fauour there A Title to this Prince deriu'd from Mortimer To whom this Trophy rear'd much honored had the soyle The Yorkists here enrich'd with the Lancastrian spoyle Are Masters of the day foure thousand being slaine The most of which were those there standing to maintaine The title of the King Where Owen Tudors lot Was to be taken then who this young Earle begot On Katherin the bright Queene the fift King Henries Bride Who too vntimely dead this Owen had affide But he a Prisoner then his sonne and Ormond fled At Hereford was made the shorter by the head When this most warlike Duke in honour of that signe Which of his good successe so rightly did diuine And thankfull to high heauen which of his cause had care Three Sunnes for his deuice still in his Ensigne bare Thy second Battell now Saint Albans I record Struck twixt Queene Margrets power to ransome backe her Lord Ta'n prisoner at that towne when there those factions fought Whom now the part of Yorke had thither with them brought Whose force consisted most of Southerne men being led By Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke and the head Of that proud faction then stout Warwicke still that swayd In euery bloody field the Yorkists onely ayd When eithers power approch'd and they themselues had fixt Vpon the South and North the towne them both betwixt Which first of all to take the Yorkists had forecast Putting their Vaward on and their best Archers plac'd The Market-sted about and them so fitly layd That when the foe camevp they with such terror playd Vpon them in the Front as forc'd them to retreit The Northerne mad with rage vpon the first defeat Yet put for it againe to enter from the North Which when great Warwicke heard he sent his Vaward forth T' oppose them in what place so ere they made their stand Where in too fit a ground a Heath too neere at hand Adioyning to the towne vnluckily they light Where presenly began a fierce and deadly fight But those of Warwicks part which scarce foure thousand were To th'Vaward of the Queenes that stood so stoutly there Though still with fresh supplies from her maine Battell fed When they their courage saw so little them to sted Deluded by the long expectance of their ayd By passages too straight and close ambushments stayd Their succours that forslow'd to flight themselues betake When after them againe such speed the Northerne make Being followed with the force of their maine Battell strong That this disordred Rout these breathlesse men among They entred Warwicks Hoste which with such horrour strooke The Southerne that each man began about to looke A way how to escape that when great Norfolke cri'd Now as you fauour Yorke and his iust cause abide And Warwicke in the Front euen offred to haue stood Yet neither of them both should they haue spent their blood Could make a man to stay or looke vpon a foe Where Fortune it should seeme to Warwicke meant to show That shee this tide of his could turne when ere she would Thus when they saw the day was for so little sould The King which for their ends they to the field had brought Behind them there they leaue but as a thing of naught Which seru'd them to no vse who when his Queene and sonne There found in Norfolkes tent the Battell being done With many a ioyfull teare each other they imbrace And whilst blind Fortune look'd with so well pleas'd a face Their swords with the warme blood of Yorkists so inbrude Their foes but lately fled couragiously pursude Now followeth that blacke Sceane borne vp so wondrous hie That but a poore dumbe shew before a Tragedie The former Battels fought haue seem'd to this to be O Towton let the blood Palme-Sunday spent on thee Affright the future times when they the Muse shall heare Deliuer it so to them and let the ashes there Of fortie thousand men in that long quarrell slaine Arise out of the earth as they would liue againe To tell the manlike doeds that bloody day were wrought In that most fatall field with various fortunes fought Twixt Edward Duke of Yorke then late proclaimed King Fourth of that royall name and him accompanying The Nevills of that warre maintaining still the streame Great Warwicke and with him his most couragious Eame Stout Falconbridge the third a firebrand like the other Of Salisbury surnam'd that Warwicks bastard brother Lord Fitzwater who still the Yorkists power assists Blount VVenlock Dinham Knights approued Martialists And Henry the late King to whom they still durst stand His true as powerfull friend the great Northumberland VVith VVestmerland his claime who euer did preferre His kinsman Somerset his cosen Excester Dukes of the Royall line his faithfull friends that were And little lesse then those the Earle of Deuonshire Th'Lord Dacres and Lord VVels both wise and warlike wights With him of great command Neuill and Trolop Knights Both armies then on foot and on their way set forth King Edward from the South King Henry from the North. The later crowned King doth preparation make From Pomfret where he lay the passage first to take O'r Aier at Ferybridge and for that seruice sends A most selected troupe of his well-chosen friends To make that passage good when instantly began The dire and ominous signes the slaughter that foreran For valiant Clifford there himselfe so brauely quit That comming to the Bridge ere they could strengthen it From the Lancastrian power with his light troupe of Horse And early in the morne defeating of their force The Lord Fitzmater slew and that braue Bastard sonne Of Salsbury themselues who into danger runne For being in their beds suspecting nought at all But hearing sudden noyse suppos'd some broyle to fall Mongst their misgouern'd troups vnarmed rushing out By Cliffords Souldiers soone incompassed about Were miserably slaine which when great Warwicke heares As he had felt his heart transpersed through his eares To Edward mad with rage imediatly he goes And with distracted eyes in most sterne manner showes The slaughter of those Lords this day alone quoth he Our vtter ruine shall or our sure rising be When soone before the Host his glittering sword he drew And with relentlesse hands his springly Courser slew Then stand to me quoth he who meaneth not to flie This day shall Edward winne or here shall VVarwicke die Which words by VVarwicke spoke so deeply seem'd to sting The much distempered breast of that couragious King That straight he made proclaim'd that euery fainting heart From his resolued host had licence to depart And those that would abide the hazard of the fight Rewards and titles due to their deserued right And that no man that day a prisoner there should take For this the vpshot was that all must marre or make A hundred thousand men in both the Armies stood That natiue English were O worthy of your Blood What conquest had there been But Ensignes flie at large
night Appeare the dreadfull ghosts of Henry and his sonne Of his owne brother George and his two nephewes done Most cruelly to death and of his wife and friend Lord Hastings with pale hands prepar'd as they would rend Him peece-meale at which oft he roreth in his sleepe No sooner gan the dawne out of the East to peepe But Drummes and Trumpets chide the Souldiers to their Armes And all the neighboring fields are couered with the swarmes Of those that came to fight as those that came to see Contending for a Crowne whose that great day should be First Richmond rang'd his fights on Oxford and bestowes The leading with a Band of strong and Sinewy Bowes Out of the Army pick'd the Front of all the field Sir Gilbert Talbot next he wisely tooke to weeld The right Wing with his strengths most Northern men that were And Sir Iohn Sauage with the power of Lancashire And Chesshire Chiefe of men was for the left Wing plac'd The Middle Battell he in his faire person grac'd With him the noble Earle of Pembroke who commands Their Countrey-men the VVelsh of whom it mainly stands For their great numbers found to be of greatest force Which but his guard of Gleaues consisted all of Horse Into two seuerall fights the King contriu'd his strength And his first Battell cast into a wondrous length In fashion of a wedge in poynt of which he set His Archery thereof and to the guidance let Of Iohn the noble Duke of Norfolke and his sonne Braue Surrey he himselfe the second bringing on Which was a perfect square and on the other side His Horsemen had for wings which by extending wide The aduerse seem'd to threat with an vnequall power The vtmost poynt ariu'd of this expected hower He to Lord Stanley sends to bring away his ayd And 〈◊〉 him by an Oath if longer he delayd His eldest sonne young Strange imediatly should die To whom stout Stanley thus doth carelessely reply Tell thou the King I le come when I fit time shall see I loue the Boy but yet I haue more sonnes then he The angry Armies meet when the thin ayre was rent With such re-ecchoing shouts from eithers Souldiers sent That flying o'r the field the Birds downe trembling dropt As some old building long that hath been vnderpropt When as the Timber fayles by the vnweldy fall Euen into powder beats the Roofe and rotten wall And with confused clouds of smouldring dust doth choke The streets and places neere so through the mistie smoke By Shot and Ordnance made a thundring noyse was heard VVhen Stanley that this while his succours had deferd Both to the cruell King and to the Earle his sonne When once he doth perceiue the Battell was begun Brings on his valiant Troups three thousand fully strong Which like a cloud farre off that tempest threatned long Falls on the Tyrants host which him with terrour strooke As also when he sees he doth but vainly looke For succours from the great Northumberland this while That from the Battell scarce three quarters of a mile Stood with his power of Horse nor once was seene to stirre VVhen Richard that th' euent no longer would deferre The two maine Battels mix'd and that with wearied breath Some laboured to their life some laboured to their death There for the better fought euen with a Spirit elate As one that inly scorn'd the very worst that Fate Could possibly impose his Launce set in his Rest Into the thick'st of Death through threatning perill prest To where he had perceiu'd the Earle in person drew Whose Standard 〈◊〉 he Sir William Brandon slew The pile of his strong staffe into his arme-pit sent VVhen at a second shocke downe Sir Iohn Cheney went Which scarce a Launces length before the Earle was plac'd Vntill by Richmonds Guard inuironed at last VVith many a cruell wound was through the body gride Vpon this fatall field Iohn Duke of Norfolke dide The stout Lord Ferrers fell and Ratcliffe that had long Of Richards counsels been found in the field among A thousand Souldiers that on both sides were slaine O Red-more it then seem'd thy name was not in vaine When with a thousands blood the earth was coloured red Whereas th' Emperiall Crowne was set on Henries head Being found in Richards Tent as he it there did winne The cruell Tyrant stript to the bare naked skin Behind a Herauld truss'd was backe to Le'ster sent From whence the day before he to the Battell went The Battell then at Stoke so fortunatly strucke Vpon King Henries part with so successefull lucke As neuer till that day he felt his Crowne to cleaue Vnto his temples close when Mars began to leaue His fury and at last to sit him downe was brought I come at last to sing twixt that seuenth Henry fought With whom to this braue Field the Duke of Bedford came With Oxford his great friend whose praise did him inflame To all Atchieuements great that fortunate had bin In euery doubtfull fight since Henries comming in With th' Earle of Shresbury a man of great command And his braue sonne Lord George for him that firmly stand And on the other side Iohn Duke of Suffolks sonne Iohn Earle of Lincolne cald who this sterne warre begun Subborning a lewd Boy a false Imposter who By Simonds a worse Priest instructed what to doe Vpon him tooke the name of th' Earle of Warwicke heire To George the murthered Duke of Clarence who for feare Lest some that fauoured Yorke might vnder hand maintaine King Henry in the Tower did at that time detaine * Which practise set on foot this Earle of Lincolne sayld To Burgundy where he with Margaret preuayld Wife to that warlike Charles and his most loued Aunt Who vexed that a proud Lancastrian should supplant The lawfull Line of Yorke whence she her blood deriu'd Wherefore for Lincolnes sake shee speedily contriu'd And Louell that braue Lord before him sent to land Vpon the same pretence to furnish them a Band Of Almanes and to them for their stout Captaine gaue The valiant Martin Swart the man thought scarce to haue His match for Martiall feats and sent them with a Fleet For Ireland where shee had appoynted them to meet With Simonds that lewd Clerke and Lambert whom they there The Earle of Warwicke cald and publish'd euery where His title to the Crowne in Diuelin and proclaime Him Englands lawfull King by the fift Edwards name Then ioyning with the Lord Fitz-Gerald to their ayd Who many Irish brought they vp their Ankres wayd And at the rocky Pyle of * Fowdray put to shore In Lancashire their power increasing more and more By Souldiers sent them in from Broughton for supply A Knight that long had been of their confederacy Who making thence direct their marches to the South When Henry saw himselfe to farre in dangers mouth From Couentry he came still gathering vp his Host Made greater on his way and doth the
their watry walks expeld VVhile at the Bridge the fight still strongly doth abide The King had learnt to know that by a skilfull guide He by a Fourd not farre might passe his power of Horse VVhich quickly he performes which draue the Barons force From the defended Bridge t' affront th'approching foe Imbattelling themselues when to the shocke they goe On both sides so assaild till th' water and the shore Of one complexion were distaind with equall gore Oft forc'd to change their fights being driuen from their ground That when by their much losse too weake themselues they found Th' afflicted Barons flie yet still together keepe The King his good successe not suffring so to sleepe Pursues them with his power which Northward still doe beare And seldome scapes a day but he doth charge their Reare Till come to Burrough Bridge where they too soone were staid By Andrew Herckley Earle of Carleill with fresh ayd Being lately thither come King Edwards part to take The Barons range their fights still good their ground to make But with long Marches tyerd their wearied breath they draw After the desperat'st fight the Sunne yet euer saw Braue Bohun there was slaine and Lancaster forsaken Of Fortune is surpriz'd the Barons prisoners taken For those Rebellions Stirres Commotions Vprores here In Richard Burdeaux raigne that long so vsuall were As that the first by Straw and Tyler with their Rout Of Rebels brought from Kent most insolent and stout By entring London thought the the Iland to subdue * The first of which the Maior of London brauely slew Walworth which wonne his name much honour by the deed As they of Suffolke next those Rascals that succeed By * Litster led about their Captaine who enstil'd Himselfe the Commons King in hope to haue exil'd The Gentry from those parts by those that were his owne By that braue Bishop then of Norwitch ouerthrowne By such vnruly Slaues and that in Essex rais'd By Thomas that stout Duke of Glo'ster strongly * ceaz'd As that at Radcot bridge where the last named Peere With foure braue * Earles his friends encountred Robert Vere Then Duke of Ireland cald by Richard so created And gainst those Lords maintain'd whom they most deadly hated Since they but Garboyles were in a deformed masse Not ordered fitting warre we lightly ouerpasse I chuse the Battell next of Shrewsbury to chant Betwixt Henry the fourth the sonne of Iohn of Gant And the stout Percies Henry Hotspurre and his Eame The Earle of Wor'ster who the rightfull Diademe Had from King Richard reft and heau'd vp to his Seat This Henry whom too soone they found to be too great Him seeking to depose and to the Rule preferre Richards proclaimed Heire their cosen Mortimer Whom Owen Glendour then in Wales a prisoner staid Whom to their part they wonne and thus their plot they laid That Glendour should haue Wales along as Seuerne went The Percies all the North that lay beyond the Trent And Mortimer from thence the South to be his share Which Henry hauing heard doth for the warre prepare And down to Cheshire makes where gathering powers they were At Shrewsbury to meet and doth affront them there With him his peerelesse sonne the princely Henry came With th' Earle of Stafford and of Gentlemen of name Blunt Shyrley Clifton men that very powerfull were VVith Cockayne Caluerly Massy and Mortimer Gausell and Wendsley all in Friends and Tenants strong Resorting to the King still as he past along Which in the open field before the ranged fights He with his warlike Sonne there dub'd his Mayden Knights Th'Eatle Dowglasse for this day doth with the Percies stand To whom they Berwicke gaue and in Northumberland Some Seigniories and Holds if they the Battell got Who brought with him to Field full many an angry Scot At Holmdon Battell late that being ouerthrowne Now on the King and Prince hop'd to regaine their owne With almost all the power of Cheshire got together By Venables there great and Vernon mustred thether The Vaward of the King great Stafford tooke to guide The Vaward of the Lords vpon the other side Consisted most of Scots which ioyning made such spoyle As at the first constrain'd the English to recoyle And almost brake their Rankes which when King Henry found Bringing his Battell vp to reinforce the ground The Percies bring vp theirs againe to make it good Thus whilst the either Host in opposition stood Braue Dowglasse with his spurres his furious Courser strake His Lance set in his rest when desperatly he brake In where his eye beheld th' Emperiall Ensigne pight Where soone it was his chance vpon the King to light Which in his full carreere he from his Courser threw The next Sir Walter Blunt he with three other slew All armed like the King which he dead sure accounted But after when hee saw the King himselfe remounted This hand of mine quoth he foure Kings this day hath slaine And swore out of the earth he thought they sprang againe Or Fate did him defend at whom he onely aym'd When Henry Hotspurre so with his high deeds inflam'd Doth second him againe and through such dangers presse That Dowglasse valiant deeds he made to seeme the lesse As still the people cryed A Percy Espirance The King which saw then time or neuer to aduance His Battell in the Field which neere from him was wonne Ayded by that braue Prince his most couragious sonne Who brauely comming on in hope to giue them chase It chanc'd he with a shaft was wounded in the face Whom when out of the fight his friends would beare away He strongly it refus'd and thus was heard to say Time neuer shall report Prince Henry left the field When Harry Percy staid his traytrous sword to weeld Now rage and equall wounds alike inflame their bloods And the maine Battels ioyne as doe two aduerse floods Met in some narrow Arme shouldring as they would shoue Each other from their path or would their bankes remoue The King his traytrous foes before him downe doth hew And with his hands that day neere fortie persons slue When conquest wholly turnes to his victorious side His power surrounding all like to a furious tyde That Henry Hotspurre dead vpon the cold earth lyes Stout Wor'ster taken was and doughtie Douglasse flyes Fiue thousand from both parts left dead vpon the ground Mongst whō the kings fast friend great Staffords coarse was found And all the Knights there dub'd the morning but before The euenings Suune beheld there sweltred in their gore Here I at Bramham More the Battell in should bring Of which Earle Percie had the greatest managing With the Lord Bardolfe there against the Counties power Fast cleauing to his friend euen to his vtmost houre In Flanders France and Wales who hauing been abroad To raise them present powers intending for a Road On England for the hate he to King Henry bore His sonne and brothers blood augmenting
it the more Which in his mightie spirit still rooted did remaine By his too much default whom he imputed slaine At Shrewsbury before to whom if he had brought Supplies that bloody field when they so brauely fought They surely it had wonne for which to make amends Being furnished with men amongst his forraine friends By Scotland entred here and with a violent hand Vpon those Castles ceaz'd within Northumberland His Earledome which the King who much his truth did doubt Had taken to himselfe and put his people out Toward Yorkshire comming on where soone repaid his owne At Bramhams fatall More was fowly ouerthrowne Which though it were indeed a long and mortall fight Where many men were maim'd and many slaine outright Where that couragious Earle all hopes there seeing past Amongst his murthered troups euen fought it to the last Yet for it was atchieu'd by multitudes of men Which with Ralfe Roksby rose the Shreefe of Yorkshire then No well proportion'd fight we of description quit Amongst our famous fields nor will we here admit That of that Rakehel Cades and his rebellious crue In Kent and Sussex raisd at Senok fight that slue The Staffords with their power that thither him pursu'd VVho twice vpon Black heath back'd with the Commons rude Incamp'd against the King then goodly London tooke There ransoming some rich and vp the prisons broke His sensuall beastly will for Law that did preferre Beheaded the Lord Say then Englands Treasurer And forc'd the King to flight his person to secure The Muse admits not here a rabble so impure But brings that Battell on of that long dreadfull warre Of those two Houses nam'd of Yorke and Lancaster In faire Saint Albans fought most fatally betwixt Richard then Duke of Yorke and Henry cald the sixt For that ill-gotten Crowne which him his * Grandsire left That likewise with his life he from King Richard reft When vnderhand the Duke doth but promoue his claime Who from the elder sonne the Duke of Clarence came For which he raised Armes yet seem'd but to abet The people to plucke downe the Earle of Somerset By whom as they gaue out we Normandy had lost And yet he was the man that onely rul'd the roast With Richard Duke of Yorke into his faction wonne Salsbury and Warwicke came the father and the sonne The Neuils nobler name that haue renown'd so farre So likewise with the King in this great action are The Dukes of Somerset and Buckingham with these Were thrice so many Earles their stout accomplices As Pembroke great in power and Stafford with them stand With Deuonshire Dorset Wilt and fierce Northumber land VVith Sidley Bernes and Rosse three Barons with the rest VVhen Richard Duke of Yorke then marching from the west Towards whom whilst with his power King Henry forward set Vnluckily as 't hapt they at Saint Albans met Where taking vp the Street the buildings them enclose Where Front doth answer Front strength doth strength oppose Whilst like two mightie walls they each to other stand And as one sinketh downe vnder his enemies hand Another thrusting in his place doth still supply Betwixt them whilst on heaps the mangled bodies lie The Staules are ouerthrowne with the vnweldy thrust The windowes with the shot are shiuered all to dust The Winters Sleet or Hayle was neuer seene so thicke As on the houses sides the bearded arrowes sticke Where Warwicks courage first most Comet-like appeard Who with words full of Spirit his fighting Souldiers cheerd And euer as he saw the slaughter of his men He with fresh forces fil'd the places vp agen The valiant * Marchmen thus the battell still maintaine That when King Henry found on heaps his Souldiers slaine His great Commanders cals who when they sadly saw The honour of the day would to the Yorkists draw Their persons they put in as for the last to stand The Duke of Somerset Henry Northumberland Of those braue warlike Earles the second of that name The Earle of Stafford sonne to th' Duke of Buckingham And Iohn Lord Clifford then which shed their noble gore Vnder the Castles signe of which not long before A Prophet bad the Duke of Somerset beware With many a valiant Knight in death that had his share So much great English blood for others lawlesse guilt Vpon so little ground before was neuer spilt Proud Yorke hath got the gole the King of all forfaken Into a cottage got a wofull prisoner taken The Battell of Blore-heath the place doth next supply Twixt Richard Neuill that great Earle of Salisbury Who with the Duke of Yorke had at Saint Albans late That glorious Battell got with vncontrouled Fate And Iames Lord Audley stir'd by that reuengefull Queene To stop him on his way for the inueterate spleene Shee bare him for that still he with the Yorkists held Who comming from the North by sundry wrongs compeld To parley with the King the Queene that time who lay In Staffordshire and thought to stop him on his way That valiant Tuchet stir'd in Cheshire powerfull then T' affront him in the field where Cheshire Gentlemen Diuided were th' one part made valiant Tuchet strong The other with the Earle rose as he came along Incamping both their powers diuided by a Brooke Whereby the prudent Earle this strong aduantage tooke For putting in the field his Army in aray Then making as with speed he meant to march away He caus'd a flight of Shafts to be discharged first The enemy who thought that he had done his worst And cowardly had fled in a disordred Rout Attempt to wade the Brooke he wheeling soone about Set fiercely on that part which then were passed ouer Their Friends then in the Reare not able to recouer The other rising banke to lend the Vaward ayd The Earle who found the plot take right that he had layd On those that forward prest as those that did recoyle As hungry in reuenge there made a rauenous spoyle There Dutton Dutton kils A Done doth kill a Done A Booth a Booth and Leigh by Leigh is ouerthrowne A Venables against a Venables doth stand And Troutbeck fighteth with a Troutbeck hand to hand There Molineux doth make a Molineux to die And Egerton the strength of Egerton doth trie O Chesshire wert thou mad of thine owne natiue gore So much vntill this day thou neuer shedst before Aboue two thousand men vpon the earth were throwne Of which the greatest part were naturally thine owne The stout Lord Audley slaine with many a Captaine there To Salsbury it sorts the Palme away to beare Then faire Northampton next thy Battell place shall take Which of th' Emperiall warre the third fought Field doth make Twixt Henry cald our sixt vpon whose partie came His neere and deare Allies the Dukes of Buckingham And Somerset the Earle of Shrewsbury of account Stout Vicount Beaumount and the yong Lord Egremount Gainst Edward Earle of March sonne to the Duke of Yorke With
Warwicke in that warre who set them all at worke And Falkonbridge with him not much vnlike the other A Neuill nobly borne his puisant fathers brother Who to the Yorkists claime had euermore been true And valiant Bourcher Earle of Essex and of Eau. The King from out the towne who drew his Foot and Horse As willingly to giue full field-roomth to his Force Doth passe the Riuer Nen neere where it downe doth runne From his first fountaines head is neere to Harsington Aduised of a place by Nature strongly wrought Doth there encampe his power the Earle of March who sought To prooue by dint of sword who should obtaine the day From Tawcester traynd on his powers in good aray The Vaward Warwicke led whom no attempt could feare The Middle March himselfe and Falkonbridge the Reare Now Iuly entred was and ere the restlesse Sunne Three houres ascent had got the dreadfull fight begun By Warwicke who a straight from Vicount Beaumont tooke Defeating him at first by which hee quickly brooke In on th' Emperiall host which with a furious charge He forc'd vpon the field it selfe more to enlarge Now English Bowes and Bills and Battle-axes walke Death vp and downe the field in gastly sort doth stalke March in the flower of Youth like Mars himselfe doth beare But Warwicke as the man whom Fortune seem'd to feare Did for him what he would that wheresoere he goes Downe like a furious storme before him all he throwes So Shrewsbury againe of Talbots valiant straine That fatall Scourge of France as stoutly doth maintaine The party of the King so princely Somerset Whom th' others knightly deeds more eagerly doth whet Beares vp with them againe by Somerset opposd At last King Henries host being on three parts enclosd Aud ayds still comming in vpon the Yorkists side The Summer being then at height of all her pride The Husbandman then hard vpon his Haruest was But yet the cocks of Hay nor swaths of new-shorne grasse Strew'd not the Meads so thick as mangled bodies there When nothing could be seene but horror euery where So that vpon the bancks and in the streame of * Nen Ten thousand well resolu'd stout natiue English men Left breathlesse with the rest great Buckingham is slaine And Shrewsbury whose losse those times did much complaine Egremont and Beaumont both found dead vpon the Field The miserable King inforc'd againe to yeeld Then VVakefield Battell next we in our Bedroule bring Fought by Prince Edward sonne to that oft-conquered King And Richard Duke of Yorke still strugling for the Crowne Whom Salsbury assists the man with whose renowne The mouth of Fame seem'd fild there hauing with them then Some few selected Welsh and Southerne Gentlemen A handfull to those powers with which Prince Edward came Of which amongst the rest the men of noblest name Were those two great-borne Dukes which still his right preferre His cosen Somerset and princely Excester The Earle of Wiltshire still that on his part stucke close With those two valiant Peeres Lord Clifford and Lord Rosse Who made their March from Yorke to VVakefield on their way To meet the Duke who then at Sandall Castle lay Whom at his very gate into the Field they dar'd Whose long expected powers not fully then prepar'd That March his valiant sonne should to his succours bring Wherefore that puissant Lord by speedy mustring His Tenants and such friends as he that time could get Fiue thousand in fiue dayes in his Battalion set Gainst their twice doubled strength nor could the Duke be stayd Till he might from the South be seconded with ayd As in his martiall pride disdaining his poore foes So often vs'd to winne he neuer thought to lose The Prince which still prouok'd th' incensed Duke to fight His maine Battalion rang'd in Sandals loftie sight In which he and the Dukes were seene in all their pride And as Yorkes powers should passe he had on either side Two wings in ambush laid which at the place assign'd His Rereward should inclose which as a thing diuin'd Iust caught as he forecast for scarse his armie comes From the descending banks and that his ratling Drummes Excites his men to charge but Wiltshire with his force Which were of light-arm'd Foot and Rosse with his light Horse Came in vpon their backes as from a mountaine throwne In number to the Dukes by being foure to one Euen as a Rout of wolues when they by chance haue caught A Beast out of the Heard which long time they haue sought Vpon him all at once couragiously doe set Him by the Dewlaps some some by the flanke doe get Some climbing to his eares doe neuer leaue their hold Till falling on the ground they haue him as they would With many of his kind which when he vs'd to wend VVhat with their hornes hoofes could then themselues defend Thus on their foes they fell and downe the Yorkists fall Red Slaughter in her armes encompasseth them all The first of all the fights in this vnnaturall warre In which blind Fortune smild on wofull Lancaster Heere Richard Duke of Yorke downe beaten breath'd his last And Salsbury so long with conquest still that past Inforced was to yeeld Rutland a younger sonne To the deceased Duke as he away would runne A child scarse twelue yeares old by Clifford there surpriz'd Who whilst he thought with teares his rage to haue suffiz'd By him was answered thus Thy father hath slaine mine And for his blood young Boy I le haue this blood of thine And stab'd him to the heart thus the Lancastrians raigne The Yorkist in the field on heaps together slaine The Battell at that Crosse which to this day doth beare The great and ancient name of th' English Mortimer The next shall heare haue place betwixt that Edward fought Entitled Earle of March reuengefully that sought To wreake his fathers blood at Wakefield lately shed But then he Duke of Yorke his father being dead And Iasper Tudor Earle of Pembroke in this warre That stood to vnderprop the House of Lancaster Halfe brother to the King that stroue to hold his Crowne With Wiltshire whose high prowesse had brauely beaten downe The Yorkists swelling pride in that successefull warre At Wakefield whose greatst power of Welsh and Irish are The Dukes were Marchers most which still stucke to him close And meeting on the plaine by that forenamed Crosse As either Generall there for his aduantage found For wisely they surueyd the fashion of the ground They into one maine sight their either Forces make When to the Duke of Yorke his spirits as to awake Three sonnes at once appear'd all seuerally that shone Which in a little space were ioyned all in one Auspicious to the Duke as after it fell out Who with the weaker power of which he seem'd to doubt The proud Lancastrian part had quickly put to chase Where plainly it should seeme the Genius of the place The very name of March should greatly
And Marquesse Mountacute his brother that braue stem Of Neuils noble Stock who ioyned had to them The Dukes of Somerset and Excester and take The Earle of Oxford in the Armies forward make And meeting on the plaine to Barnet very neere That to this very day is called Gladmore there Duke Richard to the field doth Edwards Vaward bring And in the middle came that most couragious King With Clarence his reclaim'd and brother then most deare His friend Lord 〈◊〉 had the guiding of the Reare A man of whom the King most highly did repute On puisant Warwicks part the Marquesse Mountacute His brother and his friend the Earle of Oxford led The right wing and the left which most that day might sted The Duke of Excester and he himselfe doe guide The middle fight which was the Armies onely pride Of Archers most approu'd the best that he could get Directed by his friend the Duke of Somerset O Sabboth ill bestow'd O drery Easter day In which as some suppose the Sunne doth vse to play In honour of that God for sinfull man that dy'd And rose on that third day that Sunne which now doth hide His face in foggy mists nor was that morning seene So that the space of ground those angry hosts betweene Was ouershadowed quite with darknesse which so cast The armies on both sides that they each other past Before they could perceiue aduantage where to fight Besides the enuious mist so much deceiu'd their sight That where eight hundred men which valiant Oxford brought Ware Comets on their coats great Warwicks force which thought They had King Edwards beene which so with Sunnes were drest First made their shot at them who by their friends distrest Constrayned were to flie being scattered here and there But when this direfull day at last began to cleere King Edward then beholds that height of his first hopes Whose presence gaue fresh life to his oft-fainting troupes Prepar'd to scourge his pride there daring to defie His mercie to the host proclaiming publikely His hatefull breach of faith his periury and shame And what might make him vile so VVarwicke heard that name Of Yorke which in the field he had so oft aduanc'd And to that glorious height and greatnesse had inhanc'd Then cried against his power by those which oft had sled Their swist pursuing foc by him not brauely led Vpon the enemies backe their swords bath'd in the gore Of those from whom they 〈◊〉 like heartlesse men before Which Warwicks nobler name iniuriously defide Euen as the irefull host then ioyned side to side Where cruell Richard charg'd the Earles maine battell when Proud Somerset therein with his approoued men Stood stoutly to the shocke and flang out such a flight Of shafts as welneere seem'dt'eclipse the welcom'd light Which forc'd them to fall off on whose retreit againe That great Battalion next approcheth the fayre plaine Where in the King himselfe in person was to trie Proud VVarwicks vtmost strength when Warwicke by and by With his left wing came vp and charg'd so home and round That had not his light horse by disuantagious ground Been hindred he had strucke the heart of Edwards host But finding his defeat his enterprise so lost He his swift Currers sends to will his valiant brother And Oxford in command being equall to the other To charge with the right wing who brauely vp doe beare But Hastings that before raught thither with his Reare And with King Edward ioynd the host too strongly arm'd When euery part with spoyle with rape with fury charm'd Are prodigall of blood that slaughter seemes to swill It selfe in humane gore and euery one cries kill So doubtfull and so long the battell doth abide That those which to and fro twixt that and London ride That Warwicke winnes the day for certaine newes doe bring Those following them againe sayd certainly the King Vntill great VVarwicke found his armie had the worse And sore began to faint alighting from his horse In with the formost puts and wades into the throng And where he saw death stern'st the murthered troupes among He ventures as the Sunne in a tempestuous day With darknesse threatned long yet sometimes doth display His cheerefull beames which scarce appeare to the cleere eye But suddenly the clouds which on the winds doe flie Doe muffle him againe within them till at length The storme preuailing still with an vnusuall strength His cleerenesse quite doth close and shut him vp in night So mightie Warwicke fares in this outragious fight The cruell Lyons thus inclose the dreaded Beare Whilst Montacute who striues if any helpe there were To rescue his belou'd and valiant brother fell The losse of two such spirits at once time shall not tell The Duke of Somerset and th' Earle of Oxford fled And Excester being left for one amongst the dead At length recouering life by night escap'd away Yorke neuer safely sat till this victorious day Thus Fortune to his end this mightie Warwicke brings This puisant setter vp and plucker downe of Kings He who those battel 's wonne which so much blood had cost At Barnets fatall fight both Life and Fortune lost Now Tewksbury it rests thy storry to relate Thy sad and dreadfull fight and that most direfull Fate Of the Lancastrian Line which hapned on that day Fourth of that fatall Month that still-remembred May Twixt Edmund that braue Duke of Somerset who fled From Barnets bloody field againe there gathering head And Marquesse Dorset bound in blood to ayd him there With Thomas Courtney Earle of powerfull Deuonshire With whom King Henries sonne young Edward there was seene To claime his doubtlesse right with that vndaunted Queene His mother who from France with succours came on land That day when VVarwicke 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 which now stand Their fortune yet to trie vpon a second fight And Edward who imploy'd the vtmost of his might The poore Lancastrian part which he doth eas'ly feele By VVarwicks mightie fall already faintly reele By Battell to subuert and to extirpe the Line And for the present act his army doth assigne To those at Barnet field so luckily that sped As Richard late did there he here the Vaward led The Maine the King himselfe and Clarence tooke to guide The Rearward as before by Hastings was supplide The Army of the Queene into three Battels cast The first of which the Duke of Somerset and fast To him his brother Iohn doe happily dispose The second which the Prince for his owne safety chose The Barons of Saint Iohn and Wenlocke and the third To Courtney that braue Earle of Deuonshire referd Where in a spacious field they set their Armies downe Behind hard at their backes the Abbey and the Towne To whom their foe must come by often banks and steepe Through quickset narrow Lanes cut out with ditches deepe Repulsing Edwards power constraining him to prooue By thundring Cannonshot and Culuering to remooue Them from that chosen ground so tedious to
proud aray tow'rds London march along Which when King Edward saw the world began to side With Warwicke till himselfe he might of power prouide To noble Pembroke sends those Rebels to withstand Six thousand valiant We sh who mustring out of hand By Richard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his brother them doth bring And for their greater strength appointed by the King Th'Lord Stafford of his house of Powick named then Eight hundred Archers brought the most selected men The Marches could make out these hauing Seuerne crost And vp to Cotswould clome they heard the Northern host Being at Northampton then it selfe tow'rds Warwicke wayd When with a speedy march the Harberts that forlayd Their passage charg'd their Reare with neere two thousand horse That the Lancastrian part suipecting all their force Had followed them againe their armie bring about Both with such speed and skill that 〈◊〉 the Welsh got out By hauing charg'd too farre some of their Vaward lost Beat to their 〈◊〉 backe thus as these Legions coast On Danemore they are met indifferent for this warre Whereas three easie hils that stand Trianguler Small Edgcoat ouerlooke on that vpon the West The Welsh encampe themselues the Northerne them possest Of that vpon the South whilst by warres strange euent Yong Neuill who would braue the Harberts in their Tent Leading a troupe of Youth vpon that fatall plaine Was taken by the VVelsh and miserably slaine Of whose vntimely death his friends the next day tooke A terrible reuenge when Stafford there forsooke The army of the Welsh and with his Archers bad Them fight that would for him for that proud Pembroke had Displac'd him of his Inne in Banbury where he His Paramore had lodg'd where since he might not be He back ward shapes his course and leaues the Harberts there T' abide the brunt of all with outcries euery where The clamorous Drummes Fifes to the rough charge do sound Together horse and man come tumbling to the ground Then limbs like boughs were lop'd from shoulders armes doe flie They fight as none could scape yet scape as none could die The ruffling Northern Lads and the stout Welshmen tri'd it Then Head-pieces hold out or braines must sore abide it The Northern men Saint George for Lancaster doe crie A Pembroke for the King the lustie VVelsh replie When many a gallant youth doth desperatly assay To doe some thing that might be worthy of the day Where Richard Harbert beares into the Northern prease And with his Poleaxe makes his way with such successe That breaking through the Rankes he their maine Battell past And quit it so againe that many stood aghast That from the higher ground beheld him wade the crowd As often ye behold in tempests rough and proud O'rtaken with a storme some Shell or little Crea Hard labouring for the land on the high-working Sea Seemes now as swallowed vp then floating light and free O' th top of some high waue then thinke that you it see Quite sunke beneath that waste of waters yet doth cleere The Maine and safely gets some Creeke or Harbor neere So Harbert cleer'd their Host but see th' euent of warre Some Spialls on the hill discerned had from farre Another Armie come to ayd the Northerne side When they which Claphams craft so quickly not espide Who with fiue hundred men about Northampton raisd All discontented spirits with Edwards rule displeasd Displaying in the field great 〈◊〉 dreaded Beare The Welsh who thought the Earle in person had been there Leading a greater power disheartened turne the backe Before the Northerne host that quickly goe to wracke Fiue thousand valiant VVelsh are in chase o'rthrowne Which but an houre before had thought the day their owne Their Leaders in the flight the high-borne Harberts t'ane At Banbury must pay for Henry Neuill slaine Now Stamford in due course the Muse doth come to tell Of thine owne named field what in the fight befell Betwixt braue youthfull Wells from Lincolnshire that led Neere twentie thousand men tow'rd London making head Against the Yorkists power great VVarwicke to abet Who with a puisant force prepared forth to set To ioyne with him in Armes and ioyntly take their chance And Edward with his friends who likewise doe aduance His forces to refell that desperate daring foe Who for he durst himselfe in open Armes to show Nor at his dread command them downe againe would lay His father the Lord Wells who he suppos'd might sway His so outragious sonne with his lou'd law-made brother Sir Thomas Dymock thought too much to rule the other He strangely did to die which so incens'd the spleene Of this couragious youth that he to wreake his teene Vpon the cruell King doth euery way excite Him to an equall field that com'n where they might smite The Battell on this plaine it chanc'd their Armies met They rang'd their seuerall fights which once in order set The loudly-brawling Drummes which seemed to haue feard The trembling ayre at first soone after were not heard For out-cries shreekes and showts whilst noyse doth noyse confound No accents touch the eare but such as death doe sound In thirsting for reuenge whilst fury them doth guide As slaughter seemes by turnes to sease on either side The Southerne expert were in all to warre belong And exercise their skill the Marchmen stout and strong Which to the Battell sticke and if they make retreat Yet comming on againe the foe they backe doe beat And Wels for Warwicke crie and for the rightfull Crowne The other call a Yorke to beat the Rebels downe The worst that warre could doe on either side she showes Or by the force of Bils or by the strength of Bowes But still by fresh supplies the Yorkists power encrease And Wels who sees his troups so ouerborne with prease By hazarding too farre into the boystrous throng Incouraging his men the aduerse troupes among With many a mortall wound his wearied breath expir'd Which sooner knowne to his then his first hopes desir'd Ten thousand on the earth before them lying slaine No hope left to repaire their ruin'd state againe Cast off their Countries coats to hast their speed away Of them which Loose-coat field is cald euen to this day Since needsly I must sticke vpon my former text The bloody Battell fought at Barnet followeth next Twixt Edward who before he setled was to raigne By VVarwicke hence expuls'd but here ariu'd againe From Burgundy brought in munition men and pay And all things fit for warre expecting yet a day Whose brother * George came in with VVarwicke that had stood Whom nature wrought at length t' adhere to his owne blood His brother Richard Duke of Gloster and his friend Lord Hastings who to him their vtmost powers extend And VVarwick whose great heart so mortall hatred bore To Edward that by all the Sacraments he swore Not to lay downe his Armes vntill his sword had rac'd That proud King from his Seat that so had him disgrac'd