Additions the falles of such Princes as were before omitted and my Poem or Hymne of the late dead Queene of famous memorie In all which I require no other gratification for my paines but a gentle censure of my imperfections THE CONTENTS of the booke HOw King Albanact the yongest sonne of Brutus and first King of Albanie now called Scotland was slaine by King Humber Pag. 1. 2 How Humber the King of Huns minding to conquer Britain was drowned in the arme of sea now called Humber 18. 3 How King Locrinus the eldest son of Brutus liued viciously and was slaine in battell by his wife Queene Guendoline 22. 4 How Queene Elstride the Concubine of King Locrinus was miserablie drowned by Queene Guendoline 27. 5 How the Ladie Sabrine daughter of King Locrinus and Elstride was drowned by Queene Guendoline 38. 6 How King Madan for his euill life was slaine by wolues 44. 7 How King Malin was slaine by his brother King Mempricius 47. 8 How King Mempricius giuen all to lust was deuoured by wolues 50. 9 How King Bladud taking on him to flie fell vpon the Temple of Apollo and brake his necke 53. 10 How Queene Cordila in despaire slew her selfe 59. 11 How King Morgan of Albany was slaine at Glamorgan in Wales 69. 12 How King Iago died of the Lethargie 72. 13 How King Forrex was slaine by his brother King Porrex 74. 14 How King Porrex which slew his brother was slaine by his owne mother and her maidens 78. 15 How King Pinnar was slaine in battell by Mulmucius Donwallo 80. 16 How King Stater was slaine in battell by Mulmucius Donwallo 82. 17 How King Rudacke of Wales was slaine in battell by Mulmucius Donwallo 83. 18 How the noble King Brennus after many triumphant victories at the siege of Delphos in Greece slew himselfe 86. 19 How King Kimarus was deuoured by wilde beasts 103. 20 How King Morindus was deuoured by a monster 106. 21 How King Emerianus for his tyrannie was deposed 110. 22 How King Cherinnus giuen to drunkennesse raigned but one yeare 111. 23 How King Varianus gaue himself to the lusts of the flesh 112. 24 How the worthie Britaine Duke Nennius encountred with Iulius Caesar and was vnfortunately slaine 114. 25 How the Lord Irenglas cosin to King Cassibellane was slaine by the Lord Elenine cosin to Androgeus Earle of London 123. 26 How Caius Iulius Caesar which first made this Realme tributorie to the Romans was slaine in the Senate house 129. 27 How Claudius Tiberius Nero Emperour of Rome was poisoned by Caius Caligula 139. 28 How Caius Caesar Caligula Emperour of Rome was slaine by Cherea and others 145. 29 How Guiderius King of Britaine the elder sonne of Cimbaline was slaine in battell by a Roman 146. 30 How Lelius Hamo the Romane Captaine was slaine after the slaughter of Guiderius 148. 31 How Claudius Tiberius Drusus Emperour of Rome was poisoned by his wife Agrippina 149. 32 How the Emperour Domitius Nero liued wickedly and tyrannously and in the end miserablie slew himselfe 152. 33 How Sergius Galba the Emperour of Rome giuen to slaughter ambition gluttony was slaine by the souldiers 155. 34 How the vicious Siluius Otho Emperour of Rome slew himselfe 157. 35 How Aulus Vitellius Emperour of Rome came to an vnfortunate end 159. 36 How Londricus the Pict was slaine by King Marius of Britaine 161. 37 How Seuerus the Emperour of Rome and Gouernour of Britaine was slaine at Yorke fighting against the Picts 163. 38 How Fulgentius a Scythian or Pict was slaine at the siege of Yorke 167. 39 How Geta the yonger sonne of the Emperour Seuerus once Gouernour of Britaine was slaine in his mothers armes by his brother Anthonie Emperour of Rome 170. 40 How Aurelius Antonius Bassianus Caracalla Emperour of Rome was slaine by one of his owne seruants 174. 41 How Carrassus a Husbandmans son and after King of Britaine was slaine in battell by Alectus a Romane 185. 42 How Queene Helena of Britaine maried Constantius the Emperour and much aduanced the Christian faith through the whole world 289. 43 How Vortiger destroyed the yong King Constantine and how he obtained the crowne how after many miseries he was miserablie burnt in his Castle by the brethren of Constantine 203. 44 How Vter Pendragon was inamoured on the wife of Gorolus Duke of Cornewal whom he slew and after was poysoned by the Saxons 213. 45 How Cadwallader the last King of the Britaines was expelled by the Saxons went to Rome and there liued in a religious house 219. 46 How Sigebert for his wicked life was thrust from his throne and miserablie slaine by an heardsman 225. 47 How Ladie Ebbe did flea her nose and vpper lip away to saue her virginitie 235. 48 How King Egelred for his wickednes was diuersly distressed by the Danes and lastly died for sorrow 239. 49 How King Harrold had continuall warre with the Danes with the Norway King with his brother Tostius and was at last slaine in battell by William the Conquerour 245. From the Conquest 50 M. Sackuils Induction 255. 51 How the two Rogers surnamed Mortimers for their sundrie vices ended their liues vnfortunately 271. 52 The fall of Robert Tresillian Chiefe Iustice of England and other his fellowes for misconstruing the Lawes and expounding them to serue the Princes affections 276. 53 How Sir Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester vncle to King Richard the second was vnlawfully murthered 281. 54 How the Lord Mowbrey promoted by King Richard the second to the state of a Duke was by him banished the Realme and after died miserablie in exile 287. 55 How King Richard the second was for his euill gouernance deposed from his seat and murthered in prison 293. 56 How Owen Glendour seduced by false prophesies tooke vpon him to be Prince of Wales and was by Henrie Prince of England chased to the mountaines where he miserablie died for lacke of food 296. 57 How Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland was for his couetous and trayterous attempt put to death at Yorke 303. 58 How Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge intending the Kings destruction was put to death at Southhampton 307. 59 How Thomas Montague Earle of Salisburie in the middest of his glory was vnfortunately slaine at Oleance with a peece of Ordnance 309. 60 How Dame Eleanor Cobham Duchesse of Glocester for practising of Witchcraft and sorcerie Suffered open penance and afterward was banished the Realme into the I le of Man 317. 61 How Humfrey Plantagenet Duke of Glocester Protector of England during the minoritie of his nephew King Henrie the sixt commonly called the good Duke by practise of enemies was brought to confusion 327. 62 How Lord William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke was worthily banished for abusing his King and causing the destruction of the good Duke Humfrey 340. 63 How Iack Cade naming himselfe Mortimer trayterously rebelling against his King was for his treasons and cruell doings worthily punished 345. 64 The tragedie
refuse The rich and poore and eu'ry one may see Which way to loue and liue in due degree I wish them often well to reade it than And marke the causes why those Princes fell But let me end my tale that I began When I had read these Tragedies full well And past the winter euenings long to tell One night at last I thought to leaue this vse To take some ease before I chang'd my Muse Wherefore away from reading I me gate My heauie head waxt dull for want of rest I laid me downe the night was waxed late For lacke of sleepe mine eyes were sore opprest Yet fancie still of all their deaths encreast Me thought my mind from them I could not take So worthie wights as caused me to wake At last appeared clad in purple blacke Sweet Somnus rest which comforts each aliue By ease of mind that weares away all wracke That noysome night from wearie wits doth driue Of labours long the pleasures we atchieue Whereat I ioy'd sith after labours past I might enioy sweet Somnus sleepe at last But he by whom I thought my selfe at rest Reuiued all my fancies fond before I more desirous humblie did request Him shew th' vnhappie Albion Princes yore For well I wist that he could tell me more Sith vnto diuers Somnus erst had told What things were done in elder times of old Then straight he forth his seruant Morpheus call'd On Higins heere thou must quoth he attend The Britaine Peeres to bring whom Fortune thral'd From Lethean lake and th' ancient shapes them lend That they may shew why how they tooke their end I wil quoth Morpheus shew him what they were And so me thought I saw them straight appeare One after one they came in strange attire But some with wounds and blood were so disguis'd You scarcely could by reasons aid aspire To know what warre such sundrie deaths deuis'd And seuerally those Princes were surpris'd Of former state these States gaue ample show Which did relate their liues and ouerthrow Of some the faces bold and bodies were Distain'd with woad and Turkish beards they had On th' ouer lips mutchatoes long of haire And wilde they seem'd as men despairing mad Their lookes might make a constant heart full sad And yet I could not so forsake the view Nor presence ere their minds I likewise knew For Morpheus bad them each in order tell Their names and liues their haps and haplesse daies And by what meanes from Fortunes wheele they fell Which did them erst vnto such honors raise Wherewith the first not making moe delaies A noble Prince broad wounded brest that bare Drew neere to tell the cause of all his care Which when me thought to speak he might be bold Deepe from his brest he threw an vnquoth sound I was amaz'd his gestures to behold And blood that freshly trickled from his wound With echo so did halfe his words confound That scarce a while the sense might plaine appeare At last me thought he spake as you shall heare Faults escaped PAge 555. lin 17. browes reade bowes p. 566. l. 10. left r. let p. 579. l. 3. sh r. shore p. 583. l. 13. speele r. steele p. eadem l. 15 vaines flow r. vaines did flow p. 588. l. 3. nor r. not p. 599. l. 28. approth r. approch p. 600. l. 11. t' abate r. to abate p. 629. l. 23. this r. his p. 636. l. 5. foe r. woe p. 657. l. 16. soee r. loare p. 671. l 32. with Austrian r. with th' Austrian p. 682. l. 7. let r. le ts p. 683. l. 37. to obtaine r. t' obtaine p. 706. l. 15. I r. O. p. 728. l. 15. But r. Blunt in some copies p. 793. marg Anno Reg. 51. r. 15. p. 834. l. 13. recoil'd r. recoile p. 855. l. 30. throne r. chaire 866. l. 25. house tops r. houses tops HOW KING ALBANACT THE YOVNGEST SONNE OF BRVTVS AND FIRST KING OF Albany now called Scotland was slaine by king Humber the yeere before Christ 1085. SIth flattering Fortune slily could beguile Mee first of Britaine Princes in this land And yet at first on mee did sweetely smile Behold mee here that first in presence stand And when thou well my wounded corps hast scand Then shalt thou heare my hap to penne the same In stories called Albanactae by name Lay feare aside let nothing thee amaze Ne haue despaire ne scuse the want of time Leaue off on mee with fearefull lookes to gaze Thy pen may serue for such a tale as mine First I will tell thee of my fathers line Then why he flying from the Latin land Did saile the seas and found the Briton strand And last I minde to tell thee of my selfe My life and death a Tragedy so true As may approue your world is all but pelfe And pleasures sweete whom sorrowes aye ensue Hereafter eke in order comes a crue Which can declare of worldly pleasures vaine The price we all haue bought with pinching paine When Troy was sackt and brent and could not stand Aeneas fled from thence Anchises sonne And came at length to King Latinus land He Turnus slew Lauinia eke he wonne After whose death Ascanius next his sonne Was crowned King and Siluius then his heire Espoused to a Latine Lady faire By her had Siluius shortly issue eke A goodly Prince and Brutus was his name But what should I of his misfortune speake For hunting as he minded strike the game He strook his father that beyond it came The quarrell glaunst and through his tender fide It flew where through the noble Siluius dide Lo thus by chance though princely Brutus slew His father Siluius sore against his will Which came too soone as he his arrow drew Though he in chace the game did mind to kill Yet was he banisht from his countrey still Commanded thither to returne no more Except he would his life to lose therefore On this to Greece Lord Brutus tooke his way Where Troians were by Grecians captiues kept Helenus was by Pirrhus brought away From death of Troians whom their friends bewept Yet he in Greece this while no busines slept But by his facts and feates obtain'd such fame Seuen thousand captiue Troians to him came Assaracus a noble Grecian eke Who by his mother came of Troian race Because he saw himselfe in Greece too weake Came vnto him to aide him in this case For of his brother he could finde no grace Which was a Greeke by both his parents sides His Castles three the Troian Brutus guides While he to be their Captaine was content And as the Troians gathered to his band Ambassage to the Grecian King he sent For to entreate they might depart his land Which when King Pandrasus did vnderstand An armie straight he did therefore addresse On purpose all the Troians to suppresse So as King Pandrasus at Spartane towne Thought them in deserts by to circumuent The Troians with three thousand beate them downe Such fauour loe them Ladie Fortune
peace were glad We were in fight so puissant fierce and rough Munition victuals money eke enough We had of tributes store of duties in that came Through all the world of Brenne and Beline flew the fame To vs came souldiers out of many parts And captaines worthie for the fame of warre Of fierce Bellona braue we had the arts Whereof we wanne the praise both neere and farre But not with this we so contented are As Hercules to scale the Alpes did first contend So we againe a worke of toile the cloudie Alpes ascend The craggie mountaines that do touch the skies With aged heads are euer white with snow The seas allow do rore whence vapours rise And from the hilles great streames of waters floe The pathes so strict to passe which few do goe The ice snow cold clouds rombling stormes and sights aboue Are able constant hearts with doubtfull feare to moue For as you go sometimes y' ar faine to reatch And hang by hands to wend aloft the way And then on buttocks downe another breatch With elbowes and with heeles your selfe to stay Downe vnder well behold the streames you may And waters wilde which from the mountaines falling flow Ore head the rocks hang threatning death to them below When we these Alpes had past with dangers great To Clusium towne in Tuscane land we came The Tuscans as we droue our heards of neat Did issue out to intercept the same Ambassage to the Romans eke they frame To helpe them ' gainst the Galles so vs they counted there Because I was of France and Frenchmen with vs were The Romans then because that our successe Reported was to them in warres before Fearing their owne estate could do no lesse But aide their neighbours now at need the more To treate of peace they sent to vs therefore We answer'd we desir'd but space wherein to dwell Because our peopled countrie could not hold vs well But they forgetting quite of armes the lawe Did arme themselues ambassadours full stoute With Clusians came to bring vs all in awe Without respect of any further doute Whereon the siege from Clusium walles about We raised straight at Rome we sounded loud alarmes To wreake reuenge for breach done gainst the law of armes Yet first we thought it best ambassage send To haue truce breakers such deliuered vs By law of armes as ought no weapons wend And yet against the lawes came armed thus They said we were a people barbarous They neither punish would nor yeeld those Romanes good But honour them they came of Fabius noble blood Full swiftly on we marched then in haste And towards Rome with all our power we hide At Alia flood gan forty thousand taste Of Romanes that vs met what might betide We slew them fast the rest durst not abide We had the spoile to Rome we came which we possesse A thousand waight of gold the Romanes paid for peace Pannonia eke with broiles of warres we tame And many yeares we kept them vnder yoke The Princes all about that heard our fame Desired peace not daring vs prouoke We Britaines made Europa all to smoke To part our armies then in twaine we tooke no doubt And seuerall conquests tooke in hand as captaines stout To Macedonie Belme tooke the way Where raigned Ptolome the tyrant fell Which did his sisters sonnes vniustly slay Before their mothers face and her expell Arsinoë that vsde him earst so well Though by the gods he sware to take her to his wife And loue her sonnes and here he them bereft of life Euen so that wicked King at first refusde To purchase peace with price or hostage send That had before the faith of Gods abusde Was destinate to haue a noughtie end Let Princes well beware what they pretend * Who for a crowne breakes faith and murders foule commits He will be sure to fall on sliperie throne he sits Our custome was that time to send each where Our Hearolds offering peace for tribute gold But from King Ptolome these newes we heare No peace he crau'd no tribute pay he would Ne friendship crau'd as he the Hearold told Except our weapons laid adowne we would submit No arguments of peace he would admit King Beline smil'd to heare the heedlesse King Rash witted so selfe-wild and after this The Dardanes offered twentie thousand bring Of souldiers arm'd for aide to ioyne with his Quoth he not lost all Macedonie is If we once conquer'd by Alexanders hand Need we the Dardanes aide these strangers to withstand We haue quoth he some souldiers sonnes of those Which seru'd in pay with them that vanquisht all And for our selues we nothing feare our foes Although our armie seeme to Dardane small This when th' ambassadours related all To good King Dardane then this noble Realme quoth he By this yong princox pride will all dispoiled be With that alarme they crie and armies ioyne Where Britaines slay the Macedonian crew And haue for spoile their victuals armour coyne Tooke Ptolomey their King and him they slew His head aboue the campe they beare for view On speare to make the rest of Greekes in doubt to stand Before they enterprise to take such warres in hand On this the fame of Britaines farre was spred All Macedonie held their countrey spoil'd To Alexander erst their armies led And vnto Philip Princes neuer foil'd As vnto Gods they crie in warres tormoil'd O helpe quoth they our countrey falles we are vndone Without your powerful aides whose acts the world haue won But Sosthenes a Macedonian stout When as the Britaine 's bathed in their blisse Gate vnto him a warlike worthie rout And set againe on Beline there and his Put him to foile for all his worthinesse For which the souldiers all did chuse him for their King But them as captaine he against their foes would bring When this in Greece I heard and their successe First of the field they won and follie then Enricht with spoiles giuen all to idlenesse Which were before approued valiant men I sound retreate and backwards gate agen With seuen score and ten thousand footmen for the fight And fifteene thousand horse which made a goodly sight With these appointed well my friends to aide The Britaines good and Beline in that case To Macedone I martcht with vengefull blade To take reuenge for Belines late disgrace Whereto when as we came in little space We wan the field in fight we spoil'd the land at will In pleasures plung'd we had of wealth and fame our fill So I that had all Macedone in awe With spoile of mortall men was not content I past not of these conquests all a straw The temples of the gods to spoile I ment And towards Delphos with mine armie went On high his temple stood most glorious to behold And god Apollos shrine enricht with gifts of gold The rich and wealthy gods quoth I may lend To mortall men some of their treasures great They haue no neede thereof for to dispend For
the miners lap For I Lord Richard heire Plantagenet Was Earle of Cambridge and right fortunate If I had had the grace my wit to set To haue content me with mine owne estate But O false honors breeders of debate The loue of you our leaud hearts doth allure To lose our selues by seeking you vnsure Because my brother Edmund Mortimer Whose eldest sister was my wedded wife I meane that Edmund that was prisoner In Wales so long through Owens busie strife Because I say that after Edmunds life His rights and titles must by law be mine For he ne had nor could encrease his line Because the right of Realme and Crowne was ours I searched meanes to helpe him thereunto And where the Henries held it by their powers I sought a shift their tenures to vndoe Which being force sith force or sleight must doe I void of might because their power was strong Set priuie fleight against their open wrong But sith the death of most part of my kin Did dash my hope throughout the fathers daies I let it slip and thought it best begin When as the sonne should dread least such assayes For force through speed sleight speedeth through delayes And seeld doth treason time so fitly find As when all dangers most be out of mind Wherefore while Henrie of that name the fist Prepar'd his armie to go conquer France Lord Scroope and I thought to attempt a drift To put him downe my brother to aduance But wer 't Gods will my lucke or his good chance The King wist wholly whereabout we went The night before to shipward he him bent Then were we straight as traytours apprehended Our purpose spi'd the cause thereof was hid And therefore loe a false cause we pretended Where through my brother was from danger rid We said for hire of French Kings coine we did Behight to kill the King and thus with shame We stain'd our selues to saue our friend from blame When we had thus confest so foule a treason That we deseru'd we suffered by the law See Baldwine see and note as it is reason How wicked deeds to wofull ends do draw All force doth faile no craft is worth a straw To attaine things lost and therefore let them go For might rules right and will though truth say no. W. Baldwine HOW THOMAS MONTAGVE EARLE OF SALISBVrie in the middest of his glorie was chanceably slaine at Orleaunce with a piece of Ordinance the third of Nouember Anno Dom. 1428. WHat fooles be we to trust vnto our strength Our wit our courage or our noble fame Which time it selfe must needs deuour at length Though froward Fortune could not foile the same But seeing this Goddesse guideth all the game Which still to change doth set her only lust Why toile we so for things so hard to trust A goodly thing we deeme of good report Which noble hearts do seeke by course of kind But seeing the date so doubtfull and so short The way so rough whereby we do it find I cannot chuse but praise the Princely mind That preaseth for it though we find opprest By foule defame those that deserue it best Concerning whom marke Baldwine what I say I meane the vertuous hindred of their brute Among which number recken well I may My valiant father Iohn Lord Montacute Who lost his life I iudge through iust pursute I say the cause and not the casuall speed Is to be waighed in euery kind of deed This rule obseru'd how many shall we find For vertues sake with infamie opprest How some againe through helpe of Fortune blind For ill attempts atchieu'd with honor blest Successe is worst oft times when cause is best Therefore say I God send them sory haps That iudge the causes by their afterclaps The end indeed is Iudge of euery thing Which is the cause or latter point of time The first true verdict at the first may bring The last is slow or slipper as the slime Oft changing names of innocence and crime Duke Thomas death was Iustice two yeares long And euer since sore tyrannie and wrong Wherefore I pray thee Baldwine weigh the cause And praise my father as he doth deserue Because Earle Henry King against all lawes Endeuoured King Richard for to starue In iayle wherby the regall Crowne might swarue Out of the line to which it then was due Whereby God knowes what euill might ensue My Lord Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Which was deare cosin to this wretched King Did moue my Sire and th' Earle of Glocester With other Lords to ponder well the thing Who seeing the mischiefe that began to spring Did all consent this Henry to depose And to restore King Richard to the Rose And while they did deuise a prety traine Whereby to bring their purpose well about Which was in maske this Henry to haue slaine The Duke of Aumerle blew their counsaile out Yet was their purpose good there is no doubt What cause can be more worthy for a Knight Than saue his King and helpe true heires to right For this with them my father was destroid And buried in the dunghill of defame Thus euill chance their glory did auoid Whereas their cause doth claime eternall fame When deeds therefore vnluckily doe frame Men ought not iudge the authors to be naught For right through might is often ouerraught And God doth suffer that it should be so But why my wit is feeble to decise Except it be to heape vp wrath and we On wicked heads that iniuries deuise The cause why mischiefs many times arise And light on them that would mens wrongs redresse Is for the rancour that they beare I gesse God hateth rigour though it further right For sinne is sinne how euer it be vsed And therefore suffereth shame and death to light To punish vice though it bee well abused Who furthereth right is not therby excused If through the same he doe some other wrong To euery vice due guerdon doth belong What preach I now I am a man of warre And that my lims I dare say doth professe Of cured wounds beset with many a skarre My broken iaw vnheald can say no lesse O Fortune Fortune cause of all distresse My father had great cause thy fraud to curse But much more I abused ten times worse Thou neuer flatteredst him in all thy life But me thou dandledst like thy darling deare Thy gifts I found in euery corner rife Where ere I went I met thy smiling cheare Which was not for a day or for a yeare But through the raigne of three right worthy Kings I found thee forward in all kind of things The while King Henry conquered in France I sued the warres and still found victory In all assaults so happy was my chance Holds yeeld or won did make my enemies sory Dame Prudence eke augmented so my glory That in all treaties euer I was one When weighty matters were agreed vpon But when this King this mightie conquerour Through death vnripe was both
of Edmund Duke of Somerset slaine in the first battell at S. Albons in the 32. yeare of Henrie the sixt 350. 65 How Richard Plantagenet Duke of York was slaine through his rash boldnesse and his sonne the Earle of Rutland for his lacke of valiancie 360. 66 How the Lord Clifford for his strange and abominable crueltie came to as strange and sudden a death 365. 67 The infamous end of Lord Tiptoft Earle of Worcester for cruelly executing his Princes butcherly commandements 367. 68 How Sir Richard Neuil Earle of Warwicke and his brother Iohn Lord Marquesse Montacute through their too much boldnesse were slaine at Barnet 371. 69 How King Henry the sixt a vertuous Prince was after many other miseries cruelly murthered in the Tower of London 375. 70 How George Plantagenet third son of the Duke of Yorke was by his brother King Edward wrongfully imprisoned and by his brother Richard miserablie murthered 380. 71 How King Edward the fourth through his surfetting vntemperate life suddenly died in the midst of his prosperity 392. 72 How Sir Anthonie Wooduile Lord Riuers and Scales Gouernour of Prince Edward was with his nephew Lord Richard Grey and other causelesse imprisoned and cruelly murthered 394. 73 How the Lord Hastings was betraied by trusting too much to his euill counsellour Catesby and villanously murthered in the Tower of London by Richard Duke of Glocester 411. 74 The complaint of Henrie Duke of Buckingham 433. 75 How Colingborne was cruelly executed for making a Rime 455. 76 The wilfull fall of the Black-smith and the foolish end of the Lord Audley 463. 77 How the valiant Knight Sir Nicholas Burdet Chiefe Butler of Normandie was slaine at Pontoise 477. 78 How Shores wife King Edward the fourths Concubine was by King Richard despoiled of her goods and forced to do open penance 494. 79 How Thomas Woolsey did arise vnto great authoritie and gouernment his maner of life pompe and dignitie how he fell downe into great disgrace and was arrested of high treason 506. 80 How the Lord Cromwell exalted from meane estate was after by the enuie of the Bishop of Winchester and other his complices brought to vntimely end 520. The Additions 81 The life and death of King Arthur 561. 82 The life and death of King Edmund Ironside 585. 83 The life and death of Prince Alfred 603. 84 The life and death of Godwin Earle of Kent 617. 85 The life and death of Robert surnamed Curthose Duke of Normandie 631. 86 The life and death of King Richard the first surnamed Coeur de Lion 659. 87 The life and death of King Iohn 681. 88 The life and death of King Edward the second 703. 89 The life and death of the two yong Princes sonnes to Edward the fourth 736. 90 The life and death of King Richard the third 750. 91 The Poem annexed called Englands Eliza. 783. The end of the Contents THOMAS NEWTON TO THE Reader in the behalfe of this booke AS when an arming sword of proofe is made Both steele and iron must be tempred well For iron giues the strength vnto the blade And steele in edge doth cause it to excell As each good Blade-smith by his Art can tell For without iron brittle will it breake And without steele it will be blunt and weake So bookes that now their faces dare to show Must mettald be with nature and with skill For nature causeth stuffe enough to flow And Art the same contriues by learned quill In order good and currant method still So that if Nature frowne the case is hard And if Art want the matter all is mar'd The worke which heere is offred to thy view With both these points is full and fitly fraught Set forth by sundrie of the learned Crew Whose stately stiles haue Phoebus garland caught And Parnasse mount their worthy worke haue raught Their words are thundred with such maiestie As fitteth right each matter in degree Reade it therefore but reade attentiuely Consider well the drift whereto it tends Confer the times perpend the history The parties states and eke their dolefull ends With odde euents that diuine iustice sends For things forepast are presidents to vs Whereby we may things present now discusse Certes this world a Stage may well be call'd Whereon is plai'd the part of eu'ry wight Some now aloft anon with malice gal'd Are from high state brought into dismall plight Like counters are they which stand now in sight For thousand or ten thousand and anone Remoued stand perhaps for lesse then one Thomas Newtonus Cestreshyrius THE AVTHORS Induction WHen Sommer sweet with all her pleasures past And leaues began to leaue the shadie tree The winter cold encreased on full fast And time of yeare to sadnes moued me For moistie blasts not halfe so mirthfull be As sweet Aurora brings in spring-time faire Our ioyes they dimme as winter damps the aire The nights began to grow to length apace Sir Phoebus to th' Antarctique gan to fare From Libraes lance to th' Crab he tooke his race Beneath the line to lend of light a share For then with vs the daies more darkish are More short cold moist and stormie cloudie clit For sadnes more then mirths or pleasures fit Deuising then what bookes were best to reade Both for that time and sentence graue also For conference of friend to stand in stead When I my faithfull friend was parted fro I gate me straight the Printers shops vnto To seeke some worke of price I surely ment That might alone my carefull mind content Amongst the rest I found a booke so sad As time of yeare or sadnesse could require The Mirour nam'd for Magistrates he had So finely pen'd as heare could well desire Which when I read so set my heart on fire Eftsoones it me constrain'd to take the paine Not left with once to reade it once againe And as againe I view'd this worke with heed And marked plaine each partie paint his fall Me thought in mind I saw those men indeed Eke how they came in order Princely all Declaring well this life is but a thrall Sith those on whom for Fortunes gifts we stare Oft soonest sinke in greatest seas of care For some perdie were Kings of high estate And some were Dukes and came of regall race Some Princes Lords and Iudges great that sate In counsell still decreeing euery case Some other Knights that vices did embrace Some Gentlemen some poore exalted hie Yet euery one had plai'd his tragedie A Mirrour well it might be call'd a glasse As cleare as any crystall vnder Sun In each respect the Tragedies so passe Their names shall liue that such a worke begun For why with such Decorum is it done That Momus spight with more then Argus eies Can neuer watch to keepe it from the wise Examples there for all estates you find For Iudge I say what iustice he should vse The noble man to beare a noble mind And not himselfe ambitiously abuse The Gentleman vngentlenesse
lent By Mars his force their raies and rancks he rent And tooke the brother of the Grecian King With others moe as captiues home to bring The taken towne from which the King was fled Sir Brutus with sixe hundred men did man Ech prisoner was vnto his keeper led To keepe in towne the noble Troians wan And into woods the Troiane gate him than Againe with his he kept him there by night To quaile the Grecians if they came to fight The King which cal'd to minde his former foile His flight and brother deare by Troians take The towne he lost where Brutus gaue the spoile He thought not so the field and fight forsake But of his men a muster new to make And so againe for to besiege the towne In hope reuenge or winne his lost renowne By night the ambush that his purpose knew Came foorth from woods whereas they waited by The Troians all th' vnarmed Grecians slew Went through their campe none could their force denie Vnto the tent where Pandrasus did lie Whereas Lord Brutus tooke their King that night And sau'd his life as see'md a worthie wight This great exploite so wisely well at chiu'd The Troiane victour did a counsaile call Wherein might be for their estate contriu'd By counsaile graue the publike weale of all Now tell quoth he what ransome aske we shall Or what will you for our auaile deuise To which Mempricius answer'd graue and wise I cannot Brutus but commend thine act In this thou noble Captaine worthy praise Which deemest well it were an heinous fact T' abridge the Grecian king of vitall daies And that we ought by clemencie to raise Our fame to skie not by a sauage guise Sith Gods and men both cruelty despise The cause we fought was for the freedome all Of Troians taken we haue freedome won We haue our purpose and their king withall To whom of rigour nothing ought be done Though he the quarrell with vs first begon And though we owe the fall of Troyes requite Yet let reuenge thereof from gods to light His subiects now bewaile their proude pretence And weapons laide aside for mercy crie They all confesse their plagues to come from thence Where first from faith of Gods they seem'd to flie Their Nobles dare not come the case to trie But euen for peace with all their hearts they sue And meekely grant whence all their mischiefes grew The Princesse faire his daughter who surmounts For vertues rare for beautie braue and grace Both Helen fine of whom they made accounts And all the rest that come of Grecian race She for her father sues bewailes his case Implores desires thy grace and gods aboue Whose woes may them and thee to mercy moue Some Troians say he should deposed be From kingdome quite or else be slaine he should And we heere bide eke this misliketh me Nay rather while we stay keepe him in hold Or let him pay a ransome large of gold And hostage giue and homage do of right To thee that wonst the field by Martiall fight For kingdomes sake a captiue king to kill Our names for aye with foule defame would brand For vs in Greece to dwell were euen as ill The force of Greece we cannot still withstand Let vs therefore both cruelty aband And prudent seeke both gods and men to please So shall we find good lucke at land and seas Or sith the Grecians will thee for to take The noble Ladie Iunogen to wife If thou so please let him her dowrie make Of gold ships siluer corne for our reliefe And other things which are in Graecia rife That we so fraught may seeke some desert shore Where thou and thine may raigne for euermore This pleas'd both Brutus and the Troians all Who wil'd forthwith that Pandrasus the King Should reuerently be brought into the hall And present when they told him of this thing So griefe and sorow great his heart did sting He could not shew by countenance or cheere That he it lik'd but spake as you shall heare Sith that the wrath of gods hath yeelded me And eke my brother captiues to your hands I am content to do as pleaseth yee You haue my realme my life my goods and lands I must be needs content as Fortune stands I giue my daughter gold and siluer fine With what for dowrie else you craue is mine To make my tale the shorter if I may This truce concluded was immediately And all things else performed by a day The King restor'd that did in prison lie The Troians proud of spoiles and victorie Did hoise vp sailes in two daies and a night Vpon the I le of Lestrigons they light And leauing of their ships at roade to land They wandring went the countrey for to view Loe there a desert citie old they fand And eke a temple if report be true Where Dian dwelt of whom the Troian crew In sacrifice their captaine counsell gaue For good successe a seate and soile to craue And he no whit misliking their aduice Went forth and did before the altar hold In his right hand a cup to sacrifice Fild both with wine and white hinds blood scarce cold And then before her stature straight he told Deuoutly all his whole petition there In sort they say as is repeated heere O goddesse great in groues that putst wilde boares in fearefull feare And maist go all the compasse pathes of euery ayrie sphere Eke of th' infernall houses too resolue the earthly rights And tell what countrey in to dwell thou giu'st vs Troian wights Assigne a certaine seate where I shall worship thee for aye And where repleat with virgins I erect thy temples maye When nine times he had spoken this and went Foure times the altar round and staid agen He powr'd the wine and blood in hand he hent Into the fire O witlesse cares of men Such folly meere and blindnes great was then But if religion now bids toies farewell Embrace that 's good the vice of times I tell He laid him then downe by the altars side Vpon the white Hinds skin espred therefore It was the third houre of the night a tide Of sweetest sleepe he gaue himselfe the more To rest surelie Then seemed him before Diana chaste the goddesse to appeare And spake to him these words that you shall heare O Brute farre vnder Phoebus fall beyond of France that raigne An Iland in the Ocean is with sea t is compast maine An Iland in the Ocean is where Giants erst did dwell But now a desert place that 's fit will serue thy people well To this direct thy race for there shall be thy seat for aye And to thy sonnes there shall be built another stately Troye Here of thy progenie and stocke shall mightie Kings descend And vnto them as subiect all the world shall bow and bend On this he woke with ioyfull cheere and told The vision all and oracle it gaue So it reioyst their hearts a thousand fold To ships they got
faithfull men so valiant bold and stout What pleasures more on earth could lightly be Then win an Ile and liue deuoid of doubt An Ile said I nay nam'd the world throughout Another world sith sea doth it diuide From all that wants not all the world beside What subiects eke more happie were then these Had such a King of such a noble heart And such a land enioyd and liu'd at ease Whereof ech man almost might chuse his part No feare of foes vnknowne was treasons art No faining friends no fauning Gnatoes skill No Thrasoes brags but bearing ech good will But as ech summer once receiues an end And as no State can stable stand for aye As course of time doth cause things bow and bend As euery pleasure hath her ending day As will can neuer passe the power of may Euen so my father happie daies that spent Perceiu'd he must by sicknesse last relent As doth the shipman well foresee the storme And knowes what danger lies in Syrtes of sand Eke as the husbandman prouides beforne When he perceiues the winter cold at hand Euen so the wise that course of things haue scand Can well the end of sicknes great presage When it is ioyn'd with yeeres of stooping age His sonnes and Counsell all assembled were For why he sent for vs and them with speed We came in hast this newes did cause vs feare Sith so he sent we thought him sick indeed And when we all approcht to him with speed Too soone alas his Grace right sick we found And him saluted as our duties bound And casting of his wofull eyes aside Not able well to moue his painfull head As silent we with teares his minnde abide He wild himselfe be reared in his bed Which done with sight of vs his eyes he fed Eke pausing so a while for breath he staid At length to them and vs thus wise he said No maruaile sure though you here with be sad You noble Britaines for your Brutus sake Sith whilom me your captaine stout you had That now my leaue and last farwell must take Thus nature willes me once an ende to make And leaue you here behinde which after mee Shall die as me depart before you see You wot wherefore I with the Grecians fought With dint of sworde I made their force to flie Antenors friends on Tuscane shores I sought And did them not my promist land denie By Martiall powre I made the Frenchmen flie Where you to saue I lost my faithfull frend For you at Tours my Turnus tooke his end I need not now recite what loue I bare My friendship you I trust haue found so well That none amongst you all which present are With teares doth not record the tale I tell Eke whom I found for vertues to excell To them I gaue the price thereof as due As they deseru'd whose facts I found so true Now must I proue if paines were well bestow'd Or if I spent my gratefull gifts in vaine Or if these great good turnes to you I ow'd And might not aske your loyall loues againe Which if I wist what tongue could tell my paine I meane if you vngratefull mindes doe beare What meaneth death to let me linger here For if you shall abuse your Prince in this The gods on you for such an hainous fact To take reuenge be sure will neuer misse And then too late you shall repent the act When all my Realine and all your wealths are sackt But if you shall as you begun proceed Of kingdomes fall or foes there is no dreed And to auoid contention that may fall Because I wish this Realme the Britans still Therefore I will declare before you all Sith you are come my whole intent and will Which if you keepe and wrest it not to ill There is no doubt but euermore with fame You shall enioy the Britans Realme and name You see my sonnes that after me must raigne Whom you or this haue lik'd and counsail'd well You know what erst you wisht they should refraine Which way they might all vices vile expell Which way they might in vertues great excell Thus if you shall when I am gone insue You shall discharge the trust repos'd in you Be you their fathers with your counsell wise And you my children take them euen as me Be you their guides in what you can deuise And let their good instructions teach you three Be faithfull all as brethren ought agree For* concord keepes a Realme in stable stay But discord brings all kingdomes to decay Record you this to th' eldest sonne I giue This middle part of Realme to hold his owne And to his heires that after him shall liue Also to Camber that his part be knowne I giue that land that lies welnigh oregrowne With woods Northwest and mountaines mightie hie By South whereof the Cornish sea doth lie And vnto thee my yongest sonne that art Mine Albanact I giue to thee likewise As much to be for thee and thine apart As North beyond the arme of sea there lies Of which loe heere a Mappe before your eies Loe heere my sonnes my kingdome all you haue For which remember nought but this I craue First that you take these fathers graue for me Imbrace their counsell euen as it were mine Next that betweene your selues you will agree And neuer one at others wealth repine See that yee bide still bound with friendly line And last my subiects with such loue retaine As long they may your subiects eke remaine Now faint I feele my breath begins to faile My time is come giue each to me your hand Farewell farewell to mourne will not preuaile I see with Knife where Atropos doth stand Farewell my friends my children and my land And farewell all my subiects farewell breath Farewell ten thousand times and welcome death And euen with that he turn'd himselfe aside Vpyeelding gasping gaue away the ghost Then all with mourning voice his seruants cri'd And all his subiects eke from least to most Lamenting fil'd with wailing plaints each coast And so the Britans all as nature bent Did for their King full dolefully lament But what auailes to striue against the tide Or else to driue against the streame and winde What booteth it against the Cliues to ride Or else to worke against the course of kind Sith Nature hath the end of things assign'd There is no nay we must perforce depart Gainst dint of death there is no ease by art Thus raign'd that worthie King that found this land My father Brutus of the Troian blood And thus he died when he full well had man'd This noble Realme with Britans fierce and good And so a while in stable state it stood Till we diuided had this Realme in three And I too soone receiu'd my part to mee Then straight through all the world gan Fame to flie A monster swifter none is vnder Sun Encreasing as in waters we descry The circles small of nothing that begun Which at
than I was despised both of God and man Could I long prosper thus do you suppose Might any ill exceed these vices told Thinke you ther 's any wight on ground that goes Might scape reuenge of vice so manifold No sure * who is in sinfulnes so bold His vices fare like weeds they sprout so fast They kill the corps as weeds the corne at last My great outrage my heedlesse head the life I beastly led could not continue so My brothers blood my leauing of my wife And working of my friends and subiects woe Cri'd still to God for my foule ouerthroe Who heares the wrong'd who viewes their carefull case And at the length doth all their foes deface Yet I mistrusting no mishaps at hand Though I were worthie twentie times to die I lewdly liu'd and did my wealth withstand I neuer thought my end was halfe so me For my disport I rode on hunting I In woods the fearefull Hart I chased fast 'Till quite I lost my company at last And or I wist to cost I found my foes By chance I came whereas the Wolues they bred Which in a moment did me round inclose And mounted at my horse his throat and head Some on the hinder parts their panches fed Yet fought I still to scape if it might be Till they my panting horse puld downe with me Then was I hopelesse to escape their iawes They fastned all their holders fast on mee And on my royall robes they set their clawes My Princely presence nor my high degree Mou'd them no more obeysant for to bee Nor of my corps to take no more remorce Then did the grieuous groning of my horse But rauenously they rent my breast and throat Forsooke my steed came all at once and tare My Kingly corps from which they fleid my coat And of my flesh they made at all no spare They neuer left me till my bones were bare Lo thus I slew my brother left my wife Liu'd vilely and as vilely ended life Beware of bloodie broiles beware of wrong Embrace the counsell of the wise and sage Trust not to power though it be nere so strong Beware of rashnes rude and roisters rage Eschew vile Venus toyes she cuts off age And learne this lesson oft and tell thy friend By sudden death pockes begging harlots end HOW KING BLADVD TAKING ON HIM TO FLIE fell vpon the Temple of Apollo and brake his necke the yeere before Christ 844. I Pray thee Higgins take in hand thy pen And write my life and fall among'st the rest A warning set me downe for curious men Whose wits the worke of nature seeke to wrest I was Prince Bladud pregnant as the best Of wisdome wealth and learning I had store Of regall race or what I craued more But this in all the sorts of men we see An vncontented mind when much they haue The learned yet would more profounder be The richest most t' encrease their wealth do craue The finest Dames do slike their faces braue The noble higher climes and to the skies T' aduance his name he daily doth deuise In Britaine though I learned had full well The artes and could among'st the wise conferre Yet when of Athens I the fame heard tell Though it in Greece so far hence distant were I trauail'd thither writers witnes are I studied there thence learned men I brought That noble Arts in Britaine might be taught But after he was dead that was my stay My father graue I meane the worthie King Then all the Britaines shortly by a day To royall seat elected me did bring Where I to place in order euery thing Receiu'd both crowne and scepter in my hand With right and equitie to rule this land Then for because the sway of all the I le Depended on my gouernment to rest I did consult with all the Peeres a while And of my fathers Counsellers the best I order tooke for matters vnredrest Giuing to each such place as best did fit Their birth their wealth their persons and their wit The learned Greekes whom I from Athens brought Conferring with the British learned men A place as I commanded them had sought Amid'st the Realme and brought me word agen At Staneford there I built a Colledge then And of my land I gaue the fertil'st partes To foster learning and the famous Artes. By this of skilfull men the land had store And all the arts were read in Britaine well No countrey was for learning praised more We did in noble science so excell From other nations hither came to dwell The wisest wits commending vs to skies Deeming vs people valiant learn'd and wise And for that time of Gods we honor'd all Apollo high for wisdome arte and skill At Troynouant a Temple speciall I built to him for sacrifices still Whereon I fell as after speake I will Such was our vse and superstition then To deeme as Gods the images of men By arts I made the holesome Baths at Bathe And made therefore two Tunnes of burning brasse And other twaine seuen kinds of salts that haue In them in closde but these be made of glasse With sulphur fil'd wilde fire emixt there was And in foure welles these Tunnes I did assay To place by arte that they might last of aye Which waters heate and clensing perfect powre With vapours of the sulphur salts and fire Hath vertue great to heale and wash and scowre The bathed sores therein that health desire If of the vertues moe thou dost require I will recite what old experience telles In causes cold the vertues of these welles The bathes to soften sinewes vertue haue And also for to clense and scowre the skin From Morphewes white and blacke to heale and saue The bodies freckled faint are bath'd therein Scabs lepry sores both old and festered in The scurfe botch itch gout poxe and humors fell The milt and liuer hard it healeth well I must confesse by learned skill I found Those natiue welles whence ye haue helpe for men But well thou know'st there runnes from vnder ground Springs sweet salt cold and hote euen now as then From rocke salt-petre alume grauell fen From sulphur iron lead gold brasse and tinne Springs vertue take of vaines that they been in Then who so knowes by natures worke in these Of metals or of mines the force to heale May sooner giue his iudgement in disease For curing by the bath and surer deale With sickly people of the publique weale And also find of fountaines hot and cold To heale by them the sicke both yong and old The Citie eke of Bathe I founded there Renouned far by reason of the wels And many monuments that ancient were I placed there thou know'st the storie tels I sought renowne and fame and nothing els But when our actes extols vs to the skies We look not downe from whence we first did rise There are but few whom Fortune bathes in blesse But blinded are and dazelingly they looke They see nought else but worldly
happinesse At that they only fish with Fortunes hooke Ambition will not wisdomes counsell brooke Pride sets her thoughts on things that vade away Forsaking vertue which doth nere decay Mens vaine delights are wondrous to behold For that that reason nils nor nature sowes They take in hand on science far too bold Deceiu'd by suttle snares of diuelish showes From which attempts a floud of mischiefe flowes An heape of hurts a frie of foule decaies A flocke of feares and thrals a thousand waies If that the water fish forsake the streame Against his kind feeles he no hurt ensues Or if the brocke would learne to play the breame And leaue the lambes at land were this no newes A fethered fowle in th' earth a den to chuse Or flounder say to flie the larke to catch We might admire what monsters time did hatch But sith we see that nature hath assign'd The fowle to flie the aire as seemeth well The fish to swim the sea as fits his kind The earth for men and beasts to breed and dwell Of right a man which doth the rest excell Should euen so far surpasse in his degree As all the rest in wisdome weaker bee All this I speake to warne the rest that heare And eke to shew the blindnesse of delites Herein my folly vaine may plaine appeare What hap they heape which trie out cunning slights What hurt there hits at such vaine shewes and sights Where men for pleasure only take much paine To alter natures gifts for pleasure vaine Were not it strange thinke you a King to flie To play the tombler or some iugling cast To dresse himselfe in plumes as erst did I And vnder armes to knit on wings full fast A sport you thinke that might the wise agast But Magicke arte had taught me points of skill Which in the end did proue my future ill I deckt my corps with plumes I say and wings And had them set thou seest in skilfull wise With many feats fine poyseing equall things To aide my selfe in flight to fall or rise Few men did euer vse like enterprise Gainst store of wind by practise rise I could And turne and winde at last which way I would But ere the perfect skill I learned had And yet me thought I could do passing well My subiects hearts with pleasant toyes to glad From Temples top where did Apollo dwell I sayd to flie but on the Church I fell And in the fall I lost my life withall This was my race this was my fatall fall What vainer thing could any Prince deuise Then so himselfe a foolish fowle to show Learne you by me that count your selues so wise The worst to doubt of things what ere you know Flie not so high for feare you fall so low Be wise in artes exceed not wisdomes bound The depth of arte by wit may not be found These curious artes allurements haue alone They profer much in recompence of paine But yet among'st a thousand scarce is one In practise ought by them can saue or gaine In their effects they are but false and vaine Sophisticall deceitfull and vntrue That nothing haue yet promise all to you I speake not of the rest that are in vse Amongst the wiser sort Philosophie Nor of the parts thereof but of th' abuse That comes by magicke artes of Imagerie By vile inchauntments charmes and parnpestrie All which by nature are abhor'd as euill Practisde by fooles inuented by the diuell To make an end you noble Kings content Your selues with studies seruing for the State You Lords also with all your wits inuent What way t' eschew the Prince and peoples hate Yee Subiects loue your Prince eschew debate I wish you all beware of climing high Lest that you helpelesse fall as erst did I. HOW QVEENE CORDILA IN DESPAIRE SLEW her selfe the yeare before Christ 800. IF any wofull wight haue cause to waile her woe Or griefes are past do pricke vs Princes tell our fall My selfe likewise must needs constrained eke do so And shew my like misfortunes and mishaps withall Should I keepe close my heauie haps and thrall Then did I wrong I wrong'd my selfe and thee Which of my facts a witnesse true maistbee A woman yet must blush when bashfull is the case Though truth bid tell the tale and storie as it fell But sith that I mislike not audience time nor place Therefore I cannot keepe my woes in counsell well * No greater ease of heart then griefes to tell It daunteth all the dolours of our mind Our carefull hearts thereby great comfort find For why to tell that may recounted be againe And tell it as our cares may compasse ease That is the salue and med'cine of our paine Which cureth corsies all and sores of our disease It doth our pinching pangs and paines appease It pleads the part of an assured friend And telles the trade like vices to amend Therefore if I more willing be to tell my fall With my mishaps to ease my burdened breast and mind Some others haplie may auoid and shunne the thrall And thereby for distresse more aide and comfort find They keeping measure whereas I declin'd May be as prompt to flie like brute and blame As I to tell or thou to write the same Wherefore if thou wilt afterwards record What Queene Cordila telles to ease her inward smart I will recite my storie tragicall each word To thee that giu'st an eare and readie art But lest I set the horse behind the cart I mind to tell each thing in order so As thou maist see and shew whence sprang my woe My grandsire Bladud hight that found the bathes by skill A fethered King that practisde high to soare Whereby he felt the fall God wot against his will And neuer went road raign'd nor spake nor flew no more After whose death my father Leire therefore Was chosen King by right apparent heire Which after built the towne of Leircestere He had three daughters faire the first hight Gonerell Next after her his yonger Ragan was begot The third and last was I the yongest nam'd Cordell Vs all our father Leire did loue too well God wot But minding her that lou'd him best to note Because he had no sonne t' enioy his land He thought to guerdon most where fauour most he fand What though I yongest were yet men me iudg'd more wise Then either Gonerell or Ragan more of age And fairer farre wherefore my sisters did despise My grace and gifts and sought my wrecke to wage But yet though vice on vertue die with rage It cannot keepe her vnderneath to drowne For still she flittes aboue and reapes renowne My father thought to wed vs vnto Princely peeres And vnto them and theirs diuide and part the land For both my sisters first he call'd as first their yeares Requir'd their minds and loue and fauour t' vnderstand Quoth he all doubts of dutie to aband I must assay your friendly faithes to proue My daughters tell me how you
were killed before mine owne eies Or forced to yeeld or abandon the coast I need not of honor or dignitie boast Or tell of my triumphes or crake of my crowne * The vaunt of vsurpers is void of renowne HOW KING RVDACKE OF WALES WAS slaine by Mulmucius Donwallo about the yeare before Christ 441. RVde are the reuelles royaltie that rape Restlesse the raignes of rebels in the robe Reck lesse the rage where crueltie doth scrape Roundnesse esteem'd but little of the globe No man ambitious prudent with the probe Crownerape accounted but cunning and skill Bloodshead a blockehouse to beate away ill The rudenesse of rebels reaching the crowne May be compar'd to Bladhuds fond diuice Better sit still then fall so far adowne By my mishaps let other men be wise My selfe of climbing haue pai'd well the price That rudely in throne my selfe did install Aloft not regarding how low I might fall When Britaine was restlesse wanting a King For Forrex hight and Porrex both were slaine The land many peeres ambitious did wring Endeuouring each the Kingdome to gaine The heires to forsake it wrong did constraine The subiects were armed we nobles did striue At length we amongst vs diuision contriue Then recklesse we were when all was at rest And each had a kingdome allotted his part The vice of the subiects daily increast And iustice and right were laid quite apart The lawes ouerlashed by couine and craft And we that did gouerne did winke at this geare The worser thereby our faithfull friends were The ball that dame Fortune emparteth of blisse Is golden to gaze on but voluble round If once of your handfast in holding you misse Away then it roleth and you are on ground Of watchers thereon so many abound And catchers thereat with snatching therefore That if once you leese it you catch it no more A Chirurgian that taketh a wound for to cure If skilfull and carefull he searcheth it furst The sea-man doth sound to take the depth sure By wisdome well taught for feare of the worst But our vile ambition blind blockish accurst Not prouing the sore nor reckoning the sound Our ships and our science we sinke and confound Ambition out searcheth to glorie the greece The staire to estate the graple of grace But in her is hid of perill a peece Which all our attempts doth dimme and deface We do enioy her vaine ioyes but a space Short brittle as glasse false faire giuing light Not golden though glittring braue in the sight For when she hath brought vs vnto the throne And Fortune hath fraught vs with honor at fill Then there to sit stedie and rule all alone We racke our deuices and send with our skill We cut off occursions we prole pole and pill We bolster we band out to bribe banish slay The pillers of prudence that stand in our way Our race is then restles our sleeping vnsound Our waking is warfare our walking hath woe Our talking is trustles our cares doe abound Our fauners deemd faithfull and friendshippe a foe Which troubles our fancies so tost to and froo That scarcely wee neuer inioy any rest Tormented whom Fortune exalted and blest This thing can I witnesse what troubles ensue What cares doe vs compas enhaunsed aloft I therefore wish rebels to take better view Of the falles of iutruders recorded so oft Who climeth so high his fall is not soft If once hee doe stagger or falter aside He cannot recouer the rest for to guide When I who with others did thinke my selfe sure Here ruled the realme there fell out a flawe Donwallo did seeke the Crowne to procure Alleaging a title thereto by the lawe Who when to field our powers we did draw Came straight with an hoast prepared to fight With sword for to trie out whose title was right Our number was great our title vniust Our consciences guilty our soudiers agast Donwallo with honour had souldiers of trust And Fortune was friendly to them as they past They slew of our men by manhood full fast Or forst them to flie in the field wee were faine T' oppose them poore Princes and so we were slaine First Pinnar then Stater I Rudacke likewise At last was with number oppressed dispatcht Let Lordings beware how aloft they doe rise By Princes and commons their climing is watcht No sooner they haue at the scepter once snatcht But guilty themselues they deeme worthy to die And Gods powerfull iustice such sentence doth hie HOW THE NOBLE King Brennus after many triumphant victories at the siege of Delphos in Greece slew himselfe about the yeare before Christ 375. AMongst the noble martiall worthy men Renowned farre victorious great of fame Though Authors sound my praise eftsoones agen Amongst the Britaine Princes write the same I am that Britaine once that Brennus had to name My facts exploits in warre my conquests life and end Doe write as I recite when time doth leasure lend The mightie Monarch of this noble Ile Mulmucius who with conquering blade did free The Britans troubled state from tyrants vile Was father both to Belinus and me His noble acts and lawes commended bee This Belinus mine elder brother was his heire And Queene Corwenna was our mother wise and faire When after him my brother had the crowne Hee was content to make me eke a king He gaue mee Albany where with renowne I rulde a while by Iustice euery thing But at the last ambition made me bring An army thence against my brother for to fight Which rather ought t' haue honord him with homage right When Belinus perceiued mee approach Vnto his Realme an army hee addrest Hee warned me I should not seeke t'incroach That was not mine for hee was ready prest Me to repell hee wild mee bee at rest I marched on the armies met wee fearcely fought My souldiers slaine to saue my selfe by flight I fought To Norway then I fled for succour hence Where good Elsingus reignde the gentle King I told him what I was and eke of whence Desirde his aide me home againe to bring And he not only graunted me this thing But eke his daughter Samye faire to bee my wife With me in Albany to leade a Princely life But while we were prouiding ships and men The fame abroad of my returne was spread And Guthlake that was King of Denmarke then Prouided with a nauie mee forlead His eie on Samyes beautie had so fed That for her sake he must perforce my ships forlay By force of armes to beare the Lady faire away And when our nauies met hee wilde me yeelde This Lady straight or else defend the cause A thing quoth I requested erst but seelde Against of Gods and men the sacred lawes It hath not erst bene heard'mongst wise men sawes That any King should claime the like by strife Or make assault by wrong to winne a Princes wife From words to fight we fell on either side But on his side the conquest did appeare I yeelded her that listed
vertues trust For * vertue of the ancient blood or kin Doth only praise the men that vertuous bin And nobles only borne of this be sure Without the vertues of their noble race Do quite and cleane themselues thereby obscure And their renowne and dignities deface They do their birth and linage all deface For why indeed they euer ought so well In vertues graue as titles braue excell But oft God wot they fare as erst did I They thinke if once they come of Princely stocke Then are they placed safe and sure so hie Aboue the rest as founded on a rocke Of wise mens warnings all they make a mocke They counsels graue as abiectreeds despise And count the braue men gratious worthie wise This Kingdome came to me by due discent For why my father was before me King But I to pleasure all and lust was bent I neuer reckt of Iustice any thing What purpose I to passe did meane to bring That same t' accomplish I with all my might Endeuour'd euer were it wrong or right I deem'd the greatest ioyes in earthly hap I thought my pleasures euer would abide I seem'd to sit in Lady Fortunes lap I reckt not all the world me thought beside I did by lust my selfe and others guide Whereby the fates to worke my bane withall And cut me off thus wise procur'd my fall As I was alwaies bent to hunting still Yet hunting was no vice to those I had When I three yeares had rul'd this Realme at will In chace a chance did make my heart full sad Wilde cruell beasts as desperate and mad Turn'd backe on me as I them brought to bay And in their rage my sinfull corps did slay A iust reward for so vniust a life No worse a death then I deserued yore Such wreckes in th' end to wretches all are rife Who may and will not call for grace before My wilfull deeds were nought what wilt thou more For wanton wildenesse witlesse heedlesse toyes The brutish beasts bereau'd me of my ioyes HOW KING MORINDVS WAS DEuoured by a monster the yeare before Christ. 303. LEt me likewise declare my facts and fall And eke recite what meanes this slimie glere You need not faine so quaint a looke at all Although I seeme so fulsome euery where This blade in bloodie hand which I do beare And all his gore bemingled with this glew In witnesse I the dreadfull monster slew Then marke my tale beware of rashnes vile I am Morindus once a Britaine King On whom long time did Ladie Fortune smile Till to her wheeles steepe top she did me bring My fame both far and neare she made to ring And eke my praise exalted so to skie In all my time more famous none then I. Some say I was by birth a bastard bace Begotten of the Prince his concubine But what I was declared well my grace My fortitude and stature Princely mine My father eke that came of Princely line King Danius gaue not so bace degree Nor yet the noble Britaines vnto mee For feats of armes and warlike points I past In courage stout there liu'd not then my peere I made them all that knew my name agast And heaâ— thow great mine enterprises were To shrinke and slinke and shift aside for feare All which at length did me such glorie bring My father dead the Britaines made me King But see how blind we are when Fortune smiles How sencelesse we when dignities increase We euer vse our selues discreetly whiles We little haue and loue to liue in peace Subiected thoughts doth wicked pride suppresse We vse no rigour rancour rapine such As after when we haue our willes too much For whiles that I a subiect was no King While I had nothing but my facts alone I studied still in euery kind of thing To serue my Prince and vnderfang his fone To vse his subiects friendly euerychone And for them all aduentures such to take As might them all my person fauour make But when I once attained had the Crowne I waxed cruell tyrannous and fell I had no longer minde of my renowne I vsde my selfe too ill the truth to tell O bace degree in happie case full well Which art not puft with pride vaine-glorie hate But art beneath content to bide thy fate For I aloft when once my heate was in Not raind by reason ruled all by might Ne prudence reckt right strength or meane a pin But with my friends in anger all would fight I stroke kild slew who euer were in sight Without respect remorce reproofe regard And like a mad man in my furie far'd I deem'd my might and fortitude was such That I was able thereby conquer all High kingdomes seat encreast my pompe so much My pride me thought impossible to fall But God confounds our proud deuices all And brings that thing wherein we most do trust To our destruction by his iudgement iust For when three yeares I ruled had this I le Without all law as was my lawlesse life The rumour ran abroad within a while And chiefly in the Norwest countrie rife A monster came from Th' irish seas brought griefe To all my subiects in those coasts did dwell Deuouring man and beast a monster fell Which when I knew for truth I straight prepar'd In warlike wise my selfe to trie the case My haste thereto a courage bold declar'd For I alone would enter in the place At which with speare on horse I fet my race But on his scales it enter could no more Then might a bulrush on a brasen dore Againe I prou'd yet nought at all preuail'd To breake my speare and not to pierce his side With that the roring monster me assail'd So terrifi'd my horse I could not ride Wherewith I lighted and with sword I tri'd By strokes to find a passage to his life But now I found in vaine was all my strife And when I wearied was and spent with fight That kept my selfe with heed his danger fro At last almost asham'd I wanted might And skill to worke the beastly monster wo. I gate me neerer with my sword him to And thought his flanckes or vnder parts to wound If there for scales might any place be found But frustrate of my purpose finding none And eke within his danger entring quite The grizely beast straight seazed me vpon And let his talants on my corps to light He gript my shoulders not resist I might And roting with a greedie rauening looke At once in iawes my bodie whole he tooke The way was large and downe he drew me in A monstrous paunch for roomth and wondrous wide But for I felt more softer there the skin At once I drew a dagger by my side I knew my life no longer could abide For rammish stench bloud poison slimy glere That in his body so aboundant were Wherefore I labouring to procure his death While first my dagger digde about his hart His force to cast me welnigh drewe my breath But as he felt within his
me downe from royall kingdome beate The like examples are in stories rife No wicked wight can gouerne long in rest For either some bereaues him of his life Or downe his throne and kingdome is deprest Bid Princes then and noble Peeres the like delights detest There is no way the wrath of Ioue to wrest HOW THE WORTHIE Britaine Duke Nennius as a valiant Souldier and faithfull Subiect encountred with Iulius Caesar was by him death-wounded yet neuerthelesse he gate Caesars sword put him to flight slew therewith Labianus a Tribune of the Romans endured fight till his countrie men wan the field and now encourageth all good Subiects to defend their countrey from the power of forraine and intruding enemies He was slaine about the yeare before Christ 52. I May by right some later writers blame Of stories olde as rude or negligent Or else I may them well vnlearned name Or heedlesse in those things about they went Some time on me as well they might haue spent As on such tyrants who as bloodie foes Vnto their countrey wrought such deadly woes As for my selfe I doe not this recite Although I haue occasion good thereto But sure me thinks it is too great despite That to the dead these moderne writers doe For there are Britaines neither one or two Whose names in stories scarcely once appeare And yet their liues examples worthy were T 's worthy praise I graunt to write the ends Of vicious men and teach the like beware For what hath he of vertue that commends Such persons lewde as naught of vertues care But for to leaue out those praise worthy are Is like as if a man had not the skill To praise the good but discommend the ill I craue no praise although my selfe deseru'd As great a laude as any one of yore But I would haue it tolde how well I seru'd My Prince and Countrey Faith to both I bore All noble hearts hereby with courage more May both tall forraine force in fight withstand And of their foes may haue the vpper hand Againe to shew how valiant then we were You Britaines good to mooue your hearts thereby All other nations lesse in fight to feare And for your countrey rather so to die With valiant hauty courage as did I Then liue in bondage seruice slauery thrall Of forraine powers which hate your manhood all Doe giue me leaue to speake but euen a while And marke and write the story I thee tell By North from London more then fifty mile There lies the Isle of Ely knowne full well Wherein my Father built a place to dwell And for because he liked well the same He gaue the place height Ely of his name He raigned forty yeares as stories tell And fame did beare his name both wide and far By Iustice guided he his subiects well And liu'd in peace without the broiles of war His childrens noble acts in stories are In vulgar tongue but nought is said of mee And yet I worthy was the yongst of three His eldest sonne and heire was after King A noble Prince and he was named Lud Full polliticke and wise in euery thing And one that wish'd his Countrey alwaies good Such vses customes statutes he withstood As seem'd to bring the publique weales decay And them abolisht brake repeald away So he the walles of Troy the new renewde Them sortified with fortie Towers about And at the west side of the wall he vewde The Towers strong gate to keepe the foemen out That made he prisons for the poore bankrout Nam'd Ludgate yet for free men debters free From hurt till with their creditours they gree Some say the City also tooke the name Of Lud my brother for he it reparde And I must needs as true confesse the same For why that time no cost on it he sparde He still increast and peopled euery warde And bad them aie Kaerlud the City call Or Ludstone now you name it London all At length he dide his children vnder age The elder named was Androgeus Committing both vnto my brothers charge The younger of them hight Tenancius The Britaines wanting aged rulers thus Chose for that time Cassibellane their King My brother Iustice ment in euery thing The Romane then the mighty Caesar fought Against the Galles and conquerd them by might Which done he stood on shores where see hee mought The Ocean Seas and Britaine clieues full bright Quoth hee what region lies there in my sight Mee thinkes some Iland in the Seas I see Not yet sub dued nor vanquist yet by mee With that they told him we the Britaines were A people stout and fearce in feates of warre Quoth he the Romanes neuer yet with feare Of nation rude were daunted of so farre We therefore mind to proue them what they are And there withall these letters he did frame Brought by ambassadours which hither came C. IVLIVS CAESAR CONsull of Rome to Cassibellane King of Britaine sendeth greeting SIth that the Gods haue giuen vs all the West As subiects to our Romane Empire hie By warre or as it seemed Ioue the best Of whom wee Romanes came and chiefly I Therefore to you which in the Ocean dwell As yet not vnderneath subiection due Wee send our letters greeting wete yee well In warlike cases thus we deale with you First that you as the other regions pay Vs tribute yearely Romanes we require Then that you will with all the force you may Withstand our foes as yours with sword and fire And thirdly that by these you hostage send Tassure the couenants once agreed by you So with your daunger lesse our warres may end Else bid we warre Cassibellane adieu Caesar No sooner were this Caesars letters seene But straight the King for all his nobles sent He shew'd them what their ancestors had beene And prai'd them tell in this their whole intent He told them whereabout the Romans went And what subiection was how seruile they Should be if Caesar bare their pompe away And all the Britaine 's euen as set on fire My selfe not least enflamed was to fight Did humblie him in ioyfull wise desire That he his letters would to Caesar write And tell him plaine we past not of his spite We past as little of the Romans we And lesse then they of vs if lesse might be Wherefore the ioyfull King againe repli'd Through counsell wise of all the nobles had By letters he the Romans hests denide Which made the Britaines hautie hearts full glad And eke the Romane Consul proud as mad To heare these letters written thus they went Which he againe to mightie Caesar sent CASSIBELLANE KING OF BRITAINE TO C. IVLIVS Caesar Consull of Rome AS thou O Caesar writ'st the Gods haue giuen to thee The West so I replie they gaue this I le to mee Thou sai'st you Romans and thy selfe of Gods descend And dar'st thou then to spoile our Troian blood pretend Againe though Gods haue giu'n thee all the world as thine That 's parted
tribute pay vnto the Romane stout Or else I would both put their liues and goods in doubt But they a people fierce and recklesse of my powers Abused those which brought th' ambassage that I sent Now sith quoth they the land and region heere is ours We will not Caesar to thy rightlesse hestes assent By doome of friendly Gods this Iland first we hent Of Priames blood we are from Greece we Troians came As Brutus brought vs thence and gaue this land his name This land reported was full fertile for the soile The wealthie warlike sort of Britaines stout within Were rather able well to giue then take the foile To those which came by warres their freedome for to win My selfe made first assault with them I did begin Of all the Romanes first I waged with them warre And this I can report they valiant people are It was reported eke that in my warres in France Some Britaines thither came amongst the Galles to fight And that for pleasure sake to try of Mars the chance And for to haue in field of Romane warres the sight That they no labour sparde by day nor yet by night In campe in scoute for hunger heate or colde But were in all attempts of armes both stout and bolde This fame enflamed me displeasure eke I tooke That glory hopte to get so doughtie hearts to daunt On which with winds at wil I Gallia shores forsooke Full minded for to make the Britaines tribute graunt Sith at my message sent they seemed so to taunt With armour souldiers good and of munition store I went appointed wel with fiftie sailes or more But so the noble Britaines plaide the valiaunt men By policies and force to hurt my shippes and me That I was forced after my returne agen To rigge my shipppes againe a wondrous thing to see For in the strands and in the seas where hauens be Sharpe postes they pight whereon our shippes we ron When many diu'd the deepe before the land wee won Being hardly come to land at length we met the hoast And sharpely fought with them whose praises earst we hard I haue no cause of Britane conquest for to boast Of all the Regions first and last with whom I ward A people stout and strong enduring chances hard And desperate wilde and fearce and recklesse found I then Not soone agast with dint or fright with fall of men For when our armies met no dangers they forsooke But so behau'd themselues in euery place of fight As though to Martiall feates they onely had betooke Themselues and for the palme did all their dealings dight Though with my Romanes I wag'd all my warlike might I was not able there to cause them yeeld or flee Or for a space to take a time of truce with me The toiles wee tooke to enter at the first on land And for to saue our shattered ships and armour brought To wey them out that else had bulg'd themselues in sand Hereon before the fielde with might and maine we wrought Beside at skirmish oft vpon the shore we fought These labours tired so my men and me that tide That we could not endure the battailes brunt t' abide They followed hard the chace with scath and losse we scapte And shipt we hoised sailes to Fraunce we made retire Where for an armie new another roade we shapte If winter colde were past to come the following yeare And so we did indeed and bought our comming deere For they prouided had so well to fight that I With all mine armies stout could finde no victorie Againe to shippe my mates I bad my Captaines stur Eke from this people fearce with speede to shift away The chance of warre is hard and doubtfull for t' assure Where th' enemies neither dint of death nor dangers fray They reckt not of their wealth nor losse of goods decay But for their freedome fought on Princes case they stood With ioyfull hearts they waged warlike life and blood Almost I had no hope at all to make returne The people were so fearce so stubburne stout and bold No time of rest I wrought amongst them to soiurne They could not by our power bee ruled nor controld They said they would vs pay no siluer brasse nor gold To our indictions sent they would not set their hand But for to trie the case with all their power to stand When to the coasts of Gallia againe with losse we come That neuer erst with such repulse to foes did turne the backe The Britaines they reioyce with triumphes all and some And fame doth sound report they make the Romanes packe Where we no men no coine nor no munition lacke No captaines good no art no victuall hearte to fight A goodly spoile the land a pray before our sight Now marke the hap we had while I in Gallia lay The Britaines past the time in triumphes and in feasts And for our second flight with sports they spend the day Accounting vs in their respect but coward beasts Amongst their other sport of Iusts and pleasant iests A ciuill discord fell betweene two worthy peeres Of courage both so good that neither best appeares The one hight Irenglas of kinred to the king A worthy wight in warre and prudent wise and sage The other Elenine whose praise no stories bring But stoutnesse in his fight as ruled all by rage Yet both against the Romanes with the king did wage The British warre full well and serued as they ought Till time at home the praise of triumphes vaine they sought This Elenine was stout for he was neere of kin Vnto Androgeus which was th' Earle of London then And claimed eke the palme they say that he did win In triumphs at the iusts amongst the noble men But as they went about to trie the line agen They fell from words to sharpe and laide on loade amaine Vntill at length in fight hight Irenglas was slaine The King did send for Elenine but he was fled Vnto the Earle his cosin whence he would not come He feared lest he should haue lost his hated head ' The guilty heart conceau's before the Iudge doe doome He wist if once he went there needed him no toome Wherefore he it refused and th' Earle was discontent Who message sharpe againe vnto the King had sent Cassibellane displeased much that subiects should Both slay his friend and eke refuse to bide the lawe And also in rebellious wise endeuour what they could To cut themselues vniustly from the Princes awe Though it him greeu'd to see at home so foule a flawe He could not yet abide the iniuries were showne But armde himselfe and his gainst subiects once his owne When th' Earle Androgeus saw that he was far too weake Against his Prince to wage rebellious wars begon He sent to me in France desiring helpe to wreake The iniuries and wrong Cassibellane had don He also Sceua sent for pledge his onely sonne And thirtie youths beside of honour great well borne I would
not trust his talke nor message sent beforne On this I expedition made the third and last For he did warrant me my purpose to obtaine I shipt my men and hide me thitherward full fast Had winde at will and came to see the shining shores againe And of my comming so the Earle was glad and faine We ioined hands and league and armies for the fight And sought and put Cassibellane the noble King to flight Yet he repaird his hoste againe that fiercely faught And oft assaid to slay or take the Earle or mee And when hee saw at length his labour vailed naught And Britanes with the Romanes linked so to bee Great griefe he had in them such treason for to see His losse in doubtfull war not grieu'd him halfe so sore His peoples base reuolt he chiefely did deplore To make it short the King was faine at length to yeeld The tribute granted was three thousand pound a yeere We bare away the price we wan the worthy field And made them friends againe that bought our fauour deere I need no longer stay to tell the story heere Nor yet to giue my friend the Earle of London blame Sith by his meanes I wan to Rome eternall fame From France I after sent to Rome reporting how Amongst the warlike Galles and Britaines I had sped I made request by friends I might be Consull now On my returne againe but Pompeyes hautie hed Did ioyne himselfe with Peeres and armies which he led Alledging plaine I meant the publique weale t' inuade They would represse my pride with might and dint of blade With speed I came and force which made them all to flie To Greece from Rome in haste where they prepared war For in Epyrus then with souldiers they did lie This Pompey proud that made the Romans with me iar He at Dyrrachium staid to which though it were far I led my conquering host I skirmisht often there But from the fight to flie we soone contented were On this he followed fast in hope to win the field To Thessalie he came where I did stay therefore Our armies met and fiercely faught not bent to yeeld Till fifteene hundred men were slaine in fight or more But in the end they fled we tooke of prisoners store They durst not dare t' abide the chance of Mars to trie But either fell in fight or from the field did flie Thence Pompey fled the field and into Egypt came To Ptolemie the King as then but yong of age Where of his slaughter foule Septimius hath the blame He was his end that did these warres against me wage Euen so by course we come to play vpon the stage Our trauels haue an end when we do feele the fall For all our life is but a race of miserie and thrall But Pompeyes friends and sonnes by might did oft assay When he was done to death to take reuenge on me And I by dint of sword repel'd their force away Gate offices of rule and gouern'd each degree At Caesars beck and call obeysant all they bee Enacted lawes directed each estate Emperially the first aloft I sate But glorie won the way to hold and keepe the same To hold good fortune fast a worke of cunning skill Who so with prudent art can stay that stately dame Which sets vs vp so high vpon her hautie hill And constant aye can keepe her loue and fauour still He wins immortall fame thrice blessed is the crowne If once misfortune kicke and cast the scepter downe For when in Rome I was alone Dictator chose And Emperour or Captaine sole to be for ay My glorie did procure me many secret foes Because aboue the rest I bare the soueraigne sway By sundrie meanes they sought my ruine and decay For why there could no thing in state determin'd be Vnlesse it likte me first and were approu'd by me This they enui'd at me that su'd aloft to clime As hautie Cassius which the Pretorship did craue And Brutus eke his friend which bare the chiefest crime Of my dispatch and death for they did first depraue My life mine acts my raigne and sought my blood to haue Full secretly amongst themselues conspir'd decreed To be attemptors of that cruell bloodie deed Yet I forewarned was by Capis fatall tombe His Epitaph my death did long before foreshow Cornelius Balbus saw mine horses headlesse ronne Without the guide of man forsaking food for woe Spurina warned me that sooth of things did know A little wren in beake with Laurell greene that flew Foreshew'd my dolefull death as after all men knew The night before my fall in slumber I did dreame I caried was from earth and flew the clouds aboue And somtime hand in hād I thought I walkt with Ioue supreame My wife Calphurnia Caesars only loue Did dreame she saw her crest of house to fall Her husband thrust through breast a sword withall Eke that same night her chamber dores thēselues flew open all These things did make me much that mourning to mislike And Iacrazed was and thought at home to stay But who is he can void deaths dart when he doth strike Where so great number seekes his life for to betray The traytor bloodie Brutus bad me not delay Nor yet to frustrate there so great assemblie sate At last I went and there did meet vntimely sate To Senate as I went behold a Roman stood Presenting me a scrole of euery traytors name And all their whole deuice that sought to spill my blood That presently decreed to execute the same But I blind wretch supposde that for some suite he came I heedlesse bare this scrole in my vnhappie hand For which I lost my life as you shall vnderstand Spurina as I came at sacrifices was Neere to the place where I was after slaine Of whose diuinings true I then did little passe To warne me of my death the Priest did seeke in vaine My hautie heart growne proud these warnings all disdaine Quoth I the Ides of March be come yet harme is none Quoth he the Ides of March be come yet th' are not gone Assoone as I was set the traytors all arose And one approched neere as to demand some thing To whom as I gaue eare at once my cruell foes Beset me round about their weapons hid they bring Then I too late perceiu'd my deaths approching sting O this quoth I is violence then Cassius pierst my brest And Brutus thou my sonne quoth I whom erst I loued best Yee Princes all and noble men beware of pride Wracke not the Commonwealth for wealthie kingdomes sake Be warn'd by me that see my selfe the world to guide Beware what bloodie warres for rule you vndertake Ere three and twentie wounds had made my heart to quake How many thousands fell for Pompeyes pride and mine How many valiant Knights did loued life resigne Full many nobie men to rule alone I slew And some themselues againe for griefe of heart did slay For they would neuer yeeld though I
men that did Iehouaes sonne refuse The King of Iewes the Lord of life and health Were gouern'd thus Tiberius thus did vse The men that were the Gods in Commonwealth Forsaking so their heauenly sauing health The Emprour I which should their liues defend Sought all the meanes to bring their liues to end Yet to religion I was nothing bent Dissembled things that least I fauour'd still I neuer vsde to speake the things I ment But bare in mind the waies to worke men ill I seem'd to some to beare them great good will And those I tooke away as time did serue Inconstant vnto each yet seldome seem'd to swerue To drunkennesse and riot sports and ease And pleasure all I gaue my studie then Nought more then subtill shiftings did me please With bloodshed craftie vndermining men My Court was like a Lions lurking den The Iesters nam'd me Caldius Biberius Mero In stead of this my name Clandius Tiberius Nero. I will no more my life describe this time For why my facts at last deseru'd defame Infected with so many a fulsome crime As may not heere repeated be for shame I haue no cause the Ladie blind to blame But mine owne selfe who did abuse my place Which might full well haue vsde the gifts of grace Three things in fine I tell that wrought my fall First vile dissembling both with God and man For bloodshed then which hauocke made of all Blood cries to him that well reuenge it can For filthie life I much offended than Wherefore aliue thus poysoned with these three Caligula at last did poyson me To Princes this I say and worthie Peeres I wish them wisely weigh that heare me shall And poise my first exploits with latter yeeres And well consider one thing in my fall * Abuse of power abaseth Princes all In throne on earth a Prince as God doth sit And as a God no iustice should omit HOW CAIVS CAESAR CALIGVLA EMPEROVR OF Rome was slaine by Cherea and others the yeare of Christ 42. VNhappie Princes haue in wealth no grace To see how soone their vices bring them vnder But run vnruly reckelesse of their race Till at the length they make themselues a wonder When from aloft their traces fall asonder There is no hope to hold aright the trace They cannot keepe aloft th' Emperiall place Beholde my hap on whom the Romane rout With ioy did gaze when bloudy slaine I lay Here lies quoth they thrust thirtie times throughout The monster vile that beast Caligula Which did so many guiltlesse Romanes slay The nobles now the matrons need not doubt The worthy writers may their works set out I was I grant full leaudly led by lust I forced nought of vertue faith nor law In power I put my confidence and trust Regarding right nor Iustice strict a straw My facts infarst my life with many a flawe Did me to deedes of foule lust incest draw Which had of God nor natures hests the awe To make my selfe a God I did deuise That Iupiter to name my selfe did dare For incests vile which all good wights despise Nam'd Bacchus eke a drunken shrine I bare To call me God some flatterers did not spare By message I commanded them likevise My statue in the Temple to comprise I would not haue my slaughters here enrolde And murdrous mischieues mingled with the rest Without regard of sexe of yong or olde For which the Romanes did my life detest To vices vile my deedes were all addrest Which mine owne seruants loathing at the last With their owne hands my timelesse death did hast My life was naught and thus at last I dide My life procur'd both Gods and men my foes Let Princes then beware of pompe and pride And not themselues to vices such dispose The throne will soone a Princely minde disclose The tyrants heart at once in throne is tride The Princely robe no tyrant thoughts can hide HOW GVIDERIVS KING of Britaine and the elder son of Cimbaline was slaine in battaile by a Romane the yeare of Christ 44. or as some write 46. TAke Higgins now in hand thy pen for me Let not my death and story lie forgote Good cause there is I should remembred be If thou the falles of Britaine Princes note Aloft I sate in Princely place aflote I had the sword I bare the scepter right I was accounted aye a worthy wight Guiderius was my name the sonne of yore Of noble Cimbaline and after King The Romane tribute I would pay no more Me thought it was too base a seruile thing No Romane should me in subiection bring I stoutly did deny what they did claime Though many counseld me to yeeld the same When Claudius sent this tribute for to haue I sent him word againe I would not pay I would not graunt vniustly he did craue That might in time procure my Realmes decay He should not beare our freedome so away By force and fraude proud Caesar heere did raigne But now by might my right I would maintaine On this addrest himselfe in warlike sort The noble Claudius came to trie the case Which had before receiued high report Both of my wealth my force and noble grace So thinking well he might my fame deface From Rome he came to Britaine with his hoast And landed here vpon my Southerne coast Now marke my tale and hereby shalt thou know The subtill sleights of Romanes in their war The slie deceits of such doe make a show Whereby to trie the people what they are Note well such foes in dealing neere and far Amidst the field in scout or fight alone Of all the rest example take by one Amongst his men a Captaine stout he had With whom in fight I made my party good Hamonius men him cal'd who for his blade In single fight so often I withstood At last did worke a wile to shed my blood He clad himselfe as he a Britaine weare Like armour sword and target did he beare He marcht with vs as he a friend had been And when we came to fight he shew'd a face Of comfort and bold courage gainst his men And when they fled and we pursu'd the chace Pursue quoth he the Romans flie apace In British tongue he cride they flie they flie Our hostages had taught him so to crie As we pursude in me he thrust his blade Betweene my armour splints he gaue the wound And fast away for life to shift he made Thus by deceits my life hee did confound Of my decay this was the fatall ground Which thou must pen that I a miror be For men to shun the flights of trecherie HOW LAELIVS HAMO THE ROMANE CAPTAINE was slaine after the slaughter of Guiderius about the yeare of Christ 46. A Romane Captaine I in Britaine armour clad Disguisde therfore in field did slay their noble King I ventred in their host and I my purpose had To venture so for Countries sake a worthy thing But whoso weenes to win by slaughter high renowne Hath often
procure in th' end my fatall fall Maternian at Rome should search for all He should enquire my fate of all wise men And write hereof what was their mindes agen What he did write againe I wote not I From Carras I to Lunaes Temple went And for because it neere the Campe did lie To sacrifice with few was mine intent For why to towne from thence returne I ment And so from thence to Campe likewise againe I might retire without a greater traine Amongst the which one Martiall of my garde Whose brother not conuinst accusde I slew Thus wise my caytiue corps did watch to warde For when therefore conuenient time hee knew While I apart mee gate for natures due And bad the rest aside a space depart He came and stabde me stifly through the heart Seuerus seruants I corrupted oft Them fee'd to make their Lord my fire away With Getaes men the like attempts I wrought To bane their Lord and brother mine to slay How I the Alexandrians did betray And Parthians eke before to you I told Deseruing death for those a thousand fold But sith those faithfull seruants I did kill Which would not sley their noble Lords for gold I worthy was to haue a gard so ill As should to pierce my hatefull heart be bold The Iustice great of Ioua here behold * Vniustly who so seekes to slay the good The sword at length shall iustly shed his bloud FINIS HOW CARASSVS A HVSBANDMANS SONNE AND AFTER King of Britaine was slaine in battell by Alectus a Roman Anno Dom. 293. SIth men be borne by Nature naked all With their estates why are not men content Why doe they deeme the want of wealth a thral Why should they loath the lot which God hath sent Adam himselfe I finde at first was sent As one who did disdaine his poore estate To disobey with God to be a mate Thou maist be made a God quoth satan than If on the fruite forbidden thou wilt feede The senselesse wight the feeble forcelesse man Did taste thereof supposing that with speed He should in hast haue beene a God indeed He not content hoping for higher place Brought bitter bale to him and all his race And I the sonne of Adam by descent Did seeke to set my selfe in princely seate With mine estate I could not be content For which I felt the force of hatreds heat As at the first my good successe was great So at the last by fancies fond desires I groapt for grapes amidst the bramble briers Let such as would by vertue them aduance Marke by what meanes I did my selfe addresse To flie at first my poore allotted chance By honest meanes let them from wickednesse Which faine would flie learne this by my distresse That he who doth from right and reason stray Destruction shall destroy him with decay For I by birth borne next to beggers dore Was stai'd aloft with staffe of high estate But whil'st that I so high a pitch did sore I left the meanes which made me rise of late I vices lou'd I did all vertues hate For which Carassus ran a race in vaine And nothing got but death and deepe disdaine When ciuill strife had Britaine quite vndone So that her strength was now of none auaile The faithlesse Picts with ruth did ouerrunne That royall Realme and did so far preuaile That sorrow did on euery side assaile My natiue soile and being thus dismai'd To Rome we sent for succour helpe and aid Seuerus then by Bassianus sent To bring this Realme vnto some quiet stay The Romans and the Britaines both were bent To bring the barbarous Picts to their decay Them to returne againe to Scythia And at the last by good Seuerus aid We them destroi'd when we were most afraid Whose force though twice the Romans felt too strong Yet at the last we got a goodly day Euen by my meanes who thrust into the throng Of th' armed Picts I desperate there did play The part of him whom feare did neuer fray And at the last to end this mortall strife I did depriue King Lodricke of his life And when the Picts did see their king depriu'd Of vitall life Lord how they fled the field They made me muse to see how fast they striu'd With stailesse steppes ech one his life to shield Who could not flie he there with care was kilde So by my meanes my countrey did obtaine Her ancient state and liberty againe At my returne I to Seuerus said See here how I with woundes am all bestead I cannot liue I feele how life doth fade Lodricke himselfe did carue and cut my head For which my blade his luke warme blood hath shed He cut my cap and I haue got his crowne He lost his life and I haue found renowne Seuerus then vnto his Surgion said Heale him and bring him safe and sound againe Thou for thy paines with poundes shalt wel be paid And he shall haue such honour for his paine As vnto him for euer shal remaine For by the Gods which rule the skies aboue His noble acts deserue eternall loue When by the skill of Surgions curious art My hurts were heal'd and holesome health ensude Seuerus then reioicing at the hart Made me a Lord with wealth hee me indude Yea he although my learning were but rude Sent me to Rome as Legate of this land To make report how here our state did stand My deedes at Rome inricht me with renowne My talke abroad with proper filed phrase Adornd my head euen with a Laurell crowne The Emperour did much commend my waies So that I was bedeckt with double praise I could not reade my learning was but weake Yet they of Rome did muse to heare me speake As learned Art doth giue a goodly grace To some so some by natures gifts doe get Eternall fame and purchase them a place Aboue the place where learned men do sit We finde the fine dexteritie of wit In them which be both wise and ful of skill Yet neuer striu'd to clime Pernassus hill So I with praise a time at Rome did stay And tract of time returnd mee backe againe The Emperour he gaue my right away Within a while which made me storme amaine I had great cause me thought for to complaine Seuerus he was made the king of all The gifts hee gaue to me were very small I was but made the Captaine of the coast From Forraine force to keepe my realme in rest Seuerus he was crowned king in post Which did so boile within my warrelike brest That I with griefe most strangely was distrest Shall hee said I thus reape the high renowne Which I deserue Shall he enioy the Crowne I wonne the wreath and he wil weare the same I got the goale and he will get the gaine For me in faith it were a deadly shame If I in this his regall royall raigne Without repulse should suffer him remaine Which if I do then let the dreadfull dart Of Vulcans wrath torment in
the Court a Kings behest Turne him to plow the cart for him is best For though thou canst by cunning art compell Nature a time to leaue her wonted place She will returne in spight of heauen or hell No Alcumist Dame Nature can displace Except that God doth giue abundant grace The Caske will haue a taste for euermore With that where with it seasoned was before Why did I then my courtlesse court maintaine With Hob and Iohn Ralph Royster and his mate Whose greedie iawes aye gaping after gaine Did pole and pill and bred such sterne debate Men much vnmeet to maintaine mine estate Why did I them so neere mine elbow place Because my selfe by birth was borne but bace Like will to like the Mule doth claw her mate With horned beasts the Ienite cannot iest Those bauling Hounds the haughtie Hart doth hate With Beares the Beare in safetie counts her best So I amongst my like did looke for rest Their deeds by me were alwaies well allow'd By them likwise my doings were auow'd But as you see the Husbandman with care From new sowne fields the rauening rookes to driue So did the Gentrie of my Realme prepare My countrie Court and me for to depriue But Gentlemen were then too weake to striue With me and mine for which they did prepare A new found snach which did my feet insnare In surgelesse seas of quiet rest when I Seuen yeares had sail'd a perrie did arise The blasts whereof abrig'd my libertie For whil'st I did with busie braine deuise Them to destroy which did my Court despise The boistrous blasts of hatred blew a gale My cables crakt my Barke was bong'd with bale For they I meane the Gentrie of my land Both me and mine theirs and themselues had sold Subiects to Rome from whence a mightie band They had conuey'd to make my courage cold Into my Realme they could not be controld But when they were arriu'd they quickly brought Both me and mine and all the rest to nought Alectus then the Chiefetaine of the rest Spoiling my friends he forst me to the field The day was come we both in fight were prest His trustlesse traine did seeme to me to yeeld But all the fields with great ambushments fill'd I could not flee Alectus had the day With his owne sword for breath he made me bray As due desert did force my ship to flote So vices vile me drencht in waues of woes O false suspect why did'st thou make me dote Fearing my fall my friends I deem'd my foes Fearing the worst the best I did depose And was deposde let other learne hereby The crooked Crab will alwaies walke awry And let them know which do not lothe to learne That Kings in Court be combred most with care The Pilots charge who sitteth at the stearne Doth make him watch when other do prepare Themselues to sleepe so Kings distressed are With doubtfull dread and many other things The sheepheards life is better then the Kings By Thomas Blener Hasset HOW QVEENE HELENA OF BRITAINE MARried CONSTANTIVS the Emperour and much aduanced the Christian faith through the whole world An. Dom. 289. MEns due deserts each Reader may recite For men of men do make a goodly show But womens workes can neuer come to light No mortall man their famous facts may know No writer will a little time bestow The worthy workes of women to repeat Though their renowne and due deserts be great For Iby birth to Coel daughter deere King Lucy was my good Grand-mothers sonne My father dead I rull'd his kingdome heere And afterward the World so wide I wonne I Empresse was of all vnder the Sunne I liued long I di'd with perfect blisse Yet writers will repeate no word of this But now at last I haue obtained leaue My spotlesse life to paint in perfect white Though writers would all honor from me reaue Of all renowne they would depriue me quite Yet true report my deeds shall burnish bright And rub the rust which did me much disgrace And set my name in her deserued place From Roman rule who Britaine did redeeme Who planted first Gods word in Britaine land Who did so much virginitie esteeme Who did the force of forren foes withstand Who all the world subdu'd without a band Of Martiall men who did these noble acts I Helena haue done these famous facts And now haue heere the storie of my state The Britaine Queene inheritage me crown'd Euen then when Romans had so great debate Amongst themselues for Caracallas wound An Emperour who highly was renown'd As then at Rome whose death vndoubtedly Diminisht much the Roman Emperie The Romans then were stor'd with ciuill strife And many Realmes against them did rebell Their trouble turn'd me to a quiet life My Commonweale did prosper passing well When all the world agreed like diuels in hell Then I and mine becalm'd from hatreds blast In happie hauen harboured wee at last Then I a maid of tender youthfull yeares Report did say of beautie fresh and faire Refusde the sute of many noble Peeres Which daily did vnto my court repaire What thought there were vnto my crowne no heire Yet I who did regard my Commons good Refusde to linke my selfe with forren blood On forren coasts on kingdomes to incroch With wrath of wrackfull warres I did despise And fearing aye the ruth of rude reproch With carking care I daily did deuise How I with peace might make my kingdome rise And how by law of God and man I might Giue Caesar his and vnto God his right No God of heauen no Christ my people knew Wherefore to Rome for learned men I sent King Lucies lawes decay'd I did renew Then preaching made my people so repent Their former faults that all incontinent Were baptised and so within a space The faith of Christ they firmely did embrace That nothing seemed currant in their sight But that which holie writers would allow And that they would imbrace with all their might To shed their bloud the same for to auow They did not feare at Verolane euen now Amidst the force of fiery flashing flame Albon the Protomartyr prou'd the same As carefull merchant men do much reioice When from those Iles Molocchi they haue brought Their fraighted ships for then they haue great choice Of Merchandize which trafficke long hath sought To finde the ware which trial true hath taught Wil get most gaine which being got they giue And cast their care how they thereby may liue So I whom both Sir Neptunes surging Seas And Eoles windes euen God himselfe aboue Did fauour much my labouring minde to please Giuing those things were best for my behoue Gods word I meane which all my men did loue The Pearles which Christ commanded to be bought Must here be found and no where els be sought Then they and I made haste post hast to leade Our sinful liues as Scripture did allow We knowing God him lou'd with feare and dreade Deuotion made vs crouch
she smooth blew on this pleasant gale He was created Earle of March alas Whence enuy sprang which his destruction was For wealth breeds wrath in such as wealth doe want Pride folly breeds in such as it possesse Among a thousand shall you find one skant That can in wealth his lofty heart represse Which in this Earle due proofe did plaine expresse For whereas he was somewhat haut before His high degree hath made him now much more For now alone he ruleth as him lust Ne recks for reade saue of king Edwards mother Which forced enuy foulder out the rust That in mens hearts before did lie and smother The Peeres the people th' one as well as th' other Against him made so hainous a complaint That for a traytour he was soone attaint Then all such faults as were forgot afore They skowre afresh and somwhat to them adde For enuy still hath eloquence in store When Fortune bids to worse things meanly bad Fiue hainous crimes against him soone were had First that he caus'd the King to yeeld the Scot To make a peace townes that were from him got And therewithall the Charter call'd Ragman That of the Scots he bribed priuy gaine That through his meanes sir Edward of Carnaruan In Barkely Castle traiterously was slaine That with his Princes mother he had laine And finally with polling at his pleasure Had rob'd the King and Commons of their treasure For these things loe which erst were out of mind He was condemn'd and hanged at the last In whom Dame Fortune fully shewed her kind For whom she heaues she hurleth downe as fast If men to come would learne by other past My cosin then might cause them set aside High climing bribing murdering lust and pride The finall cause why I this processe tell Is that I may be knowen from this the other My like in name vnlike mee though he fell Which was I thinke my grandfire or his brother To count my kin dame Philip was my mother Daughter and heire of douty Lionell The third King Edwards sonne as stories tell My father hight sir Edmund Mortimer True Earle of March whence I was after Earle By iust descent these two my parents were Of which the one of Knighthood bare the fearle Of womanhood the other was the pearle Through their desert so cal'd of euery wight Till death them tooke and left mee in their right For why th' attainter of the elder Roger Whose shamefull death I told you but oflate Was found to bee vniust and passed ouer Against the law by those that bare him hate For where by law each one of free estate Should personally be heard ere iudgement passe They bard him this where through destroid he was Wherefore by doome of court in Parliament When we had prou'd our Cosin ordered thus The King the Lords and Commons of assent His lawlesse death vnlawfull did discusse And both to bloud and good restored vs. A preside at most worthy shewed and left Lords liues to saue that lawlesse might bee reft While Fortune vnto me her grace did deigne King Richards grace the second of that name Whose looser life did soone abridge his reigne Made me his mate in earnest and in game The Lords themselues so well allow'd the same That through my titles duely comming downe I was made heire apparent to the Crowne Who then but I was euery where esteemd Well was the man that might with me acquaint Whom I allow'd as Lords the people deemd To whatsoeuer folly had me bent To like it well the people did assent To mee as Prince attended great and small I hopte a day would come to pay for all But seldome ioy continueth trouble void In greatest charge cares greatest doe ensue The most possest are euer most annoid In largest seas sore tempests lightly brue The freshest colours soonest fade the hue In thickest place is made the deepest wound True proofe whereof my self too soone haue found For whilst faire Fortune Iuld mee in her lap And gaue me gifts more then I did require The subtile dame behind mee set a trap Whereby to dash and lay all in the mire The Irish men against mee did conspire My lands of Vlster from me to haue reft Which heritage my mother had mee left And whiles I there to set all things in stay Omit my toiles and trouble thitherward Among mine owne with my retinue lay The wilder men whom I did not regard And had therefore the reckles mans reward When least I thought set on mee in such number That from my corps my life they rent asunder Nought might auaile my courage nor my force Nor strength of men which were alas too few The cruell folke assaulted so my horse That all my helps in peeces they to hew Our bloud distaines the ground as drops of dew Nought might preuaile to flie nor yet to yeeld For whom they take they murder in the field They know no law of Armes nor none will learne They make not warre as other doe a play The Lord the boy the Gallowglas the Kerne Yeeld or not yeeld whom so they take they slay They saue no foes for ransome nor for pay Their chiefest boote is th' aduersaries head They end not wâ—â—â—e till th' enemie be dead Amongst these men or rather sauage beasts I lost my life by cruell murder slaine And therefore Baldwine note thou well my geasts And warne all Princes rashnes to refraine Bid them beware their foes when they doe faine Nor yet presume vnequally to striue Had I thus done I had been left aliue But I despis'd the naked Irish men And for they flew I feared them the lesse I thought one man enough to match with ten And through this carelesse vnaduisednes I was destroid and all my men I gesse At vnawares assaulted by our fone Which were in number forty to vs one See here the stay of fortunate estate The vaine assurance of this brittle life For I but yong-proclamed Prince of late Right fortunate in children and in wife Lost all at once by stroke of bloudy knife Whereby assur'd let men themselues assure That wealth and life are doubtfull to endure FINIS THE FALL OF ROBERT Tresilian chiefe Iustice of England and other his fellowes for misconstruing the Lawes and expounding them to serue the Princes affections Anno 1388. IN the sad register of mischiefe and mishap Baldwine we beseech thee with our names to begin Whom vnfriendly Fortune did train vnto a trap When as wee thought our state most stable to haue bin So lightly leese they all which all do weene to win Learne by vs ye Lawyers and Iudges of this Land Vpright and vncorrupt in doome alway to stand And print ye this president to remaine for euer Enroll and record it in Tables made of Brasse Engraue it in Marble that may be raced neuer Where Iudges of the Law may see as in a Glasse What guerdon is for guile and what our wages was Who for our Princes will
Wales By Seuerne West I did inuade and burne Destroyed the townes in mountaines and in vales And rich in spoiles did home ward safe returne Was none so bold durst once against me spurne Thus prosperously doth Fortune forward call Those whom she minds to giue the sorest fall When same had brought these tidings to the King Although the Scots then vexed him right sore A mightie armie ' gainst me he did bring Where of the French King being warn'd afore Who mortall hate against King Henrie bore To grieue our foe he quickly to me sent Twelue thousand Frenchmen vnto the fight all bent A part of them led by the Earle of March Lord Iames of Burbon a renowned Knight Withheld by winds to Wales-ward forth to march Tooke land at Plimmouth priuily on night And when he had done all he durst or might After that many of his men were slaine He stole to ship and sailed home againe Twelue thousand moe in Milford did arriue And came to me then lying at Denbigh With armed Welchmen thousands double fiue With whom we went to Worcester well nigh And there encampt vs on a mount on high T' abide the King who shortly after came And pitched downe his field hard by the same There eight daies long our hosts lay face to face And neither others power durst assaile But they so stopt the passages the space That vitailes could not come to our auaile Where through constrain'd our hearts began to faile So that the Frenchmen shranke away by night And I with mine to 'th mountaines took our flight The King pursued greatly to his cost From hilles to woods from woods to valleyes plaine And by the way his men and stuffe he lost And when he saw he gained nought but paine He blew retreate and gate him home againe Then with my power I boldly came abroad Taken in my countrey for a very god Immediately there fell a iolly iarre Betweene the King and Percies worthie blouds Which grew at last vnto a deadly warre For like as drops engender mightie flouds And little seeds sprout forth great leaues and buds Euen so small strises if they be suffered run Breed wrath and warre and death or they be don The King would haue the ransome of such Scots As these the Percies tane had in the field But see how strongly Lucre knits her knots The King will haue the Percies will not yeeld Desire of goods some craues but granteth seeld Oh cursed goods desire of you hath wrought All wickednes that hath or can bee thought The Percies deemd it meeter for the King To haue redeemd their Cosin Mortimer Who in his quarell all his power did bring To fight with mee that tooke him prisoner Than of their pray to rob his souldier And therefore will'd him see some meane were found To quite forth him whom I kept vily bound Because the King misliked their request They came themselues and did accord with mee Complaining how the Kingdome was opprest By Henries rule wherefore wee did agree To plucke him downe and part the Realme in three The north part theirs Wales holy to be mine The rest to rest to th' Earle of Marches line And for to set vs hereon more agog A Prophet came a vengeance take them all Affirming Henry to be Gogmagog Whom Merline doth a Mould warpe euer call Accurst of God that must be brought in thrall By a Wolfe a Dragon and a Lion strong Which should diuide his Kingdome them among This crafty dreamer made vs three such beasts To thinke wee were the foresaid beastes indeed And for that cause our badges and our creasts Wee searched out which scarsly well agreed Howbeit the Herolds apt at such a need Drew downe such issues from old ancesters As prou'd these ensignes to bee surely ours Yee crafty Welehmen wherefore doe ye mocke The Noble men thus with your sained rimes Ye Noble men why flie yee not the flocke Of such as haue seduc'd so many times False Prophesies are plagues for diuers crimes Which God doth let the diuellish sort deuise To trouble such as are not godly wise And that appeard by vs three beasts indeed Through false perswasion highly borne in hand That in our feate we could not chuse but speed To kill the King and to enioy his Land For which exploit we bound our selues in band To stand contented ech man with his part So folly did assure our foolish hart But such they say as fish before the net Shall seldome surfet of the pray they take Of things to come the haps bee so vnset That none but fooles may warrant of them make The full assur'd successe doth oft forsake For Fortune findeth none so fit to flout As carelesse sots which cast no kinde of doubt How saist thou Henry Hotspur doe I lie For thou right manly gau'st the King a field And there wast slaine because thou wouldst not flie Thine vncle Thomas Percy forst to yeeld Did cast his head a wonder seene but seeld From Shrewsbury towne to 'th top of London Bridge Loe thus fond hope did both their liues abridge When Henry this great victory had wonne Destroid the Percies put their power to flight He did appoint Prince Henry his eldest sonne With all his power to meete me if he might But I discomfit through my partners fight Had not the heart to meete him face to face But fled away and he pursu'd the chase Now Baldwine marke for I cald Prince of Wales And made beleeue I should be he indeed Was made to fly among the hilles and dales Where all my men forsooke me at my need Who trusteth loiterers seeld hath luckly speed And when the Captaines courage doth him faile His souldiers harts a little thing may quaile And so Prince Henry chased me that loe I found no place wherein I might abide For as the dogges pursue the silly Doe The brache behinde the houndes on euery side So traste they me among the mountaines wide Whereby I found I was the hartles hare And not the beast the prophet did declare And at the last like as the little roach Must else be eat or leape vpon the shore When as the hungry picketell doth approach And there find death which it escapt before So double death assaulted me so sore That either I must vnto mine enmy yeeld Or starue for hunger in the barraine feeld Here shame and paine a while were at a strife Paine bad me yeeld shame bad me rather fast The one bad spare the other bad spend my life But shame shame haue it ouercame at last Then hunger gnew that doth the stone wall brast And made me eate both grauel durt and mud And last of all my dung my flesh and bloud This was mine end too horrible to heare Yet good enough for life that was so ill Where by O Baldwine warne all men to beare Their youth such loue to bring them vp in skill Bid Princes fly false prophets lying bill And not presume to climbe aboue
their states For they bee faults that foile men not their fates Th. Phaer HOW HENRY PERCY Earle of NORTHVMBERLAND was for his couetous and traiterous attempt put to death at Yorke Anno 1407. O Morall Senec true finde I thy saying That neither kinne riches strength or fauour Are free from Fortune but are aie decaying No worldly wealth is ought saue doubtfull labour Mans life in Earth is like vnto a tabour Which now to mirth doth mildly men prouoke And straight to warre with a more sturdy stroke All this full true I Percy finde by proofe Which whilom was Earle of Northumberland And therefore Baldwine for our peeres behoofe To note mens falles sith thou hast tane in hand I would thou should my state well vnderstand For few there were that were so much redoubted Whom double Fortune lifted vp and louted As for my kinne their noblenesse is knowen My valiant acts were folly for to praise Where through our foes so oft were ouerthrowen That who but I was doubted in my daies And that King Richard found at all assaies For neuer foes rebelled in his raigne But through my force were either caught or slaine A brother I had was Earle of Worcester Alwaies in office and fauour with the King And by my wife Dame Elenor Mortimer A sonne I had which so the foes did sting That being yong and but a very spring Henry Hotspur they gaue him vnto name And though I say it he did deserue the same We three triumphed in King Richards time Till Fortune ought both him and vs a spite But chiefly mee whom cleere from any crime My King did banish from his fauour quite Proclaiming mee a most disloyall Knight Where through false slander forced mee to bee That which before I did most deadly flee Let men beware how they true folke defame Or threaten on them the blame of vices nought For infamy breedeth wrath wreke followeth shame Eke open slander often times hath brought That to effect that erst was neuer thought To bee misdeem'd men suffer in a sort But none can beare the griefe of misreport Because my King did shame mee wrongfully I hated him and soone became his foe And while he did at warre in Ireland lie I did conspire to turne his weale to woe And through the Duke of Yorke and other moe All royall power from him wee quickly tooke And gaue the same to Henry Bolenbrooke Neither did we this onely for this cause But to say truth force draue vs to the same For he despising God and all his lawes Slew whom hee would made sinne a very game And seeing nor age nor consell could him tame We thought it well done for the Kingdomes sake To leaue his rule that did all rule for sake But when Sir Henry had attaind his place Hee straight became in all points worse then he Destroied the Peeres and slew King Richards grace Against his oth made to the Lords and me And seeking quarrels how to disagree He shamelesly requir'd me and my sonne To yeeld him foes which we in field had wonne My nephew also Edmund Mortimer The very heire apparent to the crowne Whom Owen Glendour held as prisoner With chaines fast bound in dungeon deepe cast downe He would not ransome but did felly frowne ' Gainst Mortimer and me which for him spake And him proclaimed traytour for our sake Thus foule despite did cause vs to conspire To put him downe as we did Richard erst And that we might this matter set on fire From Owens Iaile our cosin we remerst And vnto Glendour all our griefes rehearst Who made a bond with Mortimer and mee To priue the King and part the Realme in three But when King Henrie heard of this deuice To Owen Glendour he sped him very quicke Minding by force to stop our enterprise And as the diuell would then fell I sicke Howbeit my brother and sonne more politicke Then prosperous with an host from Scotland brought Encountred him at Shrewesbury where they fought The one was tane and kill'd the other slaine And shortly after was Owen put to flight By meanes whereof I forced was to faine That I knew nothing of the former fight Fraud oft auailes more then doth sturdie might For by my faining I brought him in beliefe I knew not that wherein my part was chiefe And while the King thus tooke me for his friend I sought all meanes my former wrong to wreake Which that I might bring to the sooner end To the Bishop of Yorke I did the matter breake And to th' Earle Marshall likewise did I speake Whose father was through Henries cause exiled The Bishops brother with trayterous death defiled These straight assented to do what they could So did the Lord Hastings and Lord Faueonbridge Which altogether promised they would Set all their power the Kings daies to abridge But see the spite before the birds were flidge The King had word and seased on the nest Whereby alas my friends were all opprest The bloodie tyrant brought them all to end Excepted me which into Scotland fled To George of Dunbar th' Earle of March my friend Who in my cause with many more made head And when on hope of greater aid I fed Both at the Frenchmen and the Flemmings hand And could get none I tooke such as I fand And with the helpe of George my very friend I did inuade Northumberland full bold Whereas the folke drew to me still on end Bent to death my partie to vphold Through helpe of these full many a fort and hold The which the King right manfully had man'd I easely wonne and seased in my hand Not so content for vengeance draue me on I entred Yorkshire there to waste and spoile But ere I had far in the countrie gone The Shiriffe thereof Raph Rokesbie did assoile My troubled host of much part of our toile For he assaulting freshly tooke through power Me and Lord Bardolph both at Bramham moore And thence conueyed vs to the towne of Yorke Vntill he knew what was the Kings intent There loe Lord Bardolph kinder then the Storke Did lose his head which was to London sent With whom for friendship mine in like case went This was my hap my fortune or my faut This life I led and thus I came to naught Wherefore good Baldwine will the Peeres take heed Of slander malice and conspiracie Of couetise whence all the rest proceed For couetise ioynt with contumacie Doth cause all mischiefe in mens hearts to breed And therefore this to esperance my word Who causeth bloodshed shall not scape the sword HOW RICHARD PLANTAGENET EARLE OF CAMBRIDGE INTENding the Kings destruction was put to death at Southhampton Anno Dom. 1415. HAste maketh waste hath commonly been said And secret mischiefe selde hath luckie speed A murdering mind with proper poyze is way'd All this is true I find it in my creed And therefore Baldwine warne all states take heed How they conspire another to betrap Lest mischiefe ment light in
some write in his sicknes last Said as it were by way of prophecie How that the Diuell a Darnell graine had cast Among his kin to encrease enmity Which should remaine in their posterity Till mischiefe and murder had spent them all Not leauing one to pisse against the wall And yet from him in order did succeed In England here of crowned Kings fourteene Of that surname and of that line and seed With Dukes and Earles and many a noble Queene The number such as all the world would weene So many impes could neuer so be spent But some heire male should be of that descent Which to be true if any stand in doubt Because I meane not further to digresse Let him pursue the histories throughout Of English Kings whom practise did oppresse And he shall find the cause of their distresse From first to last vnkindly to begin Alwaies by those that next were of the kin Was not Richard of whom I spake before A rebell plaine vntill his father died And Iohn likewise an enmy euermore To Richard againe and for a rebell tried After whose death it cannot be denied Against all right this Iohn most cruelly His brothers children caused for to die Arthur and Isabell I meane that were Ieffreies children then duke of Britaine Henries third sonne by one degree more neere Then was this Iohn as stories shew most plaine Which two children were famisht or els slaine By Iohn their Eame cald Saunzterre by name Of whose foule act all countries speake great shame Edward and Richard second both by name Kings of this Land fell downe by fatall fate What was the cause that Princes of such fame Did leese at last their honour life and state Nothing at all but discord and debate Which when it haps in kinred or in bloud Erynnis rage was neuer halfe so wood Be sure therefore ye Kings and Princes all That concord in Kingdoms is chiefe assurance And that your families doe neuer fall But where discord doth lead the doubtfull dance With busie brawles and turnes of variance Where malice is minstrel the pipe ill report The maske mischiefe and so ends the sport But now to come to my purpose againe VVhilst I my charge applied in England My brother in France long time did remaine Cardinal Beauford tooke proudly in hand In causes publique against me to stand VVho of great malice so much as he might Sought in all things to doe me despite VVhich proud prelate to me was bastard Eame Sonne to Duke Iohn of Gaunt as they did faine VVho being made high Chancellour of the Realme Not like a Priest but like a Prince did raigne Nothing wanting which might his pride maintaine Bishop besides of VVinchester he was And Cardinall of Rome which Angels brought to passe Not Gods Angels but Angels of old Gold Lift him aloft in whom no cause there was By iust desert so high to be extold Riches except whereby this golden asse At home and abroad all matters brought to passe Namely at Rome hauing no meane but that To purchase there his crimz in Cardinall hat Which thing the King my father him forbad Plainly saying that he could not abide Within his Realme a subiect to be had His Princes peere yet such was this mans pride That he forth with after my father di'd The King then yong obtained of the Pope That honor high which erst he could not hope Whose proud attempts because that I withstood My bound dutie the better to acquite This holy father waxed well neere wood Of meere malice deuising day and night To worke to me dishonor and despight Whereby there fell betweene vs such a iarre As in this land was like a ciuill warre My brother Iohn which lay this while in France Heard of this hurle and past the seas in haste By whose trauell this troublesome distance Ceased a while but nerethelesse in waste For rooted hate will hardly be displaste Out of high hearts and namely where debate Happeneth amongst great persons of estate For like as a match doth lie and smoulder Long time before it commeth to the traine But yet when fire hath caught in the poulder No art is able the flames to restraine Euen so the sparkes of enuie and disdaine Out of the smoke burst forth in such a flame That France and England yet may rue the same So when of two Realmes the regiment royall Betweene brothers was parted equally One placed in France for affaires Martiall And I at home for ciuill policie To serue the state we both did so applie As honor and same to both did encrease To him for the warre to me for the peace Whence enuie sprang and specially because This proud prelate could not abide a Peere Within the land to rule the state by lawes Wherefore sifting my life and acts most neere He neuer ceast vntill as you shall heare By practise foule of him and his allies My death was wrought in most vnworthie wise And first he sought my doings to defame By rumors false which he and his did sow Letters and billes to my reproch and shame He did deuise and all about bestow Whereby my troth in doubt should daily grow In England first and afterward in France Mouing all meanes to bring me to mischance One quarell was that where by common law Murder and theft been punisht all alike So as manslayers which bloodie blades do draw Suffer no more then he that doth but pike Me thought the same no order politike In setting paines to make no difference Betweene the lesser and greater offence I being seene somewhat in ciuill law The rules thereof reputed much bitter Wherefore to keepe offenders more in awe Like as the fault was smaller or greater So set I paines more easier or bitter Weghing the qualitie of euery offence And so according pronounced sentence Among'st my other Delicta Iuuentutis Whil'st rage of youth my reason did subdue I must confesse as the very truth is Driuen by desire fond fancies to ensue A thing I did whereof great trouble grew Abusing one to my no small rebuke Which wife was then to Iohn of Brabant Duke Called she was Ladie Iaquet the faire Delitefull in loue like Helene of Troy To the Duke of Bauier sole daughter and heire Her did I marrie to my great annoy Yet for a time this dame I did enioy With her whole lands withholding them by force Till Martin the Pope betweene vs made diuorce Yet all these blasts not able were to moue The anchor strong whereby my ship did stay Some other shift to seeke him did behoue Whereto ere long ill Fortune made the way Which finally was cause of my decay And cruell death contriued by my foes Which fell out thus as now I shall disclose Eleanor my wife my Duchesse only deare I know not how but as the nature is Of women all aye curious to enquire Of things to come though I confesse in this Her fault not small and that she did amisse By witches skill which
To helpe to bring him to his Requiem masse Which sith it could for no crime come to passe His life and doings were so right and clere Through priuy murder we brought him to his bere Thus righteousnesse brought Humfrey to rebuke Because he would no wickednesse allow But for my doings I was made a Duke So Fortune can both bend and smooth her brow On whom she list not passing why or how O Lord how high how soone she did me raise How fast she fill'd me both with prayes and praise The Lords and Commons both of like assent Besought my soueraigne kneeling on their knees For to record my deeds in the Parlament As deeds deseruing euerlasting fees In which attempt they did no labour leese For they set not my praise so fast in flame As he was readie to reward the same But note the end my deeds so worthie deemed Of King of Lords and Commons all together Were shortly after treasons false esteemed And all men curst Queene Margets comming lither For Charles the French King in his feats not lither When we had rendred Rayner Maunts and Maine Found meane to win all Normandie againe This made the people curse the mariage Esteeming it the cause of euery losse Wherefore at me with open mouth they rage Affirming me t' haue brought the Realme to mosse When King and Queene saw things thus go acrosse To quiet all a Parlament they called And caused me in prison to be thralled And shortly after brought me forth abrode Which made the Commons more then double wood And some with weapons would haue laid on lode If their grand Captaine Blewberd in his mood Had not in time with wisdome been withstood But though that he and more were executed The people still their worst against me bruted And so applied the Parliament with billes Of hainous wrongs and open traiterous crimes That King and Queene were forst against their willes From place to place t'adiourne it diuers times For Princes power is like the sandie slimes Which must perforce giue place vnto the waue Or sue the windie sourges when they raue Their life was not more deare to them then I Which made them search all shifts to saue me still But aye my foes such faults did on me trie That to preserue me from a worser ill The King was faine full sore against his will For fiue yeares space to send me in exile In hope to haue restor'd me in a while But marke how vengeance waiteth vpon vice To shun this storme in sayling towards France A Pirats Barke that was of little price Encountred me vpon the feas by chance Whose Captaine there tooke me as in a trance Let passe my ships with all their frait and load And led me backe againe to Douer road Where vnto me recounting all my faults As murthering of Duke Humfrey in his bed And how I had brought all the Realme to naughts Causing the King vnlawfully to wed There was no grace but I must lose my head Wherefore he made me shriue me in his bote And on the brinke my necke in two he smote This was mine end which was by reason due To me and such as others deaths procure Therefore be bold to write for it is true That whoso doth such practise put in vre Of due reward at last shall be most sure For God is iust whose stroke delayed long Doth light at last with paine more sharpe and strong W. Baldwine HOW IACK CADE NAMING HIMSELFE MORTIMER TRAYTEROVSLY rebelling against his King in Iune Anno 1450. was for his treasons and cruell doings worthilie punished SHall I it Fortune call or my froward folly That rais'd me vp and laid me downe below Or was it courage that made me so iolly Which of the starres and bodies greement grow What ere it were this one point sure I know Which shall be meete for euery man to marke Our lust and willes our euils chiefely warke It may be well that Planets doe encline And our complexions moue our mindes to ill But such is reason that they bring to fine No worke vnayded of our lust and will For heauen and earth are subiect both to skill The will of God rul'th all it is so strong Man may by skill guide things that to him long Though lust be stout and will enclin'd to nought This forst by mixture that by heauens course Yet through the grace God hath in reason rought And giuen man no lust nor will to course But may be staied or swaged of the sourse So that it shall in nothing force the minde To worke our woe or leaue the proper kind But though this grace be giuen to some man To rule the will and keepe the mind aloft Yet few there be'mongst men that vse it can These worldly pleasures tickle vs so oft The spirit weake and will strong flesh is soft And yeeldes it selfe to pleasure that it loueth And hales the mind to that it most reproueth Now if this hap whereby we yeeld our mind To lust and will be Fortune as we name her Then is she iustly called false and blind And no reproch can be too much to blame her Yet is the shame our owne when so we shame her For sure this hap if it be rightly knowne Comes of our selues and so the blame our owne For whoso liueth in the schoole of skill And medleth not with any worlds affaires Forsaketh pomps and honors that doe spill The minds recourse to Graces quiet staires His state no Fortune by no meane appaires For Fortune is the only foe of those Which to the world their wretched willes dispose Among which fooles marke Baldwine I am one That would not stay my selfe in mine estate I thought to rule but to obay to none And therefore fell I with my King at bate And to the end I might him better mate Iohn Mortimer I caus'd my selfe be called Whose kingly bloud the Henries nigh had thrall'd This shift I vs'd the people to perswade To leaue their Prince on my side more to sticke Whereas indeed my fathers name was Cade Whose noble stocke was neuer worth a sticke But touching wit I was both ripe and quicke Had strength of limmes large stature comely face Which made men weene my linage were not base And seeing stoutnes stucke by men in Kent Whose valiant hearts refuse none enterprise With false perswasions straight to them I went And said they suffered too great iniuries By meane whereof I caused them to rise And battaile-wise to come to Blacke Heath plaine And thence their griefes vnto the King complaine Who being deafe as men say on that eare For we desired release of subsidies Refused roughly our requests to heare And came against vs as his enemies But we to stay him sought out subtilties Remou'd our Campe and backe to Senock went After whom the Staffords with their power were sent See here how Fortune setting vs a flote Brought to our nets a portion of our pray For why the Staffords with
line O heedlesse trust vnware of harme to come O malice headlong swift to serue fond will Did euer madnesse man so much benome Of prudent forecast reason wit and skill As me blind Bayard consenting to spill The blood of my cosin my refuge and stay To my destruction making open way So long as the Duke bare the stroke and sway So long no Rebels quarels durst begin But when the post was pulled once away Which stood to vphold the King and his kin Yorke and his banders proudly preased in To challenge the Crowne by title of right Beginning with law and ending with might Abroad went bruits in countrey and towne That Yorke of England was the heire true And how Henrie had vsurped the Crowne Against all right which all the Realme might rue The people then embracing titles new Irkesome of present and longing for change Assented soone because they loue to range True is the text which wee in scripture read Va terra illi cuius rex est puer Woe to that land whereof a child is head Whether child or childish the case is one sure Where Kings bee yong we dayly see in vre The people awlesse by weakenes of their head Leade their liues lawlesse hauing none to dread And no lesse true is this text againe Beata terra cuius rex est nobilis Blest is the land where a stout King doth raine Where in good peace ech man possesseth his Where ill men feare to fault or do amisse Where a stout Prince is prest with sword in hand At home and abroad his enemies to withstand In case King Henry had beene such a one Hardy and stout as his fathers afore Long mought he haue sate in the royall throne Without any feare of common vprore But dayly his weakenesse shewed more and more Which boldnesse gaue to the aduersary band To spoile him at last both of life and land His humble heart was nothing vnknowen To the gallants of Yorke and their retinue A ground lying low is soone ouerflowen And shored houses cannot long continue Ioints cannot knit where as is no sinew And so a Prince not dread as well as loued Is from his place by practise soone remoued Well mought I see had I not wanted braine The worke begun to vndermine the state When the chiefe linke was loosed from the chaine And that some durst vpon bloud royall grate How tickle a hold had I of mine estate When the chiefe post lay flat vpon the flore Mought not I thinke my staffe then next the dore So mought I also dame Margaret the Queene By meane of whom this mischiefe first began Did she trow ye her selfe not ouer weene Death to procure to that most worthy man Which she and hers afterward mought well ban On whom did hang as I before haue said Her husbands life his honour and his ayd For whilst he liued which was our stable stay Yorke and his impes were kept as vnder yoke But when the Piller remoued was away Then burst out flame that late before was smoke The traytour couert then cast off his cloke And from his den came forth in open light With titles blind which he set forth for right But this to bring about him first behoued The King and his kin asunder for to set Who being perforce or practise remoued Then had they avoided the principall let Which kept the sought pray so long from the net The next point after was themselues to place In rule aboue the rest next vnto his Grace Therefore was I first whom they put out of place No cause pretending but the common-weale The Crowne of England was the very case Why to the Commons they burned so in zeale My faults were clokes their practise to conceale In counsaile hearing consider the intent For in pretence of truth treason oft is ment So their pretence was only to remoue Counsaile corrupt from place about the King But O ye Princes you it doth behoue This case to construe as no fained thing That neuer traytour did subdue his King But for his plat ere he could surder wade Against his friends the quarell first hee made And if by hap he could so bring about Them to subdue at his owne wish and will Then would hee wax so arrogant and stout That no reason his outrage might fulfill But to proceed vpon his purpose still Til King and counsaile brought were in one case Such is their folly to rebels to giue place So for the fish casting forth a net The next point was in driuing out the plat Commons to cause in rage to fume and fret And to rebell I cannot tell for what Requiring redresse of this and of that Who if they speed the stander at receit Grasp will the pray for which he doth await Then by surmise of some thing pretended Such to displace as they may well suspect Like to withstand their mischiefe intended And in their roomes their banders to elect The aduerse party proudly to reiect And then with reports the simple to abuse And when these helps faile open force to vse So this Dukes traines were couert and not seene Which ment no lesse that he most pretended Like to a Serpent couert vnder greene To the weale publique seemed wholly bended Zealous hee was and would haue all things mended But by that mendment nothing els he ment But to be King to that marke was his bent For had he beene plaine as he ment indeed Henry to depose from the royall place His haste had been waste and much worse his speed The King then standing in his peoples grace This Duke therefore set forth a goodly face As one that ment no quarell for the Crowne Such as bare rule he only would put downe But all for nought so long as I bare stroke Serued these drifts and proued all vaine The best help then was people to prouoke To make commotion and vprores amaine Which to appease the King himselfe was faine From Blacke Heath in Kent to send me to the Tower Such was the force of rebels in that hower The troublous storme yet therewith was not ceased For Yorke was bent his purpose to pursue Who seing how speedily I was released And ill successe of sufferance to ensue Then like Iudas vnto his Lord vntrue Esteeming time lost any longer to defarre By Warwickes ayd proclaimed open warre At S. Albanes towne both our hostes did meete Which to try a field was no equall place Forst we were to fight in euery lane and streete No feare of foes could make me shun the place There I and Warwicke fronted face to face At an Inne dore the Castle was the signe Where with a sword was cut my fatall line Oft was I warned to come in Castle none Hauing no mistrust of any common signe I did imagine a Castle built with stone For of no Inne I could the same diuine In Prophets skill my wit was neuer fine A foole is he that such vaine dreames doth dred And more foole he
of Yorke and other sought at home to put me downe Bellona rang the bell at home and all abroad With whose mishaps amaine fell Fortune did me load In France I lost my forts at home the foughten field My kinred slaine my friends opprest my selfe enforst to yeeld Duke Richard tooke me twice and forst me to resine My Crowne and titles due vnto my fathers line And kept mee as a ward did all things as him list Till that my wife through bloudy sword had tane me from his fist But though we slew the Duke my sorowes did not slake But like to Hydraes head still more and more awake For Edward through the aid of Warwicke and his brother From one field draue me to the Scots and toke me in another Then went my friends to wrack for Edward ware the Crowne For which for nine yeares space his prison held me downe Yet thence through Warwickes worke I was againe releast And Edward driuen fro the realme to seeke his friends by East But what preuaileth paine or prouidence of man To helpe him to good hap whom destiny doth ban Who moileth to remoue the rocke out of the mud Shall mire himselfe and hardly scape the swelling of the flud This all my friends haue found and I haue felt it so Ordain'd to be the touch of wretchednesse and woe For ere I had a yeare possest my seat againe I lost both it and liberty my helpers all were slaine For Edward first by stelth and sith by gathred strength Arriu'd and got to Yorke and London at the length Tooke me and tied me vp yet Warwicke was so stout He came with power to Barnet field in hope to helpe me out And there alas was slaine with many a worthy knight O Lord that euer such luck should hap in helping right Last came my wife and sonne that long lay in exile Defied the King and fought a field I may bewaile the while For there mine only sonne not thirteene yeares of age Was tane and murdred straight by Edward in his rage And shortly I my selfe to stint all further strife Stab'd with his brothers bloodie blade in prison lost my life Lo heere the heauie haps which hapned me by heape See heere the pleasant fruits that many Princes reape The painfull plagues of those that breake their lawfull bands Their meed which may and will not saue their friends from bloodie hands God grant my woful haps too grieuous to rehearce May teach all States to know how deepely dangers pierce How fraile all honors are how brittle worldly blisse That warned through my fearefull fate they feare to do amisse HOW GEORGE PLANTAGENET THIRD SONNE OF THE DVKE OF Yorke was by his brother King Edward wrongfully imprisoned and by his brother Richard miserably murdered the 11. of Ianuarie An. Dom. 1478. THe fowle is foule men say that files the nest Which makes me loth to speak now might I chuse But seeing time vnburdened hath her brest And fame blowne vp the blast of all abuse My silence rather might my life accuse Then shroud our shame though faine I would it so For truth will out although the world say no. And therefore Baldwine I do thee beseech To pause a while vpon my heauie plaint And vnneth though I vtter speedie speech No fault of wit nor folly makes me faint No headie drinkes haue giuen my tongue attaint Through quaffing craft Yet wine my wits confound Not that I dranke but wherein I was drown'd What Prince I am although I need not shew Because my wine bewrayes me by the smell For neuer man was soust in Bacchus dew To death but I through Fortunes rigour fell Yet that thou maist my storie better tell I will declare as briefely as I may My wealth my woe and causers of decay The famous house surnam'd Plantagenet Whereat Dame Fortune frowardly did frowne While Bolenbroke vniustly sought to set His Lord King Richard quite beside the Crowne Though many a day it wanted due renowne God so prefer'd by prouidence and grace That lawfull heires did neuer faile the race For Lionel King Edwards eldest child Both Eame and heire to Richard issulesse Begot faire Philip hight whom vndefil'd The Earle of March espous'd and God did blesse With fruit assign'd the kingdome to possesse I meane Sir Roger Mortimer whose heire The Earle of Cambridge maried Anne the faire This Earle of Cambridge Richard clept by name Was sonne to Edmund Langley Duke of Yorke Which Edmund was fift brother to the same Duke Lionel that all this line doth korke Of which two houses ioyned in a forke My father Richard Prince Plantagenet True Duke of Yorke was lawfull heire beget Who tooke to wife as ye shall vnderstand A mayden of a noble house and old Ralph Neuils daughter Earle of Westmerland Whose sonne Earle Richard was a Baron bold And had the right of Salisbury in hold Through mariage made with good Earle Thomas heire Whose earned praises neuer shall appaire The Duke my father had by this his wife Foure sonnes of whom the eldest Edward hight The second Edmund who did lose his life At Wakefield slaine by Clyfford cruell Knight I George am third of Clarence Duke by right The fourth borne to the mischiefe of vs all Was Glocesters Duke whom men did Richard call VVhen as our fire in sute of right was slaine VVhose life and death himselfe declared earst My brother Edward plied his cause amaine And got the Crowne as Warwicke hath rehearst The pride whereof so deepe his stomacke pearst That he forgot his friends despis'd his kin Of oath or office passing not a pin VVhich made the Earle of Warwicke to maligne My brothers state and to attempt a way To bring from prison Henrie sillie King To helpe him to the kingdome if he may And knowing me to be the chiefest stay My brother had he did me vndermine To cause me to his treasons to encline VVhereto I was prepared long before My brother had been to me so vnkind For sure no canker fretteth flesh so sore As vnkind dealing doth a louing mind Loues strongest bands vnkindnes doth vnbind It moueth loue to malice zeale to hate Chiefe friends to foes and brethren to debate And though the Earle of Warwicke subtill fire Perceiu'd I bare a grudge against my brother Yet toward his feate to set me more on fire He kindled vp one firebrand with another For knowing fancie was the forcing rother VVhich stirreth youth to any kind of strife He offered me his daughter to my wife Where through and with his craftie filed tongue He stole my heart that erst vnsteadie was For I was witlesse wanton fond and yongue Whole bent to pleasure brittle as the glasse I cannot lie In vino veritas I did esteeme the beautie of my bride Aboue my selfe and all the world beside These fond affections ioynt with lacke of skill Which trap the heart and blind the eyes of youth And pricke the mind to practise any ill So tickled me
friends can faine Not Synon sly whose fraud best fame rebukes VVas halfe so suttle as these double Dukes First to mine Inne commeth in my brother false Embraceth me well met good brother Scales And weepes withall the other me enhalse With welcome cosin now welcome out of Wales O happie day for now all stormie gales Of strife and rancour vtterly are swaged And we our owne to liue or die vnwaged This proferd seruice saust with salutations Immoderate might cause me to suspect For commonly in all dissimulations Th' excesse of glauering doth the guile detect Reason refuseth falsehood to direct The will therefore for feare of being spide Exceedeth meane because it wanteth guide This is the cause why such as faine to weepe Do houle outright or wailing crie ah ah Tearing themselues and straining sighes most deepe Why such dissemblers as would seeme to laugh Breath not tihhee but bray out hah hah hah Why beggers faining brauery are the proud'st Why cowards bragging boldnesse wrangle loud'st For commonly all that do counterfeat In any thing exceed the naturall meane And that for feare of failing in their feat But these conspirers couched all so cleane Through close demeanour that their wiles did weane My heart from doubts so many a false deuice They forged fresh to hide their enterprise They supt with me propounding friendly talke Of our affaires still giuing me the prayse And euer among the cups to me ward walke I drinke to you good Cuz each traytour sayes Our banquet done when they should go their waies They took their leaue oft wishing me good night As heartily as any creature might A noble heart they say is Lion like It cannot couch dissemble crouch nor faine How villanous were these and how vnlike Of noble stocke the most ignoble staine Their woluish hearts their trayterous foxly braine Or proue them base of rascall race engendred Or from hault linage bastard like degendred Such polling heads as praise for prudent policie False practises I wish were pact on poles I meane the bastard law-brood which can mollifie All kind of causes in their craftie noles These vndermine all vertue blind as Moles They bolster wrong they racke and straine the right And prayse for law both malice fraud and might These quench the worthie flames of noble kind Prouoking best borne to the basest vices Through crafts they make the boldest courage blind Disliking highly valiant enterprices And praysing vilely villanous deuices These make the Bore a Hog the Bull an Oxe The Swan a Goose the Lion a Wolfe or Foxe The Lawyer Catesby and his craftie feeres A rout that nere did good in any reame Are they that had transform'd these noble peeres They turn'd their blood to melancholike fleumes Their courage hault to cowardife extreame Their force and manhood into fraud and malice Their wit to wiles stout Hector into Paris These glauerers gone my selfe to rest I laid And doubting nothing soundly fell a sleepe But suddenly my seruants sore afraid Awaked me and drawing sighes full deepe Alas quoth one my Lord we are betrai'd How so quoth I the Dukes are gone their waies Th' haue bar'd the gates and borne away the kaies While he thus spake there came into my mind This fearefull dreame whereout I waked was I saw a riuer stopt with stormes of winde Where through a Swan a Bull and Bore did passe Franching the fish and frie with teeth of brasse The riuer dri'd vp saue a little streame Which at the last did water all the Reame Me thought this streame did drowne the cruell Bore In little space it grew so deepe and brode But he had kill'd the Bull and Swan before Besides all this I saw an vglie Tode Crale toward me on which me thought I trode But what became of her or what of mee My sudden waking would not let me see These dreames considered with this sudden newes So diuers from their doings ouer night Did cause me not a little for to muse I blest me rose in all the hast I might By this Aurora spred abroad the light Which from the ends of Phoebus beames he tooke Who then the Bulles chiefe gallery forsooke When I had open'd the window to looke out There might I see the streets each where beset My Inne on each side compassed about With armed watchmen all escapes to let Thus had these Neroes caught me in their net But to what end I could not throughly ghesse Such was my plainnes such their doublenesse My conscience was so cleare I could not doubt Their deadly drift which lesse apparant lay Because they caus'd their men returne the rout That rode toward Stonystratford as they say Because the Dukes will first be there to day For this thought I they hinder me in iest For guiltlesse minds do easely deeme the best By this the Dukes were come into mine Inne For they were lodged in another by I got me to them thinking it a sinne Within my chamber cowardly to lye And merrily I ask'd my brother why He vs'd me so he sterne in euill sadnes Cried out I arrest thee traytour for thy badnes How so quoth I whence riseth your suspicion Thou art a traytour quoth he I thee arrest Arrest quoth I why where is your commission He drew his weapon so did all the rest Crying yeeld thee traytour I so sore distrest Made no resistande but was sent to ward None saue their seruants signed to my gard This done they sped him to the King in post And after humble reuerence to him done They trayterously began to rule the rost They pickt a quarell to my sisters son Lord Richard Gray the King would not be won T' agree to them yet they against all reason Arrested him they said for hainous treason Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hault Two worthie Knights were likewise apprehended These all were guiltie in one kind of fault They would not like the practise then pretended And seeing the King was herewith sore offended Backe to Northampton they brought him againe And thence discharged most part of his traine There loe Duke Richard made himselfe Protector Of King and Realme by open proclamation Though neither King nor Queene were his elector Thus he presum'd by lawlesse vsurpation But will you see his deepe dissimulation He sent me a dish of dainties from his bord That day and with it this false friendly word Commend me to him all things shall be weil I am his friend bid him be of good cheere These newes I prayed the messenger go tell My Nephew Richard whom I lou'd full deere But what he ment by well now shall you heere He thought it well to haue vs quickly murdred Which not long after thorowly he furdred For straight from thence we closely were conueied From iayle to iayle Northward we wist not whither Where after a while we had in sunder staied At last we met at Pomfret all together Sir Richard Ratcliffe bade vs welcome thither Who openly all law and right contemned
at Lord Stanley whose braine he had surely cleft Had he not downe beneath the table crept But Ely Yorke and I were taken straight Imprisoned they I should no longer wait But charged was to shriue me and shift with hast My Lord must dine and now midday was past The Bores first dish not the bores head should be But Hastings head the borish beast would see VVhy stay I his dinner vnto the chappel ioineth A greenish hil that body and soule oft twineth There on a blocke my head was stricken off As Baptists head for Herod bloudy gnoffe Thus liu'd I Baldwine thus dide I thus I fel This is the summe which al at large to tel VVould volumes fil whence yet these lessons note Ye noble Lords to learne and ken by rote By filthie rising feare your names to staine If not for vertues loue for dread of paine VVhom so the mindes vnquiet state vpheaues Be it for loue or feare when fancie reaues Reason her right by mocking of the wit If once the cause of this affection flit Reason preuailing on the vubridled thought Downe falth he who by fancie climbe aloft So hath the riser foule no staie from fall No not of those that raisd him first of all His suretie stands in mainteining the cause That heau'd him first which rest by reasons sawes Not onely falth he to his former state But liueth for euer in his princes hate And marke my Lords God for adulterie sleath Though ye it thinke too sweete a sinne for death Serue trulie your Prince and feare not rebels might On Princes halues the mightie God doth fight O much more then forsweare a forrein foe Who seeketh your realme and country to vndo Murther detest haue hands vnstaind with bloud Aie with your succour do protect the good Chace treason where trust should be wed to your frend Your heart and power to your liues last end Flie tickle credit shun alike distrust Too true it is and credit it you must The iealous nature wanteth no stormie strife The simple soule aye leadeth a sower life Beware of flatterers friends in outward show Best is of such to make your open foe What all men seeke that all men seeke to saine Some such to be some such to seeme them paine Marke Gods iust iudgements punishing sin by sinne And slipperie state wherein aloft we swimme The prouerbe all day vp if we ne fall Agreeth well to vs high heaued worldlings all From common sort vprais'd in honors weed We shine while Fortune false whom none erst feed To stand with stay and forsweare ticklenesse Sowseth vs in mire of durtie brittlenesse And learne ye Princes by my wronged sprite Not to misconster what is meant aright The winged words too oft preuent the wit When silence ceaseth afore the lips to sit Alas what may the words yeeld worthie death The words worst is the speakers stinking breath Words are but winde why cost they then so much The guiltie kicke when they too smartly touch Forth irreturnable flieth the spoken word Be it in scoffe in earnest or in bourd Without returne and vnreceiu'd it hangs And at the takers mercie or rigour stands Which if he sowerly wrest with wrathfull cheare The shiuering word turnes to the speakers feare If friendly courtefie do the word expound To the speakers comfort sweetly it doth redound Euen as the vapour which the fire repels Turnes not to earth but in mid aire dwels Where while it hangeth if Boreas frostie flawes With rigour rattle it not to raine it thawes But thunder lightnings ratling haile or snow Sends downe to earth whence first it rose below But if faire Phoebus with his countenance sweete Resolue it downe the dew or Manna sleete The Manna dew that in the Easterne lands Excell'th the labour of the bees small hands Else for her Memnon gray Auroras teares On the earth it stilleth the partener of her feares Or sendeth sweet showers to glad their mother earth Whence first they tooke their first inconstant birth To so great griefes ill taken words do grow Of words well taken such delights do flow This learned thus be heere at length an end What since ensued to thee I will commend Now farewell Baldwine shield my torne name From slanderous trumpe of blasting blacke defame But ere I part hereof thou record beare I claime no part of vertues reckoned heere My vice my selfe but God my vertues take So hence depart I as I entred nak'd Thus ended Hastings both his life and tale Containing all his worldly blisse and bale Happie he liued too happie but for sinne Happie he died whom right his death did bring Thus euer happie For there is no meane Twixt blissefull liues and mortall deaths extreame Yet feared not his foes to staine his name And by these slanders to procure his shame In rustie armour as in extreame shift They clad themselues to cloake their diuellish drift And forth with for substantiall citizens sent Declaring to them Hastings forged intent Was to haue slaine the Duke and to haue seised The Kings yong person slaying whom he had pleas'd But God of Iustice had withturn'd that fate Which where it ought light on his proper pate Then practised they by proclamation spread Nought to forget that mought defame him dead Which was so curious and so clerkely pend So long withall that when some did attend His death so yong they saw that long before The shroud was shaped then babe to die was bore So wonteth God to blind the worldly wise That not to see that all the world espies One hearing it cried out A goodly cast And well contriued foule cast away for hast Whereto another gan in scoffe replie First pend it was by enspiring prophecie So can God rip vp secret mischiefes wrought To the confusion of the workers thought My Lords the tub that dround the Clarence Duke Dround not his death not yet his deaths rebuke Your politique secrets gard with trustie loyaltie So shall they lurke in most assured secrecie By Hastings death and after fame ye learne The earth for murder crieth out vengeance sterne Flie from his faults and spare to hurt his fame The eager hounds forbeare their slaine game Dead dead auaunt Curs from the conquered chase Ill might he liue who loueth the dead to race Thus liued this Lord thus died he thus he slept Mids forward race when first to rest he stept Enuious death that bounceth as well with mace At Kesars courts as at the poorest gates When nature seem'd too slow by this sloape meane Conueighed him sooner to his liues extreame Happie in preuenting woes that after happ'd In slumber sweete his liuing lights he lapp'd Whose hastie death if it do any grieue Know he he liu'd to die and dide to liue Vntimely neuer comes the liues last met In cradle death may rightly claime his det Straight after birth due is the fatall beere By deaths permission the aged linger heere Euen in the swathbands out commission goeth To
ghostly health Which neuer learn'd one lesson for the same If such catch harme their parents are too blame For needs must they be blind and blindly led Where no good lesson can be taught or read Some thinke their youth discreet and wisely taught That brag and boast and weare their feather braue Can roist and rout both loure and looke aloft Can sweare and stare and call their fellowes knaue Can pill and poll and catch before they craue Can card and dice both cog and foist at fare Play on vnthriftie till their purse be bare Some teach their youth to pipe to sing and dance To hauke to hunt to choose and kill their game To wind their horne and with their horse to praunce To play at tenis set the lute in frame Run at the ring and vse such other game Which feats although they be not all vnfit Yet cannot they the marke of vertue hit For noble youth there is nothing so meete As learning is to know the good from ill To know the tongues and perfectly endite And of the lawes to haue a perfect skill Things to reforme as right and iustice will For honour is ordeined for no cause But to see right maintained by the lawes It spites my heart to heare when noble men Cannot disclose their secrets to their frend In sauegard sure with paper inke and pen But first they must a secretary find To whom they shew the bottome of their mind And be he false or true a blab or close To him they must their counsaile needs disclose And where they rule that haue of law no skill There is no boote they needes must seeke for ayd Then rul'd are they and rule as others will As he that on a stage his part hath plaid But he was taught nought hath he done or said Such youth therfore seek science of the sage As thinke to rule when that ye come to age Where youth is brought vp in feare and obedience Kept from ill company bridled of their lust Do serue God duly and know their allegiance Learne godly weale which time nor age can rust There Prince people and Peers needes prosper must For happy are the folke and blessed is that land Where truth and vertue both haue got the ouer hand I speake this Baldwine of this rufull Lord Whom I perforce do heere present to thee He faints so sore he may not speake a word I pleade his cause without reward or fee And am enforc'd to speake for him and mee If in his youth he had been wisely tought He should not now his wit so deare haue bought For what is he that hath but halfe a wit But may well know that rebels cannot speed Marke well my tale and take good heed to it Recount it well and take it for good reed Proue it vntrue I will not trust my creed Was neuer rebell heretofore or since That could or shall preuaile against his Prince For ere the subiect purpose to rebell Within himselfe let him consider well Foresee the danger and beare in his braine How hard it is his purpose to obtaine For if he once be entred to the breares He hath a raging wolfe fast by the eares And when he entred is to rule the rout Although he would he can no way get out He may be sure none will to him resort But such as are the vile and rascall sort All honest men as well the most as lest To taste of treason vtterly detest Then let him waigh how long he can be sure Where faith nor friendship may no while endure He whom he trusteth most to gaine a groate Will fall him from and seeke to cut his throate Among the knaues and slaues where vice is rooted There is no other friendship to be looked With foolish men so falsehood is in price That faith is sinne and vertue counted vice And where the quarell is so vile and bad What hope of aid then is there to be had Thinkes he that men will run at this or that To do a thing they know not how or what Nor yet what danger may thereof betide VVhere wisdome would they should at home abide Rather then seeke and know not what to find VVise men will first debate this in their mind Full sure they are if that they go to wrecke Without all grace they lose both head and necke They lose their lands and goods their child and wife VVith griefe and shame shall leade a wofull life If he be slaine in field he dieth accurst VVhich of all wreckes we should account the worst And he that dieth defending his liege Lord Is blest and blest againe by Gods owne word And where the souldiers wages is vnpai'd There is the Captaine slenderly obey'd And where the souldier 's out of feare and dreed He will be lacke when that there is most need And priuately he seekes his ease and leasure And will be rul'd but at his will and pleasure And where some draw forth other do draw backe There in the end must needs be woe and wracke To hope for aid of Lords it is but vaine Whose foretaught wit of treason knoweth the paine They know what powre a Prince hath in his hand And what it is with rebels for to stand They know by treason honor is defaced Their ofspring and their progenie disgraced They know to praise is not so worthie a thing As to be true and faithfull to their King Aboue cognisance or armes or pedigree a far An vnsported coat is like a blasing star Therefore the rebell is accurstand mad That hopes for that which rebell neuer had Who trusting still to tales doth hang in hope Till at the last he hang fast by the rope For though that tales be told that hope might feed Such foolish hope hath still vnhappie speed Is is a custome neuer will be broken In broiles the bag of lies is euer open Such lying newes men daily will inuent As can the hearers fancie best content And as the newes do run and neuer cease So more and more they daily do encrease And as they ' ncrease they multiplie as fast That ten is ten hundred ten thousand at the last And though the rebell had once got the field Thinkes he thereby to make his Prince to yeeld A Princes power within his owne region Is not so soone brought to confusion For Kings through God are strong and stoutly harted That they of subiects will not be subuerted If Kings would yeeld yet God would them restraine Of whom the Prince hath grace and power to raigne Who straitly chargeth vs aboue all thing That no man should resist against his King Who that resisteth his dread soueraigne Lord Doth damne his soule by Gods owne very word A Christian subiect should with honor due Obey his Soueraigne though he were a Iew Whereby assur'd when subiects do rebell Gods wrath is kindled and threatneth fire and hell It is soone knowne when Gods fierce wrath is kindled How they shall speed
fire that is crept in the straw The thirstie drinkes there is no other shift Perforce is such that need obeyes no law Thus bound we are in worldly yokes to draw And cannot stay nor turne againe in time Nor learne of those that sought too high to clime My selfe for proofe loe heere I now appeare In womans weed with weeping watred eyes That bought her youth and her delights full deare Whose loud reproch doth sound vnto the skies And bids my corse out of the graue to rise As one that may no longer hide her face But needs must come and shew her pitious case The sheete of shame wherein I shrowded was Did moue me oft to plaine before this day And in mine cares did ring the trumpe of brasse Which is defame that doth each thing bewray Yea though full dead and low in earth I lay I heard the voice of me what people said But then to speake alas I was afraid And now a time for me I see prepar'd I heare the liues and falles of many wights My tale therefore the better may be har'd For at the torch the little candle lights Where pageants be small things fill out the sights Wherefore giue eare good Churchyard do thy best My tragedie to place among the rest Because the truth shall witnes well with thee I will rehearse in order as it fell My life my death my dolefull destinie My wealth my woe my doing euery deale My bitter blisse wherein I long did dwell A whole discourse by me Shores wife by name Now shalt thou heare as thou hadst seene the same Of noble blood I cannot boast my birth For I was made out of the meanest mold Mine heritage but seuen foot of th' earth Fortune ne gaue to me the gifts of gold But I could brag of nature if I wold Who fil'd my face with fauour fresh and faire Whose beautie shone like Phoebus in the aire My shape some said was seemely to each sight My countenance did shew a sober grace Mines eyes in lookes were neuer proued light My tongue in words was chast in euery case Mine eares were deafe and would no louers place Saue that alas a Prince did blot my brow Loe there the strong did make the weake to bow The maiesty that Kings to people beare The stately port the awfull cheere they show Doth make the meane to shrink and couch for feare Like as the hound that doth his master know What then since I was made vnto the bow There is no cloke can serue to hide my fault For I agreed the fort he should assault The Eagles force subdues ech bird that flies What metall may resist the flaming fire Doth not the Sun dazell the clearest eies And melt the ice and make the frost retire Who can withstand a puissant Kings desire The stiffest stones are pierced through with tooles The wisest are with Princes made but fooles If kinde had wrought my forme in common frames And set me forth in colours blacke and browne Or beautie had beene percht in Phoebus flames Or shamefast waies had pluckt my fethers downe Then had I kept my fame and good renowne For natures gifts were cause of all my griefe A pleasant prey entiseth many a thiefe Thus woe to thee that wrought my peacocks pride By clothing me with natures tapestry Woe worth the hew wherein my face was dide Which made me thinke I pleased euery eye Like as the starres make men behold the skie So beauties shew doth make the wise full fond And brings free harts full oft to endlesse bond But cleare from blame my frends can not be found Before my time my youth they did abuse In mariage a prentise was I bound Then that meere loue I knew not how to vse But wel away that cannot me excuse The harme is mine though they deuisde my care And I must smart and sit in slandrous snare Yet giue me leaue to plead my cause at large If that the horse do run beyond his race Or any thing that keepers haue in charge Do breake their course where Rulers may take place Or meat be set before the hungries face Who is in fault th' offender yea or no Or they that are the cause of all this wo. Note well what strife this forced mariage makes What lothed liues do come where loue doth lacke What scratching breers do grow vpon such brakes What common weales by it are brought to wracke What heauie loade is put on patients backe What strange delights this branch of vice doth breed And marke what graine springs out of such a seed Compell the hauke to sit that is vnman'd Or make the hound vntaught to draw the Deere Or bring the free against his will in band Or moue the sad a pleasant tale to heere Your time is lost and you no whit the neere So loue ne learnes of force the knot to knit She serues but those that feele sweet fancies fit The lesse defame redounds to my dispraise I was entist by traines and trapt by trust Though in my powre remained yeas and nayes Vnto my friends yet needs consent I must In euery thing yea lawfull or vniust They brake the boughes and shakte the tree by sleight And bent the wand that might haue growne full streight What helpe in this the pale thus broken downe The Deere must needs in danger run astray At me therefore why should the world so frowne My weaknesse made my youth a Princes pray Though wisdome should the course of nature stay Yet trie my case who list and they shall proue The ripest wits are soonest thralles to loue What need I more to cleare my selfe so much A King me wan and had me at his call His royall state his princely grace was such The hope of will that women seeke for all The ease and wealth the gifts which were not small Besieged me so strongly round about My powre was weake I could not hold him out Duke Hannibal in all his conquest great Or Caesar yet whose triumphs did exceed Of all their spoiles which made them toile and sweat Were not so glad to haue so rich a meed As was this Prince when I to him agreed And yeelded me a prisner willingly As one that knew no way away to flie The Nightingale for all his merry voyce Nor yet the Larke that still delights to sing Did neuer make the hearers so reioyce As I with words haue made this worthie King I neuer iar'd in tune was euery string I tempred so my tongue to please his eare That what I said was currant euery where I ioyn'd my talke my gestures and my grace In wittie frames that long might last and stand So that I brought the King in such a case That to his death I was his chiefest hand I gouern'd him that ruled all this Land I bare the sword though he did weare the Crowne I strake the stroke that threw the mightie downe If iustice said that iudgement was but death With my sweete words
shamefull death no earthly wight bemones For in thy life thy workes were hated so That euery man did wish thy ouerthro Wherefore I may though partiall now I am Curse euery cause whereof thy bodie came Woe worth the man that fathered such a child Woe worth the houre wherein thou wast begate Woe worth the brests that haue the world beguil'd To nourish thee that all the world did hate Woe worth the gods that gaue thee such a fate To liue so long that death deseru'd so oft Woe worth the chance that set thee vp aloft Yee Princes all and Rulers euery chone In punishment beware of hatreds ire Before yee scourge take heed looke well thereon In wroths ill will if malice kindle fire Your hearts will burne in such a hot desire That in those flames the smoke shall dim your sight Yee shall forget to ioyne your iustice right You should not iudge till things be well discerned Your charge is still to maintaine vpright lawes In conscience rules ye should be throughly learned Where clemencie bids wrath and rashnes pause And further saith strike not without a cause And when ye smite do it for iustice sake Then in good part each man your scourge wil take If that such zeale had mou'd this tyrants mind To make my plague a warrant for the rest I had small cause such fault in him to find Such punishment is vsed for the best But by ill will and powre I was opprest He spoil'd my goods and left me bare and poore And caused me to beg from dore to doore What fall was this to come from Princes fare To watch for crums among the blind and lame When almes were delt I had an hungrie share Because I knew not how to aske for shame Till force and need had brought me in such frame That starue I must or learne to beg an almes With booke in hand to say S. Dauids Psalmes Where I was wont the golden chaines to weare A paire of beads about my necke was wound A linnen cloth was lapt about my heare A ragged gowne that trayled on the ground A dish that clapt and gaue a heauie sound A staying staffe and wallet therewithall I bare about as witnesse of my fall I had no house wherein to hide my head The open streete my lodging was perforce Full oft I went all hungrie to my bed My flesh consum'd I looked like a corse Yet in that plight who had on me remorse O God thou know'st my friends forsooke me then Not one holpe me that succred many a man They froun'd on me that faun'd on me before And fled from me that followed me full fast They hated me by whom I set much store They knew full well my fortune did not last In euery place I was condemn'd and cast To pleade my cause at barre it was no boote For euery man did tread me vnder foote Thus long I liu'd all wearie of my life Till death approcht and rid me from that woe Example take by me both maid and wife Beware take heed fall not to follie so A mirour make by my great ouerthro Defie the world and all his wanton waies Beware by me that spent so ill her daies Tho. Churchyard HOW THOMAS WOLSEY DID ARISE VNTO GREAT authoritie and gouernment his manner of life pompe and dignitie and how he fell downe into great disgrace and was arrested of high treason Anno 1530. SHall I looke on when States step on the stage And play their parts before the peoples face Some men liue now scarce fourescore yeares of age Who in time past did know the Cardnals Grace A gamesome world when Bishops run at bace Yea get a fall in striuing for the gole And bodie lose and hazard silly sole Ambitious mind a world of wealth would haue So scrats and scrapes for scorfe and scornie drosse And till the flesh and bones be hid in graue Wit neuer rests to grope for mucke and mosse Fie on proud pompe and gilded bridles bosse O glorious gold the gaping after thee So blinds mine eyes they can no danger see Now note my birth and marke how I began Behold from whence rose all this pride of mine My father but a plaine poore honest man And I his sonne of wit and iudgement fine Brought vp at schoole and prou'd a good Diuine For which great gifts degree of schoole I had And Batchler was and I a little lad So tasting some of Fortunes sweete concaits I clapt the hood on shoulder braue as Son And hopte at length to bite at better baits And fill my mouth ere banquet halfe were don Thus holding on the course I thought to ron By many a feast my belly grew so big That Wolsey streight became a wanton twig Loe what it is to feed on daintie meate And pamper vp the gorge with suger plate Nay see how lads in hope of higher seate Rise early vp and studie learning late But he thriues best that hath a blessed fate And he speeds worst that world will nere aduance Nor neuer knowes what meanes good lucke nor chance My chance was great for from a poore mans son I rose aloft and chopt and chang'd degree In Oxford first my famous name begon Where many a day the scholers honor'd mee Then thought I how I might a courtier bee So came to Court and feathred there my wing With Henrie th' eight who was a worthie King He did with words assay me once or twice To see what wit and readie sprite I had And when he saw I was both graue and wise For some good cause the King was wondrous glad Then downe I lookt with sober countnance sad But heart was vp as high as hope could go That suttle fox might win some fauour so We worke with wiles the minds of men like wax The fawning whelp gets many a piece of bred We follow Kings with many cunning knacks By searching out how are their humours fed He haunts no Court that hath a doltish hed For as in gold the pretious stone is set So finest wits in Court the credit get I quickly learn'd to kneele and kisse the hand To wait at heele and turne like top about To stretch out necke and like an Image stand To taunt to scoffe and face the matter out To prease in place among the greatest rout Yet like a Priest my selfe did well behaue In faire long gowne and goodly garments graue Where Wolsey went the world like Beeswould swarme To heare my speech and note my nature well I could with tongue vse such a kind of charme That voice full cleare should sound like siluer bell When head deuis'd a long discourse to tell With stories strange my speech should spised be To make the world to muse the more on me Each tale was sweet each word a sentence waid Each eare I pleas'd each eye gaue me the view Each Iudgement markt and paused what I said Each mind I fed with matter rare and new Each day and houre my
his Realmes berest His silly infant did receiue his power Poore little babe full yong in cradle left Where Crowne and Scepter hurt him with the heft Whose worthie vncles had the gouernance The one at home the other abroad in France And I which was in peace and warre well skilled With both these Rulers greatly was esteemed Bare rule at home as often as they willed And fought in France when they it needfull deemed And euery where so good my seruice seemed That English men to me great loue did beare Our foes the French my force fulfill'd with feare I alwaies thought it fitly for a Prince And such as haue the regiment of Realmes His subiects hearts with mildnes to conuince With Iustice mixt auoiding all extreames For like as Phoebus with his cheerefull beames Doth freshly force the fragrant flowres to florish So rulers mildnesse subiects loue doth norish This found I true for through my milde behauiour Their hearts I had with me to liue and die And in their speech be wrayer of their fauour They call'd me still good Earle of Salisburie The Lords confesse the Commons did not lie For vertuous life free heart and lowly mind With high and low shall alwaies fauour find Which vertues chiefe become a man of warre Whereof in France I found experience For in assaults due mildnes passeth farre All rigour force and sturdie violence For men will stoutly sticke to their defence When cruell Captaines couet after spoile And so enforst oft giue their foes the foile But when they know they shall be friendly vsed They hazard not their heads but rather yeeld For this my offers neuer were refused Of any towne or surely very seeld But force and furies fit be for the field And there indeed I vsed so the same My foes would flie if they but heard my name For when Lord Steward and Earle Vantadors Had cruelly besieged Crauant towne Which he had won and kept long time before Which lieth in Awxer on the Riuer Youne To raise the siege the Regent sent me downe Whereas I vsde all rigour that I might I killed all that were not sau'd by flight When th' Earle of Bedford then in France Lord Regent Knew in what sort I had remoued the siege In Brye and Champaine he made me Vicegerent And Lieutenant for him and for my Liege Which causde me go to Brye and there besiege Mountaguillon with twentie weekes assaut Which at the last was yeelded me for naught And for the Duke of Britaines brother Arthur Both Earle of Richmond and of Yuerie Against his oath from vs had made departure To Charles the Dolphin our chiefe enemie I with the Regent went to Normandie To take his towne of Yuerie which of spight Did to vs daily all the harme they might They at the first compounded by a day To yeeld if rescues did not come before And while in hope to fight we at it lay The Dolphin gathered men two thousand score With Earles with Lords and Captaines iolly store Of which the Duke of Alanson was guide And sent them downe to see if we would bide But they left vs and downe to Vernoile went And made their vaunt they had our armie slaine And through that lie that towne from vs they hent Which shortly after turned to their paine For there both armies met vpon the plaine And we eight thousand whom they flew before Did kill of them ten thousand men and more When we had taken Vernoile thus againe To driue the treacherous Dolphin out of France The Regent sent me t' Aniow and to Mayne Where I besieg'd the warlike towne of Mawns There Lord of Toysers Baldwins valiance Did well appeare which would not yeeld the towne Till all the Towres and walles were battered downe But heere now Baldwine take it in good part Though that I brought this Baldwine there to yeeld The Lion fierce for all his noble heart Being ouermatch'd is forst to flie the field If Mars himselfe there had been with his shield And in my stormes had stoutly me withstood He should haue yeeld or else haue shed my blood This worthie Knight both hardie stout and wise Wrought well his feat as time and place require When Fortune failes it is the best aduise To strike the saile lest all lie in the mire This haue I said to th' end thou take no ire For though no cause be found so nature frames Men haue a zeale to such as beare their names But to returne in Mayne wan I at length Such townes and sorts as might or helpe or hurt I manned Mayne and Suzans towne of strength Fort Barnard Thanceaur and S. Cales the curt With Lile sues Bolton standing in the durt Eke Gwerland Suze Loupeland and Mount sure With Malycorne these wan I and kept full sure Besides all this I tooke neere fortie holds But those I raced euen with the ground And for these deeds as sillie sheepe in folds Do shrinke for feare at euery little sound So fled my foes before my face full round Was none so hardie durst abide the fight So Mars and Fortune furthered me their Knight I tell no lie so gastfull grew my name That it alone discomfited an host The boldest Frenchmen well confesse the same Else will the towne which they like cowards lost For when they sieged Beauron with great boast Being fortie thousand well arm'd in field Fiue hundred men enforced them to yeeld For while the Frenchmen fresh assaulted still Our Englishmen came boldly forth at night Crying Saint George Salisbury kill kill And offered freshly with their foes to fight And they as Frenchly tooke themselues to flight Supposing surely that I had been there See how my name did put them all in feare Thus was the Dolphins power discomfited Foure thousand slaine their Campetane as it stood Whereby our towne and souldiers profited For there were vitailes plentifull and good This while was I in England by the rood T' appease a strife that was right foule befall Betweene Duke Humfrey and the Cardinall The Duke of Exeter soone after died Which of the King at home had gouernance Whose roome the Earle of Warwicke then supplied And I tooke his and sped me into France Where in good hope to conquer Orliance With much adoe I got the Regents aid And marched forth and siege about it laid But in the way I tooke the towne of Yaine Where murdered were for stoutnes many a man But Baugencey I tooke with little paine For which to shew them fauour I began This causde the townes of Mewne and Iargeman That stood on Loyer to profer me the keyes Ere I came neere them welnigh by two daies See heere how Fortune froward can allure What baits she layeth to bring men to their ends Who hauing hap like this but hopeth sure To bring to bale what euer he entends But soone is sower the sweet that Fortune sends When hope and hap when health and wealth is highest Then woe and wracke disease and need