Vnto Ixeon stood their Sprights that had their lusts for law Rebellants to a common good and sinning without awe To Titius lastly ioyned Ghosts whose hearts did emptie hate As Todes their poyson growing when it seemeth to abate About flie Apples Stones and Tubs the wheele was tumbled downe The Vultur girds no Ghoste but had at least a broken crowne This skufling and confedracie in hell made such a reare That wontles of such braules and blowes Proserpine did feare But Pluto laughing told his Bride to Ela it was Fa To morrowes dinne should prooue that same to be a ciuill day In peace these were their practises on earth and here in hell Saue that their Soules haue neuer peace we finde them as they fell They worke to me each of these fiue though dailie count I aske Doe newlie number Million Soules whose torments is their taske The Queene of such not free of fear replied thus againe And yeat me thinks that Pluto should haue pittie on their paine He lowers and Feast with Fray had end and drinke did euery soule Of Lethe who their ioyes forgot euen yet in torments houle Nay Pluto must be Pluto still and so I will quoth he For this same onely day the Ghosts indebted are to thee For as the like shall neuer come so neuer like befell But henceforth all yea Prince and Pope shall euer find it hell So dreamed one but ouer-long on fantazies I dwell CHAP. XIX THe Cosen of great Constantine in Rome and here succeeds Betwixt the Brutes the Scots and Pichtes continuall trouble breeds And long the reg'ment of this Land the Romanes did inioy Transmitting Captaines euermore as Foes did here anoy But Rome it selfe declined now and Brutaine was opprest No longer were the Scottish Spoyles by Romaine Swords redrest Then ends the Tribute then began new troubles worser farre Then Tribute for the Scots and Pichtes inferre consuming warre The Brutons vnder Rome secure as men that did relie On others were disabled now by Martiall meanes to trie The fame of fight but Captainelesse confusedly they deale And giue a wretched instant of an headles Common-weale And whom so many Romaine Peers grand-Captaines of such might Of whome nine Emperors themselues in persons here did fight Could hardly foyle were fronted now euen of a barbarous Foe And at the point a wondrous change their Country to forgoe Such fruit hath ease such pollicie did serue the Romaines turne Who waining Martiall minds themselues the quietlier here soiorn The Brutons thus dispoy'ld of Armes and courage in effect Of Prince of Captaines and aduise their busines to direct Dispatch their Legate to the Land Diminutiue in name To Brutaine where the Legate thus his Ambassie did frame The back-slide of our helplesse friends the down-fall of our flate Our lacke of Prince of people and our wealth not now as late The sauage dealing of our Foes consuming outs and vs Is cause right mightie King that we approach thy presence thus Not for we are in blood allied or that whil'st Fortune smil'd Your Ancestors had rule from vs not for the Dames defil'd At Cullin who withstanding lust for it did loose their liues That els to Conon and his Knights had liued noble wiues We are emboldned in our suit though all of these might mooue But for our former wants O King and for thine owne behooue Great Brutaine doth submit it selfe thy Subiect if thou please Or els dispose it at thy will Prouided we haue ease Against such Foes as would not saue our liues to haue our Land Whom to conclude except thou helpe we neuer may withstand The King Aldroen pittying much the cause of his Allies Arm'd thence his brother Constantine a Captaine stout and wise He chasing hence the Scottes Pichtes with glory wore the Crowne And through his vertue stayed vp a Kingdome sinking downe WIthin a while did Vortiger the Duke of Cornewalle raigne When Constans Sonne of Constantine he traitrously had slaine The Scotts did ruffle then anew nor did the King affye In Brutones for they hated him and reason had they why And Saxon Fleetes from Germanie in Armor here arriue Through whose support the King in wars against the Scots did thriue The Foe by Hengest foyled thus he and his brother git The chiefest credit with the King but few gaine-saying it Necessitie of Souldiers here so well for them did fit And Hengests Daughter intertain'd King Vortiger so well That to misliking of his wife and liking her he fell And sotted thus in forren Loue did wed the Saxon Wench Which wrought vnto the Saxons weale but to the Brutes offence For whatsoere the Queene did aske the King would not deny Vntill his Subiects ran to Armes and made the Saxons flie They putting downe the Father then did set vp Vortimer He poisoned by his Stepdame they restored Vortiger With this condition that he should no Saxons intertaine But Hengest hearing from the Queene that Vortimer was slaine And Vortiger his Sonne-in-lawe re-kinged did resaile With Saxon forces though with fraud not force he did preuaile For thus by pollicy he did the Brutons circumuent He craued Parlie as a man that were to quietnes bent The place appoynted Parlantes him in simple meaning meet Farre from their Armie all vnarm'd whom Saxon Traitors greet With deadly wounds by hidden kniues held the King with them Confounding so the Brittish Oste. Nor cease they to contemne Both Christian rights and ciuill Rule subuerting either twaine And what they would of Vortiger through feareâ—ull threats they gaine And plant themselues in Southfolke Kent and elsewhere at their will And ruffling runne throughout the Land oppressing Brutons still The King and Brutons fled to Wales and Feend-got Marlin theare Bewraied more then I beleeue or credit seemes to beare As shewing how the Castell worke rear'd daily fell by night By shaking of two Dragons great that vnderneath it fight With other wonders tedious if not trothlesse to resight Aurelius Ambrose brother to King Constans murdred late From either Bruton hauing aid wonne so the kingly state And ere that Hengest or his Sonne stout Octa he subdew'd First to reuenge his Brothers death he Vortiger pursew'd In vaine the Welsh wild Mountaines fence the Flier from his Foe Or Gerneth Castell when as flames throughout the buildings goe In midst whereof the wretched King did end his dayes in woe THe Brutons thus had peace a while till Vortigerus Sonne And Gutllamour the Irish King in new Conflicts begonne Whom whil'st that Vter valiantly in VVales to wracke did bring His Brother Ambrose did decease and Vter then was King What Vter did by Marlins Art in compassing his will Vpon the Wife of Garolus transfigured by skill Into the likenesse of her Lord on whom he got a Sonne Renowmed Arthur or to name the Acts by Vter donne Were much and needlesse onely note he was a valiant Prince But such as was his noble Sonne was not before or since Yeat blazing Arthur as haue some
conclude by Combacy to winne or loose the Game Within a little Island neare round which the Armies stand The Kingly Champions trie their Force by fighting hand to hand They spur their Horses breake their Speares beat at Barriars long And then dismounting did renew a Battell braue and strong Whil'st eyther King thus Martially defends and did offend They breathing King Canutus said we both I see shall end Eâ—e Empire shall begin to one then be it at thy choyce To fight or part With it their Knights crie out with common voyce Deuide most valiant Kings deuide enough ye haue of Fight And so the Champions did embrace forgetting malice quite Partition equally was made betwixt these Princes twaine And Brother-like they liue and loue till by a deu'lish traine Earle Edricus a Traytor to the Father and the Sonne Did murther Edmund and his head supposing to haue wonne The fauour of Canutus so presenting sayd O King For loue of thee I thus haue done Amazed at the thing Canutus sayd and for that thou hast headed him for me Thy head aboue all English heads exalted it shall be The Earle was headed and his head poold vp for all to see Of England Danske Norway then Canut was perfect Lord And in this triple Regiment all with vertue did accord Harold Hardi-knought his sonnes each th' other did succeede Of either which small certaine Fame of well or ill we reede Saue by their Raigns to Englâ—sh-men did grieuous thraldoÌ„ breede But after Hardt-knought his death the Danes were chased hence Not intermedling with the state of England euersince CHAP. XXII OF foresaid Egelred his Sonnes Alured and his brother Was Edward King for Goodwins guile had made away that other Religious chaste wise fortunate stout francke and milde was hee And from all Taxes wrongs and Foes did set his Kingdome free By ouer-ruling of his Lords intreating long the same Least dying Issuelesse he leaue succession out of frame He tooke to Queene a Damsell faire howbeit by consent In vowes of secret chastitie their louing liues they spent The Father of this maiden-wife he sitting by the King And seeing one that stumbled but not falling vp to spring Did laughing say the brother theare the brother well hath eas'd His meaning was the Stumblers feete And haddest thou so pleas'd So had my Brother quoth the King bin easing vnto me The traitrous Earle tooke bread and sayd so this digested be As I am guiltlesse of his death these words he scarcely spoke But that in presence of the King the bread did Goodwyn choke His sonne Harold by Hardi-knoghts late daughter him suruiues He crossed by contrary winds in Normandie ariues Where Goodwins sonne did take an oth Duke VVilliam vrging so To keepe vnto the Duke his vse when Edward hence should go The Crowne of England claimed by Adoption and by blood But Harold after Edwards death not to his promise stood And for he was in wealth in friends in blood and Armor strong And title had his Mothers right he forced not the wrong But arming him against the Duke so vrged vnto wroth Did seaze the Crowne vnto himselfe contrary to his oth Whil'st VVilliam therfore works for war King Harold had not rest For Harold Hare-foote King of Danes and Norwaies much opprest The English with his puissant Bands But Harold him assailes And after fearce and doubtfull fight most valiantly preuailes And with the Norgaine Prince he slew his people almost all When for deuision of the spoyle did much contention fall Betwixt the King and English-men and many a noble Knight Not onely murmur and maligne but did forsake him quight Such malice growing VVilliam with his Normanes taking land Found hot hot spur Harold prest in Armes his puissance to withstand And either Battell Marshalled as either Captaine wild The King of England eagerly the Normane Oste behild And with his cheerefull speeches thus his men with courage fild See valiant War-friends yonder be the first the last and all The Agentes of our Enemies they hencefoorth cannot call Supplies for weedes at Normandie by this in Porches groe Then Conquer these would Conquer you and dread no further Foe They are no stouter than the Brutes whom we did hence exile Nor stronger than the sturdy Danes or victory er while Not Saxoâ—â—e could once containe or scarce the world beside Our Fathers who did sway by sword where listed them to bide Then doe not ye degenerate take courage by discent And by their burialles not abode their force and flight preuent Ye haue in hand your Countries cause a Conquest they pretend Which were ye not the same ye be euen Cowards would defend I graunt that part of vs are fled and linked to the Foe And glad I am our Armie is of Traytours cleered so Yea pardon hath he to depart that stayeth Mal-content I prize the minde aboue the man like zeale hath like euent Yeat troth it is no well or ill this Iland euer had But through the well or ill Support of Subiects good or bad Not Caesar Hengest Swayn or now which neretheles shall fayle The Normane Bastard Albion true did could or can preuaile But to be selfe-false in this Isle a selfe-Foe euer is Yeat wot I neuer Traytour did his Treasons Sâ—ipend mis. Shrinke who wil shrinke let Armor's wayte presse downe the burdned earth My Foes with wondring eyes shal see I ouer prize my death But since ye all for all I hope a like affected bee Your Wiues your Children liues and Land from sâ—â—uitude to free Are Armed both in shew and zeale then gloriously contend To winne and weare the home brought Spoyles of Victorie the end Let not the Skinners daughters Sonne possesse what he pretends He liues to die a noble death that life for freedome spendes As Harold hartned thus his men so did the Normane his And looking wishly on the earth Duke William speaketh this To liue vpon or lie within this is my Ground or Graue My louing Souldiers one of twaine your Duke resolues to haue Nor be ye Normanes now to seeke in what you should be stout Ye come amidst the English Pikes to hewe your honors out Ye come to winne the same by Launce that is your owne by law Ye come I say in righteous warre reuenging swords to draw Howbeit of more hardie Foes no passed Fight hath spead ye Since Rollo to your now-Abode with Bands victorious lead ye Or Turchus Sonne of Troylus in Scythian Fazo bread ye Then worthy your Progenitors ye Seede of Pryams sonne Exployt this businesse Rollons do that which ye wish be done Three People haue as many times got and forgone this shore It resteth now ye Conquer it not to be Conqured more Fot Normane and the Saxon Blood conioyning as it may From that consorted Seede the Crowne shall neuer passe away â—efore vs are our armed Foes behind vs are the Seas On either side the Foe hath Holdes of succour and for ease But that Aduantage
her Homager may England Scotland call Which ouer-passe not now possest in this Accompt we shall Of either Land the Marches and much more for most now Ours The warlike Picts possessing Here built Castles Towns Towers 〈…〉 tes Scots and Romaines then our Lords oft daunting with their Powers Tâ—â—â—â—stly ciuil Strife Scots disskingdom'd theÌ„ froÌ„ Hence Whom Orkney Ilands as is sayd haue harbour'd euer sence The Brâ—â—aines by these Picts of long opprest with thraldome sore To be deliu'red of such Foes did Saxon Aides implore So playing as did Aesops Horse that angrie with the Hart To be reueng'd did craue in ayde of Man to take his part Till when the Horse was neuer back't nor bitted Either now He hauing suffered would haue helpt but then he knew not how The Brataines hauing called so the Saxons to their aide Could not be rid of them to whom they had themselues betraide But by the same were they at length debelled into VVailes Each of whose Kings of long time Three in Englands Monarch failes The Saxons getting Brutaine thus which they did England name At once of them in seuerall Parts Seauen Kings did rule the same All which by VVesterne Adelstane in Monarchie was got Which since saue Iron-sids the Danes once DeuideÌ„t chang'd not Fiue Irish KingdoÌ„s likewise add now drown'd in Englands Crowne The Seauenteenth was the Isle of Man in Ours now also downe Our Mandeuil here cited of Earle Mandeuil exact In Stephens Raigne so famous Man in Scots Possession sack't And with the Spoyle of al that Isle thence and his Brother pack't Consent of times Names and Records affirme may seeme no lesse But Monteacute Count Salsburie it wonne and did possesse Of Percies after Stanlies next and still gesse I holds Man From honorable long Descents and from they first began All loyall hospitalious lou'd still powre-full and I pray That in that Noble house those Termes may neuer-more decay This Man was diuers hundred yeares a Kingdome and not small Rul'd Hebrides the Orcades to Thul the Islands all And chances there and Changes worth the note did oft befall As how the naturall Incolants the Iselanders subdew Them Norses â—rish them them Scots and English them in few Beauchamp the Earle of VVarwick first and last and but a while Was King of VVight Sixt Henries Gift that Honor and that I le VVhich added Eighteene Kingdoms al possest ieke Englands Stile These now thus couched all in One saue Parcell Scots withhold Of Penthland and some barren Isles subdu'd to Man of old Since hath one Monarch ruled vs hath rendered secure VVhereas Pluralitie of Kings did euer Losse procure Twise ioyn'd our Ilanders in one when twise did Caesar faile Disioyning He Picts Saxons Danes and Normaines did preuaile The Spanyard in Conceit deuoures our Countrie in no hope But of Disiunctiues who thinks he lesse loue their Prince than Pope Let France admonish England turn'd Religion turnes not Spayne From thirsting France Neutralitie brought late-lost Calice Baine And Spanish't-French liue Peasants-like that French did Princes raign Our Elders illy did they well for so should not be done Much lesse to causeles Armes against their Prince ought Subiects ron So badly brook't this Spanyards fam'd Espousall with their Queene That euen at VVestminsters Law-Barres were harnest Pleaders seene Fear'd with the trooped Bands y t wold that Banes with swords forbid Of which were pittied those that dide the Rest winkt-at and hid Their meaning had it Praise had not the Manner bin in fault The Manner now doth hold may none in selfe-same Meaning hault But arm'd be euery hand and heart hence Englishly to beate Spayn that our Bodies wold inthral Rome that our Soules doth threat Yeat which hath blinded bridled and beguil'd them many a day Their Inquisition wish I from the Spanyards rid away What good remaines to wish the Pope this that had none bin borne From him to steale his ill-got Coyne from vs to ship our Corne. The best things brought from Rome to vs conuert troe I to ill But new Rome left of old Rome now abreuiat we will CHAP. LXXIV WHen Stafford and his double Charge to Italie were come In health and rich for hence brought they in Coine no little Some With Iewels of rare estimate and else-what of great worth For Mandeuil they seeke and him at last did listen forth That in Constantinople yet he was a Marchant saide And thither Staffords Letter was to him with speed conuaide Purporting only that himselfe at Rome his comming staide Meane while in Rome the Mistris once of all the world they view Such wonders couch't in Ruins as vnseene might seeme vntrew Once was it compast as is read with fiftie miles of wall Now some to twentie some to lesse in that accompt doe fall It hauing Towers so many as the yeare hath dayes in all From fortie miles was water brought in Pipes oâ— Arches thether Were vaulted walkes through euery Streete gainst Sunne and rainy weather The sumptious Bathes with Pallaces thereto of rare delight The roomesome Ponds where very Ships some Festiuals did fight The Trophie Arches where to life Triumphants were purtraide The Statures huge of Porphyrie and costlier matters made The Theaters Pyramides the Hill of halfe a mile Raisde but of tribute Pot-sheards so to boast their Power long while The Obelisks of one whole Stone neere fortie yards or more Huge Pillers caru'd in Masonrie with Prowse of Knights before The stately Bridges sometimes Eight now fewer Tyber crosse The Thirtie goodly Gates of which is now of number losse The huge Colosses Conduites and else-what that shew'd a State Beyond beleefe of ruin'd Rome in part repair'd of late They wonder at how the world could yeeld such Pomp debate Though some the seauen inclosed Hils did ancient Rome containe Lye waste or Vine-yards more doth yeat of Maiestie remaine Euen in the Rubble of the old than in the now renew'd Though Rome retaines a Statelines nor fairer Pyles are view'd The round Pantheon once the House of all the Heathen Gods Stands yet a Temple but lesse deckt for rich by too much ods On Auentine the down-fals are of Temples store to see On Tarpie of the Capitol were wont their Guild to bee On Palantine of Pallaces on Caelius signes of Playes Quirinall Exquell Viminall of Bathes shew braue decayes These Hils with Vatican and old Ianiculum ore-past Shew we how Rome did rule was rul'd and ruin'd at the last FRom Ianus called Noe of some â—aphet of some Noes Sonne And Iaphets sonne of others Rule in Tuscan first begonne Raign'd in sixe hundreth twentie yeares of Latines Twentie one Son of the Eight of which was Brute first Soueraign of our Throne The last of these Numitor was whome Romulus did kill And building Rome slew Remus there to lord-it at his will * This Citie then Receptacle for all how vile skils not Of Italie by one and one the Sixteene State-Lands got Tarquinius raign'd the Seauenth in Rome
Or Earth giue passage that at least with men he might not dwell But I my selfe euen I my selfe their slacknesse will supplye And Mothers name and Nature both to such a Sonne denye Dead night was come when Iden found the King her sonne a sleepe And all was still not then as now did Guards their Princes keepe Admit they had who would haue fearde such mischiefe in a mother She whispring softly sleepe thy last yea sleep as doth thy brother Did gash his throte who starting vp wheÌ„ strength speech were goÌ„e Lifts vp his faynting hands and knewe the Tyrannesse anone And maketh signes as who would say ah mother thou hast done A deede as neuer mother earst did practise on her Sonne But name of Son nor signes did serue him still with wounds she plyes Nor more than Monster did it please that simplie so he dyes But that his bodie peecemeale tore about the Lodging flyes And thus from noble Brute his line the Scepter then did passe When of his bloud for to succeede no heire suruiuing was FOwer Dukes at once in ciuill broyles seiunctly after raine Neere when the Scottes whoÌ„ some accuse by Ante-dates to gaine Did settle in the Northerne Isles These people bring their line From Cecrops and that Pharo he that euer did decline From Moses seeking Hebers house from Aegypt to conuay His daughter Scota Gathelus their Duke brought thence away When Pharos sinne to Iacobs Seede did neere that Land decay And Cecrops son brought theÌ„ froÌ„ thence as Scottes inforce the same The Stone that Iacob slept vpon when Angels went and came Of it was made their fatall Chaire of which they beare in hand That whearesoere y e same is found the Scottes shall brooke y t land At Westminster that Monument doth now decaying stand In Lusitania Gathelus did first his Kingdome found And of his race of Scota Scottes when Spanish Scottes abound Ariue in Ireland and in it a second Empire ground And thirdly when their broodie Race that Isle did ouer-store Amongst the Islands Hebredes they seek out dwellings more These Irish sometime Spanish Scots of whence our now Scots be Within the Isles of Albion thus whilst Brutaines disagree Did seat themselues nestle too amongst the Mountaine groundes What time a Scythian people Pichtes did seaze the middle bounds Twixt them and vs these did prooue to Brutaine double wounds The Penthland people and the Scots alying friendlie liue Vntill the Pichts by Brittish wyles contrarie cause did giue Then from their Captains fell the Scots and chose to them a King And Fergus out of Ireland did the Chaire of Marble bring In which instald the first Scotch King in Albion so he wrought That Pichts and Scots then vp in Armes were to attonement brought Three valiant people thus at once in Albion Empire hold Brutes Scots and Pichts the latter twaine lesse ciuil but as bold The Pichts were fierce and Scythian like much like the Irish now The Scots were then couragious both Nor them I disallowe That write they fed on humane flesh for so it may be well Like of these men their bloudie mindes their natiue stories tell But to our Brittish busines now to shew what theare befell Not how the tri-partited Rule vnto his quartarne Rayne Dunwallo after fortie yeres did Monarchize againe Not what precedent Kings in France and Denmarke did obtaine Speake I. From Porrex fortie Kings in silence shall remaine Alonelie valiant Brennus and his brother Beline thay Vnpraised for their warres and works shall not escape away CHAP. XVI THese Brothers thirsting amplier Raignes did martiallie contend Till Brenn his force was not of force his brothers to defend To Norway sayles hee wheare he got an Armie and a prize The Prince of Norwaies Daughter whom hee winneth in this wise The King of Denmarke stoode with him vntill the States decreede That both should plead before their Prince and better Pleader speede And when the Norgane Prince and Peeres were seated for their strife The King of Danes beginning first thus pleaded for a wife Not yet a King King Philips son with none but Kings would cope His reason was inferiour strife of glorie giues no hope I am a King and graunt the Prize in question worthie mee But grudge that my Competitor a banisht man should bee Doe grant him what he hath for-gon and neuer more shall giâ— Yeat were he but a Demi-king to challenge me vnfit Dunwallos yonger Sonne that hath his brother to his Foe And worthelie his trecheries haue well deserued soe And yet audacious that he is he blusheth not to heare The troth of his vntroth nor yeat an heere-Repulse doth feare Would she for whom I must contend were not to me the same She is or he that stands with me a man of better fame But since in this vnequall Plea I must my selfe imbace Knowe Norwaies that my pleaded cause coÌ„cernes your publique caâ—e It is the King of Denmarke doth your Prince his daughter craue And note it is no little thing with vs Allie to haue By league or Leigure Danske can fence or fronte you friend or foe Our neighborhood doth fit to both your wel-fare or your woe Combine therefore in needfull League our neere conioyned States I may your good nought lesse can he that thus with me debates He is a Bruton if Exile allow wee call him so And farre from aiding you that knowes himselfe not to bestoe Admit he were receiued home what Empire doth he sway A sorrie Ilands Moyetie and farre from hence away Her Dowrie is your Diademe what Ioynter can he make Not anie giue not then to him from whom you cannot take And Ladie She for whom they stroue was present well I woâ— My loue doth claime a greater debt than so to be forgot I wish mine Opposite his want that Armes might giue the right It is not dread but doom'd sweet wench that thus with tongue I fight Proude Bruton frowning so on Brenn disclaime in her my dewe Els thou repining shalt repent doe make thy choyce a newe At least amend thine Error and mine enuie shall haue end I neede not force so weake a Foe seeke thou so strong a friend Norwaies consent and Ladie be no Counter-mand to this Discent not Brenn conclude her mine els my Conclusion is If not for worth by force perforce to winne her from you all Yea though our banisht Copes-mate could his Brittish Succours call The King of Danes concluded thus and after silence short The Brutaine Heros vailed and did answere in this sort Most gracious Norgane Peeres you heare the ouer-tearming taunts Of this Appelant that himselfe and Scepter ouer-vaunts It lesser greeueth he should grudge that I with him co-riue Than his so peremptorie speach in your despight to wiue It greeues in troth not for my selfe but for he beardeth you And seemes disdaineful of your aide that doth so proudly wowe How captiously he derogates from me and mine estate And Arrogates vnto himselfe to
Kings oppresse the mightier ones the weake Each trifling cause sufficing here their loue and leagues to breake One seazeth of his Neighbours Realme and is disseaz'd ere-long For Empire some for Enuie some and some to right their wrong Contend vnto their common losse and some like Monsters rain As Sigâ—ert who for tyrannie did banishment sustaine He wandred vnbewailed long a man whom men exempt From house and helpe pursuing him with capitall contempt Forlorne therefore with drouping lims and dropping eies in vaine He frendles walks the fruitles Woods and foodles did complaine A Swineheard meeting him by chaunce and pitying his estate Imploy'd the Westerne King vnknowne on his affaires to wait Nor did the needie King disdaine such roome for such reliefe An vnder-Swineheardship did serue he sought not to be chiefe But when by speech and circumstance his Maister vnderstood His seruant was the somtimes King blood cries quoth he for blood My giltles Master in thy pompe thou Tyrant diddest slay Nor vnreuenged of his death thou shalt escape away With that he tooke a Libbat vp and beateth out his braines And dead so odious Tyrants be not one for him complaines NOt all so ill yeat cause of worse vnto the English state Was Osbert of Northumberland his loue did winne him hate Enamored on Lord Buerns wife as tired in the Chace He left the Hounds and with a fewe dismounts at Buerns Place Her husband absent heartely his Lady entertaines The King and feasts him Royally not sparing cost or paines But he that fed on Fansies food and hungred whil'st he eates Thought Venus sparer in her loues then Ceres in her meates The Trayne and table voyded then he taking her apart Directs her by his tongue and teares vnto his louing heart Delay he sayth breedeth doubts but sharpe deniall death Or do not long surcharge my blisse or soone discharge my breath For if my praiers adde no edge vnto thy begged doome The vintage of my thriftlesse loâ—e is blasted in the bloome Be fauorable to my fire for thy sweete sake be bolde I durst attempt euen Hell if hell so sweete a thing might holde Doe thinke her coie or think her chaste my Censure I suspend Some Women yeeld not at the first yeat yeeld they in the ende She gaue repulses to his lust and he replies of Loue Not all the Writs Diana had might Cupids Plaint remoue She countermaunding his demaund he ceased Courting now And did with her by violence what vertues disalow And then departed leauing her in selfe-conceit disgraste More trespassed then some would thinke and yeat perhaps as chaste Home came her Lord whose browes had buds and found his wife in tears And foolish thing she told a troth for which reueÌ„ge he swears But so the man did proue a beast he better might haue hid it Some such are mistically domme yeat domly doe forbid it His Wiues escapes done secretly if by the man detected Shewes hilled buÌ„ps supposed buÌ„ps meerehornes not hornes suspected At Denmarke in his Cosins Court he telleth of his wrong And gaines against his soueraigne Lord of Danes an Armie strong Hungar and Hubba and himselfe Conductors of this Hoast Did with their forren forces land and spoyle the Northerne Coaste The vicious valiant Osbret that had vanquished ere then The King and Kingdome of the Scots though wanting armes men Thought skorne his foes should beard him so bar him vp in walles And therefore issuing out of Yorke vpon the Danes he falles A Bloodie Bargaine then begonne no fight might fearcer be And of the Danish part were slaine for euery English three But manhood lost and number wonne the Danes they got the fielde And Osbret dyed valiantly that not to liue would yeeld MEane while the Danes with fresh supplies ariue at euerie Shore And warre almost in euery shire infesting England sore With whome couragious Etheldred contended long in vaine By them was he King Ella and the holy Edmund slaine Nothing was done but all vndone till King Alured hee In daunger of his Royall selfe did set his subiects free For euery day in euery place the Danes did so increase That he nor any English King enioy one day of peace Nor mightier men at Armes than they might any wheare be found Who in their diuers Wars els-where did diuers Realmes confound For as the Gothes the Vandales Hunnes and Saxons earst did range So now the Danes did plague the world as sent by interchange This Westerne and victorious king and greatest Monarke heere Perceiuing of this spoyled Isle a toward Ruine neere Disguised like a Minstrill poore did haunt the Danish Tents And with his feats and melodie the Enemie presents And of their sloth their gluttonie and Counsels priuie so He tooke aduantage giuing them a sodaine ouerthrow And sâ—ayeth Hubba Hungar and the Cause of their repayr And putteth all to sword and Seas that vnbaptized wair Yeat to Northumberland return'd fearce Gurmond with the Danes Meane time did king Alured die the Hatchet of their Tranes But Adelstane one king betwixt not onely clear'd the Land Of Danes but of all England had sole Empire in his hand Thus of this long dismembred Realme was he the onely King In which till Egelred his raigne did prosper euerie thing He raigning much of England then the Lordly Danes did hold Exacting Tributes euery yeare and selling Peace for Gold And which no doubt did hatch those Plagues the King a wicked one Did enter by his Brothers blood extorting thus his Throne King Edgar that subdu'd the Scots and slaughtered the Danes And of the VVelch had tribute Wolffs of whom it more remaines That as it were in Triumph-wise Eight Vnder kings did roe Him Sterns-man on the Riuer Dee with diuers honors moe This Edgar by a former wife had Edward by an other This Egelred a Sonne vnto a kind and cruell Mother For as she labors to preferre her owne by well and ill So to destroy her Son-in-law she wanted meanes not wil. And meanes did hit King Edward hunts and hunting lost his Traine Whom man-les at her Castle Corfe the Queene did entertaine He hauing seene to whom he came in curtesie to see Made haste away in Quest of them that still a hunting be And when he mounted should depart to him his Stepdame drinkes Whom pledging him an Hierling stab'd life-les downe he sinkes Thus Egelred obtain'd the Crowne but for his crâ—wing so His Subiects grudge and he became a Preface to their woe For when this proud and vitious king was neither lou'd of his Nor liued safely for the Danes his secret Edict is That sodainely in one selfe hower throughout the Land should passe charge A common Massaker of Danes which so performed was Hartfordia VVelwyn VVealth-wyn then for promptnesse in that Beginning other Townes as it themselues from Danes inlarge CHAP. XXI THis common muâ— her of the Danes was common mirth to all The English whom they did oppresse with slaueries not small Compelling meÌ„
for thee the hope that to our House doth rest Now all are tryed we can trust if now we faile we fall Thy death is in the same request as is thy Fathers thrall And which I would it were the worst the Foe doth thirst my life To end his Triumph in the deaths of Husband Sonne and Wife Though thy great-Grandsier Grandsier thy Father wonne wore The King-ring which thy Father hild yeares thirtie eight and more Though by the cappitall Remote of Lancaster withstood Yeat fayle prescription and discents now lacke they but our blood Then learne against thou proue a man ah hardly hope I so The Line Lancastrian naturally doth labour of that Foe The Queene concluding thus in teares did then to Armor goe Fierce was the Field and either part did valiantly offend But Edward ouercomming when the Battell was at end The Queene was carried Captiue thence And Edwards men did bring Her Sonne the Prince sole sonne and heire vnto the captiue King Before the Victor whose demaunds receiuing answers stout He thrusts the manly Boy from him whom Glocester about The King Churle that he was did stab So tragicke was the spight Betwixt those Linages that oft each others so requite His death was more than death vnto his Parents but not long His Father moned vndispatcht alike for death and wrong By foresaid Duke of Glocester of whom succeedes our song THus won the Yorkestes ancient Raigne sixe bloodie Fields did seate Edward the Fourth in Englands Throne possest a while in queate He wonne his Subiects loue and loue was debt to his desarts But as must ours so lastly his vn-bodied Soule departs He left his Kingdome to his Sonne his Sonne to be protected By Richard Duke of Glocester Who pietie reiected Grew treble-wise tyrannicall malicious to the blood Of his deceased brothers Queene And what so Yorkest stood Betwixt the Scepter and himselfe aliue he pricked dead A Foe to all Lancastrians as the same by nature bread This common Deaths-man of those Kinnes and euery Nobles fall Whom he but gest Coriuall or might crosse him near so small This stoope-Frog Aesops Storke alike tyrannous vnto all To giltie giltlesse friend or foe was not secure one day But Either dyes as eithers death might fit him any way Yea euen whilst his Brother rulde when all Lancastrians and His Brothers twaine his Nephewes twaine Neeces three did stand Betwixt himselfe and home euen then by blood he hunted Raine For when his owne and ruthles hands King Henries heire had â—â—ayue Then Henries selfe Henrie the sixt a giltles King in bands He stabd his brother Clarence dide through him by other hands But now Protector as doe Wolues the Lambes protected he And fared as if fearing that one wickedder might be Queene mother and her kindred hild the Orphant King a while Her Kinne hee murdred and from her he got the King by gile Whom though vncrowned tituled fist Edward rest his mother He made be murdred with the Duke of Yorke the yonger brother When neither Yorkest his Allies and of Lancastrians none Were left to let it who should let but he might leape the Throne He wore indeede the wrested Palme But yeat to better bad By murder of his wife he sought new marriage to be had With that Elizabeth that was the Eldest daughter to Edward the fourth But all in vaine the King his Neece did wowe For Henrie Earle of Richmonds friends such doings did vndoe Which Henry and Elizabeth by secrete Agents were Contracted he of Lancaster and she of Yorke the heire Of which letigious Famelies heer mapped be the Lines Euen till the Heire of these two Heires both Stockes in one combines CHAP. XXXIII HEnrie as if by myracle preseru'd by Forraines long From hence-ment Treasons did arriue to right his Natiues wrong And chiefly to Lord Stanlie and some other Succors as Did wish and worke for better dayes thâ— Riuall welcome was Now Richard heard that Richmond was assisted and a shore And like vnkenneld Cerberus the crooked Tyrant swore And all complexions act at once confusedly in him He studieth striketh threates intreates and looketh mildly grim Mistrustfully he trusteth and he dreadingly did dare And fortie passions in a trice in him consort and square But when by his conuented force his foes increased more He hastned Battell finding his Coriuall apt therefore When Richmond orderly in all had battelled his ayde Inringed by his Complices their chearefull Leader sayde Now is the time and place sweete Frends and we the Persons be That must giue England breath or els vnbreath for her must we No Tyrannie is fabled and no Tyrant was in deede Worse thaÌ„ our Foe whose workes wil act my words if wel he speede For ill to ills Superlatiue are easely intist But intertaine amendment as the Gergesites did Christ. Be valiant then he biddeth so that would not be out-bid For courage yeat shall honor him though bace that better did I am right heire Lancastrian he in Yorkes destroyed right Vsurpeth But through Either ours for neither Claime I fight But for our Countries long-lackt weale for Englands peace I warre Wherein he speed vs vnto whom I all Euents refarre Meane while had furious Richard set his Armies in array And then with lookes euen like himselfe this or the like did say Why Lads shall yonder Welshman with his Straglers ouer-match Disdaine ye not such Riualles and deferre yee their dispatch Shall Tuder from Plantagenet the Crowne by craking snatch Know Richards very thoughts he toucht the Diademe he wore Be mettall of this mettall Then beleeue I loue it more Than that for other law than Life to super sead my Clame And lesser must not be his Plea that counter-pleads the same The weapons ouer-tooke his words blowes they brauely change When like a Lion thirsting bloud did moody Richard range And made large slaughters where he went till Richmond he espied Whom singling after doubtfull Swords the valerous Tyrant died THus ended Englands warre and woe vsurping Richard dead When Henry and Elizabeth vniting titles wed Of which two Heires th' vndoubted Heire of either Line did cum The Epilogue vnto these wounds digested in this sum Fourth Henry first Lancastrian King put second Richard downe Fourth Edward of the House of Yorke re-seazd sixt Henries Crowne Lad-Princes twaine were stabd in Field of either Linage one Foure Kings did perish Sundry times now-Kings anon were none Sixe three of either faction helde successiuely the Throne But from the second Richard to seuenth Henry we pretend Eight Kings this Faction to begin continue and to end The Princes Earles Barons and Knights this quarrell did deuour Exceede the tale of Gentry best and bacest at this houre So plagueth ciuill Warre so from Robe to Ragge dooth scoure Then luckiest of the Planets weare Predominants say we When by this Bedmatch either Heire that Bloud-mart did agree When Seuenth begot the Eight and Eight the First and Last for like Our now Pandora