common wracke of common weale for how it doth decline Through wilde and wanton Guydes in part I feele in part I aime By Presidents too like and fire too likely heere to flame Heare if you haue not heard what fire our leisure fits the same CHAP. XXV THe Spartanes was for rapted Queene to Ilions ouerthrowe The Monarke of Assyria chang'd Latine Kings also For Tarquins lust yea how with vs a double chaunge did groe WheÌ„ Brittish Vortiger did doat vpoÌ„ the Saxons daughter And Buerne for his forced wife froÌ„ Denmarke brought vs slaughter I ouerpasse Who knoweth not Ireland our neighbour Ile Where Noe his Neece ere Noe his flood inhabited a while The first manured Westerne Ile by Cham and Iaphets race Who ioyntly entring sundry times each other did displace Till Greece-bred Gathelus his brood from Biscay did ariue Attempting Irelands Conquest and a Conquest did archiue Fiue kings at once did rule that I le in ciuill strife that droopes When fierce Turgesius landed with his misbeleeuing Troopes This proud Norwegan Rouer so by aides and armes did thriue As he became sole Monarke of the Irish Kingdomes fiue Erecting Paganisme and did eiect the Christian lawe And thirtie yeeres tyrannizing did keepe that I le in awe Nor any hope of after helpe the hartlesse Irish sawe Alone the wylie King of Meth a Prothew plying fauor Stood in the Tyrants grace that much affected his behauor For what he sayd that other soothde so ecco'ing his vayne As not an Irish els but he a pettie King did raigne Turgesius friends that Vice-roy for his daughters loue the rather And therefore for his Leiman askt the Damsell of her Father Ill wot I what they knowe that loue well wot I that I know That that browne Girle of mine lackes worth to be beloued so I haue a many Neeces farre more fairer then is she Yeat thinke I fairest of those faires vnworthie you quoth he But she and they are yours my Lord such Beauties as they be This Preface likâ—e the Tyrant well that longed for the play Not well contented that so long the Actors were away Oft iterating his demaund impatient of delay Now haue I quoth the King of Meth conuented to your bed My Neeces and my daughter loath to loose her Maidenhead But doubt not Sir coy Wenches close their longings in their palmes And all their painted Stormes at length conuert to perfect Calmes Alonely if their beauties like as likelier haue we none You may conclude them women and the Goale therefore your owne To morrow seuered from your Traine vnlesse some speciall few Expect them in your chamber where I leaue the game to you Yeat when your eye hath serude your heart of her that likes you best Remember they are mine Alies vntoucht dismisse the rest Sweete also was this Scene and now vnto an Act we groe The Irish Princesse and with her a fifteene others moe With haÌ„ging Glybbes that hid their necks as tynsel shadowing snoe Whose faces very Stoickes would Narcissus-like admire Such Semeles as might consume I oues selfe with glorious fire And from the Smith of heauens wife allure the amorous haunt And reintise the Club-God Dys and all his diuelles to daunt And make the Sunne-God swifter than himselfe such Daphnes chaced And Loue to fall in loue with them his Psichis quite disgraced These rarer then the onely Fowle of Spice-burnt Ashes bread And sweeter than the Flower that with Phoebus turneth head Resembling her from gaze of whome transformde Acteon fled From Meth came to Tergesius Court as Presents for his bed In secret was their comming and their chambering the same And now the lustfull Chuffe was come to single out his game His Pages onely and a youth or twaine attending him Wheare Banquet Bed Perfumes and all were delicately trim He giues them curteous welcome and did finde them merry talke Meane while the Harbengers of lust his amorous eyes did walke More clogd with change of Beauties than King Midas once with gold Now This now That and one by one he did them all behold This seemed faire and That as faire and letting either passe A Third he thought a proper Girle a Fourth a pleasant Lasse Louely the Fift liuely the Sixt the Seuenth a goodly Wench The Eight of sweete Complection to the Ninth he altreth thence That mildly seem'd maiesticall Tenth modest looke and tongue Th' Eleuenth could sweetly intertain the Twelfe was fresh yonge The Next a gay Brownetta Next and Next admirde among And â—ury feature so intycte his intricate affection As liking all alike he lou'd confounded in election Sweete harts quoth he or Iupiter fetcht hence full many a Thefte Or hether brought he Thefts that here their Leiman Children lefte Heere wandring Cadmus should haue sought his missed Sister wheare Faire Leda hatcht her Cignets whilst nor Cocke nor Henne did feare How many view I fairer than Europa or the rest And Girle-boyes fauouring Ganimâ—de heere with his Lord a Guest And Ganimâ—des we are quoth one and thou a Prophet trew And hidden Skeines from vnderneath their forged garments drew Where with the Tyrant and his Bawds with safe escape they slew Of which yong Irish Gentlemen and Methean Ladies act The Isle was filled in a trise nor any Irish slackt To prosecute their freedome and thâ—amased Norgaines fall Which was performed and the King of Meth extold of all Those Rouers whose Originals and others not a fewe As Switzers Normaines Lumbardes Danes from Scandinauia grew A mightie Isle an other world in Scythian Pontus Clyme Thus wrackt left Ireland free vnto our second Henries time When farre vnlike the Methes that earst their Countrie did re 〈…〉 ore An Amorous Queene thereof did cause new Conquests and vprore Dermot the King of Leynister whom all besides did spight Did loue belou'd the Queene of Meth to whom he thus did wright THy King sweete Queene the hindrance of our harts-ease is away And I in heart at home with thee at hand in person stay Now is the time Time is a God to worke our loue good lucke Long since I cheapned it nor is my comming now to hucke But since our fire is equall let vs equally assist To finish what we fancy say Maligners what they
of the Moone Endymions lippes I wot But for I will disperse the mistes of further Mysteries And toogh the Pinuesse of my thoughts to kenning of your Eyes If Geâ—try Madame might conuay so great a good to me From auncient King Cadwallader I haue my pettigree If wealth be sayd my want I say your Grace doth want no wealth And my suppliment shall be loue imployed to your health It hath beene when as heartie Loue did treate and tie the knot Though now if gold but lacke in graines the wedding fadgeth not The goodly Queene in bashfull signes blusht out a dumbe Replie Which he did constur as she meant and kist her reuerently Tuder quoth she I greater am than would I were for thee But can as little maister Loue as Lessers in degree My Father was a King a King my Husband was my Brother He is a King a King my Sonne and I thy Soueraignes mother Yeat Fathers Husbands Brothers Sonnes all their Stiles together Are lesser valewed than to liue beloued of my Tuder Should England France and thou thy selfe gainesay thy selfe for mine Thy selfe France England nor what els ' should barre me to be thine Yea let them take me wilfull or mistake me wanton so My selfe in loue do please my selfe let all the world say no Let Pesants matte their marriages and thriue at peraduenture I loue for loue no gentle heart should fancy by Indenture But tell me Owen am I not more forward then behooues I am sweet-Heart but blame me not the same that speaketh loues And long may liue quoth he to loue nor longer liue may I Than while I loue your Grace and when I leaue disgraced die But Ladie if I doe deserue I then desire dispatch For manie are the iealous Eies that on your beautie watch Good hap is like to hit me well to hit so well is rare And rarenesse doth commence my sute let sute conclude my care Should Caesar kisse he kissed her it were but such a kisse And he and I here or elsewhere in other sport or this Doe act alike no bettring but as your belouing is You may experience when you please what difference in the men And if King Henry pleased more blame Owen Tuder then But am I not yes Sweete I am more sawsie than behooues Yeat for my heart forgiue my tongue This speaketh and That loues How he imprison'd did escape and else what else-wheare reede The Queene and this braue Gentleman did marry and their Seede Began that royall Race that did doth and may still succeede In happie Empire of our Throne a famous line in deede Once when this Match was at a point they merrily disposed Did descant what from vulgar tongues thereof would be supposed They will beleeue me amorous or thee so wiued as Vulcan the Smith of Lemnos that to Venus married was The Queene did say And Tuder said I hope of hansell better In Venus and in Vulcans names more lieth than the letter For he was as I would not be She as you should be neuer Either so apt to giue and take as pittie them to seuer I pray thee Owen quoth the queene how met they canst thou tell I can he said and more then so then marke the processe well When Vulcan was a Batcheler and Venus was vnwed Thus wowde he her thus wonne he her thus wowde won he sped CHAP. XXX VEnus the fairest Goddesse and as amorous as faire Belou'd of Mars and louing Mars made oftentimes repaire To Vulcans forge as to see wrought for Iupiter his Fire And thunders Mars his Armors and the Sunwaines curious tire When they indeede of merriments in Loue did theare conspire And lastly did conlude the Smith a Stale vnto their sport Wherein did Venus play her part preuayling in this sort Vulcan quoth she no God there is I thinke but needeth thee For Thunders Ioue Ceres for Sieths for Armors Mars I see Bacchus for prewning Kniues and Pan for Sheep-hookes Phoebus hee For Cart-tiers Dis for shakling chaines Neptune for Ankers and No God but lackes thee sauing I that aske not at thy hand My Swans do draw in silken Geeres my wheeles be shod with downe No hardines is in beauties Coach But thou by birth no Clowne But Ioue his Son a God as wee art made a drudge too much When if that Venus might be heard thou shouldest not be such How apt are all in those same toyles that tende to their behoofe To let thee beare till backe doth breake but common is the proofe That cunning is not cunning if it standeth not aloofe By this had Vulcan hammered his heate and bad to stay The Bellowes and he lymping from the Anfeeld thus did say My busines Venus is ydoe now may I tend to play What woudst thou for I member scarce thy arging by my fay Wodst that I leaue the forge and thrt I god it with the Gods If so thou meanst thy meaning and my meaning be at ods Sweeter my Bellowes blowing and my hammers beating is To me then trimmest fidling on the trickest kit ywis Aske whatso-else I haue to giue thous maunde it for a kis As if quoth she my kisses were so currant vnto all No not at all to Vulcan if his kindnesse be so small I aske thy proper ease then earne thy proper ease and aske More than a kisse at least wise doe thy selfe from Mars vntaske He is my Foe frend thou not him nor forge him Armes but let Him luske at home vnhonored no good by him we get What lets but that we may become superlatiues Of vs All stand in neede we neede not them Then gaue shee him a â—us And saist me so quoth Vulcan and vnto the trough he hies And skowres his coly fists and face and with his apron dries Them badly mended and vnto the Queene of Dalliance sayes That Mars should lusk at home for him Then guilefull Venus playes Her part so well that on her lappe his head the Dotardlayes And whilst vpon her pressed Thies no Hauen for such Hulke He â—olls and loades her with the weight of his vnwealdy bulke And whilst she coyes his sooty Cheekes or curles his sweaty top The Groshead now and then as hapt a thred-bare terme le ts drop Then laughes he like a horse as who would say trow said I well But soone his wits were Non plus for his wooing could but spell This fitted her for so before twixt Mars and her was ment Though not that she so cunningly should Mars of Armes preueÌ„t But him to stawle in store not els employde was her intent Her Lubber now was snorting ripe and she meane while was glad That for to serue her turne else-wheare so good a Staile she had What passe I thinketh Venus on his forme or fashions rude For letting forme and fashion passe one fashion is pursude In getting Children at the least who so the Child shall git It shall suffice that Vulcan is the same shall father it Now Mars in
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
did expect like deaths as had their brother And as they feare did he affect which for the troubles then Was vneffected now behou'd to winne him loue of men Yeat casts he how he might conuay to him his Neeces right Soone compassing his Wifes dispatch whose life stood in his light Then plyes he his amazed Neece to his inâ—â—â—tious bead Of her abhor'd Shee in conceite by faith fore-plighted spead This marrage motion gawles her more than any former griefe Her selfe Friends Realme Conspiracie all it toucht in breefe And therefore death late feared now she fantaseth in cheefe Meane while did Henry land incampe fight and subdewe his Foe And marrying her long ciuill warres in England ended so CHAP. XXXV SEauenth Henries forraine busenes had succesfull honor heere Three schol'd Dâ—dalien Icarists whose mounting cost them deere Did interrupt the peace The first a Priests bace Puple he By his Complottors was pretenst'e Duke Clarence sonne to bee A many of our natiue Peeres some forraine Princes too Submissiuly behight him aide in all that they might doo The Lad was lofty for himselfe he harrollized well At full he could his lessons and a formale lie would tell For him was fought a bloody field the Victory the Kinges Lambert the forged Yorkest and the Priest that fram'd his winges Weare taken For minority the Icarus was quit The Dedalâ—s for cleargie tites was but intowr'd for it Thus scapte the Priest The mother Queene to her that now was Queene Found harder sentence for a crime more venale as I weene Shee that did forward Henry with her friends her purse her wit That had conspir'd conceil'd concur'd for him the Crowne to git And had him now her sonne in law vnchauncy Queene fore-went Her whole reuenewes and her age as if in durance spent Because against her heart good Soule for bootles to withstand See yeelded all her daughters to the late Vsurpers hand Whereby the Vnion might haue quaild and for it might she must Indure such law strict law to her of mallice not vniust THan good old Queene Elizabeth our next young Phaeton Had gentlier Iudgement He till then froÌ„ Realm to Realm had gone And now in Ireland hoping no such honor was at Corke Saluted by some Rebels theare for Richard Duke of Yorke Fourth Edwards second son Those Stiles to him were strange but thay Did feofe them on the bace-borne Muffe and him as King obay The Yorkesh Faction though they knew the error let not slip Occasion that they now might haue Lancastrians on the hip Margret fourth Edwards sisters heart for ioy hereof did skip Shee had him soone to Burgone and informes him cuery thing That might concerne Yorks pettegree or apted for a King Maliciously repining still at Lancasters successe And often would thus or thus-like her heart with tongue expresse God hath forgot our house of Yorke nay Yorke it selfe forgot To my late Brother Richards soule cleaue euermore this blot He made away our friends to make a way vnto our Foe To Lancaster proud Lancaster I thence these teares doc floe Had he stock't vp that hated stocke had he raâ—'st out that Race Python had ceast and he had bene Apollo in that cace That Henry was Lancastrian and that Henry was aliue And where he liu'd that he should not liue if we would thrâ—â— He knew ywis yeat knew he not his death how to contriue The Duke of Brutaine is no God then how the diuell y'ste That both my brothers laboring him for whome they 〈◊〉 Their Sinons weare too simple and their bribes but petite geere WheÌ„ had they bought him with their souls they had not bought him deere The heire of Lancaster fie how it loathes to sound that name Enioyes the Crowne nay worse enioyes to wife a Yorkesh Dame Worser the name Plantâ—genet is buryed in the same And worst of all their Title such as law bids vs disclame Who would haue lookt such change to chaunce oh howe I feed like will As Aeâ—as daughter Aesons house with tragedies to fill Who can endure to see their friends decline their Foes ascend I see it and for seeing so doe wish my life had end When that her darling had his looer she left him to his wings Who flead not to worse company or at lesse game than Kings He lighteth in the French Kings Court wheare honord as the same From whom he falsely would contriue a Crowne by forged name He had Supplies and English ayds and Irish troupes also With which he lands in England where King Henry met the Foe On either part the Battell was right bloodie but at length The King subdues and Perkeâ— flead the land dispoyld of strength Then as the French the Scotch King did repute of him whereby He wyu'd a Lady passing fayre and of the Kings Allie The Earle of Huntlies daughter of the scotch-blood-royall bread Shee both before and after that her low-pris'd Mate was dead When well she knew his parentage and felt his ebbed state In onely sorrow did abound in loue no whit abate Howbeit in the English Court prefer'd to high estate Theare for she was of comely parts and vncompeered face Shee often brauely courted yeelds no Courtier labor'd grace To one among'st the rest that most admierd her aunswers chaste She sayd besides the sinne and that I so might liue disgrac'ste A Presedent of wrong and woe did make me long since vow Chastly to liue the Loue of him whom Fates should me allow I knew quoth she a Knight a Knight he was in each respecte I knew a Ladie fayre she was but fouly to be chect They loued long if that to loue and leaue may loue be sayd Till lastly she conceyued loue wheare loue should be denayd Then he whose Sowles Soule goddiz'd her perceiuing her vntruth Became vnlike himselfe and mou'd saue her each one to ruth At last he runs'distraught about and what his moods conceited He did confusedly he wept askt answerd and intreated Ah many a time for though his words lackt methode yeat they moued He had these speeches arguments how earnestly he loued CHAP. XXXVI MY Mistresse is a Paragon the fayrest fayre aliue Atrides and Aeacides for faire lesse faire did striue Her colour fresh as Damaske Rose her breath as Violet Her bodie white as Iuorie as smooth as polisht Iet As soft as Downe were she down Ioue might come down kisse A Loue so fresh so sweet so white so smooth so soft as this The Cleonâ—an Lions spoyles for her I would redresse I would the Lernan Hydras heads with sword and fire suppresse My force the Erymantheon Bore should brauely ouermatch The swift-foote golden horned Stag I running would orâ—catch My bow the Birds of Stymphalus from wastfull prayes should chace Of her proud Baldricke would I spoyle the Amazon at Thrace Augeas washed Stables should my seauenth Labour end I with the Bull of Calidon victorious would contend On horse-deuoured Diomede like honour should be wonne 〈◊〉 Spanish Robber
than needeth that we kisse as stands the cace Rid hence yonn same your knauish Page you sent him with a Mouse To spie my secretes or belike to braue me in my house Gods pretious would you knew I beare a mind lesse bace then that I can disgest your Drudge with me so saucely should chat Iacke Napes forsooth did chase because I eate my Slaue the Bat. O what a world is this that we can nothing priuate haue Vncensur'd of our Seruants though the simplest Gill or Knaue Well rid him of your seruice Nay it skils not if of life At least if so you meane that we shall loue as man and wife For such Colecarriers in an house are euer hatching strife The Cuckooe hearing this complaint flew on his trusty Page And vndiscreatly gaue him strokes that kild him in that rage Yeat eare he left his life he thus vnto his Maister sayd Thus many honest Seruants in their Masters hastie brayd Are Dog-like handled either yeat like deare in Ioues iust eyes Of Harlots and of hastines beware sayd he and dyes When now her gluttony and spight had thus dispatched twaine The Cuckooe plying amorously her fauour to obtaine Euen then and looking very bigge in came the Buszard who Did sweare that he would kill and slay I mary would he doe If any Swad besides himselfe faire Madam Owle did wowe The Cuckooe seeing him so bog waxt also wondrous wroth But thus the Owle did stint the strife Shee cals them husbands both Now fie quoth she if so you could betwixt your selues agree Yee both should haue your bellies full and it no hurt to me The Buszard faintly did consent the Cuckooe sayd Amen And so was Hen inough for Cocke not Cocke inough for Hen For she deceyues them both and had besides them other game The Gende Buszard dying soone for sorrow of the same The Cuckooe wisely saw it and did say but little to it As nooting she was set on it and knowing she would doe it But what the Swallow warned him of Harlots proued trew For as was gessed also him by trecherie she slew The Goddesse Pallas to giue end vnto these tragicke deedes Descended and the dead reuiu'd to Sentence thus proceedes The Bat because begild of Dis See pittieth partly and Permits him Twy-light flight to giue thereby to vnderstand That to aspire is lawfull if betwixt a Meane it stand The Swallow for that he was trew and slaine for saying well Shee doomb'd a ioyfull Sommers Bird in Winter time to dwell Euen with Mineruas secrete store as learned Clarkes doe tell The Buszard for he doted more and dared lesse than reason Through blind bace Loue induring wrong reuengeable in seasō She eie-blur'd and adiudged Praies the dastard'st and least geason Vnto the Cuckooe ouerkinde to brooke Coriuals she Adiudg'd a Spring-times changeles note and whilst his yong ones be By others hatcht to name and shame himselfe in euery Tree But liue quoth she vnto the Owle ashamed of the light Be wondred at of Birds by day fly filch and howle all night Haue lazie wings be euer leane in fullen corners rucke When thou art seene be thought a signe to folke of euill lucke Nor shall thine odious forme vile Witch be longer on my Shield Whence racing forth her Figure so the Goddesse left the field IVst Guerdons for Ambition for poore Soules opprest for well For dastard Dotards Wittolrie and Harlots nice you tell Said Perkens Wife But thus now of her husbands pride befell At last when sundry Armes had end Henry victorious still And Perkens passage was fore-stald he yeelds of his owne will Himselfe from Churches Priuiledge to Henries Mercy who Did onely limitte his abode and lesse he could not doe But when he sought escapes he then had petite punishment And after for some new attempts to Tower was he sent Whence practising escape t' was sayd he won to his intent Young Edward Earle of Warwicke that indeed was Clarenes son And euer had been Prisner theare eare Henries raigne begon And now by law too strickt me seemes for this to death was don Perken was hang'd and hang may such but that the Earle should die Some thought hard law saue that it stood with present pollicie Sir VVilliam Stanley dide for this oft King-law is doe thus Deseruing better of the King but what is that to vs The last of our three Phaetons was tuter'd of a Fryer Who being fitted now by Art and nature to aspier The foresaid name of VVarwicke fain'd seduced folke thereby As I my selfe in Essex heard and saw a Traitor dye That fain'd himselfe sixt Edward and to grace-out such his lye Lookes bodie words and gesture seem'd heroycall to view He had like age like markes and all that might inforce it trew Whereby to him assisting minds of simple Folke he drew Our Cowle-mans foresayd Actor so preuailed that the Fryer In Pulpets durst affirme him King and Aydes for him requier But lastly both were taken both did fault in one same ill Yeat rope-law had the Youth the Frier liu'd Clergie-knaued still VVHen Armour ended Auarice began for then begins The slye Mercuriles◠and more by wyles then valour wins Beneuolences Taxes and sore Fines for penall lawes To Henry hoords from Henry hearts of many a Subiect drawes Empson Dudly fur'd Esquiers more harmefull being gown'd To Englands friends than Englands foes through Auarice profound In such exacting chiefly Act applaused of the King To whom their ciuill Thefts not Thrifts exceeding wealth did bring Yeat whē the gracious King found out their tacking Rich Poore He then did pardon much and much did purpose to restore But dying those two Harpies lost their hated heads therefore So hardly fauoured of Kings themselues in bownes containe That they securely stout at length doe perish through disdaine So hardly too some Princes are from priuate Lucar wonne As though their bags ore-flow they think no harme abroad vndone Henry acquite his latter dayes of Auarice fore named Deceast for Prowesse Policie and Iustice highly famed THE EIGHT BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XXXIV EIGHT Henry heire indubitate of Yorke and Lancaster Succeeded and with Kingly rites his Father did interr His mind his words his lookes his gaet his lynaments and Stature Weare such for Maiesties as shew'd a King compos'd by Nature All Subiects now of ciuill strife all counter-minds for Raigne All enuious of his Empier now weare rid weare pleas'd or slaine Rich weare his sundrie Tryumphs but his cost had foyzen than When Terwin and strong Turnay in resisting France he wan When Maximilian Emperour did vnder Henry fight When English Ships did often put the French Sea-powre to flight And that the French King was inforc'st to craue and buy his peace Who wiuing louely Mary so the warres for then did cease This sister to our King and then the French Kings goodly Queene Was welcommed with Tryumphs such as erst in France vnseene Iustes Barriers Tylts Turneyes were proclaymed
each wheare for All Whereforeto Paris at the time flockt Caueliers ful tall With Princes braue and Ladies faire of euery Realme about And hence with moe Charles Brandon in fine Chiualrie most stout Whose bodie fitted to his mind whose mind was puesant and Whose puesance yeelded not to Mars this Mars in France did laÌ„d With whoÌ„ incouÌ„tred valiaÌ„t knights but none might him withstaÌ„d The English-French Queene standing theare admir'd for beautie rare Behild the Tryumphs in the which high Feates performed ware But Brandon yet no Duke he was the Knight aboue the rest That in her eye nor did she erre acquited him the best For whether that he trots or turnes or bounds his barded Steede Did runne at Tylt at Randon or did cast a Speare with heede Or fight at Barriers he in all did most her fancie feede Weake on a Couch her King lay theare whoÌ„ though she loued well Yeat likte she Brandon and the same lou'd her ere this befell For chastly had they fancied long before she came to Fraunce Or that from meane estate to Duke Henry did him aduaunce The dayes of Triumph weare expir'd and English Peeres with praise Come home and Lewes King of France decea'st within few daies Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke then with honour furnisht hence Was sent to France for to returne the widow Queene from thence Who had been wed scarce thâ—ice three weekes vnto a sickly King To her a fayre young Queene therefore smal time might solace bring Yet lesse did timethaÌ„ braue Duke Charles asswage fair Maries griefe He chats she cheers he courts she coyes he wowes she yeelds in briefe No windes thought she assist those Sayles that seeke no certain Shore Nor find they constant liues that but they liue respect no more Let each ones life ayme some one end as if it be to marrie Then see heare loue and soone conclude it betters not to tarrie To cast too many doubts thought she weare oft to erre no lesse Than to be rash And thus no doubt the gentle Queene did gesse That seeing This or That at first or last had likelyhood A man so much a manly Man weare dastardly withstood Then Kisses reuel'd on their Lips to eithers equall good And least King Henry should dissent they secretly did wead And then sollicet his good will and of their wishes spead The periut'd valiaÌ„t scotch-Scotch-King Iames slayn at braue Flodons Slaughter Had also left in widowhood Englands fayre elder Daughter She also weds a Scottish Earle vnlicenc'st of her Brother And was to her Sons Daughters Sonne now sixt Iames great-Grandmother A Scruple after twentie yeares did enter Henries mind For wedding of Queene Katherin a Ladie fayre and kind Spaynes Daughter then the Emperours Aunt and for her vertuous life Well worthie Henry But for she had beene his Brothers wife And also of their coiture surmise directed Lawes He seem'd in conscience toucht and sought to rid him of the Cause Then was the matter of Deuorse through Christendome disputed The Match of all adiudged voyd and so the Queene non-suted She after teares to him from whom she was to be deuorste Did humbly say and am I not my Lord to be remorste That twentie yeeres haue bene your Wife borne your Children and Haue lou'd and liu'd obediently and vnsuspected stand I am ah too too sweetly err'd I was poore Soule the same Whom once you did preferre nor now of me you neede to shame The blossomes of my beautie was your Bootie nor my fauour Now alters so to alter so from me your late behauour But Conscience is the colour of this quarrell well I wot I also haue a conscience that in this accuseth not But as the same perhaps might say that me succeedes say I That for the pleasure of a Prince goe many things awry Which her Fore-doomes seem'd to effect in her that her succeeded In Queene Anne Bullyn who for she in Lutherâ—sme proceeded Was hated of the Papists and enui'd because preferr'd And through the Kings too light beleefe for Kinges haue sometimes err'd She lost her head and might haue sayd some thought ere she did dye That for the pleasure of the Prince goe many things awry So dyde the gracious Mother of our now most glorious Queene Whose zeale in reuerent Fox his works autenticall is seene The Kings foure other Queenes for why he dide a Sexamus Shall passe though Iane did beare a Sonne to him a King to vs Edward the Sixt and of the same we shall deliuer thus CHAP. XXXV SVCH as was Loue in Figure of Ascanius wheÌ„ the same In kisses slie did sheade himselfe into the Tyrian Dame Or such as was sweete Hyacint Apollos louely Boy Or Iupiters Ganymaedes rapt vp to heauen from Troy Or rather like young Salomon in sentencing betwixt Two mothers claiming one same Child was young Edward the Sixt. Now Rome fell sicke in England but how long she lay in traunce We list not write alonly death to her did neuer chaunce For old Rome neuer lackt that durst their liues for her bestoe Not new Rome that to Hell for her dare soules and bodies goe Then true Religion might be sayd with vs in Primatiue The Preachers and the people both then practiuely did thriue Our decent Church-Rites still in print not practise worthie those Whose reuerent heads collected them froÌ„ whence true wisedoÌ„ groes Not mangled then of Nouesses and curious Doults which now Would haue they know not what would reform they know not how Omitting or admitting as their owne Conceits allow Did then put forth her Braunches and weare fruitfull in the bood And weare our Church-Lords now for zeale as Church-lawes now for good Soone might like vnion be now by indifferencie withstood For giue to vulgar Heads the head and looke for all confused At once they publish and repeale al els saue Order vsed And as Kytts Campe ill-form'd good forme at their reforming Tree Sonnes ost by aime consorting voice their Fathers hang'd should be So wheare the Multitude preuaile they censure ere they see But might I be so bould to speake to them should speake to mee A good example would doe good in Church-men seeing thay In saying â—â—oth are lesse beleeu'd not doing as the say I know our Churchmen know that Faith is dead where lack good works Yeat know I not what pollicie in Almes vnpreached lurks Some teach wel that these concurre but few doe vrge the Theame Of charitie affeard perhaps our More should vrge their Beame But feare not Fathers preach at full Loue good workes Remorse More will your bad Examples let than shall your words inforce To preach by halfes is to be worse than those tongue-holly Iauells That cite good words but shift off works and Discipline by Cauells Oft haue ye handled pithily not preached without neede What good to giue what hurt to take froÌ„ those that Soules do feede But so obscurely hath beene blancht of good workes elsewheare done As many boasting only
Faith Faiths fruites selfe-aptly shonne When such a faith is but the faith of that faith-fruitles Deuill That cited Scripture vnto Christ applying good to euill Tell whether that the Leuite or Samaritane did better Tell wherein Diues liu'd and dide to Lazarus a Debter Vnknot sententious Salomon his Parable which is Full Cloudes will rayne vpon the Earth How thus is meant by this Rich meÌ„ by Cloudes poore men by Earth els Clerks expound amis Tell how some Cloudes but misell Rayne that is if so they giue A peny Almes or twaine a yeare they thinke they much releeue Som Clouds flash down their Shewres that is som set vp two or three And begger so themselues and theirs say such are foolish free Some Clouds hayle downe their Raine beate flat hurt helpe not y e ground That is vpbraid whoÌ„ they releeue hold theÌ„ seruile bound Some Cloudes giue Snow that lights and lies a moysture moystles so Doe those that say alas God helpe and nothing els bestoe Some Cloudes doe shewre into the Seas say such do giue to such Whom Almes make idle or belike to recompence as much Som Clouds with lightning thunder lowd winds drip down their raine That is giue sildom almes those proclam'd seene ere â—ayne Some Clouds retayne but forme of clouds with figure black as Coale That is looke bigge Examine long but Scriptum est their doale Some gracious Clouds shed temprate Shewres on thirstie earth indeed That is the Orphant Widow Thrall succour protect and feed Say also whatsoere wee giue to whosoere it bee Though giuen in sight of men if not because that men should see But with Deuotion as a worke from Faith that cannot seuer God for such cheerfull Almes wil be our bounteous Almner euer Say make not as it weare a Quest of quere ere Yee giue But giue yee Almes as men be poore not as poore men to liue Prouided common Beggers nor disordered Lossels who Men know prouided for or can but labour none will doe Than whom doe say for so is sooth no Creatures worse desatue Take you no Orators for them but that they hang or statue And thus for this Our Ouerture to it reduceth mee The Vncles ofthis Orphant King so long as they agree Vphild Religion King themselues and Realme in happie state Which then began to ruinate when they begun debate CHAP. XL. SOme say their falling out was through two haughtie womens strife The Admiralls Queene Bigama Lord Protectors wife These for what glorie enuies not one woman in an other Began a brawle that ended in the blood of either Brother T is thought the Earle of VVarwick threw close fewell to this fire And nourisht it to cut off them that so he might aspire For when the one had lost his head he forthwith tooke in hand To forge the Lord Protector false vnto the King and Land Who though he tryed by his Peeres of treason was acquited Yeat also of a Statute new he being then indighted Was hardly found a Felon and too stricktly sentenc'st so For meanest fault is high offence vrg'd of a mightie Foe The King thus lost his Vncles both to his no little woe Now VVarwick was become a Duke feared of high and lowe Full little thinking that himselfe the next to Blocke should goe The two Prince-loyall Semers erst made let vnto his lust But now remayned none whose faith or force he did mistrust The Orphant King fell sicke but here suspend what some suspect The new Duke of Northumberland meane while did all direct It was contriu'd King Edward from his Sisters gaue the Crowne Their Fathers Former Act and Will by wrested law put downe The Sisters Daughters Daughter of Eight Henry Ladie Iane Was publisht heire apparant and that right from Mary tane And from Elizabeth though both collatrally preceed her And when by ful Confedracie the Crowne-right was decreed her And Gylford Dudly fourth-borne Sonne vnto Northumberland Had married her and nothing seem'd the Plot-forme to withstand King Edward entred seauenteene yeares of age seauen of Raigne Departed to that endles rest his vertuous life did gaine The Councel then conuent But who wil think perhaps that one Should alter All to alter true Discents vnto a Throne â—ane Suffolks Daughter Gylfords wife One worthie such estate For righteous and religious life who nerethelesse should wate Her Intrest after others Two The younger of which twaine Did match yea Mate her vertues was proclamed Queene to raigne And in the tower of London hild Estate and princely Traine Meane while fled Mary doubting lesse her Scepters losse than life But sildome fayles a rightfull cause that comes to open strife The Commons knew our either Law prefer'd a Sisters Right Before a Cosens and fot it did many fadge to fight Northumberland with Armes pursu'd the Ladie Mary and Obseru'd directions from the Peeres who when they vnderstand Of Maries strength of flocking Friends on sudden came to pas That they proclamed Mary Queene and Iane her Prisner was And well was he that late did seeme a Foe might first salute The Queene and all vnto the Duke did their Amis impute For soothly more the Peeres did feare than fauour alway Who though he seem'd as forward now in Maries cause as thay Yeat was he taken and in-towr'd and lost his head for this A Warrior braue But than his Sier himselfe one Sonne of his Like rare Politians seldome liu'de who in three seuerall Raignes Successiuely did shew them such though losse did proue their gaines THe Duke thus dead Suffolke Lord Gray Lord Gylford Lady Iane Weare executed But we blanch the rest excepting twaine That is Lord Gylford and his wife yong and lesse worthy blame Because the Dukes their Fathers all the Councell all of name Yea and King Edwards Pattents seald for them not they did frame What so was done in this yeat they must perish for the same Who higher then this Couple late and who more wretched now Of more then much remayned nought nor law did life allow Vnhappie Youths not for they die but for the mutuall greefe Of him for her of her for him which tortur'd them in cheefe Come was the day the tragicke day wherein they both should die When Either passing to their end ech other did espie Shee in her lodging waiting death prepared her that day And he in being lead thereto he Lodging in his way Assending and dissending Signes then fly and fall apace And each bemones the other more than mindes their priuate cace Their Eâ—es that looked Loue ere while now looke their last adew And staine their faces faultles ere this dismall enter-vew Their Eares earst listning ioies are deafe vnles to sighes profound Their tongs earst talking ioies those looks sighes did now coÌ„found What parts soere of them had felt or tasted ioyes ere this Wheare senceles now of any ioy saue hope of heauenly blis Whilst Either thus for Earthly Pompe no longer time did looke He passeth
King by meanes or force command And daerst thou Minion quoth the Queene thus article to me That then wert Non-plus when the King commenced Lust to thee Nay best he take thee to the Court Be thou his Queene doe call Me to attendance if his Lust may stand for law in all I know it Strumpet so harps he and thou doest hope the same But loe I liue and liue I will at least to marre that game With that she dasht her on the Lippes so dyed double red Hard was the heart that gaue the blow soft were those lips that bled Then forc'st she her to swallow downe prepar'd for that intent A poisned Potion which dispatcht frō whence they came they went The wronged Wench the Quintessence of Beautie and the same Saue that intised of a King stoode free from all defame Did forthwith sicken so that helpe for her might none be found When to the Knight that garded her then greeued of a wound She sayd Weare it that Henry knew his Rosamund weare thus No waightie busnes might withhold but he would visit vs Full well I lou'd and loue him still that should not loue him so And for I should not worthely I labour of this woe Ah Beauty that betraies thy selfe to euery amorous Eie To trap thy proud Possessors what is it but Wantons trie Wheare-through it seldome haps the Faire from meant deceits to flie At least the nicest Faire aliue shall vanish once as I. Vaine Beauty stoupe to Vertue for this latter is for euer Wheareas that former altreth with euery Ayre and Feuer I pray the Queene of Pardon whom I pardon from my hart Farewell my present Friends But thou sweet King wheare so thou art Ten thousand times farewell to thee My God whome I offended Vouch safe me Mercy Saying which her life she sweetly ended Thus did faire Rose no longer Rose nor faire in sent or sight Whome pensiue Henry did inter and soone her wrong did right The Queene imprison'd and his Sonnes rebelling put to flight Thus wrought they sorrowes to thēselues in wreaking of their spight Nor lou'd the King thenceforth the Queene or left to erre anew Now rests our other promis'd Tale a common Tale if true Like lesse had harmed Elenour and more may profite you Be bitter and it betters not be patient and subdue King Phillip is not gone but to returne which when he shall Your Maiestie must not exclaime if so you would recall Impatience chaungeth smoke to flame but Ielousie is Hell Some wiues by Patience haue reduc'st ill husbands to liue well As did this Lady of an Earle of whome I now shall tell CHAP. XLII AN Earle quoth he had wedded lou'd was lou'd and liued long Full true to his fayre Countesse yeat at last he did her wrong Once hunted he vntill the Chace long fasting and the heate Did house him in a peakish Graunge within a Forrest great Wheare Knowne welcom'd as the place persons might afforde Browne bread whig bacon curds milke were set him on the Borde A Cushion made of Lists a Stoole halfe backed with a houpe Weare brought him he sitteth down besides a sorry Coupe The poore old Couple wish't their bread were wheat their whig were Perry Their bacō beefe their milk curds weare creame to make him mery Meane while in Russet neatly clad with linnen white as Swanne Her selfe more white saue rosie wheare the ruddy colour ranne Whome naked Nature not the Ayders of Arte made to excell The Good mans Daughter sterres to see that all were feat and well The Earle did marke her and admire such Beautie theare to dwell Yeat fals he to their homely Fare and hild him at a feast But as his hunger slaked so an amorous heat increast When this Repast was past and thanks and welcome too he sayd Vnto his Oste and Ostesse in the hearing of the Mayde Ye know quoth he that I am Lord of this and many Townes I also know that you be poore and I can spare you pownes So will I so yee will consent that yonder Lasse and I May bargaine for her loue at least doe giue me leaue to trie Who needs to know it Nay who dares into my doings prie First they mislike yeat at the length for lucar were mislead And then the gamesome Earle did wowe the Damsel for his bead He tooke her in his armes as yet so coyish to be kist As Mayds that know themselues belou'd and yeeldingly resist In few his offers weare so large she lastly did consent With whome he lodged all that night and early home he went He tooke occasion often times in such a sorte to hunt Whome when his Lady often mist contrary to his wont And lastly was informed of his amorous haunt elsewheare It greeu'd her not a little though she seem'd it well to beare And thus she reasons with her selfe Some fault perhaps in me Some what is done that so he doth Alas what may it be How may I winne him to my selfe He is a Man and men Haue imperfections It behooues we pardon Nature then To checke him weare to make him checke although hee now were cha'ste A man controuled of his Wife to her makes lesser haste If duetie then or daliance may preuayle to alter him I will be duetifull and make my selfe for daliance trim So was she and so louingly did entertaine her Lord As fayrer or more faultles none could be for Bed or Bord. Yeat still he loues his Leiman and did still pursue that Game Suspecting nothing lesse then that his Lady knew the same Wherefore to make him know she knew she this deuise did frame When long she had been wrong'd sought the foresayd meanes in vaine She rideth to the simple Graunge but with a slender Traine She lighteth entreth greets them well and then did looke about her The guiltie houshold knowing her did wish thēselues without her Yeat for she looked merily the lesse they did misdoubther Whē she had seene the beautious Wench thē blushing fairnes fairer Such Beautie made the Countesse hold them both excus'd the rather Who wold not bite at such a Bait thought she who though loth So poore a Wench but gold might tempt sweet errors lead thē both Scarse one of twentie that hath brag'd of proffer'd Gold denied Or of such yeelding Beautie baulkt but tenne to one hath lied Thus thought she And she thus declares her cause of comming thether My Lord oft hunting in these Partes through trauell night or wether Hath often lodged in your House I thanke you for the same For why it doth him iolly ease to lie so neere his Game But for you haue not Furniture beseeming such a Guest I bring his owne and come my selfe to see his lodging drest With that two Sumpters were discharg'd in which were Hangings braue Silke Couerings Curtens Carpets Plate all such turn should haue When all was hansomly dispos'd She prayes them to haue caer That nothing hap in their
default that might his health impaer And Damsell quoth she for it seemes this houshold is but three And for thy Parents Age that this shall chiefely rest on thee Doe me that good else would to God he hither come no more So tooke she horse and ere she went bestowed gould good store Full little thought the Countie that his Countesse had done so Who now return'd from farre affaires did to his sweet-Heart go No sooner set he foote within the late deformed Cote But that the formall change of things his woondring Eies did Note But when he knew those goods to be his proper goods though late Scarce taking leaue he home returnes the Matter to debate The Countesse was a bed and he with her his lodging tooke Sir welcome home quoth she this Night for you I did not looke Then did he question her of such his Stuffe bestowed so Forsooth quoth she because I did your Loue and Lodging knoe Your Loue to be a proper Wench your Lodging nothing lesse I hild it for your health the house more decently to dresse Well wot I notwithstanding her your Lordship loueth me And greater hope to hold you such by queat then brawles I see Then for my duetie your delight and to retaine your fauour All done I did and patiently expect your better Hauour Her Patience Witte Aunswere wrought his gentle teares to fall When kissing her a score of times Amend sweete wise I shall He said and did it And your Grace may Phillip so recall But he whoso he was that thus had dubled Tales to cease Queene Maries griefe for Phillips guile as well had hild his peace Her no perswading might disswade from peâ—siuenes of hart Vntill that his Vnkindnes in her Deaths-Scene acts it part But howsoere or whatsoere her cause of death might seeme Her death did many a good mans life from Tyrannie redeeme For as in Passion so was she in Papistrie extreame And were not the abodement bad at her to end our Theame Our Cattell vnto stronger draughts we should and would vnteame But to the Head land shall our Plough vnles we breake our Beame Yeat ere we eare to it for it shall be our Holly-day Of somwhat sayd and somwhat scapt rests thus much by the way CHAP. XLIIII BEFORE we toucht little els what Courses hapt at home But now in few at forren Acts of Natiue Kings we rome Of Briâ—tish and of English Kings more famous than the rest This sparing Catalogue ensewes whose deedes we thus digest * Aeâ—eas Off-spring famous Brute did set from Greekish thrall Sixe thousand Phrygâ—an Knights by him did Guyan Guffer fall He conquering this Ile his Name vnto his Conquest gaue And of his Cornish Cambries men couragious yet we haue * Torkes Builder Ebranke that subdu'de the â—imbrians and the Gawles And built the best of Scottish Townes next in our Nomber falls * When Brennus and Belynus had Eight spacious Kingdomes wonne Had slaine two Consulls sacked Rome and matchles Armes had done And built ten Cities best that be in Italie this day Those Kinglie Brothers as must all their debt to Nature pay * Gâ—rgâ—â—nus slew the Dactan King wonne Tribute and the same Gaue Spanish Exiles Ireland whence our Scottish Nation came * Câ—ssiâ—â—lane did twice beate backe from Brittish Seas and Shore The worthie Coesar that but then was victor euermore And thirdly had preuailed but for Luds reuolted Sonne When as braue Nennius hand to hand of Caesar honor wonne * Guydar and Aruiragus wonne of Claudius Caesar spoyle The former in a second Field did sâ—out Vaspasian foyle * When as the wandring Scots and Pichts King Marâ—us had subdude He gaue the Liuers dwellings lesse than where they since intru'de * Constantiâ—s wedding Coyls heyre was Monarke of the West Who with this Ilands Scepter of Romes Empire was possest * Great Constantine that worthely a Worthie might be said The Brittish Romaine Emperour throughout the world obayd He made his Siege Bizantium that retaines his name ere since And made but so vnwitting marde the Priest of Rome a Prince * Maximian as Emperiall and as valerous as any With Brittish armour did subdue both Kings and Kingdomes many * What speake we of great Arthur of his Chiualrie or Court Precelling all sole President of vertue prow's and port A King of many Kings his Knights in all Exploits were seene He was in deede a Worthie and the Worthiest of the Neene * Fiue Crownes King Malgo prized * And in Battells fiftie fiue Against the Misâ—reants valiantly did King Alured thriue â—ollo whose Seede should conquer vs he hence did brauely beate That maâ—ger Fraunce in Normandie his Scythian Troopes did seate * He that re-monarchiz'd our Ile King Athelstone did slay Sixe Kings twelue Dukes and countlesse tale of Heathen in one day The one of Nyne his Knight Sir Guy we touch but by the way Omitting other Kings and Knights too long in few to say Of Brittish race a many and of Saxon Princes some Whose blood by Normaine Mixture now is tripartite become Oâ— For perhaps from such Consort the Brutes casseerd will be Three blended blouds of Nations three hath giuen vs Natures three The Saxon prowesse Danâ—sh pompes and Normaine Pollicee And of the Romanes and the Picâ—ts we are no portion small Foure of which Nations Scythia bred we thriuing in them all * KIng VVilliam Englands Conquerour from Rollo sixt with pray Of twice fiue hundred Townes in Fraunce vn-â—o-met sayld away * Henry the second vpon whom the Scotch-King tendant was Which Scots their often ouerthrowes we henceforth ouerpasse Who to our Kings Lords Parramounts not warres but vprores bring Spoylde Frauncè wonne Ireland and deceast of Iuda chosen King * Next Lyon-harted Richard he wonne Cypris Siria and Ierusalem debelling quite the Sowldan from his Land He skalde the strong Aegyptian Oste and king'd his Sisters sonne And plagued Fraunce and Austrich for the wrongs they had him don * First Edward made the Turks Sauoies the French Flemings treÌ„ble * The third so nam'd to them and moe did Mars himselfe resemble Whose Knights in 2. Richards dayes so tickeld France and Spaine And parts Lugdinian that no King but Richard seem'd to raine Ten thousand were his housholde Scotch digests we here disdayne * The fourth and * fifth of Henries were as actious as the rest Especially the latter was the formost with the best * Not yeat Fourth Edwards honor from his Ancestors digrest On these doo vulgar Eares and Eyes so brimlie waite and gaze As they distaske our priuate Penne notorious Laudes to blaze Our Catalogue omitteth some for Artes and Iustice good Some natur'de well aduised ill some worthie Laethe flood Not one fore-cited but deserues at least an Homers Muse Although with Agamemnons Vaile Apelles shift I vse But colours to that Painter Art vnto that Poet none So good to paint and prayse at ful our following Crowns saue one Since Tuders Seede Henry the Seauenth ariued Englands
Throne NOr superstitiously I speake but H. the letter still Might be obserued ominous to Englands good or ill First Hercules Hesione and Hellen were the cause Of warre to Troy Aeneas Seede becomming so Out lawes Humbar the Huâ—n with forren Armes did first the Brutes inuaide Hellen to Romes Emperiall Throne the Brittish Crowne conuaide Hengest and Horsus first did plant the Saxons in this I le Hungar and Hubba first brought Danes that swayed heere long while At Harold had the Saxon ende at Hardiknought the Dane Henries the first and second did restore the English Raine Fourth Henrie first to Lancaster did Englands Crowne obtaine Henry litigious Lancaster and Yorke vnites in peace Henrie the Eight did happelie Romes Irreligion cease The Father of our Mother Nurse our common Ioyes increase Which double H. and H. H. heere our homely Poemes Lee He saue that salueth all our sinnes And God voutsafe thou me A prosperous Course in sayling through the Ocean deepe and large Of her now-Highnes Scepter for I heere assume that Charge TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE LORD SIR GEORGE CAREY Knight Baron of Hunsdon c. THough late I wright too soone I wot I heere Occasion take May this to none wish I but me Retreate to Sorowe make Both to remember Hiâ— We meant our Penn-Lee tore-use As to trans-patronize from him to you mine orphant Muse. Not one aliue that shall not die thrise happie then the same That as your Noble Father shael suruiue them selues in Fame Both Epitaphes and Elegies his Ghoste hath many an one Alas what can I say not sayde or more than moend him mone Not matter more than much nor more for â—ruth than matter skante Or lesse of Glorie than of both would to his Poet want But were a Non-plus of his Praise all were but this in grosse His Good to his owne Soule is Good his Death to vs is Losse What should I adde his auncient Creasts and noble Petegrae Such as that Henrie Primer of you Hunsdon Barons bee Your Lordshippe to your Countrie Prince and such in high Degree And such as you when you are not succeed the Careys blood In stiil-Descents and than this wish how may I wish more good My Syrinx sounded first to you and may eare long anewe Bâ— you Mecaenas also to this Poesie doth ensewe His had it been had he yet been that had the rest which now Yeelds humblie yours if it for yours your Lordshippe shall alowe Most humblie your Honors William Warner THE NINTH BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XLIIII AVert your eyes and eares all yee that enuie her the fame Of more renowmed Regment than our fluent Thoughts can name Yee that conceite such Poemes as more learned not conceaue Reade not the rest but silently euen at this line doe leaue Ridled Poesies and those significantly flowe Differ in eares as doe in mouths the Apricock and Slowe Phisitians bylles not Patients but Apothecaries know Some moderne Poets with themselues be hardly inward so Not intellectiuely to write is learnedly they troe Whereby they hit Capacities as blind-man hits the Croe. Nor Those not These feare thou my Muse but mildly sing the prayes Of these our present times lesse grosse than those of elder daies Our world hath made it course that as the Moone doth wax waine From gold to siluer then to iron and now to golde againe Of whose faire-cured Leaprosie from former twaine to golde For in a Quintessence was all eare Gods worlds-curse of olde The vndeluding Alcumist is that Elizabeth Whom English yea and Alients hold a Goddesse on the Earth Elizabeth by Peace by warre for Maiestie for Milde Inriched feared honor'd Lou'd at wel meant Toyes hath smilde Let then Mnemosines controule as well they may our Muse We shall such grace wheare we transgresse for Supersedias vse Phoebus thine humbled Phaeton this second boone doth aske ' That thou wouldst giue and ioyntly guide to with me thy Taske Infuse Apollo too into thy selfe thy selfe in me Yeat then our mightie Subiect threats will much omission be But what implore I Fictions that I well imploye my penne Eternall God say thou which thou all-only canste Amen When Iupiter and Arcas yong the Sier and Sonne had clos'de Saturnus in Italian Hell not to be baylde suppos'de Then Proserpin blacke Dis his wife inlargd the Wrangler thence To vex her Sister crosse her Siers and Brothers sownd pretence Then she euen she whom Cynthia some and some doe Pallas call Yt skils not whether Eithers lawdes doe aptly her befal By Saturne Dis and Proserpin giltles molested longe Vnto the God y'clip't I-Am thus motioneth her wronge O mightiest Mightie that of nought createdst all that is And gauste to Man thy noblest Worke him selfe and all for his And saue Obedience didst impose on him no other Fine And disobaying didst redeeme his Losse with decrest Thyne Which selfe same Thyne and still same-Oures I also intercesse For thee professing being wrong'd to haue at length redresse Scarce this was sayd when thus ensewd the Three weare rapted hence Saturne and Dis confinde their Hells Proserpin her offence Growen through Mis-Guides Veniall perhaps we censure in suspence And faire lou'd feard Elizabeth heere Goddiz'd euer sence For me to wreste from Hercules his Club as easie weare As in the Ocean of her fame with choysest sayles to beare That fraight y t with the IndiaÌ„ wealth may more then much coÌ„pare Yeat how th' Italian Feends did freat and hetherto inuaye Against thy glory gracious Saincte weare ouerlong to saye But he that of a Prisnor thee so great a Prince did frame Thy louing and beloued God to thee is still the same King Phillips-selfe so doting on his Pope-created Crewe That he it suffring his owne Son and heire those Locusts slewe Because they feared he would proue vnto the Gospell trewe Euen Phillip now that raketh hell for rascall brybed Skomes To ridde thee hence indignities that badly him becomes Once had thee then not hauing power to doe thee any harme It is the worke of God let Rome vncursse let Spaine vn-arme That thou art Queene to plant his word when we could hope it least When Ours all the Kings had cast their Crownes before the beast When greedely the Preists of Baal did for thy ruine gape Thou didst vnharmde the Lyons denne and firie Ouen escape Euen theÌ„ when Tryumphs were in hand bells ronge bonfires made Because Queene Mary of a sonne deliuered was said Euen then I say God mortifide that womb to bring to passe That vnto thee his Queene-elect no Issue letting was That soone Religion and our Realme might welcome wished peace Maiest thou the Cause thereof suruiue long after my decease But if it be his will to whom are all Euents fore-knowne That Papistrie shall in our Land againe erect her Throne Let Spaniards or what Tyrants els be Masters heere so thay Take also with our Land our Liues and rid vs out the way For not they only die but die in
coequall Maiestie Doe we beleeue of whom the Sonne did for Beleeuers die The only Ransome that redeemes from Sathans Tyrannie Euen Christ the Way the Truth the Life not crooked glozed fraile But right for Rule in Promise firme in Guerdon near to faile Who to reproue the bad approue the good and to assure The Wau'ring and against the Diuell our safetie to procure Did giltles die that we lost Soules might liue naught els did make That he his Deitie adiorn'd did humaine Nature take Nor glorifide disclaimes he vs vnles we him forsake And what is fruitles Faith but such Apostasie and what Ensues Apostasie but to be doomed Dam'd for that No Doctrine or Traditions we hold currant saue the same That Gospell or th'Apostles Acts or Pennes include or name Baptisme incorporating vs in Christ and vs in one Christs misticall last Supper whear in Signe his death is knowne Be Sacraments except which twaine doe we accept of none By only Christ our Aduocate we to the Father pray Nor thinke we Saints deceased can our Sutes to him conuay Howbeit still most reuerently of Saints we think and say Vnnecessarie Burthens on our Christian Freedome laide Contrarie these that but beleefe and vertuous life perswaide Yea only Faith doth iustifie say we of Gods free grace By Christ not Faith is idle but doth Charitie imbrace Who may but will not helpe doth hurt we know and curious thay That dribling Almes by Arte disband wel-Meant froÌ„ wel-Dons pay And he that questions Ones distresse and doth not helpe indeuour Than he that sees and nothing sayes or cares is lesse Deceiuour Then hope we health when sinne is felt repentantly in heart Adde then new life and we to God God doth to vs conuart Thus Peter vsde his Keyes not thus play Popes S. Peters part For Cleargie-men and Laye our Church hath godly Discipline Lawes worthie better than sometimes are those the Lawes define Our Princes in their Policies and Lawes doe we obay Though God his Cause they seek to crosse yeat we for theÌ„ do pray In patience not peruerse Attempts for better times we stay Not as denide but as deuout we doe and should abstaine From Meates euen meete the proude Flesh froÌ„ sins excesse to waine Which shuld we skaÌ„t yet be dronk with lust or like were vaine Saue also publique Policie doth publique Sparing craue In Fasts or differences of Meates no other keepe we haue Almes deedes and workes of Charitie we practiuely professe And follow Saints as they did Christ leaue whear they traÌ„sgresse Such and so much as sayd are we forgiue vs God if lesse For godly though Religion Prince and Policie they are Yeat things that of themselues be good abuse brings out of square And sundrie Faults in sundrie Folks we sometimes must forbare Howbeit with best gouernd States our State may now compare CHAP. LIII A Wise man liuing like a Drone an old-Man not deuout Youth disobedient Rich-men that are Charitie without A shameles Woman vitious Lords a Poore-man proudly stout Contentious Christians Pastors that their Function doe neglect A wicked King no Discipline no Lawes men to direct Are Twelue the foulest Faults that do all Common-wealths infect In most of all which Twelue erres not or much in any one Our State respecting this of some Lawes not abused none Our God-blest Queene Palladium of our happie publique Weale For worth so farre beyond all words we one only touch in zeale No Realme than ours hath wiser Lawes for euery Right Wrong Nor is through Meed or Meanes the Weake betraied to the StroÌ„g Though of vn-Quaifed Iudges some is sung another song But who the Person not the Cause respecteth hath forgot The Creator of Persons who and Iustice differ not A Councell watchfull for the State Our Benches euery wheare Supplide with Iudges learned iust and such as God doe feare Winke here and there at Auerice Incharitie and Pride And better Cleargie than is ours not Europe hath beside Say me who can whether Extreame hath harm'd Religion more That old of theirs too prodigall or This of ours too poore Then Giuing gaue too slack a Raine now-Gleaning curbs too sore By Slauerie and by Symonie now Church-Preferment comes Like Nabal and to Helies Sonnes get Church-men vp their croÌ„mes Too much too little or a meane sort out alike we see House-keeping nor Humilitie in any of the Three Be hospitalious Churchmen Lay cease sacrilegious sinne Your Soules-sore but their Stores-salue whence eueÌ„ whiningly they winne By pinching from the Pulpet and their Purses with this note Scarse will their Studies stipend them their wiues and Children cote And verely it is a fault and maimed Learnings Foe That Church-Possessions should amongst the Laye be shared so And verely it is a fault if so the Cleargie liue As theirs to take be thought no Sinne nor Meede to them giue Almightie euerlasting God which only work'st great wonders Amend such Pastors and vnite thy Flock that Sathan sunders No one thing quailes Religion more than foundring Presbytrie Each Sâ—ot impugning Order saieth and doth his Fantasie Our Booke of Common prayer though most sound Diuinitie They will not reade nor can they preach yeat vp the Pulpet towre Thear making tedious Preachments of no edifying powre O learned Seers whose good liues and Doctrine doe agree Not barren is our Land of such heer-hence vn-meant are ye To you in Reuerence and Reward may nothing wanting be T' is only wisht your work from Dolts your Hiues from Drones were free T' is wisht in These in Fugitiues in Papists and more bad Whom to perswade to reason were with reason to be mad In Calophantick Puritaines amisse amendment had THese Hypocrites for these three Gifts to their Lauerna pray Iust to be thought all to beguile That none their Guiles bewray Their Arte is fayning good they want and hiding bad they haue Their Practise is selfe-praise of praise all others to depraue On Loue say some waites Ielosie but Ielosie wants loue When curiously it ouer-plus doth idle Quarrels moue Best Puritaines are so ore-zeal'd But should I terme the rest Inhospitalious Mutinous and Hypocrites the best Insociable Maleparte foxing their priuate good Exiling hence wel-neere al Troth meete Sports Neighbourhood Learnings Foes contemptuously by them be Lawes withstood Self-pleasers Skorners Harlots Drones against the Haire in all Of their extreame whence Atheisme breeds be warning Hackets fall If euer England will in ought preuent her owne Mishap Against these Skommes no terme too grosse let England shut the gap Their giddie heds gaue colour first that Spayne gainst FlauÌ„ders arm'd And theÌ„ their CouÌ„tries Foes they helpt most their CouÌ„try harm'd If Hypocrites why Puritaines we terme be ask't in breefe T' is but an Ironized Tearme good-Fellow so spells Theefe Well-working single-hearted Men in silence such be some Will not apply but saintish not in Deede but by the Dromme To Vnion that our stablisht Lawes for publike Prayer ties Not all is wondred and offends
Princely her Allowance and more stately as is sayde Than had she been in Scotland nor was Libertie denayde Of Hauking Hunting and Disports that had she been content Her merriest and securest daies a Prisoner she spent Scotland though labourd of our Queene would not receiue her and Such Treacher though imprison'd here prou'd she to either Land That death awaited her at Home and had we let her goe She was the Leagues shot-Anchor might our Queene and State o'rethroe Percie and Neuell auncient Earles This yet in Spanish paye Though bacely ill too well for him his Countrie would betray That other headed both her Wreckes wee touch but by the way With that succeeding County who concurring with his brother Once pardon'd still conspyred and Lawes Progresse so to smother Dispatcht himselfe Paget and moe like guiltie as those other Whose faultes falls had Rome Spayne their Father her their Mother Omit we Noâ—folks House from first of Howards made a Prince Though fauor'd of the Commons haue defected euer since As Absolom vs'd Curtesie but as Ambitious smoake Last Thomas Duke of Norfolkâ— so did his aspyring cloke WhoÌ„ promis'd faith once fre'ed but that promise soone he broke Him for Confedrate with those Earles rebelling Proofes did touch And with this Scottish Queene that he Intelligence had much Her Marriage that he closely sought and her Escape pretended And in her Right had fadg'd their wrong her Highnes Raine had ended Of Rising neer to London and to take it Plots they layde From Netherland the Spanish King had promised them ayde From Scotland into Spaeyne should be the Infant-King betrayde Ireland meane-while with aduerse Armes should also be ore-layde And hereof to and fro the Pope weare Letters still conuayde All which and more directly prou'd he piâ—ied lost his head Nor ought his death from being such did stand his Sonne in steade So hardly finde we Great-men in their Greatnes satisfide Or for their Greatnes not to be of other Men enuide But what is All to those haue All when but in Trifles crost Disgrace or Greese or Grudge vn-queare no lesse than all weare lost Conclude we then all Riches Forme Pompe Worlds-Applause but Winde Conclude we then to Monarchize is to coÌ„mand the minde Throckmorton yeat more priuie and more practising than those With her Mendoza Papists here forren and Land-leapt Foes Did Mischiefes that imported more our practiz'd State disclose But when of Parry Babington and their Attempts I thinke With whome this Scottish Lady in their bloody hopes did linke All foresaid Practises seeme then Epitomies to it Whereto these folliall Traytors did themselues and Senses fit Our Centinels almost too late the Larum bell did ring Yeat hardly then to arme her selfe our Generall they bring The Queene of Scots froÌ„ Ours almost her Crowne life had priz'de Eare to preuent the same she would by audience be aduis'de When gentle Durance might not salue that Daunger did remaine Which God and Nature tolerate slea rather than be slaine To which our Parliament aduis'd our Queene but long in vaine So far was she from foing her that sought her life and Rayne CHAP. LVI NOw thirtie sixe our greatest Peeres and States had power to heare And to determine and as found her to condemne or cleare By Statute passed in our Queene her seuen and twentith yeare These noble Tryers iustly then examining the Cause With reuerent Note of her who heard and spoke to euery Clause Did after diuers Daies so spent adiudge by Verdict trew Her guiltie of most trayterous Conspiracies not fewe And then from Fotheringhaye themselues to Parliament with-drew Of this Infection that our Peers and People had and would Remediles impoyson if not medeine it we should By some Decision of the Lymme whence all the bayne did floe Our publike Weales Phisitions much did argue to and froe Did neuer English Parliament fully conuented then Consist of Noblier Learneder Wiser and Worthier men By these it was debated how this common Foe might liue Without her death whom God to vs a common Blisse doth giue Much was it labord wished much some Course herein might holde But to resolue of any none had reason to be bolde Her still obdurate Malice to her Maiestie was cleere If she preuaild Religion was assurd an Altring heere Our Nobles Crocodile at home and hence our Foe-hop't Head Then must our Queene Religion Realme or She for them be dead Wherefore from Either House were sent the chiefest Men to craue Her Highnes that the passed Doome might Execution haue Whereof She askt to be aduisde and earnest her to saue Dismissed them with louing words and biddeth them expect Her Answer shortly nor did She the sending it neglect Though contrarie to it that all did hopingly affect For she perplexed in that case did lastly them direct To studie Meanes how Both might liue the Perill ouer-past Which much amaz'd yeat solemnly they handell it at last Mercie to her Malice in her might happily preuent Was sayd but not resolu'd for oft she Mercie vnder-went When rose the Earles and other times yeat neuer did repent But of our Queene to be destroyd had made her Testament A straiter Garde Bonds Hostages were also nam'd in vaine For should she prize our Queene who then durst her or theÌ„ detaine Or what were these to recompence the Losse we should sustaine For Loyaltie to take her Oth was thought to purpose small Such Othes she oft had falsifide nor thought it Sinne at all To breake them to an Heretike our Queene so Papists call To banish her were to possesse our Foes of their desier For vs to rid away the Smoake and runne into the Fier To set her free to make a Head for them against our Queene In few no safetie for vs but in her Death was seene So wholly by the Parlament concluded was and so Reported to her Maiestie still pitying her Foe In more sententious learned and delibrate sort than I Can set it downe past all toucht heer So did her Maiestie In answering earst and now to them her Aunswer Aunswer-lesse Sweet Adumbrations of her Zeale Mercie and Wit expresse But with her Oracle that bod them do and doe it not Play'd they as Alexander did with King Gordians Knot OF Spayâ—s huge Nauy toucht before great Rumor now was spread And that th'Inuaders meant to make this Scottish Queene a head For which continued doubt of her in English hearts was shead Not in the Vulgats only but some Nobles of this Land Who had not knowing it our Queene then got into their hand The Writ of Execution that her Heading did purport The which was executed soone and in a solemne sort This nature-frended Ladie had she bin as wise as witrie Who by the Massacres in France had learnt to leaue off Pittie Made there too apt for bloody Acts the Pope for it too blame To take her death too much deseru'd her selfe did meekly frame She bids commend her to her Sonne and will him to
Pageant featly playd Meane while the Royals and the Peeres they Practise to betray Some in the bloodie Massacre at Paris made away But what offend I Christian Eares with horror of that deede From Sarazens nor Sauages did euer like proceede Let that black Marrage-Feast when were so many Thousands slaine Oâ— Saints at peace with God and men be neuer nam'd againe Let be a Law in euery Land to punish such as speake That ChristiaÌ„s should like Hel-houÌ„ds so with God Nature breake Farre be it that Posterities should heare that Charles the King For such â—oule Murthers bon-fiers bod and caused Bels to ring Yeat tell the Popes Procession and his Iubilee for this For Popes be impudent and bads their blessings neuer mis To haue them Fathers of those Acts no Newes at all it is But more than twise sixe yeares ere this the ciuill Warres begun When on the Lambes of Vassie did the Guizian Butchers run 〈◊〉 when the Edict had giuen Peace vnto the Church reform'd And odious to the Papists seem'd that Peace who therefore storm'd And then the Duke of Guize who earst had figur'd for the Crowne Hence calculating hopes did set his bad Designements downe Alonly quarrelling till then the Princes of the blood Who partly quail'd were yet vnkild and to their tackling stood So with the Papists band 's the Duke himselfe not for Deuotion But aduantagious seem'd that Meane for blood-Drifts Promotion This Faction thus had Heart and Head the Other yet vnborne Till to the Prince of Condie flockt the Hugenotz forlorne And tolde the sauage Butcheries at Vassie newly made By ruthles and seditious Guize on Thousands whilst they prayde Like skathed Sheepe escaped from blood-sucking Dogs they quake Imploring his Protection which he then did vndertake Thus through Necessitie this Part had also Heart and Head Euen after hundreds thousands such good Christians so were dead This knowne to him from euery Part the Persecuted flie So was the Prince of vertuous Troopes possessed by and by CHAP. LVIII NOt Spayne this while that held for France great Signories did sleepe But through the Fingers into It with lusting Eyes did peepe At least by nourishing those Broyles all got She hopes to keepe For It whose Scituation so Spayns scattred Realmes disioynes Her Teeth had watred long and now to weaken France her Loynes Gainst France she France doth streÌ„gtheÌ„ with the Soother of her gold And for that Purchace to the Diuell is fear'd her Soule is sold. Directions also came from Rome that setteth all on fier That by what Right or wrong so ere the Guize should still aspier To send the royall Bloods to Heauen or Hell it skils not how Were Pardons sent for Murthers Buls to clear Alleageance vow That on Damnation none perswade much lesse of Peace allow And not alone gainst France this League was halowed but gainst all That worke the Gospell to erect whereby the Pope might fall Was more than time troe we to goe should not the Church vs call But call did they and come did we and to their labors fall When weare their Townes demolished with Slaughters thear not small This busie Head of that bad League for yet the monstrous Beath Of Sextus Quintus and the Diuell the grand League had not breath This Guize bereft vs Calice and in France our Peeces all Then fell in hand with Scotland thence with vs in hand to fall This in his Neece the Scottish Queene her Claime did all he might To dispossesse Elizabeth our Queene of regall right This on the infant-Person of his naturall King had seazde And prosecuted now in France what Violence him pleasde The Popes sworne Butcher and proud Spayns fore-Runner to prepare Her waies for France England which their Owners cannot spare This with the blood of Innocents made Channels ouer-floe Against this Cham and his Beau-Peeres inuited English goe Els saue that God can all was feard Religion should haue quaild And Spanyards nestling ouer neere had easlier vs assaild For on the Theator of France the Tragedie was ment Of England too Wherefore our Queene her Interruptors sent How Ambrose Earle of VVarwick did in FraÌ„ce high Feates not few How bloodie Claudie Duke of Guize a common Souldier slew How Francis sonne of that Guize did ciuill Broyles renew The persecuting Francis Charles and Henries hence a-dew Which Kings as said to work themselues French Monarchs Atheists playd Or doting ouermuch on Rome their Realme selues betrayd The skarlet Borbone whom the Guize a painted French King made Salcedo fayling Monsiurs Death which did the League conspier The Prince of Orenge murthred through Farnesian Parmas hier Renoumed Condie poysned in his time the Leaguers feare How Pope-sent Saunders gainst our Queene in Ireland Armes did beare For Leaguers then in Pollicie preuented Lettes each-wheare By Armies or Armadas or their scattred Iesuists who Haue had small cause to brag that they with England had to doe The often sworne and for-sworne Peace that hapned in the while Queene-Mother Phillip Pope and Guise the French Kings did begile Queene-Mother for Ambition of imployment King of Spayne To make his Vsurpations sure yea France it selfe to gaine The Pope to keepe his pompe in plight Guise for the regall Ring How all though drifting dâ—ffringly at length to ende did bring The House Valoys of Capets Stocke which Stocke had quite decaide But that it pleaseth God the Crowne in Bâ—rbons House is staide How till the Barricados Feast when Guise vn-vizard was Vnder Religions Cloake the Routes in wasted France did pas And after then both Hugenote and Papist too if frend Vnto Valoys or Burbon sound like Enmitie or end Of Sauoy hoping France his Aydes and â—ll successe in all How Guise and Lorraine in the Pit for Henrâ—e dig'd did fall How Frier Iames Pope-blest and brib'd of Mayâ—e did Henrie kill How vnto Mayne pursewing Broyles it wrought not to his will The Massacres and Stratagems did in these Tumults chance How God in all his Warres did blesse Nauar now King of France And how next God that FraÌ„ce is French our Queene is Author cheef All These thus blanch't we leaue and shall of Belgick be as breefe But be it first remembred how euen for the Parents sinne God plagueth in Posteritie as came to passe I winne In second Henries of the Church reform'd a bloudie Foe Though otherwise a worthie Prince nor tache we him but so And Katherine de Medâ—â—â—s whose Athisme wrought much woe These had sowre Sonnes not one of which did die a naturall death All 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Males none extant on the Earth No maruell euen to Dauids Seede for Dauid sinne hap't such And though the holy Writ containes that Storie yeat to tuch This Purpose let vs heare it here Example vrgeth much CHAP. LIX OF holy Dauid and his House the Man approu'd to be By Gods owne Mouth to Gods owne heart the â—y Troubles see His Soule was euer godly firme though fraile in flesh as Man For who
And apprehends euen fleelingly her Humours as they fall If sad were she then sad was he if merrie merrie too His Senses liable to all she did or did not doe If her he heard to speake he sayd Cassandrâ— spake lesse trew If her he saw hers praisde he more than Cythereas hew If odorifrous Sents he smelt he fathers them on her If but her hand he toucht that Touch did highly him prefer But Dâ—ified swore he him her bed-game Sweets might taste And swore his Thoughts for where we loue eueÌ„ there our Soules be plaste His Vertues and Officiousnes to her wards so had wrought That vnto little lesse than loue she by Degrees was brought Then errant Knights euery Knight yea Kings would ost defend The Beauties of such Damsels as it lik't them to commend And Prizes were preposde for such whose Champions bore theÌ„ best At Tilts and Turnies and his Dame was Soueraigne ore the rest Such Iusts in England to beheld were now proclaim'd and The Chiualrie of Christendome conuented in our Land Three beautious forren Ladies with Sir â—ohn his Ladie stood Competitors to win the Prize maintain'd with Champions good To shew the foure-fold March of Knights whose Prowse shuld plead ano 〈…〉 Vnder distinguisht Flags her Forme their Fancies waited on Their rare Accomplements and each Deuise to see or reede To shew the richnes of the Prize behight the Victors Meede The Damsels richer hew for whom such Triumphs were decreede The Cost and great Concurse was there were ouer-long to say In few was nothing wanting that might honor such a day Now sound they to the Iusts and now vn-horst was many a Knight For Foyles were Foyles most brauely al their Sides and selues acquite And almost grew the day to end before it could be seene Who bore him best wheÌ„ mouÌ„ted well both Man Horse in greene A Knight appear'd his Banner had the Picture and in gold King Edwards Cozen Elenor was legibly inrould Against him ranne right hardie Knights that thundred on his Beuer But he vnhorst the most of them himselfe vn-horsed neuer At least he lost his Stirrops that incounters him wherefore Of Knighthood he and Elenor the Prize of Beautie bore The Iewels set for Victorie and aduerse Banners three Were yeelded him whilst Elenor did long her Knight to see But as they marched to depart with Beuer shut he made To her a Conge closely then he Thence himselfe conuaide Much wonder all who and of whence the hardie greene-Knight was But secretly vnknowne of all he to his Home did pas A Womans Loue is Riuer-like which stopt will ouer-flow But when the Currant finds no let it often falls too lowe Faire Elenor wish't nothing more than that she might him know Meane while the Fier of Loue in her from sparkes to flame did grow But Mandeuil was more discreet than that for Mens applause He would be known as knowing that from Praise takes Enuie cause To moue the King threats death in vaine to labor her he wist Since many mightie Potentates had labord her and mist. She he and England seem'd too neere his hopes thought he too farre He absence therefore poynts to plead vnto his Loue in barre Of Ceur-de-Lion Erigen VVilliam the Pylgrim who Wrot Richards Syrian Watres Curson Glanuile and Longe-spee too Long-shanks eare King his Knights and of our English many moe That through the triple Orbs did Armes and Trauels vnder-goe And famous thus aliue and dead Here and Abroad did groe He cal'd to minde resolu'd in minde his Life to finish so Bills of Exchange and all things els prepard for Trauell fit Vnto his Friends grieu'd he would goe he then imparteth it The King did giue him Letters for safe-Conducts of the Corte Loth him to leaue he taketh leaue But in more speciall forte Of Elenor good Sadnes she thus spoke as if in sporte Some discontented humor sends you hence as I deuine Which be whereso you shall will be with you be yours as mine Nay Madam quoth Sir Iohn twixt vs this diffrence is to finde I both in minde and body you need trauell not in minde Yes yes quoth she my Minde I wot meete may you farre away If so then giue to it this Ring and that I sent it say So with that Riddle and a Ring she gaue they kindly parte Nor knew she him the Knight she meant nor he to him her heart For second to the greene-Knight whom she thought not him was he Her Fauoret of him therefore she would remembred be Now let vs say the Lands the Seas the People and their Lore This Knight did see whom touching which not storie shall we more But to our English Voyages euen in our times shall frame Our Muse and what you heare of Theirs of his the like do ame For Countries not for Customes then and now not still the same Yeat interlace we shall among the Loue of her and him Meane while about the World our Muse is stripped now to swim CHAP. LXII FRom then when first my Father eare my birth was one of those Did through the Seas of ysie Rocks the Muscouites disclose We shal our English Voyages the cheefe at least digest Of which in this her Highnes Raigne haue been perform'd the best And herea while let Mandeuil and his Beloued rest To name the diuers Peoples that in Europe be weare much Not but remotest Regions of our Natiues seene we touch But Moderns Yee of whom are some haue circum-sail'd the Earth Here pardon vs your Sailes and giue your proper Praises bearth Infuse yee Penn-life too into ore-taken Fames by death Caboto whose Cosmographie and selfe-proofe brake the Ise To most our late Discouerers Debtors to his Aduise Had vs eare Spayne possest of that which Spanyards now abuse But he inuitinÌ„g idly we did offred Gold refuse Yeat him to say for most the Meane it weare not vs to shame Of English new Discoueries that yeeld vs Wealth and Fame Reserue we to the Actors though of whom lost some their Wealth Their liues a many all at least indangered their health In trewer Perils and more braue Achieuements than the Tailes Of Iason and Vlysses of their fabled Sea-toyld Sailes The Glorie of the dangerous Gole Nor let vs here forgit In which I first did breath this Ayre London preferring it Some Marchants theare of Worth did mind with Nations then vnknowne New Traffiques the Passe thereto was by Caboto showne By his Instructions and their costs three Ships were rigged out Hugh VVilloughby the Admyrall a Knight both wise and stoute Next place whose braue performance of Imployments euer liue To Chancelor grand Pilot for that Voyage did they giue Now sayle they for the Northeast Parts Cathayas Shores to finde Incountred with huge Seas of Ise with stormie Gustes and Winde Scotland Aegeland Halgland th'Isles of Roste and Lofoot past Tempestiously Arzinas Rhode receiued Sir Hugh at last Theare he and all of two his Ships attempting bootles shiftes Weare
nor him a friend esteeme Whom firme as to thy selfe thy selfe thou darest not to deeme Say some But Mandeuil I see of you accompteth so As of his firme and choycest Friend then least I tedious groe I tell thee Stafford next to one is Mandeuil the Man I could haue loued but I loue whom not vn-loue I can Yeat if you aske me whom or where that one beloued is I cannot answer whom or where yeat am and will be his Madame quoth Stafford yet your speech hath head nor foote nor Middle Not naming him you end a Sphynx and tie me to a Riddle Well friend you are to Mandeuil nor foe she sayd to me The greene-Knight Victor at the Iusts a few yeares past is he In sooth quoth Stafford if for him be resolute your Choyce Chuse not againe with you for him consort I also Voyce Nor thinke in that I him prefer I Mandeuil reiect Friendship may brooke Triplicitie and shall in this respect For your owne sake and for his sake than Mandeuil no lesse My Friend I shall his Soules desire you of that Knight possesse Almost an Extasie of Ioy her from her selfe did seuer Hearing of him for whom her heart did hunt and els should euer And though she did obserue his soone Reuolt from friend to friend And him thereof had tacht weare not her priuate Cause to end Yeat was she silent touching it and modestly pursewes In Quest of her beloued Knight But tarrie yet that Newes First Burrough Ienkinson and what by them was done peâ—use CHAP. LXVII IT is no common Labour to the Riuer Ob to sayle Howbeit Burrough did therein not Dangerles preuaile He through the foresayd frozen Seas in Lapland did ariue And thence to expedite for Ob his Labours did reuiue What he amongst the Vaigats and the barbarous Samoeds notes Their Idols Deer-skin TeÌ„ts how on their backs they bare their Botes In which but Hides securely they doe fish those Seas all day And how on Deere they ride and all on Sleds by Deere conuay Do eate their Dead to feast their friends their Children sometime slay Their store of Sables Furres and Pealts fetcht thence from farre away How at our â—raâ— and Lion Signes their Frost and Snow is greate Let be and many things we might of this new Tract intreate By Burrough found whose Praise not much is Chancelors behinde As Master in that Ship with him that first did Russia finde And in this Northeast Trade with Praise do Pet Iackman mind Yeat longer for not largelier One yeelds Matter let vs dwell Of Ienkinson But where shall we begin his Lawdes to tell In Europe Asia Affrick For these all he saw in all Imployd for Englands common good Nor my reioycing small That from Elizabeth to Raigne and I to liue begunne Hath hapned that Commerce and Fame he to his Natiues wonne NOw vnder his Conduct was hence vnto his Home conuaide The Russian first Ambassadour Heere honor'd whilst he staide Nor Captaine Ienkinson was there lesse graced where he wrought That all things to a wished end were for our Traffique brought Here-hence also a friendly League twixt either Prince effected Nor little is their Amitie of vs to be respected For though the Moscouites from vs be People farre remote Yeat if how Danes and Norses haue inuaded vs we note And how the Russies in the like Attempts might hold them back For only it were thence no Trade ill might their Friendship lack From Mosco then by Iournies long the Caspian Sea he crost Himselfe and Goods by Tartars oft in danger to be lost Their Hordes of carted Tents like Towns which Camels drew their Kings By names of Murses Seltans Cans to whoÌ„ for Passe he brings The Russian King his Letters how and royally they troe With Wild-horse flesh and Mares milke him the Kings did banquet tho Their hawking for the Wild-horse For their Hawks will seaze vpon The horses neck who chaffing tiers and so is kild anon Their oft Remoues for Pastures fresh nor Grasse their Pasture is But heathie Brush few Cattell though doe thriue as theirs with this Their naither vse of Coyne or Corne for Tillage none is theare Such Warriors and Horse-Archers as they liue not whom they feare Their crosse-leg eating on the ground Pluralitie of wiues In Turkeman So the whole is sayd and more of their rude liues And how the Marchants trauailing by Carauan that is Great Droues of laden Camels Meate and VVater often mis And how for vs did Ienkinson in Bactra Mart begin Let passe to passe to it for vs he did in Persia win VVith this Memento in Returne from Bactra diuers Kings Sent in his charge their Legates whom to Mosco safe he brings Thence did he sayle for England Hence for Mosco back againe And with our Queene Elizabeth her Letters did obtaine The Mosicks Letters to the Kings by whom he then should pas For Persian Traffique And for this he thence imbarked was NOw in Hyrcana Shyruan or Media all as one Suppose our â—enkinson before King Obdolowcans Throne Though sumptious Citties he possest yeat for the Summers heate On airesome Mountaines held he then his Court in Pleasures greate Of silke and gold imbroyderie his Tents his Robes inchac't With Pearles and pretious Stones and Looks of Maiestie him grac't On Carpets rich they trode rich Traines on him attendance gaue With sixe score Concubines that seem'd so many Queenes for braue Before his faire Pauilion was of Water cleere a Fount Drinke for himselfe and his for most of Water they account Scarce Cleopatras Anthony was feasted with more cheere Of varied Meates and spice-Conceits than â—enkinson was heere In formall Hawking Hunting Chace not theÌ„ came Tristram â—eere Such was this King for stately such for affable and kinde There and abroad so lou'd and feard as like was rare to finde Yeat notwithstanding such his Wealth his Signorie and State He of the Persian Sophie held his Land subdued late But in such friendship as the Shaugh the Sophie so is saide Would yeeld to Obdolowcan in what so he should perswaide Which well in Ienkinsons behalfe but shortly after made Him often questoned this King of Vs and Europs strength And him with Gifts and Priuiledge for Mart dismist at length Silks raw wrought Spices Drugs more-els worth the Mart Our Marchants fetch from thence and there our Marchandize coÌ„uart Things wisely thus dispatched there with men for his defence And Letters from that King vnto the Shaugh he traueld thence In trauell thitherwards he grieues in wonder to behold The down-Fals of those stately Townes and Castles which of old Whilst Persia held the Monarchie were famous ouer all Nor Alexander wonne of those one Peece with labour small The mightie Citties Tauris and Persipolis he past Two ruin'd Gates sundred twelue miles yet extant of this last The Gyants Wonders on the Hill of Quiquiffs heard he tolde And of the yearely Obit which their Maides to Channa holde This
disclayme to haue it so pardon therefore yee Gods 〈◊〉 desiring it him deseruing it Troth is it this one Sacrifice shall giue end to mine infinite sorrowes but not alas with these burnings rather found guiltie of new beginnings but with my hearts blood the latest Ceremonie wanting to this Exequse Scarcely had these words passed her mouth when with Aeneas his Sword she pearced her Brest so performing on herselfe a Tragedie sought for and to hers a terror vnlooked for WHilest Dido so named of this her death or as haue some not lesse probable of so preuenting Htarba menacing her marâ—â—age was thus passionate and did thus perish Aeneas after weary Sea-saring much sorrowe many people and places seene and sayled from arriuing in Sicisie was â—oyfully entertained of this auncient friend King Aceâ—â—es and there as the yeare before at Drapenum did solemnize and Anniuersaâ—ie at the Tombe of his father Anchises The Masteries feates and actiue pastimes tried here by the Troian and Sicilian youth with land and sea Skirmidges the running riding leaping shooting wrestling and such like with Bacing on foote and on horsback this last a sport lately vsed of our English youthes but now vnpolliuckly discontinued Or how the Women of Troy whereof many were also imbarked from thence tyred with the perils of the Sea and intised with the pleasures of Siciâ—ie to preuent further sayling fired their Ships not without great losse rescued Or how Aâ—neas building there the Citie A 〈…〉 peopled the same with his women and impotent Troâ—â—ns Or of the drowning and Reuise of Palinurus and many Occurrents hapning here at Cuma Caieta else-where I omit as lesse pertinent to our purpose then the hastning of Aeneas into Italie Wherefore shipping him from Sicilie I now land him in Latium in which part of Italie raigned and was Resident in his Citie Laurentum the King Latinus to whome Aeneas addressed an hundred Knights one of them deliuering this Ambassie Ignorant are we not most gratious King for in that Title art thou famous and in that triall may we proue fortunate of thy Consanguinitie with the Troians by noble descents from Dardanus our auncient Progenitor neither canst thou but know that Troy is sacked and her people for the most parte slaughtered onely know if already thou knowest it nâ—t that Aeneas our Duke with a few his Followers after more than seauen yeares sayling are lastly and lucki lie I hope arriued in thy Countrie Howbeit of many places for pleasure and ferulitie most worthy manuring haue wee abandoned the quiet possession yea many the greatest Princes of Europe and Affrica haue voluntarily desired our Tariance denied only infinit Seas haue wee sayled and more sorrowes sustained to seeke this Clime from whence wee Troians deriue our Originals and whither our Gods haue directed vs by their Oracles This thy Countrie in respect of the bignesse may easily affoord roome for a new Troy to be builded A plot more spacious we doe not aske A smaller suite thou canst not graunt if with our present extremities thou also peise our purposed loyalties Neuer were wee thy foes and euer will we continue thy friends Seated wee must be and here wee would be We dare not disobey the Gods commanding it nor would we discontent thee in demaunding it graciously therfore conceiue of our Petition and gratefully receiue from Aeneas these Presents Hauing thus sayd he in the name of Aeneas presented the King with a most rich Mantell or Robe with an inualuable Crowne of Golde enchased with precious Stones with the late royall Scepter of King Priamus and with other Treasure which Latinus cheerefully receiuing returned the Troians this answer Had not the Gods commaÌ„ded your hither repaire which I gainsay not were we not of consanguinitie wherein I disclaime not Or my Kingdome not roome-some enough to receiue you as it is Or had ye not brought precious and peaceable Presents as ye haue yeat to dismisse Wayfarers vnrested and vnreleeued were contrary to the Gods of Hospitalitie and which they defend that I should therein offend Latinus his honour Ouer fast he sitteth that securely siâ—â—eth for as he that is timorous hath 〈◊〉 little prouidence so he that is feareles hath too much presumption yea lesse grieuous are expected than vnlooked-for euils I speake not this as I feare to fall but as I fore-see I may fall for the vnpearching of others should be fore-preachings to vs. Priuie am I vnto your distresse applying the like possibility for me so to decline for who is priuiledged from becoÌ„ming such And who is such that would not haue succour Sorrie I am that ye haue so ill cause to estrange your selues from home but glad that I am in so good case to entertaine you here Let Ae 〈…〉 feare him and prosper yee in Italie my land well may abide it and my selfe brooke it Yea more for the Oracle of my minde consorts no doubt with those of our Gods Lauinia my sole daughter and heire forbidden a Natiues and behighted a Strangers Marriage hath found a Husbande and I a Sonne-in-lawe at the least I wish it would bee and hope it will bee Make my thankes to Aeâ—eas for his Presents and bee you Masters of your Petitions The Troians being then sumptuously feasted euery man on a giuen Courser brauely and richly mounted dismissed returned and Latinus his answere and Present deliuered Aeneas neuerthelesse as farre from being secure as ioyous of such Tidings knowing the good speede of a Stranger to be an Eye-sore to the people and therefore not careles suspitious of it that might causeles succeede strongly inmured his Men in a new-built Fortresse In the meane while their Arriuall and Entertainment with Latinus occupied and for the most part offended all Italie Enuiously stormed Amata Queene that Lauinia her Daughter and Darling should be wedded to a Stranger an Exile as she termed him and therefore when she could not disswade the King by flatterie shee incensed his Nobles and Subiects to resist it forcibly On the other side Turnus Prince of the Rutiles in person exceeding all for comelinesse and in Armes equall to any for his courage to whom Lauinia was before promised in Marriage as Malcontent as any for being thus circumueÌ„ted by Aeneas held a Counsell in his sumptuous Citie Ardea scituate in the territorie of Latium how to intercept the Troians by wiâ—es expell them by Warres weaken them by wants disappoynt Aeneas and possesse himselfe of Lauinta Often sent he Messengers and sometimes Menaces to aduertise Latinus that he was promised he should and to assâ—re him hee purposed hee would enioy her or anger him But by how much more Latinus was religiously vnremouable in his Resolution for Aeneas by so much the more did Turnus giue loose raines to his headie anger Howbeit sufficient matter wanted for his malice to worke vpon vntill by euill happe his choler tooke aduantage of this colour Ascanius with diuers Troian Gentlemen his Friends and others his Attendants hunting in a