sun VVhere lawfull right and conquest doth allow A triple crowne on Richards princely brow Three kingly Lyons beares his bloody field No bastards marke doth blot his conquering shield Neuer durst he attempt our haplesse shore Nor set his foote on satall Rauenspore Nor durst his slugging Hulks approch the strand Nor stoop'd a top as signall to the Land Had not the Percyes promisd ayde to bring Against theyr oath vnto theyr lawfull King Against theyr fayth vnto our Crownes true heyre Theyr valiant kinsman Edmond Mortimer VVhen I to England came a world of eyes vvere there attending on my fayre arise vvhen I came back those fatall Plannets frowne And all are set before my going downe The smooth-fac'd Ayre did on my comming smile But with rough stormes are driuen to exile But Bullenbrooke deuisd we thus should part Fearing two sorrowes should possesse one hart That we should thus complaine our griefes alone Least one should liue in two two liue in one Inflicting woe and yet doth vs denie But that poore ioy is found in miserie Hee hath before diuors'd thy Crowne and thee vvhich might suffice and not to widdow mee Nor will one place our pouertie containe vvhich in our pompe both in one bed haue laine VVhich is to proue the greatnes of his hate How much our fall exceedeth our estate VVhen England first obtaind mee by thy loue Nor did a kingdome my affection moue Before a Crownes sad cares I yet did try Nor thought of Empire but loues Emperie Before I learn'd to sooth a publique vaine And onely thought to loue had been to raigne I would to God that princely Anne of Beame Might still haue worne the English Diademe That shee whose youth first deck'd thy bridall bed Had kept that fatall wreath vppon her head VVould God shee still might haue enioy'd her roome Possest my throne and I haue had her Toombe Or would Aumerle had sunck when he betrayd The complot which that holy Abbot layd VVhen he infring'd the oath which he first tooke To end that proude vsurping Bullenbrooke And been the ransome of our friends deere blood Vntimelie lost and for the earth too good And we vntimely mourne our hard estate They dead too soone and we doe liue too late Death seuers them and life doth vs inclose Their helpe decreased doth augment our woes And though with teares I from my loue depart This curse on Herford fall to ease my hart If the foule breach of a chast lawfull bed May bring a curse my curse light on his head If murthers guilt with blood may deeply staine Greene Scroope and Bushie die his fault in graine If periurie may heauens pure gates debar Damn'd be the oath he made at Doncaster If the deposing of a lawfull King Thy curse condemne him if no other thing If these disioyn'd for vengeance cannot call Let them vnited strongly curse him all And for the Percies heauen yet heare my prayer That Bullenbrooke now plac'd in Richards chayre Such cause of woe vnto their wiues may bee As those rebellious Lords haue been to mee And that proude Dame which now controleth all And in her pompe triumpheth in my fall For her great Lord may water her sad eyne vvith as salt teares as I haue done for mine And mourne for Henry Hote-spurre her deere sonne As I for my sweet Mortymer haue done And as I am so succourlesse be sent Lastly to taste perpetuall banishment Then loose thy care where first thy crowne was lost Sell it so deerely for it deerely cost And sith they did of libertie depriue thee Burying thy hope let not thy care out-liue thee But hard God knowes with sorrow doth it goe vvhen woe becomes a comforter to woe Yet much mee thinks of comfort I could say If from my hart pale feare were rid away Some-thing there is which tells mee still of woe But what it is that heauen aboue doth know Griefe to it selfe most dreadfull doth appeare And neuer yet was sorrow voyde of feare But yet in death doth sorrow hope the best And with this farewell wish thee happy rest Notes of the Chronicle historie If fatall Pomfret hath in former times POmfret Castle euer a fatall place to the Princes of England most ominous to the blood of Plantaginet O how euer yet I hate my lothed eyes And in my glasse c. When Bullenbrooke returned to England from the West bringing Richard a prisoner with him the Queene who little knewe of her husbands hard successe stayd to behold his comming in little thinking to haue seene her husband thus led in triumph by his foe and now seeming to hate her eyes that so much had graced her mortall enemie Wherein great Norfolkes forward course was staid She remembreth the meeting of the two Dukes of Herford and Norfolke at Couentry vrging the iustnes of Mowbrayes quarrell against the Duke of Herforde and the faithfull assurance of his victory Oh why did Charles releeue his needy siate A vagabond c. Charles the French King her father receiued the Duke of Herford into his Court and releeu'd him in Fraunce being so neerly alied as Cosin german to King Richard his sonne in Lawe which hee did simply little thinking that hee shoulde after returne into England and dispossesse King Richard of the crowne When thou to Ireland took'st thy last fare-well King Richard made a voyage with his Armie into Ireland against Onell and Mackemur which rebelled at what time Henry entred heere at home and rob'd him of all kingly dignitie Affirm'd by Church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illigitimate William Wickham in the great quarrell betwixt Iohn of Gaunt the Clergie of meere spight and mallice as it should seeme reported that the Queene confessed to him on her death-bed being then her Confessor that Iohn of Gaunt was the sonne of a Flemming that she was brought to bed of a woman child at Gaunt which was smothered in the cradle by mischance and that shee obtained this child of a poore woman making the King beleeue it was her owne greatly fearing his displeasure Fox ex Chron. Albani No Bastards marke doth blot our conquering shield Shewing the true and indubitate birth of Richard his right vnto the Crowne of England as carrying the Armes without blot or difference Against their fayth vnto the Crownes true heyre Theyr noble kinsman c. Edmond Mortimer Earle of March sonne of Earle Roger Mortimer which was sonne to Lady Phillip daughter to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne to King Edward the third which Edmond King Richard going into Ireland was proclaimed heyre apparant to the Crowne whose Aunt called Ellinor this Lorde Percie had married I would to God that princely Anne of Beame Richard the second his first wife was Anne daughter to the K. of Beame which liued not long with him and after hee married this Isabell daughter to Charles King of Fraunce This Princesse was very young and not marriageable when shee came
ENGLANDS HEROICALL Epistles By Michaell Drayton AT LONDON Printed by I. R. for N. Ling and are to be sold at his shop at the VVest doore of Poules 1597. To the Reader SEing these Epistles are now at length made publique it is imagined that I ought to bee accountable to the world of my priuate meaning chiefely for mine own discharge least being mistaken I fall in hazard of a iust vniuersall reprehension for Itae nugae seria ducent In mala derisum semel exceptumque sinistre Three poynts are especially therefore to bee explaned First why I entitle this worke Englands heroicall Epistles then why I obserue not the persons dignitie in the dedication lastlie why I haue annexed notes to euery Epistles end For the first the title I hope carrieth reason in it selfe for that the most and greatest persons berein were English or else that theyr loues were obtained in England And though heroicall be properly vnderstood of demi-gods as of Hercules and Aeneas whose Parents were said to be the one celestiall the other mortall yet is it also transferred to them who for the greatnes of minde come neere to Gods For to be borne of a celestiall Incubus is nothing els but to haue a great and mightie spirit farre aboue the earthly weakenes of men in which sence Ouid whose imitator I partly professe to be dooth also vse heroicall For the second seeing none to whom I haue dedicated any two Epistles but haue their states ouer-matched by them who are made to speake in the Epistles how euer the order is in dedication yet in respect of theyr degrees in my deuotion the cause before recited I hope they suffer no disparagement seeing euery one is the first in theyr particuler interest hauing in some sort sorted the complection of the Epistles to the character of theyr iudgements to whom I dedicate them excepting onely the blamefulnes of the persons passion in those poynts wherein the passion is blameful Lastly such manifest difference beeing betwixt euery one of thē where or howsoeuer they be marshaled how can I be iustly appeached of vnaduisement For the third because the worke might in truth be iudged brainish if nothing but amorous humor were handled therein I haue inter-wouen matters historicall which vnexplaned might defraud the minde of much content as for example in Queene Margarits Epistle to VVilliam de la Pole My Daizie flower which once perfum'd the ayre Margarite in french signifies a Dazie which for the allusion to her name this Queene did giue for her deuise and this as others more haue seemed to mee not vnwoorthy the explaning Now though no doubt I had need to excuse other things beside yet these most especially the rest Iouer-passe to eschue tedious recitall or to speake as malicious enuie may for that in truth I ouer-see them If they bee as harmelesly taken as I meant them it shall suffise to haue onely tonched the cause of the title of the dedications and of the notes whereby emboldned to publish the residue these not beeing accounted in mens opinions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall not lastly be afraid to beleeue acknowledge thee a gentle Reader M. D. To M. Michaell Drayton HOw can he write that broken hath his pen Hath rent his paper throwne his Inke away Detests the world and company of men Because they grow more hatefull day by day Yet with these broken reliques mated minde And what a iustly-greeued-thought can say I giue the world to know I nere could finde A worke more like to liue a longer day Goe verse an obiect for the proudest eye Disdaine those which disdaine to reade thee ouer Tell them they know not how they should descry The secret passions of a witty louer For they are such as none but those shall know VVhom beauty schooles to hold the blind Boyes bow Once I had vow'd ô who can all voweskeepe Hence-forth to smother my vnlucky Muse Yet for thy sake she started out of sleepe Yet now she dyes Then doe as kinsfolke vse Close vp the eyes of my now-dying-stile As I haue op'ned thy sweet babes ere-while E. Sc. Gent. Duris decus omen ¶ To the excellent Lady Lucie Countesse of Bedford MAdam after all the admired wits of this excellent age which haue laboured in the sad complaintes of faire and vnfortunate Rosamond and by the excellence of inuention haue sounded the depth of her sundry passions I present to your Ladiship this Epistle of hers to King Henry whom I may rather call her louer then beloued Heere must your Ladiship behold variablenes in resolution woes constantly grounded laments abruptly broken off much confidence no certainty wordes begetting teares teares confounding matter large complaints in little papers and many deformed cares in one vniformed Epistell I striue not to affect singularity yet would faine flie imitation and prostrate mine owne wants to other mens perfections Your iudiciall eye must modell forth what my penne hath layd together much would shee say to a King much would I say to a Countesse but that the method of my Epistle must conclude the modestie of hers which I wish may recommend my euer vowed seruice to your honour Michaell Drayton The Epistle of Rosamond to King Henrie the second * The Argument Henrie the second of that name King of England the sonne of Geffrey Plantaginet Earle of Aniou Maude the Empresse hauing by long sute and princely gifts wonne to his vnlawfull desire faire Rosamond the daughter of the Lord VValter Clyfford and to auoyde the danger of Ellinor his iealious Queene had caused a Labyrinth to be made within his pallace at VVoodstocke in the center whereof hee had lodged his beautious paramore VVhilst the King is absent in his warres in Normandy this poore distressed Lady inclosed in this solitarie place tucht with remorse of conscience writes vnto the King of her distresse and miserable estate vrging him by all meanes and perswasions to cleere himselfe of this infamie and her of the griefe of minde by taking away her wretched lyfe IF yet thine eyes great Henry may endure These tainted lynes drawne with a hand impure VVhich faine would blush but feare keeps blushes back And therefore suted in dispayring blacke This in loues name ô that these lypps might craue But that sweete name vile I prophaned haue Punish my fault or pittie mine estate Reade it for loue if not for loue for hate If with my shame thine eyes thou faine would'st feede Heere let them surfeit on my shame to reede This scribled paper which I send to thee If noted rightly dooth resemble mee As this pure ground wheron these letters stand So pure was I ere stayned by thy hand Ere I was blotted with this foule offence So cleere and spotlesse was mine innocence Now like these marks which taint this hatefull scroule Such the black sinnes which spotte my leprous soule O Henry why by losse thus shouldst thou winne To get by conquest to enrich with sinne VVhy on my name
as thy trayne past Their precious Incence in aboundance cast As Cinthia from the waue-embatteld shrouds Opening the west comes streaming through the clouds vvith shining troupes of siluer-tressed starres Attending on her as her Torch-bearers And all the lesser lights about her throne vvith admiration stand as lookers on VVhilst she alone in height of all her pride The Queene of light along her spheare doth glide vvhen on the tylt my Horse like thunder came No other signall had I but thy name Thy voyce my Trumpet and my guide thine eyes And but thy beauty I esteem'd no prize That large-limd Almaine of the Gyants race vvhich bare strength on his breast feare in his face vvhose senewed armes with his steele-tempered blade Through plate and male such open passage made Vpon whose might the French-mens glory lay And all the hope of that victorious day Thou saw'st thy Brandon beate him on his knee Offring his shield a conquered spoile to thee But thou wilt say perhaps I vainly boast And tell thee that which thou already knowest No sacred Queene my valure I deny It was thy beauty not my chiualry One of thy tressed Curles which falling downe As loth to be imprisoned in thy Crowne I saw the soft ayre sportiuely to take it To diuers shapes and sundry formes to make it Now parting it to foure to three to twayne Now twisting it and then vntwist againe Then make the threds to dally with thine eye A sunny candle for a golden flie At length from thence one little teare it got vvhich falling downe as though a starre had shot My vp-turnd eye pursues it with my sight The which againe redoubleth all my might Tis but in vaine of my descent to boast vvhen heauens Lampe shines all other lights be lost Faulcons looke not the Eagle sitting by vvhose broode doth gaze the sunne with open eye Else might my blood finde issue from his force In Bosworth plaine beat Richard from his horse vvhose puissant Armes great Richmond chose to weeld His glorious Colours in that conquering feeld And with his sword in his deere soueraignes sight To his last breath stood fast in Henries right Then beautious Empresse thinke thys safe delay Shall be the euen to a ioyfull day Fore-sight doth still on all aduantage lye vvise-men must giue place to necessitie To put backe ill our good we must forbeare Better first feare then after still to feare Tweare ouer-sight in that at which we ayme To put the hazard on an after game vvith patience then let vs our hopes attend And tell I come receaue these lines I send Notes of the Chronicle historie When Longauile to Mary was affied THE Duke of Longauile which was prisoner in England vpon the peace to be concluded betweene England and Fraunce was deliuered and married the Princesse Mary for Lewes the French King his Maister How in a storme thy well-rigd ships were tost And thou c. As the Queene sayled for Fraunce a mighty storme arose at Sea so that the Nauy was in great danger and was seuered some driuen vpon the Coast of Flaunders some on Britaine the ship wherein the Queene was was driuen into the Hauen at Bullen with very great danger When thou to Abuile heldst th'apoynted day King Lewes met her by Abuile neere to the Forrest of Arders and brought her into Abuile with great solemnity Appear'dst vnto him like the Queene of Light Expressing the sumptuous attire of the Queene and her traine attended by the cheefe of the Nobility of Kngland with 36. Ladies all in cloath of siluer theyr Horses trapped with Crimson veluet A Cripple King layd bedrid long before King Lewes was a man of great yeares troubled much with the goute so that he had had of long time before little vse of his legs When Marques Dorset and the valiant Grayes The Duke of Suffolke when the proclaimation came into England of Iusts to be holden in Fraunce at Paris he for the Queenes sake his Mistres obtayned of the King to goe thether with whom went the Marques Dorset and his foure Brothers the Lord Clynton Sir Edward Neuill Sir Gyles Capell Tho. Cheyney which went all ouer with the Duke as his assistants When thou in tryumph didst through Paris ride A true discription of the Queenes entring into Paris after her 〈◊〉 performd at Saint Denis Then fiue great Dukes as did their places fall The Dukes of Alansoon Burbon Vadome Longauile Suffolke with fiue Cardinalls That large-limd Almayne of the Gyants race Frauncis Valoys the Dolphin of Fraunce 〈◊〉 the glory that the English-men had obtayned at the tilt brought in an Almayne secretly a man thought almost of incomparable strength which incountred Charles Brandon at Barriers but the Duke 〈◊〉 with him so beate him about the head with the pomell of his sword that the blood came out of the sight of his Caske Else might my blood finde issue from his force In Bosworth c. Sir William Brandon standerd-bearer to the Earle of Richmond after Henry the 7 at Bosworth field a braue and gallant Gentleman who was slaine by Richard there this was Father to this Charles Brandon after Duke of Suffolke FINIS To the modest and vertuous Gentlewoman Mistres Frauncis Goodere Daughter to Sir Henry Goodere Knight and wife to Henry Goodere Esquire My very gracious and good Mistres the loue and duty I bare to your Father whilst hee liued now after his decease is to you hereditary to whom by the blessing of your birth he left his vertues Who bequeathed you those which were hit gaue you what so euer good is mine as deuoted to his he being gone whom I honored so much whilst he liued which you may iustly chalenge by al lawes of thankfulnes My selfe hauing been a witnes of your excellent education and milde disposition as I may say euer from your Cradle dedicate this Epistle of this vertuous and goodly Lady to your selfe so like her in all perfection both of wisedom and learning which I pray you accept till time shall enable me to leaue you some greater monument of my loue Michaell Drayton The Lady Iane Gray to the Lord Gilford Dudley * The Argument After the death of that vertuous young Prince King Edward the sixt the sonne of that famous King Henry the eyght Iane the daughter of Henry Gray Duke of Suffolke by the consent of Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland was proclaimed Queene of England beeing married to Gilford Dudley the fourth sonne of the foresayde Duke of Northumberland which match was concluded by theyr ambitious Fathers who went about by this meanes to bring the Crowne vnto theyr Children and to dispossesse the Princesse Mary eldest daughter of King Henry the eyght heire to King Edward her Brother Queene Mary rising in Armes to clayme her rightfull Crowne taketh the sayd Iane Gray and the Lorde Gilford her husband beeing lodged in the Tower for theyr more safety which place being lastly theyr Pallace by this meanes becomes their prison where
birth Ordaind by heauen here to adorne the earth Ad faythfull loue vnto thy princely state And then alike in all things fortunate A King might promise more I not denie But yet by heauen he lou'd not more then I. And thus I leaue till time my fayth approue I cease to write but neuer cease to loue Notes of the Chronicle historie O that the Helme the Tudors aundient Crest THe Armes of Tudor was the Helmes or mens heads whereof he speaketh as a thing prophetically fore-told of Merlin When in thy presence I was call'd to daunce Owen Tudor beeing a courtly and actiue Gentleman cōmaunded once to daunce before the Queene in a turne not beeing able to recouer himselfe fell into her lap as shee sate vpon a little stoole with many of her Ladies about her And yet with them in Wales most 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 theyr Poets which keepe the records of Pedigrees and descents and sing in oades and measures to theyr Harps after the old manner of the Lirick Poets And boast my blood from great Cadwallader Cadwallader the last King of the Brittaines descended of the noble and auncient race of the Troyans to whom an Angell appeared commaunding him to goe to Rome to Pope Sergius where he ended his life Since faire Cair-Septon in mount Palador Cair-Septon now called Shaftsbury at whose building it was sayd an Eagle prophecied or rather one named Aquilla of the fame of that place and of the recouery of the Ile by the Brittains bringing backe with them the bones of Cadwallader from Rome And from Eneons line the South-wales King From Theodor c. This Eneon was slaine by the Rebells of Gwentsland he was a noble 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 faire Guenellian Guenellian the daughter of Rees ap Griffeth ap Theodor Prince of South-wales maried to Edniuet Vahan auncestor to Owen Tudor My true descent from Leolin the great This is that Lewhelin called Leolinus magnus Prince of Northwales Nor that word Croggen nickname of disgrace In the voyage that Henry the second made against the Welchmen as his souldiers passed Offas ditch at Croggen Castell they were ouerthrowne by the Welchmen which word Croggen hath since been vsed to the Welchmens disgrace which was at first begun with theyr honour And old Caer Merdin Merlins famous Towne Caer Merdin or Merlins Towne so called of Merlins beeing sound there This was Ambrose Merlin whose prophecies vvee haue There was another of that name called Merlin Siluestris borne in Scotland surnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophecied And kept our nature Language now thus long The Welchmen be those auncient Brittaines which when the Picks Danes and Saxons inuaded heere were first driuen into those parts where they haue kept theyr language euer since the first without commixtion with any other language FINIS To my honoured Mistres Mistres Elizabeth Tanfelde the sole Daughter and heire of that famous and learned Lawyer Lawrence T anfelde Esquire FAire and vertuous Mistresse since first it was my good fortune to be a witnes of the many rare perfections where-with nature and education haue adorned you I haue been forced since that time to attribute more admiration to your sexe then euer Petrarch could before perswade mee to by the prayses of his Laura Sweete is the French tongue more sweet the Italian but most sweet are they both if spoken by your admired selfe If Poesie were prayselesse your vertues alone were a subiect sufficient to make it esteemed though amongst the barbarous Getes by how much the more your tender yeres giue scarcely warrant for your more then womanlike wisedom by so much is your iudgement and reading the more to be wondred at The Graces shall haue one more Sister by your selfe and England by your birth shall add one Muse more to the Muses I rest the humbly deuoted seruant to my deere and modest Mistresse to whom I wish the happiest fortunes I can deuise Michaell Drayton William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke to Queene Margarit * The Argument VVilliam de la Pole first Marques and after created Duke of Suffolke beeing sent into Fraunce by King Henry the fixt concludeth a marriage betweene the King his Maister and Margarite daughter to Rayner Duke of Aniou who onely had the title of the King of Cicily and Ierusalem This marriage beeing made contrary to the liking of the Lords counsell of the Realme by reason of the yeelding vp Aniou Maine into the Dukes hands which shortly after proued the losse of all Aquitaine they euer after cotiuually hated the Duke and after my meanes of the Commons banished him at the parliament at Bery where after he had the iudgment of his exile beeing then ready to depart hee 〈◊〉 backe to the Queene this Epistle IN my disgrace deere Queene rest thy content And Margarits health from Suffolks banishment Not one day seemes fiue yeeres exile to mee But that so soone I must depart from thee VVhere thou not present it is euer night All be exil'd that liue not in thy sight Those Sauages which worshyp the sunnes rise vvould hate theyr God if they beheld thyne eyes The worlds great light might'st thou be seene abroad vvould at our noonestead euer make aboade And force the poore Antipodes to mourne Fearing least he would neuer more returne VVere't not for thee it were my great'st exile To liue within this Sea-inuirond Ile Poles courage brooks not limitting in bands But that great Queene thy soueraigntie commands Our Falcons kinde cannot the cage indure Nor buzzard-like doth stoope to euery lure Their mounting broode in open ayre doth roue Nor will with Crowes be coop'd within a groue VVee all doe breath vpon this earthly ball Likewise one heauen encompasseth vs all No banishment can be to him assign'd vvho doth retaine a true resolued minde Man in himselfe a little world doth beare His soule the Monarch euer ruling there vvhere euer then his body doth remaine He is a King that in himselfe doth raigne And neuer feareth Fortunes hot'st alarmes That beares against her Patience for his Armes This was the meane proude VVarwicke did inuent To my disgrace at Leister parliament That onely my base yeelding vp of Maine Should be the losse of fertile Aquitaine vvith the base vulgar sort to winne him fame To be the heire of good Duke Humfreys name And so by treason spotting my pure blood Make this a meane to raise the Neuells brood VVith Salesbury his vile ambitious Syer In Yorks sterne brest kindling long hidden fyer By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt And to this end did my exile conclude Thereby to please the raskall multitud Vrg'd by these enuious Lords
these three let thy assurance lye On fayth repentance and humilitie Humilitie to heauen the step the stayre Is for deuotion sacrifice and prayer The next place doth to true repentance fall A salue a comfort and a cordiall Hee that hath that the keyes of heauen hath That is the guide that is the port the path Fayth is thy Fort thy shield thy strongest ayde Neuer controld nere yeelded nere dismayd vvhich doth dilate vnfold fore-tell expresseth vvhich giues rewards inuesteth and possesseth Then thanke the heauen preparing vs this roome Crowning our heads with glorious martirdome Before the black and dismall dayes begin The dayes of all Idolatry and sinne Not suffering vs to see that wicked age VVhen persecution vehemently shall rage vvhen tiranny new tortures shall inuent Inflicting vengeance on the innocent Yet heauen forbids that Maries wombe shall bring Englands faire Scepter to a forraine King But vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it vvhich broken hurt and wounded shall receaue it And on her temples hauing plac'd the Crowne Roote out the dregs Idolatry hath sowne And Syons glory shall againe restore Layd ruine wast and desolate before And from black sinders and rude heapes of stones Shall gather vp the Martirs scattered bones And shall exterpe the power of Rome againe And cast aside the heauy yoake of Spaine Farewell sweet Gilford know our end is neere Heauen is our home we are but strangers heere Let vs make hast to goe vnto the blest vvhich from these weary worldly labours rest And with these lines my dearest Lord I greete thee Vntill in heauen thy Iane againe shall meete thee Notes of the Chronicle history They which begot vs did beget this sinne SHewing the ambition of the two Dukes their Fathers whose pride was the cause of the vtter ouerthrow of their children At Durham Pallace where sweete Hymen sang The buildings c. The Lord Gilford Dudley fourth Sonne to Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland married the Lady Iane Gray Daughter to the Duke of Suffolke at Durham house in the Strand When first mine eares were pearced with the fame Of Iane proclaimed by a Princesse name Presently vpon the death of King Edward the Lady Iane was taken as Queene conueyed by water to the Tower of London for her safety and after proclaimed in diuers parts of the Realme as so ordayned by King Edwards Letters-pattents and his will My Grandsire Brandon did our house aduaunce By Princely Mary Dowager of Fraunce Henry Gray Duke of Suffolke married Frauncis the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke by the French Queene by which Frauncis hee had this Lady Iane this Mary the French Queene was Daughter to King Henry the seauenth by Elizabeth his Queene which happy marriage conioyned the two Noble families of Lancaster and Yorke For what great Henry most stroue to auoyde Noting the distrust that King Henry the eight euer had in the Princesse Mary his Daughter fearing she should alter the state of Religion in the Land by matching with a Stranger confessing the right that King Henries issue had to the Crowne And vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it A Prophecie of Queene Maries barrennes of the happy and glorious raigne of Queene Elizabeth her restoring of Religion the abollishing of the Romish seruitude and casting aside the yoake of Spaine The Lord Gilford Dudley to the Lady Iane Gray THus from the strongest treble-walled Tower Swan-like I sing before my dying hower O if there were such power but in my verse As in these woes my wounded hart doe pierce Stones taking sence th'obdurate flint that heares Should at my plaints dissolue it selfe to teares Lend mee a teare Ile pay thee with a teare And interest to if thou the stock forbeare vvoe for a woe and for thy interest lone I will returne thee franckly two for one Ile giue thee howers of woe and yeares of sorrow And turne the day to night the night to morrow And if thou think'st tyme yet doth passe to soone vvhen euening comes wee'll make it but our noone And if a griefe proue weake and not of force I will exchange a better for a worse And if thou thinke too quickly sorrowe ends Another twice so long shall make amends Perhaps thou'lt iudge in such extreames as these That words of comfort might farre better please But such strange power in thy perfection liueth As smyles in teares and teares in gladnes giueth Yet thinke not Iane that cowardly I faint As begging mercy by thys sad complaint Or yet suppose my courage daunted so That thou shouldst stand betwixt mee and my foe That grym-aspected death should now controule And seeme fo fearefull to my parting soule For were one life a thousand lifes to mee Yet were all those too few to die with thee vvhen thou thy woes so patiently doost beare As if in death no cause of sorrow were And no more doost lyfes dissolution shun Then if colde age his longest course had run Thou which didst once giue comfort to my woe Now art alone become my comforts foe Not that I leaue wherein I did delight But that thou art debarr'd my wished sight For if I speake and would complaine my wrong Straightwayes thy name doth come into my tongue And thou art present as thou still didst lie Or in my hart or in my lypps or eye No euill plannet raigned at thy birth Nor was that hower prodigious heere on earth No fatall marke of froward destenie Could be diuin'd in thy natiuitie Tis onely I that dyd thy fall deuise And thou by mee art made a sacrifice As in the East whereas the louing wiues Doe with theyr husbands euer end theyr liues And crown'd with garlands in theyr brydes attire Goe with theyr husbands to that holy fire And shee vnworthy thought to liue of all vvhom feare of death or danger doth appall I boast not of Northumberlands great name Nor of Ketts conquest which adornes the same VVhen he to Norfolke led his troupes from farre And yok'd the Rebells in the chayne of warre vvhen our VVhite-beare dyd furiously respire The flames that sing'd theyr Villages with fire And brought sweet peace in safetie to our dores Yet left our fame vpon the Easterne shores Nor of my princely Brothers which might grace And plant true honour in the 〈◊〉 race Nor of Grayes match my chydren borne by thee Alied to Yorke and Lancaster should be But of thy vertues proudly boast I dare That shee is mine whom all perfections are I crau'd no kingdome though I thee did craue And hauing thee I wish'd no more to haue Yet let me say how ere thys fortune fell Mee thinks a Crowne should haue becom'd thee well Mee thinks thy wisedome was ordaind alone To blesse a scepter beautifie a throne Thy lyps a sacred oracle retaine vvhere in all holy prophecies remaine More highly priz'd thy vertues were to mee Then Crownes then Kingdoms or then Scepters bee So chast thy loue so innocent thy life A wifed virgine and a