Harford and the faithfull assurance of his Victory Oh why did Charles relieve his needy state A Vagabond c. Charles the French King her Father received the Duke of Harford and relieved him in France being so nearly allied 〈◊〉 Cousin German to King Richard his Son in Law which he did simply little thinking that he should after return to England and dispossess King Richard of the Crown When thou to Ireland took'st thy last Farewell King Richard made a Voyage with his Army into Ireland against Onell and Mackmur who rebelled at what time Henry entred here at home and robbed him of all Kingly Dignity Affirm'd by Church-men which should bear no Hate That John of Gaunt was illegitimate William Wickham in the great Quarrel betwixt John of Gaunt and the Clergy of meer Spight and Malice as it should seem reported That the Queen confessed to him on her Death-Bed being then her Confessor That John of Gaunt was the Son of a Flemming and that she was brought to Bed of a Woman-Child at Gaunt which was smothered in the Cradle by mischance and that she obtained this Child of a poor Woman making the King believe it was her own greatly fearing his displeasure Fox ex Chron. Alban No Bastards Mark doth blot his conq'ring Shield Shewing the true and indubitate Birth of Richard his Right unto the Crown of England as carrying the Arms without Blot or Difference Against their Faith unto the Crowns true Heir Their valiant Kinsman c. Edmund Mortimer Earl of March son of Earl Roger Mortimer which was Son to Lady Philip Daughter to Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son to King Edward the â—hird which Edmund King Richard going into Ireland was proclaimed Heir apparent to the Crown whose Aunt called Elinor this Lord Piercy had married Oh would Aumerl had sunk when he betray'd The Plot which once that Noble Abbot laid The Abbot of Westminster had plotted the Death of King Henry to have been done at a Tilt at Oxford Of which Confederacy there was John Holland Duke of Excester Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey the Duke of Aumerl Montacute Earl of Salisbury Spencer Earl of Gloucester the Bishop of Carlile Sir Thomas Blunt these all had bound themselves one to another by Indenture to perform it but were all betrayed by the Duke of Aumerl Scroop Green and Bushy dye his Fault in grain Henry going towards the Castle of Flint where King Richard was caused Scroop Green and Bushy to be executed at Bristow as vile Persons which had seduced the King to this lascivious and wicked life Damn'd be the Oath he made at Doncaster After Henries exile at his return into England he took his Oath at Doncaster upon the Sacrament not to claim the Croâ—… or Kingdom of England but only the Dukedome of Lancaster his own proper Right and the Right of his Wife And mourn for Henry Hotspur her dear Son As I for my c. This was the brave couragious Henry Hotspur that obtained so many Victories against the Scots which after falling 〈◊〉 right with the Curse of Queen Isabel was slain by Henry the Battel at Shrewsbury FINIS RICHARD the Second TO Queen ISABEL WHat can my Queen but hope for from this Hand That it should write which never could command A Kingdoms Greatness think how he should sway That wholesome Counsel never could obey Ill this rude Hand did guide a Scepter then Worse now I fear me it will rule a Pen. How shall I call my self or by what Name To make thee know from whence these Letters came Not from thy Husband for my hateful Life Makes thee a Widdow being yet a Wife Nor from a King that Title I have lost Now of that Name proud Bullenbrook may boast What I have been doth but this comfort bring No words so wofull as I was a King This lawless Life which first procur'd my Hate * This Tongue which then renounc'd my Regal State This abject Soul of mine consenting to it This Hand that was the Instrument to doe it All these be witness that I now deny All Princely Types all Kingly Soveraignty Didst thou for my sake leave thy Fathers Court Thy famous Country and thy Princely Port And undertook'st to travel dang'rous Ways Driven by aukward Winds and boyst'rous Seas * And left'st great Burbon for thy love to me Who su'd in Marriage to be link'd to thee Offering for Dower the Countries neighb'ring nigh Of fruitfull Almaine and rich Burgundie Didst thou all this that England should receive thee To miserable Banishment to leave thee And in my Down-fall and my Fortunes wrack Thus to thy Country to convey thee back When quiet Sleep the heavey Hearts Relief Hath rested Sorrow somewhat less'ned Grief My passed Greatness into mind I call And think this while I dreamed of my Fall With this Conceit my Sorrows I beguile That my fair Queen is but with drawn a while And my Attendants in some Chamber by As in the height of my Prosperity Calling a loud and asking who is there The Eccho answ'ring tels me Woe is there And when mine Arms would gladly thee enfold I clip the Pillow and the place is cold Which when my waking Eyes precisely view 'T is a true token that it is too true As many Minutes as in the Hours there be So many Hours each Minute seems to me Each Hour a Day Morn Noon-tide and a Set Each Day a Year with Miseries compleat A Winter Spring-time Summer and a Fall All Seasons varying but unseasoned all In endless Woe my thred of Life thus wears In Minutes Hours Days by Months to lingring Years They praise the Summer that enjoy the South Pomfret is closed in the Norths cold Mouth There pleasant Summer dwelleth all the Year Frost-starved-Winter doth inhabit here A place wherein Despair may fitly dwell Sorrow best suiting with a cloudy Cell * When Harford had his Judgement of Exile Saw I the People's murmuring the while Th' uncertain Commons touch'd with inward Care As though his Sorrows mutually they bare Fond Women and scarce-speaking Children mourn Bewayle his parting wishing his return * That I was forc'd t'abridg his banish'd Years When they be dew'd his Foot-steps with their Tears Yet by example could not learn to know To what his Greatness by their Love might grow * But Henry boasts of our Atchievements don Bearing the Trophies our great Fathers won And all the story of our famous War Must grace the Annals of Great Lancaster * Seven goodly Siens in their Spring did flourish Which one self-Root brought forth one Stock did nourish * Edward the top-Branch of that golden Tree Nature in him her utmost power did see Who from the Bud still blossomed so fair As all might judge what Fruit it meant to bare But I his Graft of ev'ry Weed o'er-grown And from our kind as Refuse forth am thrown * We from our Grandsire stood in one Degree But after Edward John the young'st of three Might Princely Wales beget a
sev'ral Nation And nothing more than England hold in scorn So live as Strangers whereas they were born But thy return in this I do not read Thou art a perfect Gentleman indeed O God forbid that Howards Noble line From ancient Vertue should so far decline The Muses train whereof your self are chief Only to me participate their Grief To sooth their humors I do lend them ears He gives a Poet that his Verses hears Till thy return by hope they only live Yet had they all they all away would give The World and they so ill according be That Wealth and Poets never can agree Few live in Court that of their good have care The Muses friends are every-where so rare Some praise thy Worth that it did never know Only because the better sort do so Whose judgment never further doth extend Than it doth please the greatest to commend So great an ill upon desert doth chance When it doth pass by beastly ignorance Why art thou slack whilst no man puts his hand stand * To raise the mount where Surrey's Towers must Or Who the groundsil of that work doth lay Whilst like a Wand'rer thou abroad do'st stray Clip'd in the Arms of some lascivious Dame When thou shouldst rear an Ilion to thy Name When shall the Muses by fair Norwich dwell To be the City of the learned Well Or Phoebus Altars there with Incense heap'd As once in Cyrrha or in Thebe kept Or when shall that fair hoof-plow'd Spring distill From great Mount-Surrey out of Leonards Hill Till thou return the Court I will exchange For some poor Cottage or some Country Grange Where to our Distaves as we sit and Spin My Maid and I will tell what things have bin Our Lutes unstrung shall hang upon the Wall Our Lessons serve to wrap our Towe withal And pass the Night whiles Winter tales we tell Of many things that long ago befell Or tune such homely Carrols as were sung In Courtly Sport when we our selves were young In prety Riddles to bewray our Loves In questions purpose or in drawing Gloves The Noblest Spirits to Vertue most inclin'd These here in Court thy greatest want do find Others there be on which we feed our Eye * Like Arras-work or such like Image'ry Many of us desire Queen Kath'rines state But very few her Vertues imitate Then as Vlysses Wife write I to thee Make no reply but come thy self to me ANNOTATIONS on the Chronicle History Then Windsors or Fitz-Geralds Families THe cost of many Kings which from time to time have adorned the Castle at Windsor with their Princely Magnificence hath made it more Noble than that it need to be spoken of now as though obscure and I hold it more meet to refer you to your vulgar Monuments for the Founders and Finishers thereof than to meddle with matter nothing to the purpose As for the Family of the Fitz-Geralds of whence this excellent Lady was lineally descended the original was English though the Branches did spread themselves into distant Places and Names nothing consonant as in former times it was usual to denominate themselves of their Manours or Forenames as may partly appear in that which ensueth the light whereof proceeded from my learned and very worthy Friend Master Francis Thin Walter of Windsor the Son of Oterus had to Issue William of whom Henry now Lord Windsor is descended and Robert of Windsor of whom Robert the now Earl of Essex and Gerald of Windsor his third Son who married the Daughter of Rees the great Prince of Wales of whom came Nesta Paramour to Henry the First Which Gerald had Issue Maurice Fitz-Gerald Ancestor to Thomas Fitz-Maurice Justice of Ireland buryed at Trayly leaving Issue John his Eldest Son first Earl of Kildare Ancestor to Geraldine and Maurice his second Son first Earl of Desmond To raise the Mount where Surrey's Tow'rs must stand Alluding to the sumptuous House which was afterward builded by him upon Leonard's Hill right against Norwich which in the Rebellion of Norfolk under Ket in King Edward the Sixth's time was much defaced by that impure Rabble Betwixt the Hill and the City as Alexander Nevil describes it the River of Yarmouth râ—…s having West and South thereof a Wood and a little Village called Thorp and on the North the pastures of Mousholl which contain about six miles in length and breadth So that besides the stately greatness of Mount Surrey which was the Houses name the Prospect and Sight thereof was passing pleasant and commodious and no where else did that increasing evil of the Norfolk Fury enkennel it self then but there as it were for a manifest token of their intent to debase all high things and to profane all holy Like Arras-work or rather Imagery Such was he whom Juvenal taxeth in this manner Truncoque similimus Herme Nullo quippe alio vincis discrimine quam quod Illi marmorcum caput est tua vivit Imago Seeming to be born for nothing else but Apparel and the outward appearance intituled Complement with whom the ridiculous Fable of the Ape in Aesop sorteth fitly who coming into a Carver's House and viewing many Marble Works took up the Head of a Man very cunningly wrought who greatly in praising did seem to pity it that having so comely an outside it had nothing within like empty Figures walk and talk in every place at whom the Noble Geraldine modestly glanceth FINIS The Lady Jane Gray TO THE Lord GILFORD DVDLEY The ARGUMENT After the death of that vertuous Prince King Edward the Sixth the Son of that famous King Henry the Eighth Jane the Daughter of Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk by the consent of John Dudley Duke of Northumberland was proclaimed Queen of England being married to Gilford Dudley the fourth Son of the aforesaid Duke of Northumberland which Match was concluded by their ambitious Father who went about by this means to bring the Crown unto their Children and to dispossess the Princess Mary eldest Daughter of King Henry the Eighth Heir to King Edward her Brother Queen Mary rising in Arms to claim her rightful Crown taketh the said Jane Gray and the Lord Gilford her Husband being lodged in the Tower for their more safety which place being lastly their Pallace by this means becomes their Prison where being severed in sundry prisons they write these Epistles one to another MIne own dear Lord since thou art lock'd from me In this disguise my love must steal to thee Since to renue all Loves all kindness past This refuge scarcely left yet this the last My Keeper coming I of thee enquire Who with thy greeting answers my desire Which my tongue willing to return again Grief stops my words and I but strive in vain Where-with amaz'd away in hast he goes When through my Lips my Heart thrusts forth my Woes But then the doors that make a doleful sound Drive back my words that in the noise are drown'd Which somewhat hush'd the Eccho doth record And
conquer'd France Yet if my Fortunes be thus rais'd by thee This may presage a further good to me And our Saint David in the Britains Right May joyn with George the Sainted English Knight * And old Caermarden Merlin's famous Town Not scorn'd by London though of such renown Ah would to God that Hour my Hopes attend Were with my Wish brought to desired end Blame me not Madam though I thus desire Many there be that after you enquire Till now your Beauty in Nights Bosome slept What Eye durst stir where awfull Henry kept Who durst attempt to sail but near the Bay Where that all-conqu'ring great Alcides lay Your Beauty now is set a Royal Prize And Kings repair to cheapen Merchandize If you but walk to take the breathing Ayre Orithia makes me that I Boreas fear If to the Fire Jove once in Lightning came And fair Egina makes me fear the flame If in the Sun then sad Suspicion dreams Phoebus should spread Lucothoe in his Beams If in a Fountain you do cool your Blood Neptune I fear which once came in a Floud If with your Maids I dread Apollo's Rape Who cous'ned Chion in an old Wives shape If you do banquet Bacchus makes me dread Who in a Grape Erigone did feed And if my self your Chamber-door should keep Yet fear I Hermes coming in a Sleep Pardon sweet Queen if I offend in this In these Delays Love most impatient is And Youth wants pow'r his hot Spleen to suppress When Hope already banquets in Excess Though Henry's Fame in me you shall not find Yet that which better shall content your mind But onely in the Title of a King VVas his advantage in no other thing If in his love more pleasure you did take Never let Queen trust Britain for my sake Yet judge me not from Modesty exempt That I another Phaetons Charge attempt My Mind that thus your Favours dare aspire Shews that 't is touch't with a celestial fire If I 'm in fault the more is Beauties blame VVhen she her self is author of the same All Men to some one quality incline Onely to Love is naturally mine Thou art by Beauty famous as by Birth Ordain'd by Heav'n to cheer the drooping Earth Add faithfull Love unto your greater State And be alike in all things fortunate A King might promise more I not deny But yet by Heav'n he lov'd not more then I. And thus I leave till time my Faith approve I cease to write but never cease to love ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History And that the Helm the Tudors antient Crest THE Arms of Tudor was three Helmets whereof he speaketh as a thing prophetically foretold of Merlin When in thy presence I was call'd to dance Owen Tudor being a courtly and active Gentleman commanded once to dance before the Queen in a Turn not being able to recover himself fell into her Lap as she sat upon a little Stool with many of her Ladies about her And yet with them in Wales that famous be Our learned Bards c. This Berdh as they call it in the Brittish Tongue or as we more properly say Bard or Bardus be their Poets which keep the Records of Pedigrees and Descents and sung in Odes and Measures to their Harps after the old manner of the Lyrick Poets And boast my Blood from great Cadwallader Cadwallader the last King of the Britains descended of the Noble and ancient Race of the Trojans to whom an Angel appeared commanding him to goe to Rome to Pope Sergius where he ended his Life From old Caer-Septon in Mount Palador Caer-Septon now called Shaftsbury at whose Building it was said an Eagle prophesied or rather one named Aquila of the fame of that Place and of the recovery of the Isle by the Britains bringing back with them the Bones of Cadwallader from Rome And from Encons Line the South-Wales King From Theodor c. This Encon was slain by the Rebels of Gwentland he was a notable and worthy Gentleman who in his life did many noble Acts and was Father to Theodor or Tudor Maur of whom descended the Princes of South-Wales From her great Grandam fair Gwenellian Gwenellian the daughter of Rees ap Grisseth ap Theodor Prince of South-Wales married Ednivet Vaughan Ancestor to Owen Tudor By true descent from Leolin the Great This is the Lowhelin called Leolinus Magnus Prince of North-Wales Nor that word Croggen Nick-name of disgrace In the Voyage that Henry the Second made against the Welshmen as his Souldiers passed Offas Ditch at Croggen Castle they were overthrown by the Welshmen which word Croggen hath since been used to the Welshmen's Disgrace which was at first begun with their Honour And kept our Native Language now thus long The Welshmen be those ancient Britains which when the Picts Danes and Saxons invaded here were first driven into those parts where they have kept their Language ever since the first without commixtion with any other And old Caer-Marden Merlins famous Town Caer-Marden or Merlin's Town so called of Merlin's being found there This was Ambrose Merlins whose Prophesies we have There was another of that Name called Merlin Sylvestris born in Scotland sirnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophesied FINIS ELINOR COBHAM TO Duke HVMPHREY The ARGUMENT Elinor Daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough and Wife to Humphrey Plantaginet Duke of Gloucester the Son of Henry the fourth King of England sirnamed Bullingbrook This noble Duke for his great wisdom and justice called the good was by King Henry the fifth Brother to the Duke at his Death appointed Protector of the Land during the nonage of Henry the sixth this Elinor Dutchess of Gloucester a Proud and Ambitious Woman knowing that if young Henry died without issue the Duke her Husband was the nearest of the blood Conspired with one Bullingbrook a Great Magitian Hun a Priest and Jourdan Witch of Eye by sorcery to make away the King and by conjuration to know who should succeed Of this being justly convicted she was adjudged to do pennance three several times openly in London and then to perpetual banishment to the Isle of Man from whence she writes this Epistle MEthinks not knowing who these Lines should send Thou straight turn'st over to the latter end Where thou my Name no sooner hast espy'd But in disdain my Letter casts aside Why if thou wilt I will my self deny Nay I 'll affirm and swear I am not I Or if in that thy shame thou do'st perceive For thy dear sake loe I my Name will leave And yet methinks amaz'd thou shouldst not stand Nor seem so much appalled at my Hand For my Misfortunes have inur'd thine Eye Long before this to Sights of Misery No no read on 't is I the very same All thou canst read is but to read my shame Be not dismay'd nor let my Name affright The worst it can is but t' offend thy sight It cannot wound nor doe thee deadly harm It is no dreadfull Spell
ENGLAND'S Heroical Epistles WRITTEN In Imitation of the Stile and Manner OF OVID'S EPISTLES WITH ANNOTATIONS OF The Chronicle History By MICHAEL DRAYTON Esq Newly Corrected and Amended Licensed according to Order LONDON Printed for S. Smethwick in Dean's Court and R. Gilford without Bishops-Gate TO THE READER SEEING these Epistles are now to the World made publique it is imagined that I ought to be accountable of my private meaning chiefly for my own discharge lest being mistaken I fall in hazard of a just and universal Reprehension for Hae nugae seria ducent In mala derisum semel exceptumque sinistre Two Points are especially therefore to be explained first why I entitle this Work England's Heroical Epistles secondly why I have annexed Notes to every Epistles end For the first The Title I hope carrieth Reason in it self for that the most and greatest Persons herein were English or else that their Loves were obtained in England And though Heroical be properly understood of Demi-gods as of Hercules and Aeneas whose Parents were said to be the one Coelestial the other Mortal yet is it also transferred to them who for the greatness of Mind come near to Gods For to be born of a Coelestial Incubus is nothing else but to have a great and mighty Spirit far above Earthly weakness of Men in which sence Oâ—… whose Imitator I partly profess to be doth alâ—… use Heroical For the second because the Wâ—… might in truth be judged Brainish if nothing 〈◊〉 amorous Humor were handled therein I have interwoven Matters Historical which unexplained mighâ— defraud the mind of much Content as for Example in Queen Margarites Epistle to William De La-Pool My Daisie Flower which once perfum'd the Air Margarite in French signifies a Daisy which for the allusion to her Name this Queen gave for her Device and this as others more have seemed to me not unworthy the explaining By this mark * in the beginning of every Line thou art directed to the Annotations for an explanation of what is obscure Now though no doubt I had need to excuse other things beside yet these most especially the rest I over-pass to eschew tedious recital If they be as harmelesly taken as I mean them I shall not lastly be afraid to believe and acknowledge thee a gentle Reader M. DRAYTON On the Authour MICHAEL DRAYTON Esq and his Heroick Epistles SEe here Britannia's OVID whose soft Pen Transplants the Grecian Loves to English-men View his EPISTLES throughly and behold Our native Oar coin'd in a Roman Mould Yet all is Standard all Rose-noble Gold See here Britannia's LVCAN whose rich Vein In History does antient Times explain In our fore-Father's out-of-Fashion Dress He do's a Noble Gallantry express Equal to that of Rome and much above The little Fopperies of modern Love The English Hero's Soul is all divine As is the Beauty of the Heroine Howe'er they disagree in Clime or Name The Lover and the Brave are still the same The Muses Treasure and Delight of Fame J. W. On the Ingenious AUTHOUR occasioned by the present Edition of his HEROICAL EPISTLES HEre Reader 's One who when vouchsaft to Write Could both the Sexes of mankind delight â—n gentle Numbers and soft Lays he sings Th' alternate Loves of Subjects and of Kings The Theme he writes of and his Song agree Unequal Notes make up the Harmony Listen ye Wits to that Orphean strain Which charm'd even Ovid's Soul to Life again Tibullus Gallus and Propertius too All Caesar's Court in one sweet Poet view His English Heroes courteous and brave Unblemish'd bear their Honours to the Grave No light Incontinence their Glories stain They fixt and constant in their Loves remain Here no Penelope laments her Fate In her once kind but now inconstant Mate No poor forsaken Sappho can complain Of her too cruel Phaon's cold disdain Naso 't is true was perfect at Address But Drayton's Language only found success So fraught with Love all his EPISTLES came They warm'd the Answers into equal Flame Such was the Poet and his Wit so great Pent up in Earth it was releas'd by Fate Adorn'd with Fancy Innocence and Love His Book discovers that he 's blest above Thus active Stars that shoot along the Sky Leave glitt'ring Tracts to shew which way they fly B. C. A Dedication of These and the foregoing Verses to Mr. Drayton's Heroick Epistles ETernal Book to which our Muses flye In hopes of gaining Immortality Time has devour'd the Younger Sons of Wit Who liv'd when Chaucer Spencer Johnson writ Those lofty Trees are of their Leaves bereft And to a reverend Nakedness are left But the chief Glory of Apollo's Grove Drayton who taught his Daphne how to Love Drayton that sacred Lawrel seems to be From which each Sprig that falls must grow a Tree Our humble Lines eternal Book receive And order Fate to let the Suppliants live But if our Zeal no valued Merit brings And what you inspire must dye like common things Yet to attend the Triumphs of the Brave Contents the Soul and fits it for the Grave Besides near You an easie Fate we choose When by Neglect we Want our Beings loose In such pure Air gross Muses take no Breath Faint and in gentle Trances meet their Death Thus when in Honour of the Suns return Their imitating Lamps the Persians burn Before his Beams the glimmering Lights expire And Sacrifice themselves to the Coelestial Fire T. B. To the Stationer on this new and correcâ— Impression of England's Heroical Epistles By MICHAEL DRAYTON Esq GO on industriously and give Whilst Wit and Poesie shall live New Light to DRAYTON whose unequall'd Quâ—… Disdains all vain Essays of modern skill The Nine grown Housewives now do ne'er inspirâ— Such double Portions of aetherial Fire As once they did in those his days but since In scantier measures do their warmth dispence Forth then thou Objects of the Criticks Eye Beyond th' Efforts of all our Poesie Expose refin'd and various Delights And glut the nicest Readers Appetites Since the melodious Thracian Orpheus sung No Harp was ever better Touch'd or Strung His Angel-sounds methinks the blood more warms Than all the Pow'rs of Chast Matilda's Charms Could th' Royal Lover's Breast which whilst he sings Some Magick moves the mind 's internal Springs Edwine Sadleyr Baronet ENGLAND'S Heroical Epistles The Epistle of ROSAMOND TO King HENRY the Second The ARGUMENT Henry the Second of that Name King of England having by long Suit and Princely Gifts won to his unlawfull desire fair Rosamond the Daughter of the Lord Walter Clyfford and to avoid the danger of Ellinor his jealous Queen had caused a Labyrinth to be made within his Palace at Woodstock in the centre whereof he had lodged his beauteous Paramour Whilst the King is absent in his Wars in Normandy this poor distressed Lady inclosed in this solitary Place toucht with remorse of Conscience writes to the King of her Distress and miserable Estate urging him with all means and
so dye ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History THis Epistle containeth no particular Points of History more than the generality of the Argument layeth open for after the Banishment of the Lord Robert Fitz-water and that Matilda was become a Recluse at Dunmow from whence this Reply is imagined to be written the King still earnestly persisting in his Sute Matilda with this chaste and constant Denyall hopes yet at length to find some comfortable Remedy and to rid her self of Doubts by taking upon her this Monastick Habit and to shew that she still beareth in mind his former Cruelty bred by the impatience of his Lust she remembreth him of her Fathers Banishment the lawless Exile of her Allies Friends Do'st thou of Father and of Friends deprive me Then complaining of her Distress that flying thither thinking there to find Relief she seeth her self most assailed where 〈◊〉 hoped to have found most Safety Fled I first hither hoping to have aid Here thus c. After again standing upon the precise Points of Conscience not to cast off this Habit she had taken Vowing my self religiously a Nun. And at last laying open more particularly the Miserie 's sustained by her Father in England the Burning of his Castles and Houses which she proveth to be for her sake as respecting only her Honour more then his Native Country and his own Fortunes And to withstand a Tyrant's lewd desire Beheld his Towns spent in revengefull Fire Knitting up her Epistle with a great and constant Resolution Though Dunmow give no Refuge here at all Dunmow can give my Body Burial FINIS QUEEN ISABEL TO MORTIMER The ARGUMENT Queen Isabel Wife to Edward the Second called Edward Carnarvan and Daughter of Philip de Beau King of France being in the glory of her Youth forsaken by the King her Husband who delighted only in the Company of Pierce Gaveston his Minion and Favourite drew into her especial Favour Roger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore a Man of an invincible Spirit who rising in Arms against the King with Thomas Earl of Lancaster and the Barons was taken e'er he could gather his Power and by the King committed to the Tower of London During his Imprisonment he ordained a Feast in honour of his Birth-day to which he invited Sir Stephen Segrave Lieutenant of the Tower and the rest of the Officers where by means of a Drink prepared by the Queen he cast them all into a heavy sleep and with Ladders of Cords being ready prepared for the purpose he escapeth and flieth into France whilst she sendeth this Epistle complaining of her own Misfortune and greatly rejoycing at his safe Escape THough such sweet comfort comes not now from her As Englands Queen hath sent to Mortimer Yet what that wants may it my Power approve If Lines can bring this shall supply with Love Me thinks Affliction should not fright me so Nor should resume those sundry shapes of Woe But when I fain would find the cause of this Thy absence shews me where my Error is Oft when I think of thy departing hence Sad Sorrow then possesseth ev'ry Sense But finding thy dear Bloud preserv'd thereby And in thy Life my long-wish'd Liberty With that sweet Thought alone my self I please Amidst my Grief which sometimes gives me ease Thus doe extreamest Ills a Joy possess And one Woe makes another Woe seem less That blessed Night that mild-aspected Hour Wherein thou mad'st escape out of the Towre Shall consecrated evermore remain Some gentle Planet in that Hour did reign And shall be happy in the Birth of Men Which was chief Lord of the Ascendant then * Oh how I fear'd that sleepy Juyce I sent Might yet want power to further thine Intent Or that some unseen Mystery might lurk Which wanting order kindly should not work Oft did I wish those dreadfull poys'ned Lees Which clos'd the ever-waking Dragons Eyes Or I had had those Sense-bereaving Stalks That grow in shady Proserpine's dark Walks Or those black Weeds on Lethe Banks below Or Lunarie that doth on Latmus flow Oft did I fear this moist and foggy Clime Or that the Earth wax'd barren now with time Should not have Herbs to help me in this case Such as do thrive on India's parched Face That Morrow when the blessed Sun did rise And shut the Lids of all Heav'n's lesser Eyes Forth from my Palace by a secret Stair * I stole to Thames as though to take the Air And ask'd the gentle Floud as it doth glide If thou didst pass or perish by the Tide If thou didst perish I desire the Stream To lay thee softly on his Silver Team And bring thee to me to the quiet Shoar That with his Tears thou might'st have some Tears more When suddenly doth rise a rougher Gale With that methinks the troubled Waves look pale And sighing with that little Gust that blows With this remembrance seem to knit their Brows Ev'n as this sudden Passion doth affright me The chearfull Sun breaks from a Cloud to light me Then doth the Bottom evident appear As it would shew me that thou wast not there When as the Water flowing where I stand Doth seem to tell me thou art safe on Land * Did Bulloin once a Festival prepare For England Almain Cicill and Navarre When France those Buildings envy'd only blest Grac'd with the Orgies of my Bridall Feast That English Edward should refuse my Bed For that lascivious shameless Ganimed * And in my place upon his Regal Throne To set that Girle-Boy wanton Gavesion Betwixt the Feature of my Face and his My Glass assures me no such diff'rence is * That a foul Witches Bastard should thereby Be thought more worthy of his Love then I. What doth avail us to be Princes Heirs When we can boast our Birth is only theirs When base dissembling Flatterers shall deceive us Of all that our great Ancestors did leave us * And of our Princely Jewels and our Dowres Let us enjoy the least of what is ours When Minions Heads must wear our Monarchs Crowns To raise up Dunghils with our famous Towns Those Beggars-Brats wrapt in our rich Perfumes Their Buzzard-wings imp'd with our Eagles Plumes * And match'd with the brave Issue of our Blood Ally the Kingdom to their cravand Brood Did Longshanks purchase with his conqu'ring Hand * Albania Gascoyne Cambria Ireland That young Carnarvan his unhappy Son * Should give away all that his Father won To back a Stranger proudly bearing down The brave Allies and Branches of the Crown * And did great Edward on his Death-bed give This Charge to them who afterwards should live That that proud Gascoyne banished the Land No more should tread upon the English Sand And have these great Lords in the Quarrel stood And seal'd his last Will with their dearest Blood * That after all this fearfull Massacre The Fall of Beauchamp Lacy Lancaster Another Faithless Favourite should arise To cloud the Sun of our Nobilities * And gloried I in Gaveston's great Fall
with our Disgrace And we in bonds thus striving to contain it The more resists the more we do restrain it * Oh how ev'n yet I hate these wretched Eyes And in my Glass oft call them faithless Spys Prepar'd for Richard that unawares did look Upon that Traytor Henry Bullenbrook But that excess of Joy my Sense bereav'd So much my Sight had never been deceiv'd Oh how unlike to my lov'd Lord was he Whom rashly I sweet Richard took for thee I might have seen the Courser's self did lack That Princely Rider to bestride his Back He that since Nature her great work began She onely made the Mirrour of a Man That when she meant to form some matchless Lim Still for a Pattern took some part of him And jealous in her Cunning brake the Mould When she in him had done the best she could Oh let that Day be guilty of all Sin That is to come or heretofore hath been * Wherein great Norfolk's forward Course was stay'd To prove the Treasons he to Harford lay'd When with stern Fury both these Dukes enrag'd Their Warlike Gloves at Coventry engag'd When first thou didst repeal thy former Grant Seal'd to brave Mowbray as thy Combatant From his unnumbred Houres let Time divide it Lest in his Minutes he should hap to hide it Yet on his Brow continually to bear it That when it comes all other Hours may fear it And all ill-boding Planets by consent In it may hold their dreadfull Parliament Be it in Heav'ns Decrees enrolled thus Black dismal fatal inauspitious Proud Harford then in height of all his Pride Under great Mowbray's valiant Hand had dy'd And never had from Banishment retir'd The fatal Brand wherewith our Troy was fir'd * Oh why did Charles relieve his needy state A Vagabond and stragling Runagate And in his Court with grace did entertain That vagrant Exile that vile bloody Cain Who with a thousand Mothers Curses went Mark'd with the Brand of ten years Banishment * When thou to Ireland took'st thy last Farewell Millions of Knees upon the Pavements fell And ev'ry where th' applauding Ecchoes ring The joyfull shouts that did salute a King Thy parting hence the Pomp that did adorn Was vanish'd quite when as thou didst return Who to my Lord one Look vouchsaf'd to lend Then all too few on Harford to attend Princes like Suns be evermore in sight All see the Clouds betwixt them and their Light Yet they which lighten all beneath their Skies See not the Clouds offending others Eyes And deem their Noon-tide is desir'd of all When all expect clear Changes by their Fall What colour seems to shadow Harford's claim When Law and Right his Fathers Hope do mayme * Affirm'd by Church-men which should bear no Hate That John of Gaunt was illegitimate Whom his reputed Mothers Tongue did spot By a base Flemish Boor to be begot Whom Edward's Eaglets mortally did shun Daring with them to gaze against the Sun Where lawfull Right and Conquest doth allow A tripple Crown on Richard's Princely Brow Three Kingly Lyons bears his Bloody Field * No Bastard's Mark doth blot his conqu'ring Shield Never durst he attempt our hapless Shore Nor set his foot on fatal Ravenspore Nor durst his slugging Hulks approach the Strand Nor stoop a Top as signal to the Land Had not the Piercies promis'd ayd to bring Against their Oath unto their lawfull King * Against their Faith unto our Crown 's true Heir Their valiant Kinsman Edmund Mortimer When I to England came a World of Eyes Like Stars attended on my fair Arise Which now alas like angry Planets frown And are all set before my going down The smooth-fac'd Air did on my coming smile But I with Storms am driven to Exile But Bullenbrook devis'd we thus should part Fearing two Sorrows should possess one Heart To add to our affliction to deny That one poor Comfort left our Misery He had before divorc'd thy Crown and thee Which might suffice and not to Widow me But so to prove the utmost of his hate To part us in this miserable state * Oh would Aumerl had sunk when he betray'd The Plot which once that noble Abbot laid When he infring'd the Oath which he first took For thy Revenge on perjur'd Bullenbrook And been the ransome of our Friends dear Blood Untimely lost and for the Earth too good And we untimely do bewail their state They gone too soon and we remain too late And though with Tears I from my Lord depart This Curse on Harford fall to ease my Heart If the foul breach of a chaste Nuptial Bed May bring a Curse my Curse light on his Head If Murthers guilt with Bloud may deeply stain * Green Scroop and Bushy dye his fault in grain If Perjury may Heav'ns pure Gates debar * Damn'd be the Oath he made at Doncaster If the deposing of a lawfull King Thy Curse condemn'd him if no other thingâ— If this dis-joyn'd for Vengeance cannot call Let them united strongly curse him all And for the Piercies Heav'n may hear mp Pray'r That Bullenbrook now plac'd in Richard's Chair Such cause of Woe to their proud Wives may be As those rebellious Lords have been to me And that coy Dame which now controlleth all And in her Pomp triumpheth in my Fall For her great Lord may water her sad Eyne With as salt Tears as I have done for mine * And mourn for Henry Hotspur her dear Son As I for my dear Mortimer have done And as I am so succourless be sent Lastly to tast perpetual Banishment Then lose thy Care when first thy Crown was lost Sell it so dearly for it dearly cost And since it did of Liberty deprive thee Burying thy Hope let nothing else out-live thee But hard God knows with Sorrow doth it go When Woe becomes a comforter to Woe Yet much me thinks of Comfort I could say If from my Heart some Fears were rid away Something there is that danger still doth show But what it is that Heaven alone doth know Grief to it self most dreadfull doth appear And never yet was Sorrow void of fear But yet in Death doth Sorrow hope the best And Richard thus I wish thee happy Rest ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History If fatal Pomfret hath in former time POmfret Castle ever a fatal place to the Princes of England and most ominous to the Bloud of Plantaginet Oh how even yet I hate these wretched Eyes And in my Glass c. When Bullenbrook returned to London from the West bringing Richard a Prisoner with him the Queen who little knew of her Husbands hard Success stayed to behold his coming in little thinking to have seen her Husband thus led in Triumph by his Foe and now seeming to hate her Eyes that so much had graced her mortal Enemy Wherein great Norfolk's forward Course was stay'd She remembreth the meeting of the two Dukes of Harford and Norfolk at Coventry urging the justness of Mowbray's Quarrel against the Duke of
no Magick Charm If she that sent it love Duke Humphry so Is' t possible her Name should be his Foe Yes I am Elinor I am very she Who brought for Dower a Virgins Bed to thee * Though envious Beauford slander'd me before To be Duke Humphry's wanton Paramour And though indeed I can it not deny * To Magick once I did my self apply I won thee not as there be many think With poys'ning Philters and bewitching Drink Nor on thy Person did I ever prove Those wicked Potions so procuring Love I cannot boast to be rich Holland's Heir Nor of the Blood and Greatness of Baveire * Yet Elinor brought no forreign Armies in To fetch her back as did thy Jacomin Nor clam'rous Husband follow'd me that fled Exclaiming Humphry to defile his Bed Nor wast thou forc'd the Slander to suppress To send me back as an Adulteress * Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force Nor su'd to Rome to hasten my Divorce Nor Belgia's Pomp defac'd with Belgia's Fire The just reward of her unjust desire * Nor Bedford's Spouse your noble Sister Ann That Princely-issued great Burgonian Need stand with me to move a Womans strife To yield the place to the Protector 's VVife If Cobham's Name my Birth can dignifie Or Sterborough renown my Family * VVhere 's Greenwich now thy Elinor's Court of late Where she with Humphry held a Princely State That pleasant Kent when I abroad should ride That to my pleasure laid forth all her Pride The Thames by Water when I took the air That danc'd my Barge in lanching from the stayre The anch'ring Ships which when I pass'd the Road Were wont to hang their chequ'red Tops abroad How could it be those that were wont to stand To see my Pomp so Goddess-like to Land Should after see me mayl'd up in a Sheet Do shamefull Pennance three times in the Street Rung with a Bell a Taper in my Hand Bare-foot to trudge before a Beadle's VVand That little Babes not having use of Tongue Stood pointing at me as I came along Where then was Humphrey where was his Command Wast thou not Lord Protector of the Land Or for thy Justice who could thee deny The Title of the good Duke Humphry What Bloud extract from famous Edward's Line Could boast it self to be so pure as thine Who else next Henry should the Realm prefer If it allow the Line of Lancaster But Rayner's Daughter must from France be set And with a vengeance on our Throne be set Mauns Main and Anjou on that Beggar cast To bring her home to England in such hast And what for Henry thou hadst laboured there To joyn the King with Arminack's rich Heir Must all be dash'd as no such thing had been Pool needs must have his Darling made a Queen How should he with our Princes else be plac'd To have his Earlship with a Dukedome grac'd And raise the Off-spring of his Blood so high As Lords of us and our Posterity O that by Sea when he to France was sent The Ship had sunk wherein the Traytor went Or that the Sands had swallow'd her before She e'er set foot upon the English Shore But all is well nay we have store to give What need we more we by her Looks can live All that great Henry by his Conquests heapt And famous Bedford to his glory kept Is given back to Rayner all in post And by this means rich Normandy is lost Those which have come as Mistresses of ours Have into England brought their goodly Dow'rs Which to our Coffers yearly Tribute brings The Life of Subjects and the strength of Kings The means whereby fair England ever might Raise Power in France to back her antient Right But she brings Ruine here to make aboad And cancels all our lawfull Claim abroad And she must recapitulate my Shame And give a thousand by-words to my Name And call me Beldam Gib Witch Night-mare Trot With all despight that may a Woman spot Oh that I were a Witch but for her sake Faith then her Queenship little Rest should take I 'd scratch that Face that may not feel the Air And knit whole Ropes of Witch-knots in her Hair O how I 'd Hag her nightly in her Bed And on her Brest sit like a lump of Lead And like a Fairy pinch that dainty Skin Her wanton Blood is now so cocker'd in Or take me some such known familiar shape As she my Vengeance never should escape Were I a Garment none should need the more To sprinkle me with Nessus poys'ned Gore It were enough if she once put me on To tear both Flesh and Sinews from the Bone Were I a Flower that might her Smell delight Though I were not the poys'ning Aconite I would send such a Fume into her Brow Should make her mad as mad as I am now * They say the Druides once lived in this Isle This fatall Man the place of my Exile Whose pow'rfull Charms such dreadfull Wonders wrought Which in the Gotish Island Tongue were taught Oh that their Spels to me they had resign'd Wherewith they rais'd and calm'd both Sea and Wind And made the Moon pawse in her paled Sphere Whilst her grim Dragons drew them through the Air Their Hellish Power to kill the Plow-mans Seed Or to fore-speak whole Flocks as they did feed To nurse a damned Spirit with humane Blood To carry them through Earth Air Fire and Floud Had I this skill that Time hath almost lost How like a Goblin I would haunt her ghost O pardon pardon my mis-govern'd Tongue A Womans strength cannot endure my Wrong * Did not the Heav'ns her coming in withstand As though affrighted when she came to Land The Earth did quake her coming to abide The goodly Thames did twice keep back his Tide Pauls shook with Tempests that mounting spire With Lightning sent from Heav'n was set on fire Our stately Buidings to the ground were blown Her Pride by these prodigious signs were shown More fearfull Visions on the English Earth Then ever were at any Death or Birth Ah Humphry Humphry if I should not speak My Breast would split my very Heart would break I that was wont so many to command Worse now than with a Clap-dish in my hand A simple Mantle covering me withal The very'st Leper of Cares Hospital That from my State a Presence held in awe Glad here to kennel in a Pad of Straw And like an Owl by Night to goe abroad Roosted all day within an Ivy Tod Among the Sea-Cliffs in the dampy Caves In Charnel-Houses fit to dwell in Graves Saw'st thou those Eyes in whose sweet cheerfull Look Duke Humphry once such joy and pleasure took Sorrow hath so despoil'd them all of grace Thou couldst not say this was my El'nors face Like a foul Gorgon whose dishevell'd Hair With every blast flyes glaring in the Air Some standing up like Horns upon my Head Even like Those Women that in Coos are bred My lank Breasts hang like Bladders
of famous Willoughby Here Montacute rang'd his unconquer'd Band Here march'd we out and here we made a stand What should we sit to mourn and grieve all day For that which Time doth easily take away What Fortune hurts let Suff'rance only heal No wisdom with Extremities to deal To know our selves to come of humane Birth These sad Afflictions cross us here on Earth A punishment from the eternal Law To make us still of Heav'n to stand in awe In vain we prize that at so dear a rate Whose long'st assurance bear 's a Minutes date Why should we idly talk of our Intent When Heav'ns Decree no Counsel can prevent When our fore-sight not possibly can shun That which the Fates determine shall be don Henry hath Power and may my life depose Mine Honour 's mine that none hath power to lose Then be as chearful beautious Royal Queen As in the Court of France we oft have been * As when arriv'd in Porcesters fair Road Where for our coming Henry made aboad When in mine Arms I brought thee safe to Land And gave my Love to Henry's Royal Hand The happy Hours we passed with the King At fair Southampton long in Banqueting With such content as lodg'd in Henries Breast When he to London brought thee from the West Through golden Cheap when he in Pomp did ride To Westminster to entertain his Bride ANNOTATIONS on the Chronicle History Our Faulkons kind cannot the Cage endure HE alludes in these Verses to the Faulcon which was the ancient Device of the Pools comparing the greatness and haughtiness of his spirit to the nature of this Bird. This was the mean proud Warwick did invent To my disgrace c. The Commons at this Parliament through Warwicks means accused Suffolk of Treason and urged the Accusation so vehemently that the King was forced to exile him for five years That only I by yielding up of Main Should be the loss of fertile Aquitain The Duke of Suffolk being sent into France to conclude a Peace chose Duke Rayners Daughter the Lady Margaret whom he espoused for Henry the sixth delivering for her to her Father the Countries of Anjou and Main and the City of Mauns Whereupon the Earl of Arminack whose Daughter was before promised to the King seeing himself to be deluded caused all the Englishmen to be expulsed Aquitain Gascoyne and Guyne With the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the Heir of good Duke Humphry's name This Richard that was called the great Earl of Warwick when Duke Humphry was dead grew into exceeding great favour with the Commons With Salisbury his vile ambitious Sire In York's stern Breast kindling long hidden fire By Clarence Title working to supplant The Eagle-Airy of great John of Gaunt Richard Plantaginet Duke of York in the time of Henry the Sixth claymed the Crown being assisted by this Richard Nevil Earl of Salisbury and Father to the great Earl of Warwick who favoured exceedingly the House of York in open Parliament as Heir to Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son of Edward the Third making his Title by Ann his Mother Wife to Richard Earl of Cambridge Son to Edmund of Langley Duke of York Which Ann was Daughter to Roger Mortimer Earl of March which Roger was Son and Heir to Edmund Mortimer that married the Lady Philip Daughter and Heir to Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son of King Edward to whom the Crown after King Richard the Seconds Death lineally descended he dying without Issue and not to the Heir of the Duke of Lancaster that was younger Brother to the Duke of Clarence Hall cap. 1. Tit. Yor. Lanc. Urg'd by these envious Lords to spend their breath Calling revenge on the Protectors death Humphry Duke of Glouster and Lord Protector in the five and twentieth year of Henry the Sixth by means of the Queen and the Duke of Suffolk was arrested by the Lord Beaumont at the Parliament holden at Bury and the same Night after murthered in his Bed If they would know who rob'd him c To this Verse To know how Humphry dy'd and who shall reign In these Verses he jests at the Protectors Wife who being accused and convicted of Treason because with John Hun a Priest Roger Bullenbrook a Necromancer and Margery Jordan called the Witch of Eye she had consulted by Sorcery to kill the King was adjudged to perpetual Imprisonment in the Isle of Man and to do Penance openly in three publick places in London For twenty years and have I serv'd in France In the sixth year of Henry the Sixth the Duke of Bedford being deceased then Lieutenant General and Regent of France this Duke of Suffolk was promoted to that Dignity having the Lord Talbot Lord Scales and the Lord Mountacute to assist him Against great Charles and Bastard Orleance This was Charles the Seventh who after the death of Henry the Fifth obtained the Crown of France and recovered again much of that his Father had lost Bastard Orleance was Son to the Duke of Orleance begotten of the Lord Cawnies Wife preferred highly to many notable Offices because be being a most valiant Captain was a continual Enemy to the Englishmen dayly infesting them with divers Incursions And have I seen Vernoyla's batful Fields Vernoyle is that noted place in France where the great Battle was fought in the beginning of Henry the Sixth his Reign where most of the French Chivalrie were overcome by the Duke of Bedford And from Aumerle withdrew my Warlike Powers Aumerle is that strong defenced Town in France which the Duke of Suffolk got after four and twenty great Assaults given unto it And came my self in person first to Tours Th'Embassadours for Truce to entertain From Belgia Denmark Hungary and Spain Tours is a City in France built by Brutus as he came into Brittain where in the one and twentieth year of the Reign of Henry the Sixth was appointed a great Diet to be kept whither came Embassadors of the Empire Spain Hungary and Denmark to intreat for a perpetual Peace to be made between the two Kings of England and France By true descent to wear the Diadem Of Naples Cicil and Jerusalem Rayner Duke of Anjou Father to Queen Margaret called himself King of Naples Cicily and Jerusalem having the Title alone of the King of those Countries A fifteenth Tax in France I freely spent The Duke of Suffolk after the Marriage concluded between King Henry and Margaret Daughter to Rayner asked in open Parliament a whole Fifteenth to fetch her into England Seen thee for England but imbarqu'd at Deep Deep is a Town in France bordering upon the Sea where the Duke of Suffolk with Queen Margaret took Ship for England As when arriv'd at Porchesters fair Rhoad Porchester a Haven Town in the South-West part of England where the King tarried expecting the Queens arrival whom from thence be conveyed to Southampton Queen MARGARET TO WILLIAM DE-LA-POOLE Duke of SUFFOLK WHat news sweet Pool look'st
my Counsel yet this comfort is It cannot hurt although I think amiss Then live in hope in Triumph to return When clearer Days shall leave in Clouds to mourn But so hath Sorrow girt my Soul about That that word Hope me thinks comes slowly out The reason is I know it here would rest Where it might still behold thee in my Breast Farewel sweet Pool fain more I would indite But that my Tears do blot what I do write ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History Or brings in Burgoin to aid Lancaster PHilip Duke of Burgoine and his Son were always great Favorites of the House of Lancaster howbeit they often dissembled both with Lancaster and York Who in the North our lawful Claim commends To win us credit with our valiant Friends The chief Lords of the North parts in the time of Henry the Sixth withstood the Duke of York at his Rising giving him two great overthrows To that Allegeance York was bound by Oath To Henry's Heirs for safety of us both No longer now he means Records shall bear it He will dispence with Heaven and will unswear it The Duke of York at the death of Henry the Fifth and at this Kings Coronation took his Oath to be true subject to him and his Heirs for ever but afterward dispensing therewith claymed the Crown as his rightful and proper Inheritance If three Sons sail she 'l make the fourth a King The Duke of York had four Sons Edward Earl of March that afterward was Duke of York and King of England when he had deposed Henry the Sixth and Edmund Earl of Rutland slain by the Lord Clifford at the Battle at Wakefield and George Duke of Clarence that was murthered in the Tower and Richard Duke of Gloucester who was after he had murthered his Brothers Sons King by the Name of Richard the Third He that 's so like his Dam her youngest Dick That foul ill-favour'd crook-back'd Stigmatick c. Till this Verse As though begot an age c. This Richard whom ironically she calls Dick that by Treason after the murther of his Nephews obtained the Crown was a Man low of stature crook-back'd the left shoulder much higher than the right and of a very crabbed and sowr countenance His Mother could not be delivered of him he was born Toothed and with his Feet forward contrary to the course of Nature To over-shaddow our Vermilion Rose The Red Rose was the Badge of the House of Lancaster and the White Rose of York which by the marriage of Henry the Seventh with Elizabeth indubitate Heir of the House of York was happily united Or who will muzzle that unruly Bear The Earl of Warwick the setter up and puller down of Kings gave for his Arms the White Bear rampant and the Ragged Staff My daisy flower which once perfum'd the Air Which for my favour Princes dayn'd to wear Now in the dust lies c. The Daisy in French is called Margarite which was Queen Margarets Badge wherewithal the Nobility and Chivalry of the Land at her first arrival were so delighted that they wore it in their Hats in token of Honour And who be Stars but Warwicks bearded Staves The ragged and bearded Staff was a part of the Arms belonging to the Earldom of Warwick Sland'ring Duke Rayner with base Beggery Rayner Duke of Anjou called himself King of Naples Cicile and Jerusalem who had neither Inheritance nor reâ—eived any Tribute from those Parts and was not able at the Marriage of the Queen at his own Charge to send her into England though be gave no Dower with her Which by the Duchess of Gloucester was often in disgrace cast in her Teeth A Kentish Rebel a base upstart Groom This was Jack Cade which caused the Kentish Men to rebel in the eight and twentieth year of King Henry the Sixth And this is he the White Rose must prefer By Clarence Daughter match'd to Mortimer This Jack Cade instructed by the Duke of York pretended to be descended from Mortimer which married Lady Philip Daughter to the Duke of Clarence And makes us weak by strengthning Ireland The Duke of York being made Deputy of Ireland first there began to practise his long pretended purpose and strengthning himself hy all means possible that he might at his return into England by open War claim that which so long before he had privily gone about to obtain Great Winchester untimely is deceas'd Henry Beauford Bishop and Cardinal Wincester Son to John of Gaunt begot in his age was a proud and ambitious Prelate favouring mightily the Queen and the Duke of Suffolk continually heaping up innumerable Treasures in hope to have been Pope as himself on his deah-bed confessed With France t' upbraid the valiant Somerset Edmund Duke of Somerset in the four and twentieth year of Henry the Sixth was made Regent of France and sent into Normandy to defend the English Territories against the French Invasions but in short time he lost all that King Henry the Fifth won for which cause the Nobles and Commons ever after hated him T' indure these storms with woful Buckingham Humphry Duke of Buckingham was a great Favorite of the Queens Faction in the time of Henry the Sixth And one foretold by Water thou shouldst dye The Witch of Eye received answer from her Spirit That the Duke of Suffolk should take heed of Water Which the Queen fore-warns him of as remembring the Witches Prophesie which afterwards came to pass FINIS EDWARD the Fourth TO Mistress SHORE The ARGUMENT Edward the Fourth Son to Richard Duke of York after he had obtained quiet possession of the Crown by deposing Henry the Sixth which Henry was after murthered in the Tower by Crook'd-back Richard hearing by report of many the rare and wonderful Beauty of Mrs. Jane Shore so called of her Husband a Goldsmith in Lombard-Sreet cometh himself disguised to London to see her where after he had once beheld her he was so surprised with her admirable Beauty that not long after he robbed her Husband of his dearest Jewel but he first by this Epistle writeth to his beauteous Paramour TO thee the fair'st that ever breath'd this Air * From English Edward to thee fairest fair Ah would to God thy Title were no more That no remembrance might remain of Shore To countermand a Monarchs high desire And barr mine Eyes of what they most admire Oh! why should Fortune make the City proud To give that more than is the Court allow'd Where they like Wretches hoord it up to spare And do ingross it as they do their Ware When Fame first blaz'd thy Beauty hear in Court Mine Ears repuls'd it as a light Report But when mine Eyes saw what mine Ear had heard They thought Report too niggardly had spar'd And strucken dumb with wonder did but mutter Conceiving more than it had words to utter Then think of what thy Husband is possest When I malign the Wealth wherewith hee 's blest When much abundance makes the
his Princely part to take When as the Staves upon thy Cask did light Grieved therewith I turn'd away my sight And spake aloud when I my self forgot 'T is my sweet Charles my Brandon hurt him not But when I fear'd the King perceived this Good silly Man I pleas'd him with a Kiss And to extoll his valiant Son began That Europe never bred a braver Man And when poor King he simply praised thee Of all the rest I ask'd which thou shouldst be Thus I with him dissembled for thy sake Open confession now amends must make Whilst this old King upon a Pallat lies And only holds a combat with mine Eyes Mine Eyes from his by thy sight stoln away Which might too well their Mistress Thoughts bewray But when I saw thy proud unconquer'd Launce To bear the Prize from all the flow'r of France To see what pleasure did my Soul embrace Might eas'ly be discerned in my Face Look as the Dew upon a Damask Rose How through that liquid Pearl his blushing shows And when the gentle air breaths on his top From the sweet Leaves falls eas'ly drop by drop Thus by my Cheek distilling from mine Eyes One Tear for Joy anothers Room supplies Before mine Eye like Touch thy shape did prove Mine Eye condemn'd my too too partial Love But since by others I the same do try My Love condemns my too too partial Eye The precious stone most beautiful and rare When with it self we only it compare We deem all other of that kind to be As excellent as that we only see But when we judge of that with others by Too credulous we do condemn our Eye Which then appears more orient and more bright Having a Boyl whereon to shew its light Alanson a fine timb'red Man and tall Yet wants the shape thou art adorn'd withal Vandome good Carriage and a pleasing Eye Yet hath not Suffolk's Princely Majesty Couragious Burbon a sweet Manly Face Yet in his Looks lacks Brandon's Courtly Grace Proud Longavile suppos'd to have no Peer A man scarce made was thought whilst thou wast here The Count Saint-Paul our best at Arms in France Would yield himself a Squire to bear thy Lauce * Galleas and Bounarm matchless for their might Under thy towring Blade have couch'd in fight If with our Love my Brother angry be I 'le say to please him I first fancied thee And but to frame my liking to his mind Never to thee had I been half so kind Worthy my love the Vulgar judge no man Except a Yorkist or Lancastrian Nor think that my affection should be set But in the Line of great Plantaginet I mind not what the idle Commons say I pray thee Charles make hast and come away To thee what 's England if I be not there Or what to me is France if thou not here Thy absence makes me angry for a while But at thy presence I should gladly smile When last of me his leave my Brandon took He sware an Oath and made my Lips the Book He would make hast which now thou do'st denie Thou art forsworn O wilful Perjury Sooner would I with greater sins dispence Than by intreaty pardon this Offence But then I think if I should come to shrive thee Great were the Fault that I should not forgive thee Yet wert thou here I should revenged be But it should be with too much loving thee I that is all that thou shalt fear to taste I pray thee Brandon come sweet Charles make hast ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History The utmost date expired of my stay When I for Dover did depart away KIng Henry the Eight with the Queen and Nobles in the sixth year of his Reign in the Month of September brought this Lady to Dover where she took shipping for France Think'st thou my love was faithful unto thee When young Castile to England su'd for me It was agreed and concluded betwixt Henry the seventh and Philip King of Castile Son to Maximilian the Emperor That Charles eldest Son of the said Philip should marry the Lady Mary Daughter to King Henry when they came to age Which agreement was afterwards in the eight year of Henry the Eight annihilated When he in triumph of his Victory Under a rich imbroyd'red Canopy Entred proud Turney which did trembling stand c. Henry the Eight after the long Siege of Turney which was delivered to him upon composition entred the City in Triumph under a Canopy of Cloth of Gold born by four of the Chief and most Noble Citizens the King himself mounted upon a gallant Courser barbed with the Arms of England France and Ireland When Charles of Castile there to banquet came With him his Sister that ambitious Dame Savoy's proud Dutchess The King being at Turney there came to him the Prince of Castile and the Lady Margaret Dutches of Savoy his Sister to whom King Henry gave great intertainment Savoy's proud Dutchess knowing how long she All means had try'd to win my love from me At this time there was speech of a Marriage to be concluded between Charles Brandon then Lord Lisle and the Dutchess of Savoy the Lord Lisle being highly favoured and exceedingly beloved of the Dutchess When in King Henries Tent of Cloth of Gold The King caused a rich Tent of Cloath of Gold to be erected where he feasted the Prince of Castile and the Dutchess and entertained them with sumptuous Masks and Banquets during their abode When Maximilian to those Wars adrest Wore Englands Cross on his Imperial Breast Maximilian the Emperor with all his Souldiers which served under King Henry wore the Cross of Saint George with the Rose on their Breasts And in our Army let his Eagle flie The black Eagle is the Badge Imperial which here is used for the displaying of his Ensign or Standard That view'd our Ensigns with a wond'ring Eye Henry the Eighth at his Wars in France retained the Emperor and all his Souldiers in Wages which served under him during those Wars But this alone by Wolsey's wit was wrought Thomas Wolsey the Kings Almoner then Bishop of Lincoln a Man of great Authority with the King and afterward Cardinal was the chief cause that this Lady Mary was married to the old French King with whom the French had dealt under-hand to befriend him in that Match Where the proud Dolphin for thy Valour sake Chose thee at Tilt his Princely part to take Francis Duke of Valoys and Dolphin of France at the Marriage of the Lady Mary in honour thereof proclaimed a Justs where be chose the Duke of Suffolk and the Marquess of Dorset for his aids at all Martial Exercises Galeas and Bounarme matchless for their might This Count Galeas at the Justs ran a Course with a Spear which was at the Head five inches square on every side and at the But nine Inches square whereby be shewed his wondrous force and strength This Bounarm a Gentleman of France at the same time came into the field armed at all
Nobility should bear it If Counsel aid that France will tell I know Whose Towns lye wast before the English Foe When thrice we gave the conquer'd French the foil * At Agincourt at Cravant and Vernoyle If Faith avail these Arms did Henry hold To claym his Crown yet scarcely nine months old If Countries care have leave to speak for me Gray hairs in youth my witness then may be If peoples tongues give splendor to my Fame They add a Title to Duke Humphry's Name If Toyle at home French Treason English Hate Shall tell my skill in mannaging the State If forreign Travel my success may try * Then Flanders Almain Boheme Burgundie That Robe of Rome proud Beauford now doth wear In every place such sway should never bear * The Crosier staff in his imperious Hand To be the Scepter that controules the Land That home to England Dispensations draws Which are of power to abrogate our Laws And for those Sums the wealthy Church should pay Upon the needy Comm'nalty to lay His ghostly Counsels only do advise * The means how Langley's Progeny may rise Pathing young Henry's unadvised ways A Duke of York from Cambridge house to raise Which after may our Title undermine Grafted since Edward in Gaunts famous Line Us of Succession falsely to deprive Which they from Clarence fainedly derive Knowing the will old Cambridge ever bore To catch the Wreath that famous Henry wore With Gray and Scroop when first he layd the Plot From us and ours the Garland to have got As from the March-born Mortimer to reign Whose Title Glendour stoutly did maintain When the proud Percies haughty March and he Had shar'd the Land by equal parts in three * His Priesthood now stern Mowbray will restore To stir the fire that kindled was before Against the Yorkists that shall their Claim advance To steel the point of Norfolk's sturdy Lance. Upon the Breast of Harford's issue bent In just revenge of ancient Banishment He doth advise to let our Pris'ner go And doth inlarge the faithless Scotish Foe * Giving our Heirs in Marriage that their Dow'rs May bring invasion upon us and ours Ambitious Suffolk so the Helm doth guide With Beauford's damned Policies suppl'd He and the Queen in Counsel still confer How to raise him who hath advanced her But my dear Heart how vainely do I dream And fly from thee whose Sorrows are my Theam My love to thee and England thus divided Which hath the most how hard to be decided Or thou or that to censure I am loath So near are you so dear unto me both 'Twixt that and thee for equal love I find England ingrateful and my El'nor kind But though my Country justly I reprove Yet I for that neglected have my love Nevertheless thy Humphry's to the now As when fresh Beauty triumph'd on thy Brow As when thy Graces I admired most Or of thy Favours might the frankly'st boast Those Beauties were so infinite before That in abundance I was only poor Of which though Time hath taken some again I ask no more but what doth yet remain Be patient gentle Heart in thy distress Thou art a Princess not a whit the less Whilst in these Breasts we bear about this Life I am thy Husband and thou art my Wife Cast not thine eye on such as mounted be But look on those cast down as low as we For some of them which proudly pearch so hie Ere long shall come as low as thou or I. They weep for joy and let us laugh in Woe We shall exchange when Heav'n will have it so We mourn and they in after-time may mourn Woe past may once laugh present Woe to scorn And worse then hath been we can never tast Worse cannot come then is already past In all extream's the only depth of ill Is that which comforts the afflicted still Ah would to God thou couldst thy Griefs deny And on my back let all the Burthen lye Or if thou canst resign make them mine own Both in one Carriage to be undergone Till we again our former hopes recover And prosp'rous Times blow these Misfortunes over For in the thought of those fore-passed years Some new resemblance of old Joy appears Mutual our Care so mutual be our Love That our Affliction never can remove So rest in peace where peace hath hope to live Wishing thee more then I my self can give ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History At Agincourt at Cravant and Vernoyle THe three famous Battels fought by the Englishmen in France Agincourt by Henry the fifth against the whole Power of France Cravant fought by Montacute Earl of Salisbury and the Duke of Burgoyne against the Dolphin of France and William Stuart Constable of Scotland Vernoyle fought by John Duke of Bedford against the Duke of Alanson and with him most of the Nobility of France Duke Humphry an especial Counsellor in all these Expeditions Then Flanders Almaine Boheme Burgundy Here remembring the ancient Amity which in his Embassies he had concluded betwixt the King of England and Sigismund Emperor of Almain drawing the Duke of Burgoyne into the same League giving himself as an Hostage for the Duke at Saint Omers while the Duke came to Calice to confirm the League With his many other Imployments to forreign Kingdomes That Crosier staff in his imperious hand Henry Beauford Cardinal of Winchester that proud and haughty Prelate received the Cardinals Hat at Calice by the Popes Legate which dignity Henry the fifth his Nephew forbad him to take upon him knowing his haughty and malicious spirit unfit for that Robe and Calling The means how Langley's Progeny may rise As willing to shew the House of Cambridge to be descended of Edmund Langley Earl of York a younger Brother to John of Gaunt his Grandfather as much as in him lay to smother the Title that the Yorkists made to the Crown from Lionel of Clarence Gaunts elder Brother by the Daughter of Mortimer His Priesthood now stern Mowbray doth restore Noting the ancient Grudge between the House of Lancaster and Norfolk ever since Moubray Duke of Norfolk was banished for the Accusation of Henry Duke of Harford after that King of England Father to Duke Humphry Which Accusation he came as a Combatant to have made good in the Lists at Coventry Giving our Heirs in Marriage that their Dow'rs James Stuart King of Scots having been long Prisoner in England was released and took to Wife the Daughter of John Duke of Somerset Sister to John Duke of Somerset Neice to the Cardinal and the Duke of Excester and Cousin-German removed to the King This King broke the Oath he had taken and became afterward a great Enemy to England FINIS WILLIAM DE-LA-POOLE Duke of SUFFOLK TO Queen MARGARET The ARGUMENT William De-La-Pool first Marquess and after created Duke of Suffolk being sent into France by King Henry the Sixth concluded a Marriage between the King his Master and Margaret Daughter to Rayner Duke of Anjou who only had the
Title of King of Sicily and Jerusalem This Marriage being made contrary to the liking of the Lords and Counsel of the Realm by reason of the yielding up of Anjou and Main into the Dukes hands which shortly after proved the loss of all Aquitain they ever after bore a continued hatred to the Duke and by means of the Commons banished him at the Parliament at Bury where after he had judgment of his Exile being then ready to depart he writes back to the Queen this Epistle IN my disgrace dear Queen rest thy Content And Margarets health from Suffolk's Banishment Five years exile were not an hour to me But that so soon I must depart from thee Where thou 'rt not present it is ever night All be exil'd that live not in thy sight Those Savages which worship the Suns rise Would hate their God if they beheld thine Eyes The worlds great light might'st thou be seen abroad Would at our Noon-stead ever make aboad And force the poor Antipodes to mourn Fearing lest he would never more return Wer 't not for thee it were my great'st exile To live within this Sea-inviron'd Isle Pool's Courage brooks not limiting in Bands But that great Queen thy Sov'raignty commands * Our Faulcons kind cannot the Cage indure Nor Buzzard-like doth stoop to ev'ry Lure Their mounting Brood in open Air doe rove Nor will with Crows be coup't within a Grove We all do breathe upon this Earthly Ball Likewise one Heav'n incompasseth thus all No Banishment can be to him assign'd Who doth retain a true resolved Mind Man in himself a little World doth bear His Soul the Monarch ever ruling there Where ever then his Body doth remain He is a King that in himself doth reign And never feareth Fortunes hot'st Alarms That bears against her Patience for his Arm 's * This was the mean proud Warwick did invent To my digrace at Leister Parliament * That only I by yielding up of Main * Should cause the loss of fertile Aquitain * With the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the Heir of good Duke Humphry's Name And so by Treason spotting my pure Blood Make this a mean to raise the Nevils Brood * With Salisbury his vile ambitious Sire * In York's stern Breast kindling long hidden fire * By Clarence Title working to supplant * The Eagle Ayrie of great John of Gaunt And to this end did my Exile conclude Thereby to please the Rascal Multitude * Urg'd by these envious Lords to spend their breath Crying revenge for the Protectors death That since the old decrepit Duke is dead By me of force he must be murthered * If they would know who rob'd him of his Life * Let them call home Dame Elinor his Wife * Who with a Taper walked in a Sheet * To light her shame at Noon through London Street * And let her bring her Necromantick Book * That foul Hag Jordan Hun and Bullenbrook * And let them call the Spirits from Hell again To know how Humphry dy'd and who shall reign * For twenty years and have I serv'd in France * Against great Charles and Bastard Orleance And seen the Slaughter of a World of Men Victorious now as hardly conquer'd then * And have I seen Vernoyla's batful Fields Strew'd with ten thousand Helmes ten thousand Shields Where famous Bedford did our Fortune try Or France or England for the Victory The sad investing of so many Towns Scor'd on my Breast in honourable Wounds When Mountacute and Talbot of much Name Under my Ensign both first won their Fame In Heat and Cold all these have I endur'd To rouze the French within their Walls immur'd Through all my Life these perils have I past And now to fear a Banishment at last Thou know'st how I thy beauty to advance For thee refus'd the Infanta of France Brake the Contract Duke Humphry first did make 'Twixt Henry and the Princess Arminack Only that here thy presence I might gain I gave Duke Rayner Anjou Mauns and Main Thy Peerless Beauty for a Dower to bring As of it self sufficient for a King * And from Aumerle withdrew my Warlike Pow'rs * And came my self in person first to Tours * Th'Embassadours for truce to entertain * From Belgia Denmark Hungary and Spain And to the King relating of thy story My Tongue flow'd with such plenteous Oratory As the report by speaking did indite Begetting still more ravishing delight And when my Speech did cease as telling all My Look shew'd more that was Angelical And when I breath'd again and pawsed next I left mine Eyes dilating on the Text Then coming of thy Modesty to tell In Musicks numbers my Voice rose and fell And when I came to paint thy glorious stile My speech in greater Cadences to file * By true descent to wear the Diadem * Of Naples Cicil and Jerusalem As from the Gods thou didst derive thy Birth If those of Heaven could mix with these of Earth Gracing each Title that I did recite With some mellifluous pleasing Epithite Nor left him not till he for love was sick Beholding thee in my sweet Rhetorick A Fifteens Tax in France I freely spent In Triumphs at thy Nuptial Tournament And solemniz'd thy Marriage in a Gown Valu'd at more than was thy Fathers Crown And only striving how to honour thee Gave to my King what thy love gave to me Judge if his kindness have not power to move Who for his loves sake gave away his love Had he which once the Prize to Greece did bring Of whom th' old Poets long ago did sing * Seen thee for England but imbark'd at Deep Would over-board have cast his golden Sheep As too unworthy ballast to be thought To pester room with such perfection fraught The briny Seas which saw the Ship infold thee Would vault up to the Hatches to behold thee And falling back themselves in thronging smother Breaking for grief enving one another When the proud Bark for Joy thy steps to feel Scorn'd that the Brack should kiss her furrowing Keel And trick'd in all her Flags her self she braves Cap'ring for joy upon the silver Waves When like a Bull from the Phenician Strand Jove with Europa rushing from the Land Upon the Bosome of the Main doth scud And with his Swannish Breast cleaving the Floud Tow'rd the fair Fields upon the other side Beareth Agenor's joy Phenicia's pride All heavenly Beauties joyn themselves in one To shew their glory in thine Eye alone Which when it turneth that celestial Ball A thousand sweet Stars rise a thousand fall Who justly saith mine Banishment to be When only France for my recours is free To view the Plains where I have seen so oft Englands victorious Engines rays'd aloft When this shall be a comfort in my way To see the place where I may boldly say Here mighty Bedford forth the Vaward led Here Talbot charg'd and here the Frenchmen fled Here with our Archers valiant Scales did lye Here stood the Tents