of Edmund Duke of Somerset slaine in the first battell at S. Albons in the 32. yeare of Henrie the sixt 350. 65 How Richard Plantagenet Duke of York was slaine through his rash boldnesse and his sonne the Earle of Rutland for his lacke of valiancie 360. 66 How the Lord Clifford for his strange and abominable crueltie came to as strange and sudden a death 365. 67 The infamous end of Lord Tiptoft Earle of Worcester for cruelly executing his Princes butcherly commandements 367. 68 How Sir Richard Neuil Earle of Warwicke and his brother Iohn Lord Marquesse Montacute through their too much boldnesse were slaine at Barnet 371. 69 How King Henry the sixt a vertuous Prince was after many other miseries cruelly murthered in the Tower of London 375. 70 How George Plantagenet third son of the Duke of Yorke was by his brother King Edward wrongfully imprisoned and by his brother Richard miserablie murthered 380. 71 How King Edward the fourth through his surfetting vntemperate life suddenly died in the midst of his prosperity 392. 72 How Sir Anthonie Wooduile Lord Riuers and Scales Gouernour of Prince Edward was with his nephew Lord Richard Grey and other causelesse imprisoned and cruelly murthered 394. 73 How the Lord Hastings was betraied by trusting too much to his euill counsellour Catesby and villanously murthered in the Tower of London by Richard Duke of Glocester 411. 74 The complaint of Henrie Duke of Buckingham 433. 75 How Colingborne was cruelly executed for making a Rime 455. 76 The wilfull fall of the Black-smith and the foolish end of the Lord Audley 463. 77 How the valiant Knight Sir Nicholas Burdet Chiefe Butler of Normandie was slaine at Pontoise 477. 78 How Shores wife King Edward the fourths Concubine was by King Richard despoiled of her goods and forced to do open penance 494. 79 How Thomas Woolsey did arise vnto great authoritie and gouernment his maner of life pompe and dignitie how he fell downe into great disgrace and was arrested of high treason 506. 80 How the Lord Cromwell exalted from meane estate was after by the enuie of the Bishop of Winchester and other his complices brought to vntimely end 520. The Additions 81 The life and death of King Arthur 561. 82 The life and death of King Edmund Ironside 585. 83 The life and death of Prince Alfred 603. 84 The life and death of Godwin Earle of Kent 617. 85 The life and death of Robert surnamed Curthose Duke of Normandie 631. 86 The life and death of King Richard the first surnamed Coeur de Lion 659. 87 The life and death of King Iohn 681. 88 The life and death of King Edward the second 703. 89 The life and death of the two yong Princes sonnes to Edward the fourth 736. 90 The life and death of King Richard the third 750. 91 The Poem annexed called Englands Eliza. 783. The end of the Contents THOMAS NEWTON TO THE Reader in the behalfe of this booke AS when an arming sword of proofe is made Both steele and iron must be tempred well For iron giues the strength vnto the blade And steele in edge doth cause it to excell As each good Blade-smith by his Art can tell For without iron brittle will it breake And without steele it will be blunt and weake So bookes that now their faces dare to show Must mettald be with nature and with skill For nature causeth stuffe enough to flow And Art the same contriues by learned quill In order good and currant method still So that if Nature frowne the case is hard And if Art want the matter all is mar'd The worke which heere is offred to thy view With both these points is full and fitly fraught Set forth by sundrie of the learned Crew Whose stately stiles haue Phoebus garland caught And Parnasse mount their worthy worke haue raught Their words are thundred with such maiestie As fitteth right each matter in degree Reade it therefore but reade attentiuely Consider well the drift whereto it tends Confer the times perpend the history The parties states and eke their dolefull ends With odde euents that diuine iustice sends For things forepast are presidents to vs Whereby we may things present now discusse Certes this world a Stage may well be call'd Whereon is plai'd the part of eu'ry wight Some now aloft anon with malice gal'd Are from high state brought into dismall plight Like counters are they which stand now in sight For thousand or ten thousand and anone Remoued stand perhaps for lesse then one Thomas Newtonus Cestreshyrius THE AVTHORS Induction WHen Sommer sweet with all her pleasures past And leaues began to leaue the shadie tree The winter cold encreased on full fast And time of yeare to sadnes moued me For moistie blasts not halfe so mirthfull be As sweet Aurora brings in spring-time faire Our ioyes they dimme as winter damps the aire The nights began to grow to length apace Sir Phoebus to th' Antarctique gan to fare From Libraes lance to th' Crab he tooke his race Beneath the line to lend of light a share For then with vs the daies more darkish are More short cold moist and stormie cloudie clit For sadnes more then mirths or pleasures fit Deuising then what bookes were best to reade Both for that time and sentence graue also For conference of friend to stand in stead When I my faithfull friend was parted fro I gate me straight the Printers shops vnto To seeke some worke of price I surely ment That might alone my carefull mind content Amongst the rest I found a booke so sad As time of yeare or sadnesse could require The Mirour nam'd for Magistrates he had So finely pen'd as heare could well desire Which when I read so set my heart on fire Eftsoones it me constrain'd to take the paine Not left with once to reade it once againe And as againe I view'd this worke with heed And marked plaine each partie paint his fall Me thought in mind I saw those men indeed Eke how they came in order Princely all Declaring well this life is but a thrall Sith those on whom for Fortunes gifts we stare Oft soonest sinke in greatest seas of care For some perdie were Kings of high estate And some were Dukes and came of regall race Some Princes Lords and Iudges great that sate In counsell still decreeing euery case Some other Knights that vices did embrace Some Gentlemen some poore exalted hie Yet euery one had plai'd his tragedie A Mirrour well it might be call'd a glasse As cleare as any crystall vnder Sun In each respect the Tragedies so passe Their names shall liue that such a worke begun For why with such Decorum is it done That Momus spight with more then Argus eies Can neuer watch to keepe it from the wise Examples there for all estates you find For Iudge I say what iustice he should vse The noble man to beare a noble mind And not himselfe ambitiously abuse The Gentleman vngentlenesse
the miners lap For I Lord Richard heire Plantagenet Was Earle of Cambridge and right fortunate If I had had the grace my wit to set To haue content me with mine owne estate But O false honors breeders of debate The loue of you our leaud hearts doth allure To lose our selues by seeking you vnsure Because my brother Edmund Mortimer Whose eldest sister was my wedded wife I meane that Edmund that was prisoner In Wales so long through Owens busie strife Because I say that after Edmunds life His rights and titles must by law be mine For he ne had nor could encrease his line Because the right of Realme and Crowne was ours I searched meanes to helpe him thereunto And where the Henries held it by their powers I sought a shift their tenures to vndoe Which being force sith force or sleight must doe I void of might because their power was strong Set priuie fleight against their open wrong But sith the death of most part of my kin Did dash my hope throughout the fathers daies I let it slip and thought it best begin When as the sonne should dread least such assayes For force through speed sleight speedeth through delayes And seeld doth treason time so fitly find As when all dangers most be out of mind Wherefore while Henrie of that name the fist Prepar'd his armie to go conquer France Lord Scroope and I thought to attempt a drift To put him downe my brother to aduance But wer 't Gods will my lucke or his good chance The King wist wholly whereabout we went The night before to shipward he him bent Then were we straight as traytours apprehended Our purpose spi'd the cause thereof was hid And therefore loe a false cause we pretended Where through my brother was from danger rid We said for hire of French Kings coine we did Behight to kill the King and thus with shame We stain'd our selues to saue our friend from blame When we had thus confest so foule a treason That we deseru'd we suffered by the law See Baldwine see and note as it is reason How wicked deeds to wofull ends do draw All force doth faile no craft is worth a straw To attaine things lost and therefore let them go For might rules right and will though truth say no. W. Baldwine HOW THOMAS MONTAGVE EARLE OF SALISBVrie in the middest of his glorie was chanceably slaine at Orleaunce with a piece of Ordinance the third of Nouember Anno Dom. 1428. WHat fooles be we to trust vnto our strength Our wit our courage or our noble fame Which time it selfe must needs deuour at length Though froward Fortune could not foile the same But seeing this Goddesse guideth all the game Which still to change doth set her only lust Why toile we so for things so hard to trust A goodly thing we deeme of good report Which noble hearts do seeke by course of kind But seeing the date so doubtfull and so short The way so rough whereby we do it find I cannot chuse but praise the Princely mind That preaseth for it though we find opprest By foule defame those that deserue it best Concerning whom marke Baldwine what I say I meane the vertuous hindred of their brute Among which number recken well I may My valiant father Iohn Lord Montacute Who lost his life I iudge through iust pursute I say the cause and not the casuall speed Is to be waighed in euery kind of deed This rule obseru'd how many shall we find For vertues sake with infamie opprest How some againe through helpe of Fortune blind For ill attempts atchieu'd with honor blest Successe is worst oft times when cause is best Therefore say I God send them sory haps That iudge the causes by their afterclaps The end indeed is Iudge of euery thing Which is the cause or latter point of time The first true verdict at the first may bring The last is slow or slipper as the slime Oft changing names of innocence and crime Duke Thomas death was Iustice two yeares long And euer since sore tyrannie and wrong Wherefore I pray thee Baldwine weigh the cause And praise my father as he doth deserue Because Earle Henry King against all lawes Endeuoured King Richard for to starue In iayle wherby the regall Crowne might swarue Out of the line to which it then was due Whereby God knowes what euill might ensue My Lord Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Which was deare cosin to this wretched King Did moue my Sire and th' Earle of Glocester With other Lords to ponder well the thing Who seeing the mischiefe that began to spring Did all consent this Henry to depose And to restore King Richard to the Rose And while they did deuise a prety traine Whereby to bring their purpose well about Which was in maske this Henry to haue slaine The Duke of Aumerle blew their counsaile out Yet was their purpose good there is no doubt What cause can be more worthy for a Knight Than saue his King and helpe true heires to right For this with them my father was destroid And buried in the dunghill of defame Thus euill chance their glory did auoid Whereas their cause doth claime eternall fame When deeds therefore vnluckily doe frame Men ought not iudge the authors to be naught For right through might is often ouerraught And God doth suffer that it should be so But why my wit is feeble to decise Except it be to heape vp wrath and we On wicked heads that iniuries deuise The cause why mischiefs many times arise And light on them that would mens wrongs redresse Is for the rancour that they beare I gesse God hateth rigour though it further right For sinne is sinne how euer it be vsed And therefore suffereth shame and death to light To punish vice though it bee well abused Who furthereth right is not therby excused If through the same he doe some other wrong To euery vice due guerdon doth belong What preach I now I am a man of warre And that my lims I dare say doth professe Of cured wounds beset with many a skarre My broken iaw vnheald can say no lesse O Fortune Fortune cause of all distresse My father had great cause thy fraud to curse But much more I abused ten times worse Thou neuer flatteredst him in all thy life But me thou dandledst like thy darling deare Thy gifts I found in euery corner rife Where ere I went I met thy smiling cheare Which was not for a day or for a yeare But through the raigne of three right worthy Kings I found thee forward in all kind of things The while King Henry conquered in France I sued the warres and still found victory In all assaults so happy was my chance Holds yeeld or won did make my enemies sory Dame Prudence eke augmented so my glory That in all treaties euer I was one When weighty matters were agreed vpon But when this King this mightie conquerour Through death vnripe was both
of a dreame Halfe waked all naked in bed as I lay What time strake the chime of mine houre extreame Opprest was my rest with mortall affray My foes did vnclose I know not which way My chamber dores and boldly in brake And had me fast before I could wake Thou lookest now that of my secret murther I should at large the maner how declare I pray thee Baldwine aske of me no further For speaking plaine it came so at vnware As I my selfe which caught was in the snare Scarcely am able the circumstance to shew Which was kept close and knowne but vnto few But be thou sure by violence it was And no whit bred by sicknesse or disease That felt it well before my life did passe For when these wolues my bodie once did sease Vsed I was but smally to mine ease With torments strong which went so neere the quicke As made me die before that I was sicke A Palsie they said my vitall spirits opprest Bred by excesse of melancholie blacke This for excuse to lay them seemed best Lest my true friends the cause might further racke And so perhaps discouer the whole packe Of my false foes whom they might well suspect For causes great which after tooke effect Dead was I found by such as best did know The maner how the same was brought to passe And then my corps was set out for a show By view whereof nothing perceiued was Whereby the world may see as in a glasse Th' vnsure state of them that stand most hie Which then dread least when danger is most nie And also see what danger they are in Which next their King are to succeed in place Since Kings most part be iealous of their kin Whom I aduise forewarned by my case To beare low saile and not too much embrace The peoples loue for as Senec saith truly O quà m funestus est fauor populi G. Ferrers HOW LORD WILLIAM DELAPOLE Duke of Suffolke was worthily banished for abusing his King and causing the destruction of the good Duke Humfrey Anno Dom. 1450. HEauie is the hap whereto all men be bound I meane the death which no estate may flie But to be banisht headed and then drown'd In sinke of shame from top of honors hie Was neuer man so seru'd I thinke but I. Wherefore Baldwine amongst the rest by right I claime of thee my wofull case to write My only life in all points may suffice To shew how base all baits of Fortune be Which thaw like yee through heate of enuies eyes Of vicious deeds which much possessed me Good hap with vice long time cannot agree Which bring best Fortunes to the basest fall And happiest hap to enuie to be thrall Called I was William De la Poole Of Suffolke Duke in Queene Margarets daies That found the meane Duke Humfreys blood to coole Whose worthie acts deserue eternall praise Whereby I note that Fortune cannot raise Any aloft without some others wracke Flouds drowne no fields before they finde bracke But as the waters which doe breake the walles Doe lose their course they had within the shore And daily rotting stinke within their stalles For fault of mouing which they found before Euen so the state that ouer high is bore Doth lose the life of peoples loue it had And rots it selfe vntill it fall to bad For while I was but Earle ech man was glad To say and doe the best by me they might And Fortune euer since I was a lad Did smile vpon me with a chearefull sight For when my King had doubed me a Knight And sent me forth to serue at warre in France My luckly speed mine honour did enhance Where to omit the many feates I wrought Vnder others guide I do remember one Which with my souldiers valiantly was fought None other Captaine saue my selfe alone I meane not now th' apprinze of Pucell Ione In which attempt my trauaile was not small Though Burgoyne Duke had then the praise of all The siege of Awmarie is the feat I praise A strong built Towne with castels walles and vaults With men and weapon armd at all assaies To which I gaue nigh fiue times fiue assaults Till at the last they yeelded it for naughts Yet Lord Ramburs most like a valiant Knight Defended it as long as ere he might But what preuailed it these townes to winne Which shortly after must be lost againe Whereby I see there is more glory in The keeping things then is in their attaine To get and keepe not is but losse and paine Therfore ought mē prouide to saue their winnings In all attempts else lose they their beginnings Because we could not keepe the townes we won For they were more then we might easily weeld One yeare vndid what we in ten had done Enuie at home treason abroad did yeeld King Charles his Realme of France made barren field For bloodie warres had wasted all encrease Which caus'd the Pope help need to sue for peace So that in Touraine at the towne of Tours Duke Charles and other for their Prince appered So did Lord Rosse and I then Earle for ours And when we shewed wherein each other dered We sought out meanes all quarels to haue clered Wherein the Lords of Germanie of Spaine Of Hungarie and Denmarke tooke great paine But sith we could no finall peace induce For neither would the others couenants heare For eighteene months we did conclude a truce And while as friends we lay together there Because my warrant did me therein beare To make a perfit peace and through accord I sought a mariage for my soueraigne Lord. And for the French Kings daughters were too small I fancied most Dame Margaret his niece A louely Ladie beautifull and tall Faire spoken pleasant and a Princely piece In wit and learning matchlesse hence to Greece Duke Rayners heire of Aniow King by stile Of Naples Ierusalem and Sicil I le But ere I could the grant of her attaine All that our King had of her fathers lands As Maunts the towne the countie whole of Maine And most of Aniow duchie in our hands I did release him by assured bands And as for do wire with her none I sought I thought no peace could be too deerely bought And when this mariage throwly was agreed Although my King was glad of such a make His vncle Humfrey hated it indeed Because thereby his precontract he brake Made with the heire of the Earle of Arminacke A noble maid with store of goods endowed Which more then this with losse the Duke allowed But loue and beautie in the King so wrought That neither gaine or promise he regarded But set his vncles counsell still at nought And for my paines I highly was awarded Thus vertue starues but lustfood must be larded For I made Marquesse went to France againe And brought this bride vnto my Soueraigne At home because Duke Humfrey aye repined Calling their match aduoutrie as it was The Queene did moue me erst thereto enclined
Additions the falles of such Princes as were before omitted and my Poem or Hymne of the late dead Queene of famous memorie In all which I require no other gratification for my paines but a gentle censure of my imperfections THE CONTENTS of the booke HOw King Albanact the yongest sonne of Brutus and first King of Albanie now called Scotland was slaine by King Humber Pag. 1. 2 How Humber the King of Huns minding to conquer Britain was drowned in the arme of sea now called Humber 18. 3 How King Locrinus the eldest son of Brutus liued viciously and was slaine in battell by his wife Queene Guendoline 22. 4 How Queene Elstride the Concubine of King Locrinus was miserablie drowned by Queene Guendoline 27. 5 How the Ladie Sabrine daughter of King Locrinus and Elstride was drowned by Queene Guendoline 38. 6 How King Madan for his euill life was slaine by wolues 44. 7 How King Malin was slaine by his brother King Mempricius 47. 8 How King Mempricius giuen all to lust was deuoured by wolues 50. 9 How King Bladud taking on him to flie fell vpon the Temple of Apollo and brake his necke 53. 10 How Queene Cordila in despaire slew her selfe 59. 11 How King Morgan of Albany was slaine at Glamorgan in Wales 69. 12 How King Iago died of the Lethargie 72. 13 How King Forrex was slaine by his brother King Porrex 74. 14 How King Porrex which slew his brother was slaine by his owne mother and her maidens 78. 15 How King Pinnar was slaine in battell by Mulmucius Donwallo 80. 16 How King Stater was slaine in battell by Mulmucius Donwallo 82. 17 How King Rudacke of Wales was slaine in battell by Mulmucius Donwallo 83. 18 How the noble King Brennus after many triumphant victories at the siege of Delphos in Greece slew himselfe 86. 19 How King Kimarus was deuoured by wilde beasts 103. 20 How King Morindus was deuoured by a monster 106. 21 How King Emerianus for his tyrannie was deposed 110. 22 How King Cherinnus giuen to drunkennesse raigned but one yeare 111. 23 How King Varianus gaue himself to the lusts of the flesh 112. 24 How the worthie Britaine Duke Nennius encountred with Iulius Caesar and was vnfortunately slaine 114. 25 How the Lord Irenglas cosin to King Cassibellane was slaine by the Lord Elenine cosin to Androgeus Earle of London 123. 26 How Caius Iulius Caesar which first made this Realme tributorie to the Romans was slaine in the Senate house 129. 27 How Claudius Tiberius Nero Emperour of Rome was poisoned by Caius Caligula 139. 28 How Caius Caesar Caligula Emperour of Rome was slaine by Cherea and others 145. 29 How Guiderius King of Britaine the elder sonne of Cimbaline was slaine in battell by a Roman 146. 30 How Lelius Hamo the Romane Captaine was slaine after the slaughter of Guiderius 148. 31 How Claudius Tiberius Drusus Emperour of Rome was poisoned by his wife Agrippina 149. 32 How the Emperour Domitius Nero liued wickedly and tyrannously and in the end miserablie slew himselfe 152. 33 How Sergius Galba the Emperour of Rome giuen to slaughter ambition gluttony was slaine by the souldiers 155. 34 How the vicious Siluius Otho Emperour of Rome slew himselfe 157. 35 How Aulus Vitellius Emperour of Rome came to an vnfortunate end 159. 36 How Londricus the Pict was slaine by King Marius of Britaine 161. 37 How Seuerus the Emperour of Rome and Gouernour of Britaine was slaine at Yorke fighting against the Picts 163. 38 How Fulgentius a Scythian or Pict was slaine at the siege of Yorke 167. 39 How Geta the yonger sonne of the Emperour Seuerus once Gouernour of Britaine was slaine in his mothers armes by his brother Anthonie Emperour of Rome 170. 40 How Aurelius Antonius Bassianus Caracalla Emperour of Rome was slaine by one of his owne seruants 174. 41 How Carrassus a Husbandmans son and after King of Britaine was slaine in battell by Alectus a Romane 185. 42 How Queene Helena of Britaine maried Constantius the Emperour and much aduanced the Christian faith through the whole world 289. 43 How Vortiger destroyed the yong King Constantine and how he obtained the crowne how after many miseries he was miserablie burnt in his Castle by the brethren of Constantine 203. 44 How Vter Pendragon was inamoured on the wife of Gorolus Duke of Cornewal whom he slew and after was poysoned by the Saxons 213. 45 How Cadwallader the last King of the Britaines was expelled by the Saxons went to Rome and there liued in a religious house 219. 46 How Sigebert for his wicked life was thrust from his throne and miserablie slaine by an heardsman 225. 47 How Ladie Ebbe did flea her nose and vpper lip away to saue her virginitie 235. 48 How King Egelred for his wickednes was diuersly distressed by the Danes and lastly died for sorrow 239. 49 How King Harrold had continuall warre with the Danes with the Norway King with his brother Tostius and was at last slaine in battell by William the Conquerour 245. From the Conquest 50 M. Sackuils Induction 255. 51 How the two Rogers surnamed Mortimers for their sundrie vices ended their liues vnfortunately 271. 52 The fall of Robert Tresillian Chiefe Iustice of England and other his fellowes for misconstruing the Lawes and expounding them to serue the Princes affections 276. 53 How Sir Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester vncle to King Richard the second was vnlawfully murthered 281. 54 How the Lord Mowbrey promoted by King Richard the second to the state of a Duke was by him banished the Realme and after died miserablie in exile 287. 55 How King Richard the second was for his euill gouernance deposed from his seat and murthered in prison 293. 56 How Owen Glendour seduced by false prophesies tooke vpon him to be Prince of Wales and was by Henrie Prince of England chased to the mountaines where he miserablie died for lacke of food 296. 57 How Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland was for his couetous and trayterous attempt put to death at Yorke 303. 58 How Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge intending the Kings destruction was put to death at Southhampton 307. 59 How Thomas Montague Earle of Salisburie in the middest of his glory was vnfortunately slaine at Oleance with a peece of Ordnance 309. 60 How Dame Eleanor Cobham Duchesse of Glocester for practising of Witchcraft and sorcerie Suffered open penance and afterward was banished the Realme into the I le of Man 317. 61 How Humfrey Plantagenet Duke of Glocester Protector of England during the minoritie of his nephew King Henrie the sixt commonly called the good Duke by practise of enemies was brought to confusion 327. 62 How Lord William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke was worthily banished for abusing his King and causing the destruction of the good Duke Humfrey 340. 63 How Iack Cade naming himselfe Mortimer trayterously rebelling against his King was for his treasons and cruell doings worthily punished 345. 64 The tragedie
these miracles wrought The King inflamed with in dignation That to such bondage he should be brought Suppressing the ire of his inward thought Studied nought else but how that he might Be highly reuenged of this high despite Aggreeu'd was also this latter offence With former matter his ire to renue For once at Windsore I brought to his presence The Maior of London with all his retinue To aske a reckoning of the Realmes reuenue And the souldiers of Brest by me were made bold Their wages to claime when the towne was sold These griefes remembred with all the remnant Hourded in his hart hate out of measure Yet openly in shew made he no femblant By word or by deed to beare displeasure But loue dayes dissembled do neuer indure And whoso trusteth a foe reconcild Is for the most part alwaies beguild For as fire ill quencht will vp at a start And sores not well salued doe breake out of new So hatred hidden in an irefull hart Where it hath had long season to brew Vpon euery occasion doth easily renew Not failing at last if it be not let To pay large vsury besides the due det Euen so it fared by this friendship fained Outwardly sound and inwardly rotten For when the Kings fauour in seeming was gained All old displeasures forgiuen and forgotten Euen then at a suddaine the shaft was shotten Which pierced my heart void of mistrust Alas that a Prince should be so vniust For lying at Plashey my selfe to repose By reason of sicknesse which held me full sore The King espying me apart from those With whom I confedered in band before Thought it not meete to tract the time more But glad to take me at such auantage Came to salute me with friendly visage Who hauing a band bound to his bent By colour of kindnesse to visite his Eame Tooke time to accomplish his cruell intent And in a small vessell downe by the streame Conueid me to Calis out of the Realme Where without processe or doome of my Peeres Not nature but murder abridged my yeeres This act was odious to God and to man Yet rigour to cloake in habit of reason By craftie compasse deuise they can Articles nine of right hainous treason But doome after death is sure out of season For who euer saw so strange a president As execution done before iudgement Thus hate harboured in depth of minde By sought occasion burst out of new And cruelty abused the law of kinde When that the Nephue the Vncle flew Alas King Richard sore mayst thou rue Which by this fact preparedst the way Of thy hard destiny to hasten the day For bloud axeth bloud as guerdon due And vengeance for vengeance is iust reward O righteous God thy iudgements are true For looke what measure we other award The same for vs againe is prepar'd Take heed ye Princes by examples past Bloud will haue bloud either first or last G. Ferrers HOW THE LORD MOWbrey promoted by King Richard the second to the state of a Duke was by him banished the Realme the yeare of Christ 1398. and after died miserablie in exile THough sorrow and shame abash me to rehearse My lothsome life and death of due deserued Yet that the paines thereof may other pearce To leaue the like lest they be likewise serued Ah Baldwine marke and see how that I swerued Dissembling enuy and flattery bane that bee Of all their hostes haue shew'd their power on mee I blame not Fortune though she did her part And true it is she can do little harme She guideth goods she hampreth not the heart A minde well bent is safe from euery charme Vice only vice with her stout strengthlesse arme Doth cause the heart from good to ill encline Which I alas doe finde too true by mine For where by birth I came of noble race The Mowbreys heire a famous house and old Fortune I thanke gaue me so good a grace That of my Prince I had what so I would Yet neither was to other greatly hold For I thought flattery wrong'd his want on youth And his fond trust augmented my vntruth He made me first the Earle of Notingham And Marshall of the Realme in which estate The Peeres and people iointly to me came With sore complaint against them that of late Bad officers had brought the King in hate By making sale of Iustice right and Lawe And liuing naught without all dread or awe I gaue them aid these euils to redresse And went to London with an army strong And caus'd the King against his will oppresse By cruell death all such as led him wrong The Lord chiefe Iustice suffered these among So did the Steward of his household head The Chancellor scapte for he afore had fled These wicked men thus from the King remou'd Who best vs pleas'd succeeded in their place For which both King and Commons much vs lou'd But chiefly I with all stood high in grace The King ensu'd my rede in euery case Whence selfe-loue bred for glory maketh prowd And pride aye seeks alone to be allow'd Wherefore to th' end I might alone inioy The Kings good will I made his lust my lawe And where of late I labour'd to destroy Such flattering folke as thereto stood in awe Now learned I among the rest to clawe For pride is such if it be kindly caught As stroyeth good and stirres vp euery naught Pride pricketh men to flatter for the pray Toppresse and poll for maint'nance of the same To malice such as match vneths it may And to be briefe pride doth the heart inflame To fire what mischiefe any fraud may frame And still at length the euils by it wrought Confound the worker and bring him to nought Behold in me due proofe of euery part For pride first forced me my Prince to flatter So much that whatsoeuer pleas'd his heart Were 't nere so ill I thought a lawfull matter Which causd the Lords afresh against him clatter Because he had his holds beyond sea sold And seene his souldiers of their wages pold Though vnto all these ils I were a frend Yet such was luck that each man deemed no The Duke of Glocester for me did send With other Lords whose hearts did bleede for woe To see the Realme so fast to ruine goe In fault whereof they said the two Dukes were The one of Yorke the other Lancaster On whose remoue from being about the King We all agreed and sware a solemne oth And whilst the rest prouided for this thing I flatterer I to win the praise of troth Wretch that I was brake faith and promise both For I bewraied to th' King their whole intent For which vnwares they all were tane and shent Thus was the warder of the Common weale The Duke of Gloster guiltlesse made away With other moe more wretch I so to deale Who through vntruth their trust did ill betray Yet by this meanes obtained I may pray Of King and Dukes I found for this such fauour As
be nighest For while I suing this so good successe Laid siege to Orliaunce on the Riuer side The Bastard Cuckold Cawnies sonne I gesse Tho thought the Dukes who had the towne in guide Came fiercely forth when he his time espi'd To raise the siege but was bet backe againe And hard pursued both to his losse and paine For there we wan the Bulwarke on the bridge With a mightie tower standing fast thereby Ah cursed tower that didst my daies abridge Would God thou had'st been further either I For in this tower a chamber stands on hie From which a man may view through all the towne By certaine windowes iron grated downe Where on a day now Baldwine note mine end I stood in viewing where the towne was weake And as I busily talked with my friend Shot from the towne which all the grate did breake A pellet came and droue a mightie fleake Against my face and tare away my cheeke For paine whereof I died within a weeke See Baldwine see the most vncertaine glorie How sudden mischiefe dasheth all to dust And warne all Princes by my broken storie The happiest fortune chiefly to mistrust Was neuer man that alway had his lust Then mortall fooles in fancie more then mad Which hope to haue that neuer any had W. Baldwine HOW DAME ELEANOR COBHAM DVCHESSE OF GLOCESTER FOR PRACtising of Witchcraft and Sorcery suffred open penance and after was banished the Realme into the I le of Man IF a poore Ladie damned in exile Amongst Princes may be allowed place Then gentle Baldwine stay thy pen a while And of pure pitie ponder well my case How I a Duchesse destitute of grace Haue found by proofe as many haue and shall The prouerbe true that pride will haue a fall A noble Prince extract of royall blood Humfrey sometime protector of this Land Of Glocester Duke for vertue call'd the good When I but base beneath his state did stand Vouchsaft with me to ioyne in wedlockes band Hauing in Court no name of high degree But Eleanor Cobham as parents left to mee And though by blith of noble race I was Of Barons blood yet was I thought vnfit So high to match yet so it came to passe Whether by grace good fortune or by wit Dame Venus lures so in mine eyes did sit As this great Prince without respect of state Did worthie me to be his wedded mate His wife I was and he my true husband Though for a while he had the company Of Lady Iaquet Dutchesse of Holland Being an heire of ample patrimony But that fell out to be no matrimonie For after warre long sute in law and strife She proued was the Duke of Brabants wife Thus of a Damsell Dutchesse I became My state and place aduanced next the Queene Whereby me thought I felt no ground but swam For in the Court mine equall was not seene And so possest with pleasure of the spleene The sparkes of pride so kindled in my brest As I in Court would shine aboue the rest Such gifts of nature God in me had graft Of shape and forme with other graces mo That by the shot of Cupids fiery shaft Which to the heart of this great Prince did go This mightie Duke with loue was kindled so As he abasing th' height of his degree Set his whole heart to loue and honor mee Grudge whoso would to him I was most deere Aboue all Dames aduanced in degree The Queene except no Princesse was my peere But gaue me place and Lords with cap and knee Did all honor and reuerence vnto mee Thus hoisted high vpon the rolling wheele I sate so sure me though I could not reele And weening least that Fortune hath a turne I look'd aloft and would not looke alow The brands of pride so in my brest did burne As the hot sparkes burst forth in open show And more and more the fire began to glow Without quenching and daily did encrease Till Fortunes blasts with shame did make it cease For as t is said pride passeth on afore And shame followes for iust reward and meed Would God Ladies both now and euermore Of my hard hap which shall the storie reede Would beare in mind and trust it as their Creed That pride of heart is a most hatefull vice And low linesse a pearle of passing price Namely in Queenes and Ladies of estate Within whose minds all meeknes should abound Since high disdaine doth alwaies purchase hate Being a vice that most part doth redound To their reproch in whom the same is found And seldome gets good fauour or good fame But is at last knit vp with worldly shame The proofe whereof I found most true indeed That pride afore hath shame to wait behind Let no man doubt in whom this vice doth breed But shame for pride by iustice is assign'd Which I well found for truly in my mind Was neuer none whom pride did more enflame Nor neuer none receiued greater shame For not content to be a Dutchesse great I longed sore to beare the name of Queene Aspiring still vnto an higher seat And with that hope my selfe did ouerweene Since there was none which that time was betweene Henrie the King and my good Duke his Eame Heire to the crowne and kingdome of this Realme So neare to be was cause of my vaine hope And long await when this faire hap would fall My studies all were tending to that scope Alas the while to counsell I did call Such as would seeme by skill coniecturall Of art Magique and wicked Sorcerie For to diuine the Princes destinie Among which sort of those that bare most fame There was a Beldame call'd the Witch of Ey Old mother Madge her neighbours did her name Which wrought wonders in countries by here-say Furies and feends her charming would obay And dead corps from graue she could vpreare Such an Inchantresse that time had no peere Two Priests also the one hight Bolenbroke The other Suthwel Clerkes in coniuration These two Chaplaines were they that vndertooke To cast and calke the Kings true constellation And then to iudge by deepest diuination Of things to come and who should next succeed To Englands Crowne all this was true indeed And further sure they neuer did proceed Though I confesse that this attempt was ill But for my part for any thing in deed Wrought or else thought by any kind of skill God is my iudge I neuer had the will By any inchantment Sorcerie or charme Or otherwise to worke my Princes harme Yet nerethelesse when this case came to light By secret spies to Caiphas our Cardinall Who long in heart had borne a priuie spight To my good Duke his nephew naturall Glad of the chance so fitly forth to fall His long hid hate with Iustice to color Vsed this case with most extreame rigor And caused me with my complices all To be cited by processe peremptorie Before Iudges in place Iudiciall Whereas Caiphas sitting in his glorie Would not allow my answere
To helpe to bring him to his Requiem masse Which sith it could for no crime come to passe His life and doings were so right and clere Through priuy murder we brought him to his bere Thus righteousnesse brought Humfrey to rebuke Because he would no wickednesse allow But for my doings I was made a Duke So Fortune can both bend and smooth her brow On whom she list not passing why or how O Lord how high how soone she did me raise How fast she fill'd me both with prayes and praise The Lords and Commons both of like assent Besought my soueraigne kneeling on their knees For to record my deeds in the Parlament As deeds deseruing euerlasting fees In which attempt they did no labour leese For they set not my praise so fast in flame As he was readie to reward the same But note the end my deeds so worthie deemed Of King of Lords and Commons all together Were shortly after treasons false esteemed And all men curst Queene Margets comming lither For Charles the French King in his feats not lither When we had rendred Rayner Maunts and Maine Found meane to win all Normandie againe This made the people curse the mariage Esteeming it the cause of euery losse Wherefore at me with open mouth they rage Affirming me t' haue brought the Realme to mosse When King and Queene saw things thus go acrosse To quiet all a Parlament they called And caused me in prison to be thralled And shortly after brought me forth abrode Which made the Commons more then double wood And some with weapons would haue laid on lode If their grand Captaine Blewberd in his mood Had not in time with wisdome been withstood But though that he and more were executed The people still their worst against me bruted And so applied the Parliament with billes Of hainous wrongs and open traiterous crimes That King and Queene were forst against their willes From place to place t'adiourne it diuers times For Princes power is like the sandie slimes Which must perforce giue place vnto the waue Or sue the windie sourges when they raue Their life was not more deare to them then I Which made them search all shifts to saue me still But aye my foes such faults did on me trie That to preserue me from a worser ill The King was faine full sore against his will For fiue yeares space to send me in exile In hope to haue restor'd me in a while But marke how vengeance waiteth vpon vice To shun this storme in sayling towards France A Pirats Barke that was of little price Encountred me vpon the feas by chance Whose Captaine there tooke me as in a trance Let passe my ships with all their frait and load And led me backe againe to Douer road Where vnto me recounting all my faults As murthering of Duke Humfrey in his bed And how I had brought all the Realme to naughts Causing the King vnlawfully to wed There was no grace but I must lose my head Wherefore he made me shriue me in his bote And on the brinke my necke in two he smote This was mine end which was by reason due To me and such as others deaths procure Therefore be bold to write for it is true That whoso doth such practise put in vre Of due reward at last shall be most sure For God is iust whose stroke delayed long Doth light at last with paine more sharpe and strong W. Baldwine HOW IACK CADE NAMING HIMSELFE MORTIMER TRAYTEROVSLY rebelling against his King in Iune Anno 1450. was for his treasons and cruell doings worthilie punished SHall I it Fortune call or my froward folly That rais'd me vp and laid me downe below Or was it courage that made me so iolly Which of the starres and bodies greement grow What ere it were this one point sure I know Which shall be meete for euery man to marke Our lust and willes our euils chiefely warke It may be well that Planets doe encline And our complexions moue our mindes to ill But such is reason that they bring to fine No worke vnayded of our lust and will For heauen and earth are subiect both to skill The will of God rul'th all it is so strong Man may by skill guide things that to him long Though lust be stout and will enclin'd to nought This forst by mixture that by heauens course Yet through the grace God hath in reason rought And giuen man no lust nor will to course But may be staied or swaged of the sourse So that it shall in nothing force the minde To worke our woe or leaue the proper kind But though this grace be giuen to some man To rule the will and keepe the mind aloft Yet few there be'mongst men that vse it can These worldly pleasures tickle vs so oft The spirit weake and will strong flesh is soft And yeeldes it selfe to pleasure that it loueth And hales the mind to that it most reproueth Now if this hap whereby we yeeld our mind To lust and will be Fortune as we name her Then is she iustly called false and blind And no reproch can be too much to blame her Yet is the shame our owne when so we shame her For sure this hap if it be rightly knowne Comes of our selues and so the blame our owne For whoso liueth in the schoole of skill And medleth not with any worlds affaires Forsaketh pomps and honors that doe spill The minds recourse to Graces quiet staires His state no Fortune by no meane appaires For Fortune is the only foe of those Which to the world their wretched willes dispose Among which fooles marke Baldwine I am one That would not stay my selfe in mine estate I thought to rule but to obay to none And therefore fell I with my King at bate And to the end I might him better mate Iohn Mortimer I caus'd my selfe be called Whose kingly bloud the Henries nigh had thrall'd This shift I vs'd the people to perswade To leaue their Prince on my side more to sticke Whereas indeed my fathers name was Cade Whose noble stocke was neuer worth a sticke But touching wit I was both ripe and quicke Had strength of limmes large stature comely face Which made men weene my linage were not base And seeing stoutnes stucke by men in Kent Whose valiant hearts refuse none enterprise With false perswasions straight to them I went And said they suffered too great iniuries By meane whereof I caused them to rise And battaile-wise to come to Blacke Heath plaine And thence their griefes vnto the King complaine Who being deafe as men say on that eare For we desired release of subsidies Refused roughly our requests to heare And came against vs as his enemies But we to stay him sought out subtilties Remou'd our Campe and backe to Senock went After whom the Staffords with their power were sent See here how Fortune setting vs a flote Brought to our nets a portion of our pray For why the Staffords with
that will by them be led My life I lost in that vnluckly place With many Lords that leaned to my part The stout Earle Percy had no better grace Clyfford couragious could not shun the dart Buckingham heir was at this mortall mart Babthorp th' Atturney with his skill in law In pleading heere appeared very raw King Henrie thus disarmed of his bands His friends and followers wanting assistence Was made a prey vnto his enemies hands Depriued of power and Princely reuerence And as a pupill void of all experience Innocent plaine and simplie witted Was as a Lambe vnto the Wolfe committed A Parliament then was called with speed A Parliament nay a plaine conspiracie When against right it was decreed That after the death of the sixt Henrie Yorke should succeed vnto the regaltie And in his life the charge and protection Of King and Realme at the Dukes direction And thus was Yorke declared Protectour Protectour said I nay Proditor plaine A rancke rebell the Princes directour A vassall to leade his Lord and Soueraigne What honest heart would not conceiue disdaine To see the foot surmount aboue the head A monster is in spite of nature bred Some happily heere will moue a farther doubt And as for Yorkes part alledge an elder right O brainelesse heads that so run in and out When length of time a state hath firmely pight And good accord hath put all strife to flight Were it not better such titles still to sleepe Then all a Realme about the triall weepe From the female came Yorke and all his seed And we of Lancaster from the heire male Of whom three Kings in order did succeed By iust descent this is no fained tale Who would haue thought that any storme or gale Our ship could shake hauing such anker hold None I thinke sure vnlesse that God so would After this hurle the King was faine to flee Northward in post for succour and releefe O blessed God how strange it was to see A rightfull Prince pursued as a theefe To thee O England what can be more repreefe Then to pursue thy Prince with armed hand What greater shame may be to any land Traytours did triumph true men lay in dust Reuing and robbing roifled euery where VVill stood for skill and law obeyed lust Might trode downe right of King there was no feare The title was tried only by shield and speare All which vnhaps that they were not foreseene Suffolke was in fault who ruled King and Queene Some heere perhaps do looke I should accuse My selfe of sleight or subtiltie vniust VVherein I should my Princes eares abuse Against the Duke to bring him in mistrust Some part whereof though needs confesse I must My fault only consisted in consent Leaning to my foes whereof I do repent If I at first when brands began to smoke The sparkes to quench by any way had sought Neuer had England felt this mortall stroke VVhich now too late lamenting helpeth nought Two points of wit too dearely haue I bought The first that better is timely to foresee Then after ouer late a counsellour to bee The second is not easily to assent To aduice giuen against thy faithfull friend But of the speaker ponder the intent The meaning full the point and finall end A Saint in shew in proofe is found a Feend The subtill man the simple to abuse Much pleasant speech and eloquence doth vse And so was I abus'd and other moe By Suffolkes sleights who sought to please the Queene Forecasting not the miserie and woe VVhich therefore came and soone was after seene VVith glosing tongue he made vs fooles to weene That Humfrey did to Englands Crowne aspire VVhich to preuent his death they did conspire VVhat should I more of mine vnhaps declare VVhereof my death at last hath made an end Not I alone was void of all this care Some besides me there were that did offend None I accuse nor yet my selfe defend Faults I know I had as none liues without My chiefe fault was folly I put thee out of doubt Folly was the chiefe the naughtie time was next VVhich made my Fortune subiect to the chiefe If England then with strife had not been vext Glorie might haue growen whereas ensued griefe Yet one thing is my comfort and reliefe Constant I was in my Princes quarrell To die or liue and spared for no parrell VVhat though Fortune enuious was my foe A noble heart ought not the sooner yeeld Nor shrinke abacke for any weale or woe But for his Prince lie bleeding in the feeld If priuie spight at any time me helde The price is paid and grieuous is my guerdon As for the rest me God I trust will pardon G. Ferrers HOW RICHARD PLANTAGENET DVKE OF YORKE was slaine through his ouer rash boldnes and his sonne the Earle of Rutland for his lacke of valiance An. Dom. 1460. TRust not in chance in whom was neuer trust Of foolish men that haue no better grace All rest renowne and deeds lie in the dust Of all the sort that sue her slipper trace What meanest thou Baldwine for to hide thy face Thou needest not feare although I misse my head Nor yet to mourne for this my sonne is dead The cause why thus I lead him in my hand His skin with blood and teares so sore bestain'd Is that thou maist the better vnderstand How hardly Fortune hath for vs ordain'd In whom her loue and hate be whole contain'd For I am Richard Prince Plantagenet The Duke of Yorke in royall race beget From Lionel the third begotten sonne Of Kingly Edward by descent I came From Philip hight his heire we first begun The crowne as due to vs by right to clame And in the end we did obtaine the same She was sole heire by due descent of line Whereby her rights and titles all were mine But marke me now I pray thee Baldwine marke And see how force oft ouerbeareth right Way how vsurpers tyrannously warke To keepe by murther that they get by might And note what troublous dangers do alight On such as seeke to repossesse their owne And how through rigour right is ouerthrowne The Duke of Herford Henrie Bolenbroke Of whom Duke Mowbray told thee now of late When void of cause he had King Richard toke He murdered him vsurped his estate Without all right or title sauing hate Of others rule or loue to rule alone These two excepted title had he none The Realme and Crowne was Edmund Mortimers Whose father Roger was King Richards heire Which caused Henrie and the Lancasters To seeke all shift our housholds to appaire For sure he was to sit beside the chaire Were we of power to claime our lawfull right Against vs therefore he did all he might His cursed sonne ensued his cruell path And kept my guiltlesse cosin strait in durance For whom my father hard entreated hath But liuing hopelesse of his liues assurance He thought it best by politike procurance To slay the King and so restore his
friend Which brought himselfe to an infamous end For when King Henrie of that name the fift Had tane my father in his conspiracie He from Sir Edmund all the blame to shift Was faine to say the French King Charles his alley Had hired him this trayterous act to trie For which condemned shortly he was slaine In helping right this was my fathers gaine Thus when the linage of the Mortimers Was made away by his vsurping line Some hang'd some slaine some pined prisoners Because the Crowne by right of law was mine They gan as fast against me to repine In feare alwaies lest I should stir some strife For guiltie hearts haue neuer quiet life Yet at the last in Henries dayes the sixt I was restored to my fathers lands Made Duke of Yorke where through my mind I fixt To get the Crowne and Kingdome in my hands For aide wherein I knit assured bands With Neuils stocke whose daughter was my make Who for no woe would euer me forsake O Lord what hap had I through mariage Foure goodly boyes in youth my wife she bore Right valiant men and prudent for their age Such brethren shee had and nephues in store As none had erst nor any shall haue more The Earle of Salisbury and his sonne of Warwicke Were matchlesse men from Barbary to Barwicke Through helpe of whom and Fortunes louely looke I vndertooke to claime my lawfull right And to abash such as against me tooke I raised power at all points prest to fight Of whom the chiefe that chiefly bare me spight Was Sommerset the Duke whom to annoy I alway sought through spite spite to destroy And maugre him so choice lo was my chance Yea though the Queene that all rul'd tooke his part I twice bare rule in Normandy and France And last Lieutenant in Ireland where my hart Found remedy for euery kinde of smart For through the loue my doings there did breed I had their helpe at all times in my need This spitefull Duke his silly King and Queene With armed hosts I thrice met in the field The first vnsought through treaty made betweene The second ioind wherein the King did yeeld The Duke was slaine the Queene enforst to shield Her selfe by flight The third the Queene did fight Where I was slaine being ouer matcht by might Before this last were other battailes three The first the Earle of Salisbury led alone And fought on Bloreheath and got victory In the next I with kinsfolke euery one But seeing our souldiers stale vnto our fone We warely brake our company on a night Dissolu'd our host and tooke our selues to flight This Boy and I in Ireland did vs saue Mine eldest sonne with Warwicke and his father To Calais got whence by the read I gaue They came againe to London and did gather An other host whereof I spake no rather And met our foes flewe many a Lord and Knight And took the King and draue the Queene to flight This done I came to England all in haste To make a claime vnto the Realme and Crowne And in the house while parliament did last I in the Kings seate boldly sate me downe And claimed it whereat the Lords did frowne But what for that I did so well proceed That all at last confest it mine indeed But sith the King had raigned now so long They would he should continue till he died And to the end that then none did me wrong In ech place heire apparant they me cried But sith the Queene and others this denied I sped me towards the North where then shee lay In minde by force to cause her to obay Whereof she warnd prepard a mighty powre And ere that mine were altogether ready Came swift to Sandale and besieged my bowre Where like a beast I was so rash and heady That out I would there could be no remedy With scant fiue thousand souldiers to assaile Foure times so many encampt to most auaile And so was slaine at first and while my child Scarce twelue yeare old sought secretly to part That cruell Clifford Lord nay Lorell wilde While th' infant wept and prayed him rue his smart Knowing what he was with dagger cloue his heart This done he came to th' campe where I lay dead Despoil'd my corps and cut away my head Which with a painted paper Crowne thereon He for a present sent vnto the Queene And she for spite commanded it anon To Yorke fast by where that it might be seene They placed it where other traytours beene This mischiefe Fortune did me after death Such was my life and such my losse ofbreath Wherefore see Baldwine that thou set it forth To th' end the fraud of Fortune may be knowen That eke all Princes well may weigh the worth Of things for which the seeds of warre be sowen No state so sure but soone is ouerthrowen No worldly good can counterpoize the prise Of halfe the paines that may thereof arise Better it were to lose a piece of right Then limbes and life in striuing for the same It is not force of friendship nor of might But God that causeth things to fro or frame Not wit but lucke doth wield the winners game Wherefore if we our follies would refraine Time would redresse all wrongs we void of paine Wherefore warne Princes not to wade in war For any cause except the Realmes defence Their troublous titles are vnworthie far The blood the life the spoile of innocence Of friends of foes behold my foule expence And neuer the neere best therefore tarie time So right shall raigne and quiet calme each crime HOW THE LORD CLIFFORD FOR HIS STRANGE and abominable crueltie came to as strange and sudden a death Anno 1461. OPen confession asketh open penance And wisdome would a man his shame to hide Yet sith forgiuenes commeth through repentance I thinke it best that men their crimes ascride For nought so secret but at length is spide For couer fire and it will neuer linne Till it breake forth in like case shame and sinne As for my selfe my faults be out so plaine And published abroad in euery place That though I would I cannot hide a graine All care is bootlesse in a curelesse case To learne by others griefe some haue the grace And therefore Baldwine write my wretched fall The briefe whereof I briefely vtter shall I am the same that slue Duke Richards child The louely babe that begged life with teares Whereby mine honor foully I defil'd Poore silly Lambes the Lion neuer teares The feeble mouse may lie among the beares But wrath of man his rancour to requite Forgets all reason ruth and vertue quite I meane by rancour the parentall wreake Surnam'd a vertue as the vicious say But little know the wicked what they speake In boldning vs our enmies kin to slay To punish sin is good it is no nay They wreake not sinne but merit wreake for sinne That wreake the fathers fault vpon his kinne Because my father Lord Iohn Clyfford
the nip And fault who shall for all feele they the whip For when I was by Parliament attainted King Edwards euils all were counted mine No truth auailed so lies were fast and painted Which made the people at my life repine Crying Crucifige kill that butchers line That when I should haue gone to Blockham feast I could not passe so sore they on me preast And had not been the officers so strong I thinke they would haue eaten me aliue Howbeit hardly haled from the throng I was in Fleet fast shrouded by the Shriue Thus one daies life their maliee did me giue Which when they knew for spite the next day after They kept them calme so suffered I the slaughter Now tell me Baldwine what fault dost thou find In me that iustly should such death deserue None sure except desire of honor blind Which made me seeke in offices to serue What mind so good that honors make not swerue So maist thou fee it only was my state That caus'd my death and brought me so in hate Warne therefore all men wisely to beware What offices they enterprise to beare The highest alway most maligned are Of peoples grudge and Princes hate in feare For Princes faults his faultors all men teare Which to auoid let none such office take Saue he that can for right his Prince forsake HOW SIR RICHARD NEVILL EARLE OF WARWICKE AND HIS BROTHER IOHN Lord Marquise Montacute through their too much boldnes were slaine at Barnet the 14. of Aprill Anno 1471. AMong the heauie heape of happie Knights VVhom Fortune stal'd vpon her staylesse stage Oft hoist on high oft pight in wretched plights Behold me Baldwine A perse of my age Lord Richard Neuill Earle by mariage Of VVarwicke Duchie of Sarum by descent Which erst my father through his mariage hent VVould'st thou behold false Fortune in her kind Note well my selfe so shalt thou see her naked Full faire before but too too foule behind Most drowsie still when most she seemes awaked My fame and shame her shift full oft hath shaked By enterchange alow and vp aloft The Lysard like that changeth hue full oft For while the Duke of Yorke in life remaind Mine vncle deare I was his happy hand In all attempts my purpose I attaind Though King and Queene and most Lords of the land With all their power did often me withstand For God gaue Fortune and my good behauiour Did from their Prince steale me the peoples fauour So that through me in fields right manly fought By force mine vncle tooke King Henry twice As for my cosin Edward I so wrought When both our fires were slaine through rash aduice That he atchieu'd his fathers enterprise For into Scotland King and Queene we chased By meane whereof the Kingdome he embraced Which after he had held in quiet peace For shortly after was King Henry take And put in hold his power to encrease I went to France and match him with a make The French Kinges daughter whom hee did forsake For while with paine I brought this sute to passe He to a widow rashly wedded was This made the French King shrewdly to mistrust That all my treaties had but ill pretence And when I saw my King so bent to lust That with his faith he past not to dispence Which is a Princes honours chiefe defence I could not rest till I had found a meane To mend his misse or els to marre him cleane I me allied with his brother George Incensing him his brother to maligne Through many a tale I did against him forge So that through power that we from Calais bring And found at home we fraied so the King That he did flie to Freeselandward amaine Whereby King Henry had the Crowne againe Then put we th' Earle of Worcester to death King Edwards friend a man loe foule defamed And in the while came Edward into breath For with the Duke of Burgoine so he framed That with the power that he to him had named Vnlooked for he came to England streight And got to Yorke and tooke the towne by sleight And after through the sufferance of my brother Which like a beast occasion foulely lost He came to London safe with many other And tooke the towne to good King Henries cost Who was through him from post to piller tost Till th' Earle of Oxford I and other more Assembled power his freedome to restore Whereof King Edward warned came with speed And camped with his host in Barnet towne Where we right fierce encountred him indeed On Easter day right earely on the downe There many a man was slaine and stricken downe On either side and neither part did gaine Till that I and my brother both were slaine For we to heart our ouermatched men Forsooke our steeds and in the thickest throng Ran preasing forth on foot and fought so then That downe we draue them were they nere so strong But we ere lucke had lasted very long With force and number were so foulely cloyed And rescue fail'd that quite we were destroyed Now tell me Baldwine hast thou heard or read Of any man that did as I haue done That in his time so many armies led And victorie at euery voyage won Hast thou ere heard of subiect vnder sun That plac'd and bac'd his Soueraignes so oft By enterchange now low and then aloft Perchance thou think'st my doings were not such As I and other do affirme they were And in thy mind I see thou musest much What meanes I vs'd that should me so prefer Wherein because I will thou shalt not erre The truth of all I will at large recite The short is this I was no Hypocrite I neuer did nor said saue what I ment The commonweale was still my chiefest care To priuate gaine or good was I nere bent I neuer past vpon delicious fare Of needfull food my boord was neuer bare No creditour did curse me day by day I vsed plainnesse euer pitch and pay I heard poore souldiers and poore workemen whine Because their duties were not truly pai'd Againe I saw how people did repine At those through whom their payment was delai'd And proofe did oft assure as Scripture said That God doth wreake the wretched peoples greeues I saw the polles cut off from polling theeues This made me alway iustly for to deale Which when the people plainly vnderstood Because they saw me mind the Commonweale They still endeuoured how to do me good Readie to spend their substance life and blood In any cause whereto I did them moue For sure they were it was for their behoue And so it was For when the Realme decayed By such as good King Henrie sore abused To mend the state I gaue his enemies aide But when King Edward sinfull prankes still vsed And would not mend I likewise him refused And holpe King Henrie better of the twaine And in his quarell iust I thinke was slaine And therefore Baldwine teach by proofe of mee That such as couet peoples loue
of his could beare no mate Our wealth through him waxt many a time the worser So cankardly he had our kin in hate He troubled oft the Kings vnsteady state And that because he would not be his ward To wed and worke as he should list award He spited vs because we were preferd By mariage to dignities so great But craftily his malice he deferd Till traytorously he found meanes to entreate Our brother of Clarence to assist his feate Whom when he had by mariage to him bound Then wrought he straight our linage to confound Through slanderous brutes he brued many a broile Throughout the Realme against the King my brother And raised trayterous rebels thirsting spoile To murder men of whom among all other Robin of Kiddesdale many a soule did smother His rascall rable at my father wroth Tooke sire and sonne and quicke beheaded both This heynous act although the King detested Yet was he faine to pardon for the rout Of rebels all the Realme so sore infested That euery way assaild he stood in doubt And though he were of courage high and stout Yet he assaid by faire meanes to asswage His enemies ire reueld by rebels rage But Warwicke was not pacified thus His constant rancour causeles was extreme No meane could serue the quarell to discus Till he had driuen the King out of the Realme Nor would he then be waked from his dreame For when my brother was come and plac'd againe He stinted not till he was stoutly slaine Then grew the King and Realme to quiet rest Our stocke and friends still stying higher and higher The Queene with children fruitfully was blest I gouernd them it was the Kings desier This set their vncles furiously on fier That we the Queenes bloud were assignd to gouern The Prince not they the Kings owne bloud and brethren This causde the Duke of Clarence so to chafe That with the King he brainelesse fell at bate The Counsaile warily to keepe him safe From raising tumults as he did of late Imprisoned him where through his brothers hate He was condemnd and murdered in such sort As he himselfe hath truly made report Was none abhord these mischiefs more then I Yet could I not be therewith discontented Considering that his rancour toucht mee ny Els would my conscience neuer haue consented To wish him harme could he haue beene contented But feare of hurt for sauegard of out state Doth cause more mischiefe then desert or hate Such is the state that many wish to beare That or we must with others bloud be staind Or leade our liues continually in feare You mounting mindes behold here what is gaind By coumbrous honour painfully attaind A damned soule for murdring them that hate you Or doubtfull life in danger lest they mate you The cause I thinke why some of high degree Do deadly hate all seekers to ascend Is this The clowne contented can not be With any state till time he apprehend The highest top for therto climers tend Which seldome is attaind without the wracke Of those betweene that stay and beare him back To saue themselues they therfore are compeld To hate such climers and with wit and power To compasse meanes where through they may be queld Ere they ascend their honours to deuoure This causd the Duke of Clarence frowne and lowre At me and other whom the King promoted To dignities wherein he madly doted For seeing we were his deare allied frends Our furtherance should rather haue made him glad Then enmy-like to wish our wofull ends We were the neerest kinsfolk that he had We ioyed with him his sorow made vs sad But he esteem'd so much his painted sheath That he disdaind the loue of all beneath But see how sharply God reuengeth sinne As he maligned me and many other His faithfull friends and kindest of his kin So Richard Duke of Glocester his owne brother Maligned him and beastly did him smother A diuellish deed a most vnkindly part Yet iust reuenge for his vnnaturall hart Although this brother-queller tyrant fell Enuide our state as much and more then he Yet did his cloaking flattery so excell To all our friends ward chiefly vnto mee That he appear'd our trustie stay to bee For outwardly he wrought our state to furder Where inwardly hee minded nought saue murder Thus in appearance who but I was blest The chiefest honours heaped on my head Belou'd of all enioying quiet rest The forward Prince by me alone was led A noble impe to all good vertues bred The King my Liege without my counsaile knowne Agreed nought though wisest were his owne But quiet blisse in no state lasteth long Assailed still by mischief many waies Whose spoyling battrie glowing hote and strong No flowing wealth no force nor wisdome staies Her smoakles powder beaten souldiers slaies By open force foule mischiefe oft preuailes By secret sleight she seeld her purpose failes The King was bent too much to foolish pleasure In banqueting he had so great delight This made him grow in grossenesse out of measure Which as it kindleth carnall appetite So quencheth it the liuelines of sprite Whereof ensue such sicknes and diseases As none can cure saue death that all displeases Through this fault furdered by his brothers fraud Now God forgiue me if I iudge amisse Or through that beast his ribald or his baud That larded still these sinfull lusts of his He sodainely forsooke all worldly blisse That loathed leach that neuer welcome death Through Spasmous humours stopped vp his breath That time lay I at Ludloe Wales his border For with the Prince the King had sent me thither To stay the robberies spoile and foule disorder Of diuers outlawes gathered there together Whose banding tended no man wist well whither VVhen these by wisdome safely were suppressed Came wofull newes our soueraigne was deceassed The griefe whereof when reason had asswaged Because the Prince remained in my guide For his defence great store of men I waged Doubting the stormes which at such time betide But while I there thus warely did prouide Commandement came to send them home againe And bring the King thēce with his houshold traine This charge sent from the Counsell and the Queene Though much against my minde I beast obayed The diuell himselfe wrought all the drift I weene Because he would haue innocents betraied For ere the King were halfe his way conuayed A sort of traytors falsly him betrapt I caught afore and close in prison clapt The Duke of Glocester that in carnate deuill Confedred with the Duke of Buckingham VVith eke Lord Hastings hasty both to euill To meete the King in mourning habit came A cruell VVolfe though clothed like a Lambe And at Northampton where as then I baited They toke their Inne as they on me had waited The King that night at Stonystratford lay A towne too small to harbour all his traine This was the cause why he was gone away VVhile I with other did behind remaine But will you see how falsly
lings brest Whom not desire of raigne did driue to field But mothers pride who longd the Realme to wield But straight my death shall shew my worthie meed If first to one other murther I proceed VVhile Edward liued dissembled discord lurked In double hearts yet so his reuerence worked But when succeeding tender feeble age Gaue open gap to tyrants rushing rage I holpe the Boare and Bucke to captiuate Lord Riuers Gray sir Thomas Vaughan and Hawte If land would helpe the sea well earnd that ground It selfe to be with conquering waues surround Their speedie death by priuie dome procured At Pomfret tho my life short while endured My selfe I slue when them I damned to death At once my throate I riued and reft them breath For that selfe day before or neere the hower That withred Atropos nipt the springing flower VVith violent hand of their forth running life My head and body in Tower twinde like knife By this my paterne all ye peeres beware Oft hangth he himselfe who others weenth to snare Spare to be each others butcher Feare the Kite VVho soareth aloft while frog and mouse do fight In ciuil combat grappling void of feare Of forreine foe at once al both to beare Which plainer by my pitied plaint to see A while anew your listning lend to mee Too true it is two sundrie assemblies kept At Crosbies place and Baynards Castle set The Dukes at Crosbies but at Baynards we The one to crowne a king the other to be Suspicious is secession of foule frends When eithers drift to th' others mischief tends I fear'd the end my Catesbies being there Discharg'd all doubts Him held I most entire Whose great preserment by my meanes I thought Some spurre to pay the thankfulnesse hee ought The trust he ought me made me trust him so That priuie he was both to my weale and wo. My hearts one halfe my chest of confidence Mine only trust my ioy dwelt in his presence I lou'd him Baldwine as the apple of mine eye I loath'd my life when Catesby would me die Flie from thy chanel Thames forsake thy streames Leaue the Adamant Iron Phoebus lay thy beames Cease heauenly Sphears at last your weary warke Betray your charge returne to Chaos darke At least some ruthlesse Tiger hang her whelp My Catesby so with some excuse to help And me to comfort that I alone ne seeme Of all dame natures workes left in extreeme A Golden treasure is the tried frend But who may Gold from Counterfaits defend Trust not too soone nor yet too soone mistrust With th' one thy selfe with th' other thy friend thou hurt'st VVho twin'th betwixt and steareth the golden meane Nor rashly loueth nor mistrusteth in vaine In friendship soueraigne it is as Mithridate Thy friend to loue as one whom thou maist hate Of tickle credit ne had bin the mischiefe What needed Virbius miracle doubled life Credulity surnamed first the Aegean Seas Mistrust doth reason in the trustiest raise Suspicious Romulus stain'd his Walls first reard With brothers bloud whom for light leape he feard So not in brotherhood ielousie may be borne The ielous Cuckold weares the Infamous Horne A beast may preach by triall not foresight Could I haue shund light credit nere had light The dreaded death vpon my guilty head But Fooles aye wont to learne by after read Had Catesby kept vnstaind the truth he plight Yet had yet enioied me and I yet the light All Derbies doubts I cleared with his name I knew no harme could hap me without his blame But see the fruites of tickle light beleefe The ambitious Dukes corrupt the Traitor theefe To grope mee if allured I would assent To bin a Partner of their cursed intent Whereto when as by no meanes friendship vail'd By Tyrant force behold they me assail'd And summond shortly a Counsell in the Tower Of Iune the fifteenth at appointed hower Alas are Counsels wried to catch the good No place is now exempt from sheading bloud Sith counsels that were carefull to preserue The guiltelesse good are meanes to make them starue VVhat may not mischiefe of Mad man abuse Religious cloake some one to vice doth chuse And maketh God Protectour of his crime Omonstrous world well ought we wish thy fine The fatall skies roll on the blackest day VVhen doubled bloudshed my bloud must repay Others none forceth To me sir Thomas Haward As spurre is buckled to prouoke me froward Derbie who feared the parted sittings yore Whether much more he knew by experience hoare Or better minded clearelier truth could see At midnight darke this message sends to mee Hastings away in sleepe the gods foreshow By dreadfull dreame fell fates vnto vs two Me thought a Bore with tuske so raced our throate That both our shoulders of the blood did smoake Arise to horse straight homeward let vs hie And seeth our foe we cannot match O flie Of Chanteclere you learne dreames sooth to know Thence wisemen construe more then the cock doth crow While thus he spake I held within mine arme Shores wife the tender piece to keepe me warme Fie on adulterie fie on leacherous lust Marke in me ye Nobles all Gods iudgements iust A Pander Murderer and Adulterer thus Only such death I die as I ne blush Now lest my dame might thinke appall'd my hart With eager mood vp in my bed I start And is thy Lord quoth I a Sorcerer A wiseman now become a dreame reader What though so Chanteclere crowed I reck it not On my part pleadeth as well dame Partelot Vniudg'd hang'th yet the case betwixt them tway Nay was his dreame cause of his hap I say Shall dreaming doubts from Prince my seruing slack Nay then might Hastings life and liuing lacke He parteth I sleepe my mind surcharg'd with sinne As Phoebus beames by mistie cloud kept in Ne could misgiue ne dreame of my mishap As blocke I tumbled to mine enemies trap Securitie causelesse through my fained frend Reft me foresight of my approching end So Catesby clawed me as when the Cat doth play Dallying with Mouse whom straight she meanes to slay The morow come the latest light to me On Palfray mounted to the Tower I hie Accompanied with that Haward my mortall foe To slaughter led thou God didst suffer so O deepe dissemblers honoring with your cheare Whom in hid heart you trayterously teare Neuer had Realme so open signes of wrack As I had shewed me of my heauie hap The vision first of Stanley late descried Then mirth so extreame that neare for ioy I died Were it that Swanlike I foresong my death Or merrie mind foresaw the losse of breath That long it coueted from this earths annoy But euen as siker as th' end of woe is ioy And glorious light to obscure night doth tend So extreame mirth in extreame mone doth end For why extreames are haps rackt out of course By violent might far swinged forth perforce Which as they are piercing'st while they violent'st moue For that they
gaine the mightie men when they be dead By all the spoile and blood that they haue shed The loftie towre where honor hath his seat Is high on rockes more slipper then the ice VVhere still the whirling winde doth roare and beat VVhere sudden qualmes and perils still arise And is beset with many sundrie vice So strange to men when first they come thereat They be amas'd and do they wot not what He that preuailes and to the towre can clime VVith toile and care must needs abridge his daies And he that slides may curse the houre and time He did attempt to giue so fond assaies And all his life to griefe and shame obaies Thus slide he downe or to the top ascend Assure himselfe repentance is the end Baldwine therefore do thou record my name For president to such as credit lies Or thirst to suck the sugred cup of fame Or do attempt against their Prince to rise And charge them all to keepe within their sise VVho doth assay to wrest beyond his strength Let him be sure he shall repent at length At my request admonish thou all men To spend the talent well which God hath lent He that hath one let him not toile for ten For one's too much vnlesse it be well spent I haue had proofe therefore I now repent Thrice happie are those men yea blest is hee VVho can contented serue in his degree M. Cauil HOW THE VALIANT KNIGHT SIR NICHOLAS Burdet Chiefe Butler of Normandie was slaine at Pontoise Anno Dom. 1441. IF erst in Kings affaires we counted were of trust To fight in waged warres as Captaines gainst the foes And might therefore aliue receiue the guerdon iust Which aye his Maiestie employ'd on those Why should we so keepe silence now and not disclose Our noble acts to those remaine aliue T' encourage them the like exploits t' atchiue For if when as we warr'd for Prince and publike weale We might to each for both haue time and place to speake Then why not now if we to both appeale Sith both well know our dealings were not weake We claime as right in truth our minds to breake The rather eke we thinke to speake we franchiz'd are Because we seru'd for peace and di'd in Princes warre VVhich granted so and held deserued due I may full well on stage supplie the place a while Till I haue plainly laid before your view That I haue cause as these to plaine of Fortunes guile VVhich smirking though at first she seeme to smooth and smile If Fortune be who deem'd themselues in skies to dwell She thirleth downe to dread the gulfes of gastly hell But heere I let a while the Ladie Fortune stay To tell what time I liu'd and what our warres were then The great exploits we did and where our armies lay Eke of the praise of some right honorable men VVhich things with eyes I saw call'd now to mind agen VVhat I performed present in the fight I will in order and my fall recite In youth I seru'd that roiall Henry fift the King Whose praise for martiall feats eternall fame reteines When he the Normanes stout did in subiection bring My selfe was vnder then his ensignes taking paines With loial hart I fought pursu'd my Prince his gaines There dealt I so that time my fame to raise French writers yet my name and manhood praise And erst as Burdets diuers warlike wights In Warwicke shire their lands in Arrow ar Were for good seruice done made worthy Knights Whose noble acts be yet recounted far Euen so my selfe well fram'd to peace or war Of these the heire by due discent I came Sir Nicholas Burdet Knight which had to name That time the noble Iohn of Bedford Duke bare sway And feared was in France for courage stout and fell He lou'd me for my fight and person though I say And with reuenues me rewarded yearely well I plaid the faithfull subiects part the truth to tell And was accounted loiall constant still Of stomack worship great and warlike skill But then O greefe to tell ere long this peerelesse King When he restored had his right vnto the Crowne The Duchie all of Normandy eke subiect bring The Frenchemen all and set Lieutenants in each towne High Regent made of France then Fortune gan to frowne He then departed life too soone alas Some men suppose his grace empoisond was Thou Fortune slie what meanst thou thus these prancks to play False Fortune blere ey'd blind vnsteady startling still What meanst thou turning thus thy flattering face away Inconstant where thou bearest most good will Is it thy nature then or i st thy wonted skill It cost thee nought they say it comes by kind As thou art bisme so are thine actions blind I nothing doubt then thou thy selfe shalt fall I trust to see the time when thou shalt be forgot For why thy pride and pompe and power must vanish all Thy name shall die for aye and perish quite I wot And when thou shalt be counted but a sot The noble wights which liu'd and dide in worthy fame In heauen and earth shall find an euerlasting name But words of course are these of Fortune had When vnto Princes haps chance good or ill God sends to euery sort these tempests sad VVhen from his word they swarue and heauenly will Men must endeuour then to please his goodnesse still And then come life or death come ioy come smart No Fortunes frowne can daunt the doughty hart The famous King so dead his son but nine months old Henry the sixt of England was proclaimed King And then the Frenchmen waxt more stout and bold His youth occasion gaue them to conspire the thing Which might them all from due subiection bring On which the Counsell cald a Parliament Of French that might the treasons high preuent VTherein the Duke of Bedford my good Lord and frend VVas Regent made the Prince his deputy in France The Duke of Glocester Protectour was to th' end To rule in cases such at home might hap to chance They chose to gard the Prince in honour to aduance Henry Benford Bishop of VVinchester And Thomas the noble Duke of Excester But here before those things could well be setled sure As great affaires of Kingdomes longer time doe take The Frenchmen did by treason force and coine procure Some townes which English were in France their faith forsake A long discourse it were of all recitall make But of my chance that time recite will I VVhich seru'd in warres my Prince in Normandy Before the Mount S. Michael as in siege I lay In confines of the Normans and the Britons land From townesmen famisht nigh we vitailes kept away And made them oft in danger of dis-Mounting stand But it being strong and also stoutly man'd Euen by our losses they gate heart of grasse And we declining saw what Fortune was Yet nerethelesse we thought by famine make them yeeld Eke they by fight or succours hopte the siege to
Princes face For poore mens sutes and holpe their woefull case Yet she had not such credit as I gate Although a King would heare the parret prate My words were graue and bore an equall poies In ballance iust for many a weightie cause She pleasd a Prince with pretty merry toies And had no sight in state nor course of lawes I could perswade and make a Prince to pawes And take a breath before he drew the sword And spie the time to rule him with a word I will not say but fancy may do much Yet world will grant that wisdome may do more To wanton girls affection is not such That Princes wise wil be abusde therfore One sute of mine was surely worth a score Of hers indeed for she her time must watch And at all howres I durst go draw the latch My voice but heard the dore was open streight She might not come till she were cald or brought I rul'd the King by custome art and sleight And knew full well the secrets of his thought Without my mind all that was done was nought In wars or peace my counsell swaied all For still the King would for the Cardnall call I kept a court my selfe as great as his I not compare vnto my master here But looke my Lords what liuely world was this That one poore man became so great a peere Yet though this tale be very strange to here Wit wins a world and who hath hap and wit With triumph long in princely throne may sit What man like me bare rule in any age I shone like Sun more cleare then morning star Was neuer part so plaid in open stage As mine nor fame of man flew halfe so far I sate on bench when thowsands at the bar Did plead for right for I in publique weale Lord Chancelor was and had the great broad seale Now haue I told how I did rise aloft And sate with pride and pomp in golden hall And set my feete on costly carpets soft And plaid at goale with goodly golden ball But after Lord I must rehearse my fall O trembling heart thou canst not now for teares Present that tale vnto the hearers eares Best weepe it out and sudden silence keepe Till priuy pangs make pinched heart complaine Or cast thy selfe into some slumbring sleepe Till wakened wits remembrance bring againe When heauy teares do hollow cheekes distaine The world will thinke thy sprits are growne so weake The feeble tongue hath sure no power to speake A tale by signes with sighes and sobs set out Moues peoples mindes to pity plagued men With howling voice do rather crie and shout And so by arte shew forth thy sorrow then For if thou speake some man will note with pen What Wolsey said and what threw Wolsey downe And vnder foote flings Wolseis great renowne What force of that my fall must needs be herd Before I fell I had a time to rise As fatall chance and Fortune me preferd So mischiefe came and did my state despise If I might plead my case among the wise I could excuse right much of mine offence But leaue a while such matter in suspence The Pope or pride or peeuish parts of mine Made King to frowne and take the seale from me Now seru'd no words nor pleasant speeches fine Now Wolsey lo must needes disgraced be Yet had I leaue as dolefull prisner free To keepe a house God wot with heauy cheere Where that I found no wine ne bread nor beere My time was come I could no longer liue What should I make my sorrow further knowne Vpon some cause that King that all did giue Tooke all againe and so possest his owne My goods my plate and all was ouerthrowne And looke what I had gathred many a day Within one houre was cleanly swept away But harken now how that my Fortune fell To Yorke I must where I the Bishop was Where I by right in grace a while did dwell And was in stawle with honour great to passe The Priors then and Abbots gan to smell How Cardnall must be honourd as he ought And for that day was great prouision brought At Cawood then where I great buildings made And did through cause expect my stawling day The King deuisde a secret vnder shade How Cardnall should bee rest and brought away One Wealsh a Knight came downe in good aray And seasned sure because from Court hee came On Wolsey wolfe that spoiled many a lambe Then was I led toward Court like dog in string And brought as biefe that Butcher-row must see But still I hopte to come before the King And that repaire was not denide to me But he that kept the Towre my guide must be Ah there I saw what King thereby did meane And so I searcht if conscience now were cleane Some spots I found of pride and popish parts That might accuse a better man then I Now Oxford came to minde with all their arts And Cambridge too but all not worth a flie For schoolemen can no foule defects supplie My sauce was sowre though meate before was sweete Now Wolsey lackt both cunning wit and spreete A deepe conceit of that possest my head So fell I sicke consum'd as some did thinke So tooke in haste my chamber and my bed On which deuice perhaps the world might winke But in the heart sharpe sorrow so did sinke That gladnes sweete forsooke my senses all In those extremes did yeeld vnto my fall O let me curse the popish Cardnall hat Those miters big beset with pearle and stones And all the rest of trash I know not what The saints in shrine their flesh and rotten bones The maske of Monkes deuised for the nones And all the flocke of Freers what ere they are That brought me vp and left me there so bare O cursed priests that prate for profits sake And follow floud and tide where ere it floes O merchants fine that do aduantage take Of euery graine how euer market goes O fie on wolues that march in masking cloes For to deuoure the lambs when shepherd sleepes And woe to you that promise neuer keepes You said I should be reskude if I need And you would curse with candell booke and bell But when ye should now serue my turne indeed Yee haue no house I know not where ye dwell O Freers and Monkes your harbour is in hell For in this world ye haue no rightfull place Nor dare not once in heauen shew your face Your fault not halfe so great as was my pride For which offence fell Lucifer from skies Although I would that wilfull folly hide The thing lies plaine before the peoples eies On which hie heart a hatefull name doth ries It hath been said of old and daily will Pride goes before and shame comes after still Pride is a thing that God and man abores A swelling tode that poisons euery place A stinking wound that breedeth many sores A priuie plague found out in stately face A painted bird that
into France the succours small and slackly came Not only Paris then was lost within few daies That famous flowre of France of far renowned fame The French I say not onely gat and kept the same But by this meanes in France we daily felt such smart As might with pitie pierce an adamantine hart O great mishap the noble Duke of Bedford once being dead Our wealth went backe by discords foule despite we lost Not only townes in France and Captaines armies led But many souldiers eke with labour spence and cost And though full oft we made the French men smell of the rost Yet in the end we gaine of fight the fame And they by craft and treason gate the game What resteth more it were perdie too long to tell Of battels great and broiles which happened daily still The stories eke declare aduentures which befell Although God wot the writers wanted points of skill Of whom to speake a while digresse againe I will And partly shew what one he ought to be Which takes on him to write an Historie A Chronicler should well in diuers tongues be seene And eke in all the arts he ought to haue a sight Whereby he might the truth of diuers actions deeme And both supplie the wants correct that is not right He should haue eloquence and full and fitly write Not mangle stories snatching heere and there Nor glose to make a volume great appeare He should be of such countenance and wit As should giue witnesse to the Histories he writes He should be able well his reasons so to knit As should continue well the matter he recites He should not praise dispraise for fauour or despites But should so place each thing in order due As might approue the stories to be true But this may haps the time may seeke at length redresse And then such stories now and noble acts as die May come againe to light at least defaced lesse If from the Britaines first antiquities they trie In great defects if they the truth supplie Then shall the readers fuller stories find And haue whereby to recreate the mind But now returne I must and briefly heere declare Before my death what sundrie haps we had In warres right variously the states of Captaines fare Now well now woe now ioyfull now right sad But who well ends though all his haps were bad Let him erst sinke or swim lose win be slaine die fall If he die well h 'is thrice and foure times blest of all In France eight leagues from Paris Pontoise stands Tweene that and Roane which we had won before And so we held it English safely in our hands For to our Prince the men allegeance swore And they remain'd obedient euermore Till from their neckes to reaue the English yoke They might find meanes by whom to strike the stroke When these saw Paris lost and cities moe beside And what in France and Normandie reuolts had done They thought no longer subiect to abide But sought occasion how they might by French be won As of our losse reports did daily to them run So with King Charles th' agreed when to betray the towne And force the English flee or yeeld or beate them downe For why the powre of France could not with mightie host Performe to win by force from vs th' assaulted towne Them scaling often from the walles we tost On euery side full fast we flang the French men downe Our noble acts before had gotten such renowne And Fortune erst had past with vs so farre They had small hope to win our forts by warre Wherefore King Charles assai'd the secret saut Not by his force of French but by his golden fee Corrupting diuers Burgeses to make the faut Whereby an entrie should to his oppugning bee And they as erst is said were willing to agree Like periur'd theeues conspir'd by secret fine deuice Gaue Pontoise vp and tooke the promist price But in Nouember next when it was sharpe and cold And daily frost had dri'd and parched hard the ground We were in hope againe to get of Pontoise hold Which erst the townesmen sold for gaine of many a pound The snow fell fast lay thicke and couered well the ground And ditches were so hard about the towne befrore That on the ice by euery side we safely might get ore The Lord Iohn Clifford was chiefe Captaine then Which with vs Captaines did this policie deuise That we in clothing white and souldiers euery man Should in our armour finely vs disguise The next night so we should to the assault arise And passe the frozen ditch vnto the wall With ladders scale and kill the watchmen all We so prepar'd our selues as time occasion gaue And drest in white coats trim it ioy'd our hearts to see How fine we past the ditch what good successe we haue How on the walles we find the watch nigh frozen bee As noble Greekes on Troy on Pontoise season'd wee We slew the watch we beat the souldiers downe Some prisners tooke and tooke withall the towne Of stately Captaines French was Iohn de Villers one Within the taken towne and Narrabon a Knight Burgunion yet they fled away they gate them gone They durst not bide against the blanched boyes to fight We paid the periur'd knaues the Burgesses that night And gat as much of honor and renowne As they gat shame and losse which bought and sold the towne Marke well the French mens foiles in all our worthie warre In these two regall Henries times and you shall see How we surpast the French in valour farre And bend for Prince and Realme so valiant for to bee Which if ye shall and deale in seruice as did wee I nothing doubt renowne and fame shall say That noble England beares for warres the palme away But When King Charles had heard how Pontoise men had sped His armie straight assembled he therefore againe Wherewith to win this towne afresh th' assault he led He piners set to trench and vndermine amaine Made bastiles for defence yet all this toile was vaine For batterie of our walles he spent his powder still Made freshly French assaults but did no ill The noble Duke of Yorke discharged late before When now the Earle of Warwicke chanst at Roane to die Being Regent chosen once againe of France as yore Th' Earle of Warwicke Regent was two yeares perdie Arriu'd in France to rouse the French King he did hie Which lay besieging Pontoise as I said VVith him to fight and eke to bring vs aide The French King fled for haste he left his store behind VVhen he was once assur'd the Duke of Yorke drue neare He durst not stay to bide the time or place assign'd To fight our Regent with but fled away for feare By these assaies you see what men in France they were Discourag'd oft slaine put to flight and fall By sight force fight and names of numbers small There when the Duke had fortifi'd our Pontoise towne Then he pursu'd the
French King erst that fled To Poyssy where he lay with Lords of French renowne Before which towne the Duke his noble armie led The French King durst not out of Poyssy put his head And yet there came to skirmish out French gentlemen Of which some slaine foure tane the rest retir'd agen The Duke to bid him battell did pretend If he could there encounter with him tho But forth againe he durst not come nor send For feare he should receiue the foile and ouerthro On which the Duke dislodg'd departing Poyssy fro To Maunt and Roane from thence his grace did hie T' appease the broiles of strife in Normandie But then the French King calling vnto mind his losse His charges in the siege his bastiles trenches made How erst we did them thence sans bag and bagage tosse Eke how from siege he durst not stay the store to lade And how their Fortunes oft in fight went retrograde How neighbours ill to Paris we of Pontoise were He cast aside his French and fainting feare The rather yet for why Parisiens aye did raile They said he wanted courage good he durst not fight He lackt no souldiers good his feeble heart did faile Le Roy quoth they du France les Anglois point nennit Le Roy ne ose pas pour Pontoise faire pour suit Le Roy est Lourd sans cueur car peu de gens Fait nostre Roy pais faire grande dispens On this King Charles return'd with mightie host To vindicate this great reproch and shame And vnto Pontoise gaue assault in post Full hotly when we feared least the same Whereon to fight against him all our force we frame But number great at th' entrie got such hand We could not forth againe their force aband VVith trumpets sounding tan tan-tar'aloud The larum bell we rung our selues to trie dispose To make them pay the price of our distresse we vow'd Before we would possession got of Pontoise lose In euery street we met the strength of all our foes And made them passe by deadly dint away VVhich ventured first our English mates to slay VVhy now my friends for England fight I cri'd If euer English hearts your noble brests possest I promise you to make them flinch if I may bide Mates follow me Amongst my foes I rusht before the rest O heere come on quoth I now fight we for the best And therewithall I vs'd such courage force and might As made my foes to fall and souldiers fitly fight If we do leese quoth I the French men shall not gaine So if we win t is worth the while to keepe array If ye stand stifly to 't wee le make them peaze the paine And leade with losse of liuely limbes the laud away Although they fiercely fight in hope vs all to slay Loe sixe to one they fall and dead they lie We English men in triumph fight and honor die With bloodie broiles of warre the haplesse towne did smoke The children saw their fathers deare to bleed their last The wiues be wailed much the fatall stroke Which forst their husbands bleed fall die so fast Helas the women cri'd the wofull streets that past When so they saw the channels bloodie streame What plague is this that pesters so our Reame Is no remorce of life but kill kill kill he lasse Kill kill the English ctie and valiantly they fight What hap had we to see these mischiefes come to passe Helas le sang de nous amis la mort helas The maidens crie the widowes waile and aged mourne With wringing hands vplift and wish themselues vnborne Of vs one thousand English men within the towne Sustain'd the force the powre and puissance of their King And of the French that fought we beate three thousand downe We slew no lesse for all the number he did bring If this vntrue shall seeme disere dit mine to ring A French Historian writing for themselues shall say Three thousand French men there were slaine that day Foure hundred English men that time were slaine in fight My selfe was one with losse they wan the towne perdie But if I might haue liu'd t' haue tri'd our right With one for euery seuen by ods as we did die I doubt not so the rest would done their parts as I. But that King Charles his Lords nor all his men Should scarce haue tane the towne of Pontoise then VVhat need I more debate of these things here In England was the fault though we did feele the smart VVhile they at home at bate and strife for honors were They lost abroad of Normandie the greater part To thinke on this torments againe my wounded hart That Lords at home should striue about the name And lose abroad their countries weale and fame Let English Peeres abandon such contentious strife It hurts the publike weale decayes the State It reaues the yeares too soone of longer life It frets the brest with rust of baend debate It giues the checke to him that giues the mate Then thus I end that wight of all is blest VVhich liues in loue with God his Prince and countrie best So Higins if thou write how this my fall befell Place it in Baldwines Mirrour with the rest From crazed scull sith heere my mind I tell Sith bleeding heart these rufull rimes exprest This mangled tale beseemes my person best Do so quoth he and let it passe euen thus Viuit quoth I post funer a virtus Iohn Higins HOW SHORES WIFE KING EDWARD THE FOVRTHS CONCVBINE WAS by King Richard despoiled of all her goods and forced to doe open penance AMong the rest by Fortune ouerthrowne I am not least that most may waile her fate My fame and brute abroad the world is blowne VVho can forget a thing thus done so late My great mischance my fall and heauie state Is such a marke whereat each tongue doth shoot That my good name is pluckt vp by the root This wandring world bewitched me with wiles And won my wits with wanton sugred ioyes In Fortunes frekes who trusts her when she smiles Shall find her false and full of fickle toyes Her triumphes all but fill our eares with noise Her flattring gifts are pleasures mixt with paine Yea all her words are thunders threatning raine The fond desire that we in glorie set Doth thirle our hearts to hope in slipper hap A blast of pompe is all the fruit we get And vnder that lies hid a sudden clap In seeking rest vnwares we fall in trap In groping flowres with nettles stung we are In labring long we reape the crop of care Oh darke deceit with painted face for sho Oh poisned bait that makes vs eager still Oh fained friend deceiuing people so Oh world of thee we cannot speake too ill Yet fooles we are that bend so to thy skill The plague and scourge that thousands daily feele Should warne the wise to shun thy whirling wheele But who can stop the streame that runnes full swift Or quench the