bright Princesse and in words declares How just a cause excites him to the warres Besides the honour he from thence may gaine That Pedro is the true-borne Lord of Spaine And crowned Monarch that no vice what-e're Can wash away that sacred Character That Subjects may not put their Soveraigne downe Nor give Don Henry title to their Crowne But ought to leave that power to God alone Who can revenge at full what he has done Or else so clense him from the greatest crimes That Pedro's penitence in after-times May all his former impious reigne redeeme Like King Manasses in Ierusalem That it concern'd a true-borne Prince his right To take that part lest other Nations might Hereafter from a president so bad Vsurpe more freedome than they justly had Then taking leave of his deare wife he went To that which after prov'd by accident A fatall warre to England Where though he Obtain'd a great and glorious victory And present honour through all Europe gate Yet most unhappy to his future state The voyage was his treasures wast which cost Sad tumults and his French Dominions lost Besides his losse of health All which was sent Perchance to Edward as a punishment For ayding such a monster though true heire Nor long held Pedro his recover'd chaire Soone after th'English went from thence againe Depos'd and by victorious Henry slaine Thus all their punishments did undergoe Castile Don Pedro and Prince Edward too The Tyrant Pedro for his impious reigne Edward for lifting up the fiend againe And all Castile by England's conquering sword Scourg'd for deposing of their lawfull Lord. With noble Edward to this Spanish warre Young Iohn of Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster His brother marches to whose future state Castile shall prove a name more fortunate Who by the marriage of Don Pedro's heire The Royall title of that land shall weare With large revenues thence The Duke commands One of the three Battalia's with him stands Brave Sir Iohn Chandois who in warre before Had ever beene Prince Edward's Counsellor Now set to guide the youth of Princely Iohn With him young Beauchamp noble Warwick's sonne And stout Lord Dalbert with a gallant traine Of Gentlemen and Knights of Aquitaine The Prince of Wales himselfe commands the maine And middle Battell Pedro King of Spaine For whom the warre is made by Edward's side There marches on and English Chieftaines try'd In many a Battell then esteem'd to be The very flowers of Europes Chevalry With many Lords of high account and name That from Poictou from Maine and Guyenne came A Monarch leads the third Battalia on Iames of Mallorques King that in renowne Like th' ancient Caesars might blacke Edward stand And Kings not scorne to serve in his command There th' Earle of Arminacke leads on his power And English Knolls that expert warriour Thither the Lords of Dalbreth Piergort And many noble Knights and Squires resort With all his army thirty thousand strong The Prince sets forth from France to passe along The famous streights of Roncevall and through The kingdome of Navarre gets leave to goe By which with faithfull guides they passe as farre Before they meet th'approach of any warre As faire Victoria on the bounds of Spaine There some fore-runners of King Henry's traine Descry'd gave notice that the blow was neere But thrice as many as Prince Edward's were The troops that Henry of Castile had brought Besides the natives of the Land that fought To guard their new-elected King and free Themselves from Pedro's future tyranny Th'expertest souldiers of the Realme of France Come to encrease King Henry's puissance And Saracens from our invasions free Beare here a part in Christian enmity And ' gainst Don Pedro guard his brothers throne In three great bodies comes that army on The first and noblest where the French-men stand Is under Bertram of Cleâ—quy's command The greatest body in the midd'st the King Himselfe drawes up the last his brothers bring And now beside the towne of Naveret In faire array are both the battel 's set Renowned Edward to his men declares Th' undoubted justice of their present warres And that no odds of numbers he can feare When he beholds those men those Leaders there Who but ' gainst odds did never battell try Yet never fought without a victory As those that Sluces navall fight had seene That had in Crescy field and Poictiers beene And bids them now maintaine that old renowne They in so many honour'd fields had wonne As much does Bertram his French troops excite And briefly tells them they not onely fight King Henry's Crowne and honour to maintaine And winne fame there but to redeeme againe That dearest honour ' gainst the English hoast Which France of late had to that Nation lost But when King Henry whose great cause was try'd In that dayes hazard saw the English side Were marching on against him in array And that the warre admitted no delay He thus bespeakes his souldiers If a cause Of such great weight as to this battell drawes Your farre-engaged hands could need at all Th' inciting language of a Generall The wrongs of Spaine and brutish cruelty Our foe has us'd afford a scope to me Too large too sad to play the Oratour But well I know your Countries love has power Enough to raise your highest courages And bring you forward were our army lesse Than theirs in number as the odds is ours Vnlesse this battell make us Conquerors There can no people be so low as we No land so wretched as Castile will be T is not our wealth alone or lawes we lose Nor to be quite o're-runne by forreine foes Though every Nation have esteemed those The worst but Spaine must suffer greater woes ' Gainst her so fierce no forreine sword can be As her restored tyrants cruelty His who was once depos'd when to a mind Before so bloody sterne revenge is joyn'd If Spaine before could not endure his yoke How will she beare it now if by warres stroke Our conquering hands make not the action good Better the tyrant undisturb'd had stood What made old Marius when returned home With so much slaughter fill the streets of Rome Marius whose hand was once her best defence But that himselfe had beene exil'd from thence The prisons stinch the shackles that he bore The bread he begg'd on wasted Affrick's shore Which he himselfe before had overcome Made his returne so sad to wretched Rome And can we here feare lesse than Marius brought On Rome or than the Butcher Sylla wrought When not in warres but executions So many thousands were destroy'd at once If in this battell Pedro should o'recome But God avert from Spaine so sad a doome What sights would all her mourning Cities see But racks and gibbets blood and cruelty The land no place in such a peace could yeeld More safe from slaughter than this fighting field And tortur'd wretches that were left in Spaine Would call us happy who in warre were slaine But such a
thence with safety c All the Authors of that time doe generally agree concerning the greatnesse of Roger Mortimer his power in state his pompous attendance and haughty carriage of all businesse as likewise the greatnesse of the Queenes Dower and her familiarity with that Lord which offending as needs it must the rest of the Nobilitie I thought it not so fit to be barely related in the Authors person as by the way of speech to proceed angerly from the mouth of that brave Lord Mountague who was by the consent of those writers a speciall assistant to King Edward in the surprising of Mortimer and such particulars as concerne the lamentable murther of that deposed King to proceed from his servant Sir Thomas de la Moore who accordingly wrote the story of it THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The second Booke Argument II. King Edward's homage to the King of France He claimes that Crowne his friends and puissance Sicilia's King fore-tels the misery Of France King Edwards Navall victory NOt yet had Edward in his active minde The claime and conquest of great France design'd Nor look'd abroad domesticke businesse Employ'd his early manhood the redresse Of those distempers which had growne at home Too great for any youth to over-come But such a youth as his had yet detain'd His spirit there when Fate that had ordain'd Through fire and sword the miseries of France Finds out a meanes to wake the puissance Of this victorious Prince and make him know That fatall title that had slept till now Philip of France but newly crown'd and not Content in rest to hold what he had got Vpon a doubted title nor abate The least and strictest circumstance of state Which might belong to that high crowne he wore In punctuall manner summons Edward ore For Guyennes Dukedome which he held to doe His personall homage nor did Edward though Fill'd with disdaine and manly rage refuse To come faire Amiens is the place they chuse In whose Cathedrall Church King Philip sate Oh who can tell what pompe and wondrous state Was show'd at this so great solemnity How many noble Peeres and Princes high In blood and fame did there attendance give And in their best attires and lustres strive To grace the crowne of France and Philips state Vnder a wealthy Canopy he sate His roabe of colour like the violet With golden flower de luces all beset With crowned head and scepter'd hand to take That low obeisance th'English King should make The Kings of Boheme and Navarre were by Plac'd as spectators of his dignity Vnhappy Philip boast not this vaine state Which bleeding France shall buy at dearest rate Why doost thou fondly show to Edwards eyes That wealth that must hereafter be his prize And by those gorgeous splendours teach so great A spirit as his what value he should set Vpon thy Kingdomes conquest those thy Peeres That proudly face him now ere many yeeres Doe turne againe shall in their ruine be Sad monuments of Edward's victory And mourning see though now he seeme to low His reall honour in thine overthrow Bohemia's King oh ominous whose eye This shadow sees of Philip's dignity In Philip's fall a tragicke part must play And as a trophee to remaine for aye To Edward's conquering hands must dying yeeld His glittering plume in Cressyes fatall field The English King to Philip's royall seat Makes faire approach attended with a great And gallant traine of Peeres whose bright array The wealth and pompe of England did display A gowne of crimson Velvet Edward wore With golden Leopards all embroider'd ore His well-becomming sword was guirded on And spurs of gold about his anckles shone Vpon his head stood Englands diadem And such did his Heroicke presence seeme As in the French mens hearts although that there He came with peace did strike a silent feare So much unlike his Princely lookes did show To that low action that he came to doo Thus comming before Philip's chaire he stands Melun the Chamberlaine of France commands To doffe his royall Crowne his Spurs and Sword And bids him kneele to Philip as the Lord Supreme of all those Aquitanian lands Then twixt King Philip's puts King Edward's hands Declaring the Oath then Edward gives a kisse To Philip sitting as the manner is The King of France rejoycing in this vaine Shadow of Majesty to entertaine His royall Leigeman makes a sumptuous feast Put deepe in Edwards young and fiery breast Remaines the thought of this indignity Which though a while it smoother'd seeme to lye Breakes out in such a flame as long in vaine The neighbour Princes strive to quench againe Vntill Revenge had given to France as sad And great a wound as ere that Kingdome had But to attempt the conquest of so great So populous a land as France and set The title that he had on foot requir'd Strong preparations the young King retir'd To England in his eager thoughts revolues This weighty cause and though the great resolves Of his undaunted spirit ore-master all The difficulties that were like to fall Yet fitting time must be allow'd to make Confaederacies of import and take Faire opportunities The fates afford Occasions straight to flesh his conquering sword In Scotland wounds whose miseries must be The prologue to great France her tragaedy Ballioll unhappy to his nation Was now return'd to challenge Scotlands crowne While young King David did abide in France Which soone he gain'd by Edward's puissance Whose prosperous valour first at Berwicke towne Then in that fam'd defeat at a Halidowne In which so many valiant Scots were slaine Appear'd and seem'd to quit that blow againe Which whilest his father second Edward reign'd England from Bruce his warlike hand sustain'd Enough had these victorious warres declar'd Great Edward's prowesse and enough prepar'd His martiall thoughts for France when Fates conspire To bring fresh fuell to this raging fire For discontented from his native home To England b Robert of Artois was come His Countries fire-brand one that well had learn'd King Edward's minde and well his spirit discern'd So doe the peoples shouts encourage more A fierce Olimpicke Steede that strove before To force the lists and breake th opposing bars As this young fiery King too prone to wars Before is now by his incitements mov'd So ' gainst his Rome bold Curio's language prov'd When with the Tribunes banish'd he was come To armed Caesar at Ariminum Curio by death prevented could not see What he had wrought his Countries misery Whose slaughter'd carcasse strew'd the field a prey To Lybian birds before that tragicke day His Caesar conquer'd on Pharsaliaes plaines How like a fate for thee Artois remaines Thou shalt not see thy Countries greatest woe Nor Edward's bayes in Philip's overthrow Thy death shall first in Britaines warres be wrought Before that Crescyes mortall field be fought And ere that Poictiers wondrous battell fame Blacke Edwards sword be nothing but a name As much by France accurs'd in times to
Strikes England so yet this they comfort call Into the hands of man they shall not fall b Sad growes the time nor with her wonted cheare Or usuall dressing does the Spring appeare No cleansing gale of Zephyre moves the ayre While rising fogs obscure the welk in faire Without his showres contagious Auster blowes And painted Summer no kind fruit bestowes Nor does the Sunne as if inflam'd with ire Send out that wholesome and prolifique fire He us'd to doe but beames of mortall heat And from the bosome of the twins as great Combustion kindles here as if he then Vpon the Nemean Lion's backe had beene Within the farthest Easterne Lands from whence Day breakes breakes forth the fatall pestilence As if with rising Titan it begunne And follow'd thence the motion of the Sunne To Europe then does th hot contagion flye Raging through euery part of Italy And France that bled so late is forc'd to see Beside warres stroke a new mortality But most of all o're England's mourning face The sad infection spreads and Death apace In his pale Chariot rides through all the land No age nor sexe escape his vengefull hand Young men in prime of all their strength are strooke And yeeld The sucking Infant what he tooke From Nature soone is summon'd to repay From those soft limbs untimely fleets away The new-come Soule before it can be growne Acquainted with the tender mansion The aged man not because aged goes But onely ' cause he had a life to lose The mourning grave becomes a marriage bed To beauteous maids praeposterously dead One father wailes his sonne another all His houshold carries in one funerall And for so many deaths one mourning serves If one be left to mourne No care preserves Nor antidote can save from this disease Their greatest hope is but to dye in peace For oft the fiery sicknesse did invade Reasons coole seat and there prevailing made A strange distraction worse then losse of breath For which their friends wish'd as a cure their death The face oft burn'd no moisture had the eye Nor could by teares expresse their misery Some while their dearest friends they doe entombe Before that pious office done become Themselves a funerall Death makes him to be An hearse that came a mourning obsequy Nor does this venemous contagion Worke the destruction of mankind alone The sheepe and cattell perish as if growne On earth quite uselesse since the men are gone Wast lye the Lawnes the fields of tillage now Are desolate while the forsaken plow Nor men nor cattell scarce can exercise The Oxe in midst of all his labour dyes And leaves behind his mourning fellow now Dismist from toyle and service of the plow Who takes no comfort now in shady woods In flowery meadowes or cleare Chrystall floods That destiny alas for him remaines Although at rest The warrelike horse disdaines The pleasant streames and sicke forgetteth quite His food or th' honour of a race or fight Even Toads and Vipers dye acquainted growne With venome farre more mortall then their owne Twice through th' Horrizon had Hyperion runne Since first the fatall Pestilence begunne Before th' Almighty did his sword restraine And with his favour visit earth againe He now is pleas'd to cast a gracious eye On this distemper'd world her misery He cures and makes her former beauty come With kindly fruits he fills earth's fertile wombe And makes sweet blasts to move the wholesome ayre The people find at last their humble prayer Is heard and now the teares are wip'd away Due praise and thankes before his Altar pay Annotations upon the fourth Booke a Those that would see at large the actions of the Earle of Darby in Guyenne Aquitaine and Normandy let them read Froissard where they shall see them fully though not elegantly related This Earle of Darby a man of great worth and neere in blood to King Edward was afterwards by him created Duke of Lancaster the first Duke that ever was in England and left behind him no other issue but one daughter who being his sole heire was married to Iohn of Gaunt the Kings sonne and brought to him a large dowry together with the title of Duke of Lancaster b This wonderfull mortality which it pleased God in his wrath to send upon the wretched earth happened in the 22. yeare of King Edward immediately after the taking of Calleis a greater pestilence wee can scarce read of in any particular land or kingdome much lesse so great and with all so generall as this was For not onely England but France Italy and most of the Easterne and Southerne kingdomes were visited at that time and felt the rod most heavy and sad on them The fore-runner of this great sicknesse was immoderate raine for our Chronicles agree in generall that from Midsummer to Christmas it rained every day or night The yeare following it is noted that there dyed in London betweene Ianuary and the end of July seven and fifty thousand persons Other Cities and Townes suffered the like according to their proportions insomuch that some writers of those times were of opinion that halfe the inhabitants of the Land dyed for we must not beleeve Walsingham who sayes there was not above a tenth part of mankinde left alive As great a death of Cattell happened both that and the yeere following Thie was the greatest but not the onely plague which happened during the reigne of this King Edward For twelve yeeres after England was visited with another which our Chronicles called the second great Plague In that many of the Nobility dyed and among the rest that noble Henry Duke of Lancaster a chiefe actor in all the warres and victories of Edward and a maine Pillar of the state at that time THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The fifth Booke Argument V. Prince Edward levyes forces to maintaine Against the French his right in Aquitaine The King wasts Scotland Poictiers field is fought From whence King Iohn of France is prisoner brought PHilip of France had left the earth and John The eldest Sonne as in his father's Throne So in his sad mis-fortunes does succeed Who what the Fates in vengeance had decreed Against his Realme by rashnesse hastens on And gainst all right on Charles his eldest sonne Conferres the stile of Duke of Aquitaine Great Edward bound in honour to maintaine His owne inheritance creates his Sonne Young Edward Prince of that Dominion Exhorts him bravely to defend his right And ' gainst the French for his just Title fight For which Prince Edward armes and with a traine Of valiant Lords prepares for Aquitaine Never did Fortune with more favour smile On any armes nor from this martiall Ile Did ever army crosse the Seas before That more triumphant did returne or wore A richer Garland from Bellona's tree There to maintaine young Edward's signiory Brave Warwicke armes who neare the Prince his side When Crescy field his mayden prowesse try'd Before had fought and Suffolke whose renowne
vaine past glories if the tyrant Love Had not in prison found him out to move His more disquiet th' absence of the Queene From whose desir'd embraces he had beene So long divorc'd dooes now afflict his minde That she should prove so cruelly unkinde To his dejected state as to deny Her presence now which in prosperity While crowne and scepter he possest above The joyes of scepter or of crowne did love Who would beleeve fond love could give a wound So deepe as might ' mongst all those woes be found He that had lost the glories of a crowne And fell from that transcendent honour downe To fortunes lowest wretched'st step can he Be sensible of loves calamity ' Mongst all his sad distempers must that be Praedominant and greatest malady Such is the power or the unhappy fate Of love as deepest felt in wretched state So can it crosse the best prosperity And soure all other joyes though nere so high The happiest Monarch that may seeme possest Of all earths joyes with wealth fame honour blest Yet if he want the object that he loves No banquets please no aire of Musicke moves Delight he sits uneasie on his throne And seemes in midd'st of his rich court alone How short are sweets of love enjoy'd how vaine Compared to a star-crost lovers paine But such in all we are nor can we so Esteeme our good as we can feele our woe The best degree of health cannot content Fraile man so much as sicknesse can torment How oft have they that did associate This wofull Prince in his dejected state Heard him those amorous passions to disclose Though arm'd with patience ' gainst all other woes How oft in lamentable notes would he Like mourning Orpheus for Eurydice Complaine and move the hearers with his mones As Orpheus did the trees and senselesse stones But all in vaine like him no more was shee To be recall'd then was Eurydice Oft would he vow how constant he had beene To his belov'd but now too cruell Queene That never flame had scorch'd him but from her These passions mov'd the Noble Lancaster Whose true and gentle soule abhorr'd to see A love so fervent and so just to be Repay'd with scornefull spight and to the Queene He signifies what he had heard and seene But what effects in her sterne breast it wrought What mischiefes on poore Edwards head it brought Let them imagine who did ever know What mis-led womens wild desires will doe When they extremely doe or lust or loath Cruell alike alike unjust in both And from their worst desires most hardly chang'd Her heart from Edward was too farre estrang'd To yeild to pitty for the love shee ow'd To him had shee on Mortimer bestow'd And now that wrong that was begun must be Made perfect by a greater injury Remorse can little in such cases move And pitty seldome can engender love Now does the faire but cruell Queene begin To thinke what courses may secure her sinne And fearing whilest her husband was alive The power of holy Church would make her give What nuptiall rites were due to him since she Did wed his person not his dignity And must be still wife to his meanest state That people would his woes commiserate And her brave sonne the King with all the lawes Of God and man would favovr such a cause While all these doubts within her breast arise She cals oh partiall counsell to advise With her that wicked Bishop Hereford The greatest foe to her vnhappy Lord With him proud Mortimer to whom she gave That beavties use that Edward ought to have Oh what events could be expected there When svch the Queene and such her counsell were And first to bring their pollicies to end As for the young King a safety they pretend The noble Earle of Lancaster to be A man unfit for such a charge that he Allow'd him greater freedome then would stand Well with the peace and quiet of the land That daily tumults might arise whilest he Remain'd within so loose a custody Then by their power the Earle of Lancaster Is straight discharged of his prisoner And to succeede him in that wretched care The Lord Matrevers and Lord Berkley are Appointed by the Queenes command and they To Berkley Castle carry him away From Killingworth but noble Berkley showes Himselfe compassionate of Edwards woes And uses him in more respective wise Then was allow'd by his sterne enemies Lord Berkley therefore is discharged from His Gaolers office too and in his roome To serue the utmost of their dire entent Hell findes them out a cursed instrument Sir Thomas Gurney a fit man to be Ioyn'd with Matrevers in that treachery As great a staine to Knighthood as the base Matrevers was to honourable race These men for flattery and hire could show More cruelty then hate it selfe would doe And so afflict his heart as Hereford And Mortimer perchance would have abhorr'd If they themselves had seene these monsters foule Demeanour to him they torment his soule With all opprobrious words all spites that can Be thought or throwne upon a wretched man In hope to end his life no rest no food When Edward wish'd to have it was allow'd To make him feele his wretched fall how low The man that tumbles from a throne may goe To let him know how great a change the state Of mortall man may suffer and what fate When she would seeke extremities can doo Instead of Kingly cates they nought allow But what they know is most distastefull meat Instead of rich perfumes and odours fet From farthest lands to feast a Prince his sent These cruell feinds oh cursed punishment Dead carrions round about his lodging strow To kill his spirits and stifle nature so Instead of Musickes gentle aire t' invite Soft sleepe and charme his senses with delight A spitefull Drum was beat to reave his rest And banish sleepe from that afflicted breast All which by strength of nature he sustaines Preserv'd alas to feele more horrid paines Why miscreants doe you torment him so Yet not your owne but others mischiefes doe Yov in this action are not principall While Edward reign'd he wrong'd not you at all His threats like Hereford yov did not feare Nor court his beavtious Queene like Mortimer How base it is for men of name to be The instruments of others villanie Then least some plot for his deliverie His friends might lay these Gaolers cunningly By night would often carry him abroad And often change the place of his abode First to Corfe Castle and to Bristow thence Where when the villaines had intelligence Some Burgers pitying his aggrievances Would rescue and transport him ore the Seas They durst no longer in that place detaine Their wofull prisoner but backe againe To Berkley Castle in the dead of night Remov'd him thence pale Cynthia lent her light As if to give some comfort to his way Along the Meades and marish grounds that lay By Severnes side they came where oh sad crime
all were fled and gone Still by his fathers side the fight maintain'd And in that field the name of Hardy gain'd And now the swords sad worke was ended quite When that the weary'd souldiers who from fight Or from the chase returned backe might spye Their place of rendevous display'd on high Vpon an hill Prince Edward's banner stood To which the souldiers smear'd with dust and blood Laden with spoyles and wealthy prisoners come Some leading three in bands some foure to some Did five belong that whosoe're had beene A stranger to the battell and there seene Them altogether had supposed then The Campe to be of French not Englishmen Annotations upon the fifth Booke a Concerning the slaughter of this miraculous battell of Poictiers and the numbers of which both Armies consisted we finde thus for though Historians differ it is not much The Prince his Army contained not in all above eight thousand of whom the greatest part were Archers the French King according to most Wrâ—â—rs had threescore thousand and no writer at all speakes the number much lesse The slaughter on their side was exceeding great for besides fifty Lords of whom the chiefe were Peter of Burbon Duke of Athens high Constable of France Iohn Clermont Marshall George of Charney Lord great Chamberlaine c. there fell about seventeene hundred Knights Esquires and Gentlemen bearing coats of Armes and of common souldiers there dyed about six thousand in the field besides those that fell in the chase or were beaten downe under the walls of Poictiers The list of Prisoners comprehended these great names Iohn King of France Philip his Sonne afterward Duke of Burgoigne the Archbishop of Sens Iames of Burbon Earle of Ponthieu Iohn of Artois Earle of Eu Charles his brother Earle of Longuevile Charles Earle of Vendosme the Earles of Tankervile Salbruch Nassaw Dampmartine La-Roch with many other great Lords and about two thousand Knights Esquires and Gentlemen bearing armouries Many Prisoners had beene ransomed in the field and some let goe for feare of the danger that might have ensued by retaining a greater number of Prisoners than themselves were THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The sixth Booke Argument VI. With fire and sword King Edward uncontroll'd Wasts wretched France Prince Edward's love is told King Iohn of France is ransom'd home againe The Prince is sent to governe Aquitaine THe chase together with the day was done And all return'd in his pavilion Brave Edward feasts the Royall prisoner At which as noble did the Prince appeare As erst in battell and by sweetnesse wonne As great a conquest as his sword had done No faire respect or honour that might cheere That Kings afflicted breast was wanting there No reverence nor humble curtesie That might preserve his state and dignity But Edward shew'd at full and at the feast In person waited on his captive guest But what content what object fit could Fate Present to comfort such a changed state Or cheere the Kings perplexed soule at all New is the wound nor doe his thoughts recall A long-past glory where the hand of time Best cure of griefe might ease the smart but him Whose state the morning Sunne had seene so high This night beholds in sad captivity His restlesse passions rowling to and fro No calme admit when thus his noble foe Prince Edward spake Great King for such you are In my thoughts still what-e're the chance of warre Have lately wrought against you here forgive Your humble kinsman's service if I strive To ease your sorrow and presume to doe What is too much for me to counsell you Doe not deject your Princely thoughts or thinke The Martiall fame that you have gain'd can sinke In one successelesse field or too much feare Your Nations honour should be tainted here Mens strengths and honours we most truly try Where fields are fought with most equality But God was pleas'd to make this dayes successe The more miraculous that we the lesse Might challenge to our selves and humbly know That in so great and strange an overthrow Some secret judgement of our God was wrought And that the sword of heaven not England fought All forreine Nations will expound it so That are by noble stories taught to know What your French armes in Easterne lands have done What trophees you have rais'd what Garlands wonne Against the faithlesse Saracens whose wounds So oft have flow'd on Iuda's holy grounds And stain'd with purple Siria's swarthy face And can the fortune of one field disgrace A Nation of so great Nobility And for your selfe great King all hystorie That shall hereafter to the world make knowne Th' event of Poictiers battell shall renowne Your personall prowesse which appear'd so high As justly seem'd to challenge victory Had not God's secret providence oppos'd But though his will great Sir have thus dispos'd Your state remaines your person and your fame Shall in my humble thoughts be still the same And till my father see your face to show How he respects your worth and state to you As to himselfe were he in person here In all a observance Edward shall appeare The noble King a while amaz'd to see Victorious youth so full of Courtesie At last replyes Brave Coozen you have showne Your selfe a man built up for true renowne And as in action of the warres to be This ages Phoenix in humanity Why doe you wrong me thus as to enthrall Me doubly not insulting o're my fall You rob me Coozen of that sole renowne Which I though vanquish'd might have made mine owne To beare adversity I might have shew'd Had you beene proud a passive fortitude And let the world though I were fallen see What spirit I had in scorning misery But you have rob'd me of that honour now And I am bound in honour to allow That noble theft content since such are you To be your captive and your debtor too And since my Starres ordain'd a King of France Arm'd with such odd so great a puissance Must in a fatall field be lost to raise So great a trophee to anothers praise I am best pleas'd it should advance thy story And Iohn's dishonour be Prince Edward's glory What love the vertues of a noble foe May winne did that great Persian Monarch show Who pray'd if he must from his kingdome fall That Alexander might succeed in all The Prince all signes of humble love exprest And when the banquet ended to his rest Conducts the King if any rest at all His thoughts could take after so great a fall Next morne had cheerd the earth with Phoebus light And from the Pole remov'd the damps of night When with his hoast victorious Edward goes Marching along without controll of foes Neere to the walls of Poictiers towne he past Who shut their gates and all their guards had plac'd For feare of him But no such thought had he Enough of miracle it seem'd to be If with so many prisoners and so great A spoyle that small enriched hoast could