my Counsel yet this comfort is It cannot hurt although I think amiss Then live in hope in Triumph to return When clearer Days shall leave in Clouds to mourn But so hath Sorrow girt my Soul about That that word Hope me thinks comes slowly out The reason is I know it here would rest Where it might still behold thee in my Breast Farewel sweet Pool fain more I would indite But that my Tears do blot what I do write ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History Or brings in Burgoin to aid Lancaster PHilip Duke of Burgoine and his Son were always great Favorites of the House of Lancaster howbeit they often dissembled both with Lancaster and York Who in the North our lawful Claim commends To win us credit with our valiant Friends The chief Lords of the North parts in the time of Henry the Sixth withstood the Duke of York at his Rising giving him two great overthrows To that Allegeance York was bound by Oath To Henry's Heirs for safety of us both No longer now he means Records shall bear it He will dispence with Heaven and will unswear it The Duke of York at the death of Henry the Fifth and at this Kings Coronation took his Oath to be true subject to him and his Heirs for ever but afterward dispensing therewith claymed the Crown as his rightful and proper Inheritance If three Sons sail she 'l make the fourth a King The Duke of York had four Sons Edward Earl of March that afterward was Duke of York and King of England when he had deposed Henry the Sixth and Edmund Earl of Rutland slain by the Lord Clifford at the Battle at Wakefield and George Duke of Clarence that was murthered in the Tower and Richard Duke of Gloucester who was after he had murthered his Brothers Sons King by the Name of Richard the Third He that 's so like his Dam her youngest Dick That foul ill-favour'd crook-back'd Stigmatick c. Till this Verse As though begot an age c. This Richard whom ironically she calls Dick that by Treason after the murther of his Nephews obtained the Crown was a Man low of stature crook-back'd the left shoulder much higher than the right and of a very crabbed and sowr countenance His Mother could not be delivered of him he was born Toothed and with his Feet forward contrary to the course of Nature To over-shaddow our Vermilion Rose The Red Rose was the Badge of the House of Lancaster and the White Rose of York which by the marriage of Henry the Seventh with Elizabeth indubitate Heir of the House of York was happily united Or who will muzzle that unruly Bear The Earl of Warwick the setter up and puller down of Kings gave for his Arms the White Bear rampant and the Ragged Staff My daisy flower which once perfum'd the Air Which for my favour Princes dayn'd to wear Now in the dust lies c. The Daisy in French is called Margarite which was Queen Margarets Badge wherewithal the Nobility and Chivalry of the Land at her first arrival were so delighted that they wore it in their Hats in token of Honour And who be Stars but Warwicks bearded Staves The ragged and bearded Staff was a part of the Arms belonging to the Earldom of Warwick Sland'ring Duke Rayner with base Beggery Rayner Duke of Anjou called himself King of Naples Cicile and Jerusalem who had neither Inheritance nor reâ—eived any Tribute from those Parts and was not able at the Marriage of the Queen at his own Charge to send her into England though be gave no Dower with her Which by the Duchess of Gloucester was often in disgrace cast in her Teeth A Kentish Rebel a base upstart Groom This was Jack Cade which caused the Kentish Men to rebel in the eight and twentieth year of King Henry the Sixth And this is he the White Rose must prefer By Clarence Daughter match'd to Mortimer This Jack Cade instructed by the Duke of York pretended to be descended from Mortimer which married Lady Philip Daughter to the Duke of Clarence And makes us weak by strengthning Ireland The Duke of York being made Deputy of Ireland first there began to practise his long pretended purpose and strengthning himself hy all means possible that he might at his return into England by open War claim that which so long before he had privily gone about to obtain Great Winchester untimely is deceas'd Henry Beauford Bishop and Cardinal Wincester Son to John of Gaunt begot in his age was a proud and ambitious Prelate favouring mightily the Queen and the Duke of Suffolk continually heaping up innumerable Treasures in hope to have been Pope as himself on his deah-bed confessed With France t' upbraid the valiant Somerset Edmund Duke of Somerset in the four and twentieth year of Henry the Sixth was made Regent of France and sent into Normandy to defend the English Territories against the French Invasions but in short time he lost all that King Henry the Fifth won for which cause the Nobles and Commons ever after hated him T' indure these storms with woful Buckingham Humphry Duke of Buckingham was a great Favorite of the Queens Faction in the time of Henry the Sixth And one foretold by Water thou shouldst dye The Witch of Eye received answer from her Spirit That the Duke of Suffolk should take heed of Water Which the Queen fore-warns him of as remembring the Witches Prophesie which afterwards came to pass FINIS EDWARD the Fourth TO Mistress SHORE The ARGUMENT Edward the Fourth Son to Richard Duke of York after he had obtained quiet possession of the Crown by deposing Henry the Sixth which Henry was after murthered in the Tower by Crook'd-back Richard hearing by report of many the rare and wonderful Beauty of Mrs. Jane Shore so called of her Husband a Goldsmith in Lombard-Sreet cometh himself disguised to London to see her where after he had once beheld her he was so surprised with her admirable Beauty that not long after he robbed her Husband of his dearest Jewel but he first by this Epistle writeth to his beauteous Paramour TO thee the fair'st that ever breath'd this Air * From English Edward to thee fairest fair Ah would to God thy Title were no more That no remembrance might remain of Shore To countermand a Monarchs high desire And barr mine Eyes of what they most admire Oh! why should Fortune make the City proud To give that more than is the Court allow'd Where they like Wretches hoord it up to spare And do ingross it as they do their Ware When Fame first blaz'd thy Beauty hear in Court Mine Ears repuls'd it as a light Report But when mine Eyes saw what mine Ear had heard They thought Report too niggardly had spar'd And strucken dumb with wonder did but mutter Conceiving more than it had words to utter Then think of what thy Husband is possest When I malign the Wealth wherewith hee 's blest When much abundance makes the
Harford and the faithfull assurance of his Victory Oh why did Charles relieve his needy state A Vagabond c. Charles the French King her Father received the Duke of Harford and relieved him in France being so nearly allied 〈◊〉 Cousin German to King Richard his Son in Law which he did simply little thinking that he should after return to England and dispossess King Richard of the Crown When thou to Ireland took'st thy last Farewell King Richard made a Voyage with his Army into Ireland against Onell and Mackmur who rebelled at what time Henry entred here at home and robbed him of all Kingly Dignity Affirm'd by Church-men which should bear no Hate That John of Gaunt was illegitimate William Wickham in the great Quarrel betwixt John of Gaunt and the Clergy of meer Spight and Malice as it should seem reported That the Queen confessed to him on her Death-Bed being then her Confessor That John of Gaunt was the Son of a Flemming and that she was brought to Bed of a Woman-Child at Gaunt which was smothered in the Cradle by mischance and that she obtained this Child of a poor Woman making the King believe it was her own greatly fearing his displeasure Fox ex Chron. Alban No Bastards Mark doth blot his conq'ring Shield Shewing the true and indubitate Birth of Richard his Right unto the Crown of England as carrying the Arms without Blot or Difference Against their Faith unto the Crowns true Heir Their valiant Kinsman c. Edmund Mortimer Earl of March son of Earl Roger Mortimer which was Son to Lady Philip Daughter to Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son to King Edward the â—hird which Edmund King Richard going into Ireland was proclaimed Heir apparent to the Crown whose Aunt called Elinor this Lord Piercy had married Oh would Aumerl had sunk when he betray'd The Plot which once that Noble Abbot laid The Abbot of Westminster had plotted the Death of King Henry to have been done at a Tilt at Oxford Of which Confederacy there was John Holland Duke of Excester Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey the Duke of Aumerl Montacute Earl of Salisbury Spencer Earl of Gloucester the Bishop of Carlile Sir Thomas Blunt these all had bound themselves one to another by Indenture to perform it but were all betrayed by the Duke of Aumerl Scroop Green and Bushy dye his Fault in grain Henry going towards the Castle of Flint where King Richard was caused Scroop Green and Bushy to be executed at Bristow as vile Persons which had seduced the King to this lascivious and wicked life Damn'd be the Oath he made at Doncaster After Henries exile at his return into England he took his Oath at Doncaster upon the Sacrament not to claim the Croâ—… or Kingdom of England but only the Dukedome of Lancaster his own proper Right and the Right of his Wife And mourn for Henry Hotspur her dear Son As I for my c. This was the brave couragious Henry Hotspur that obtained so many Victories against the Scots which after falling 〈◊〉 right with the Curse of Queen Isabel was slain by Henry the Battel at Shrewsbury FINIS RICHARD the Second TO Queen ISABEL WHat can my Queen but hope for from this Hand That it should write which never could command A Kingdoms Greatness think how he should sway That wholesome Counsel never could obey Ill this rude Hand did guide a Scepter then Worse now I fear me it will rule a Pen. How shall I call my self or by what Name To make thee know from whence these Letters came Not from thy Husband for my hateful Life Makes thee a Widdow being yet a Wife Nor from a King that Title I have lost Now of that Name proud Bullenbrook may boast What I have been doth but this comfort bring No words so wofull as I was a King This lawless Life which first procur'd my Hate * This Tongue which then renounc'd my Regal State This abject Soul of mine consenting to it This Hand that was the Instrument to doe it All these be witness that I now deny All Princely Types all Kingly Soveraignty Didst thou for my sake leave thy Fathers Court Thy famous Country and thy Princely Port And undertook'st to travel dang'rous Ways Driven by aukward Winds and boyst'rous Seas * And left'st great Burbon for thy love to me Who su'd in Marriage to be link'd to thee Offering for Dower the Countries neighb'ring nigh Of fruitfull Almaine and rich Burgundie Didst thou all this that England should receive thee To miserable Banishment to leave thee And in my Down-fall and my Fortunes wrack Thus to thy Country to convey thee back When quiet Sleep the heavey Hearts Relief Hath rested Sorrow somewhat less'ned Grief My passed Greatness into mind I call And think this while I dreamed of my Fall With this Conceit my Sorrows I beguile That my fair Queen is but with drawn a while And my Attendants in some Chamber by As in the height of my Prosperity Calling a loud and asking who is there The Eccho answ'ring tels me Woe is there And when mine Arms would gladly thee enfold I clip the Pillow and the place is cold Which when my waking Eyes precisely view 'T is a true token that it is too true As many Minutes as in the Hours there be So many Hours each Minute seems to me Each Hour a Day Morn Noon-tide and a Set Each Day a Year with Miseries compleat A Winter Spring-time Summer and a Fall All Seasons varying but unseasoned all In endless Woe my thred of Life thus wears In Minutes Hours Days by Months to lingring Years They praise the Summer that enjoy the South Pomfret is closed in the Norths cold Mouth There pleasant Summer dwelleth all the Year Frost-starved-Winter doth inhabit here A place wherein Despair may fitly dwell Sorrow best suiting with a cloudy Cell * When Harford had his Judgement of Exile Saw I the People's murmuring the while Th' uncertain Commons touch'd with inward Care As though his Sorrows mutually they bare Fond Women and scarce-speaking Children mourn Bewayle his parting wishing his return * That I was forc'd t'abridg his banish'd Years When they be dew'd his Foot-steps with their Tears Yet by example could not learn to know To what his Greatness by their Love might grow * But Henry boasts of our Atchievements don Bearing the Trophies our great Fathers won And all the story of our famous War Must grace the Annals of Great Lancaster * Seven goodly Siens in their Spring did flourish Which one self-Root brought forth one Stock did nourish * Edward the top-Branch of that golden Tree Nature in him her utmost power did see Who from the Bud still blossomed so fair As all might judge what Fruit it meant to bare But I his Graft of ev'ry Weed o'er-grown And from our kind as Refuse forth am thrown * We from our Grandsire stood in one Degree But after Edward John the young'st of three Might Princely Wales beget a
of famous Willoughby Here Montacute rang'd his unconquer'd Band Here march'd we out and here we made a stand What should we sit to mourn and grieve all day For that which Time doth easily take away What Fortune hurts let Suff'rance only heal No wisdom with Extremities to deal To know our selves to come of humane Birth These sad Afflictions cross us here on Earth A punishment from the eternal Law To make us still of Heav'n to stand in awe In vain we prize that at so dear a rate Whose long'st assurance bear 's a Minutes date Why should we idly talk of our Intent When Heav'ns Decree no Counsel can prevent When our fore-sight not possibly can shun That which the Fates determine shall be don Henry hath Power and may my life depose Mine Honour 's mine that none hath power to lose Then be as chearful beautious Royal Queen As in the Court of France we oft have been * As when arriv'd in Porcesters fair Road Where for our coming Henry made aboad When in mine Arms I brought thee safe to Land And gave my Love to Henry's Royal Hand The happy Hours we passed with the King At fair Southampton long in Banqueting With such content as lodg'd in Henries Breast When he to London brought thee from the West Through golden Cheap when he in Pomp did ride To Westminster to entertain his Bride ANNOTATIONS on the Chronicle History Our Faulkons kind cannot the Cage endure HE alludes in these Verses to the Faulcon which was the ancient Device of the Pools comparing the greatness and haughtiness of his spirit to the nature of this Bird. This was the mean proud Warwick did invent To my disgrace c. The Commons at this Parliament through Warwicks means accused Suffolk of Treason and urged the Accusation so vehemently that the King was forced to exile him for five years That only I by yielding up of Main Should be the loss of fertile Aquitain The Duke of Suffolk being sent into France to conclude a Peace chose Duke Rayners Daughter the Lady Margaret whom he espoused for Henry the sixth delivering for her to her Father the Countries of Anjou and Main and the City of Mauns Whereupon the Earl of Arminack whose Daughter was before promised to the King seeing himself to be deluded caused all the Englishmen to be expulsed Aquitain Gascoyne and Guyne With the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the Heir of good Duke Humphry's name This Richard that was called the great Earl of Warwick when Duke Humphry was dead grew into exceeding great favour with the Commons With Salisbury his vile ambitious Sire In York's stern Breast kindling long hidden fire By Clarence Title working to supplant The Eagle-Airy of great John of Gaunt Richard Plantaginet Duke of York in the time of Henry the Sixth claymed the Crown being assisted by this Richard Nevil Earl of Salisbury and Father to the great Earl of Warwick who favoured exceedingly the House of York in open Parliament as Heir to Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son of Edward the Third making his Title by Ann his Mother Wife to Richard Earl of Cambridge Son to Edmund of Langley Duke of York Which Ann was Daughter to Roger Mortimer Earl of March which Roger was Son and Heir to Edmund Mortimer that married the Lady Philip Daughter and Heir to Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son of King Edward to whom the Crown after King Richard the Seconds Death lineally descended he dying without Issue and not to the Heir of the Duke of Lancaster that was younger Brother to the Duke of Clarence Hall cap. 1. Tit. Yor. Lanc. Urg'd by these envious Lords to spend their breath Calling revenge on the Protectors death Humphry Duke of Glouster and Lord Protector in the five and twentieth year of Henry the Sixth by means of the Queen and the Duke of Suffolk was arrested by the Lord Beaumont at the Parliament holden at Bury and the same Night after murthered in his Bed If they would know who rob'd him c To this Verse To know how Humphry dy'd and who shall reign In these Verses he jests at the Protectors Wife who being accused and convicted of Treason because with John Hun a Priest Roger Bullenbrook a Necromancer and Margery Jordan called the Witch of Eye she had consulted by Sorcery to kill the King was adjudged to perpetual Imprisonment in the Isle of Man and to do Penance openly in three publick places in London For twenty years and have I serv'd in France In the sixth year of Henry the Sixth the Duke of Bedford being deceased then Lieutenant General and Regent of France this Duke of Suffolk was promoted to that Dignity having the Lord Talbot Lord Scales and the Lord Mountacute to assist him Against great Charles and Bastard Orleance This was Charles the Seventh who after the death of Henry the Fifth obtained the Crown of France and recovered again much of that his Father had lost Bastard Orleance was Son to the Duke of Orleance begotten of the Lord Cawnies Wife preferred highly to many notable Offices because be being a most valiant Captain was a continual Enemy to the Englishmen dayly infesting them with divers Incursions And have I seen Vernoyla's batful Fields Vernoyle is that noted place in France where the great Battle was fought in the beginning of Henry the Sixth his Reign where most of the French Chivalrie were overcome by the Duke of Bedford And from Aumerle withdrew my Warlike Powers Aumerle is that strong defenced Town in France which the Duke of Suffolk got after four and twenty great Assaults given unto it And came my self in person first to Tours Th'Embassadours for Truce to entertain From Belgia Denmark Hungary and Spain Tours is a City in France built by Brutus as he came into Brittain where in the one and twentieth year of the Reign of Henry the Sixth was appointed a great Diet to be kept whither came Embassadors of the Empire Spain Hungary and Denmark to intreat for a perpetual Peace to be made between the two Kings of England and France By true descent to wear the Diadem Of Naples Cicil and Jerusalem Rayner Duke of Anjou Father to Queen Margaret called himself King of Naples Cicily and Jerusalem having the Title alone of the King of those Countries A fifteenth Tax in France I freely spent The Duke of Suffolk after the Marriage concluded between King Henry and Margaret Daughter to Rayner asked in open Parliament a whole Fifteenth to fetch her into England Seen thee for England but imbarqu'd at Deep Deep is a Town in France bordering upon the Sea where the Duke of Suffolk with Queen Margaret took Ship for England As when arriv'd at Porchesters fair Rhoad Porchester a Haven Town in the South-West part of England where the King tarried expecting the Queens arrival whom from thence be conveyed to Southampton Queen MARGARET TO WILLIAM DE-LA-POOLE Duke of SUFFOLK WHat news sweet Pool look'st
boast And tell thee that which thou already know'st No sacred Queen my Valour I deny It was thy Beauty not my Chivalry One of thy tressed Curls there falling down As loath to be imprisoned in thy Crown I saw the soft Ayr sportively to take it And into strange and sundry forms to make it Now parting it to four to three to twain Now twisting it then it untwist again Then make the threads to dally with thine Eye A Sunny Candle for a golden Fly At length from thence one little tear it got Which falling down as though a Star had shot My up-turn'd Eye pursu'd it with my Sight The which again redoubled all my Might 'T is but in vain of my Descent to boast When Heav'ns Lamp shines all other Lights be lost Faulcons seem poor the Eagle sitting by Whose Brood surveyes the Sun with open Eye * Else might my blood find Issue from his force * Who beat the Tyrant Richard from his Horse On Bosworth Plain whom Richmond chose to wield His glorious Ensign in that conqu'ring Field And with his Sword in his dear Sov'reigns sight To his last breath stood fast in Henries Right Then beautious Empress think this safe delay Shall be the Even to a joyful Day Fore-sight doth still on all advantage lye Wise-men give place forc'd by necessity To put back ill our good we must forbear Better first fear then after still to fear 'T were over-sight in that at which we aim To put the Hazzard on an after-Game With patience then let us our Hopes attend And till I come receive these Lines I send ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History When Longavile to Mary was affy'd THe Duke of Longavile who was Prisoner in England upon the Peace to be concluded between England and France was delivered and married to the Princess Mary for Lewis the French King his Master How in a storm thy well-ri'd Ships were tost And thou c. As the Queen sayled for France a mighty storm arose at Sea so that the Navy was in great danger and was severed some driven upon the Coast of Flanders some on Brittain the Ship wherein the Queen was driven into the Haven at Bullen with very great danger When thou to Abvile held'st th' appointed day King Lewis met her by Abvile near to the Forrest of Arders and brought her into Abvile with great Solemnity Appeard'st unto him like the Queen of Light Expressing the sumptuous Attye of the Queen and her Train attended by the chief of the Nobility of England with six and thirty Ladies all in Cloth of Silver their Horses trapped with Crimson Velvet A criple King laid Bedrid long before King Lewis was a man of great years troubled much with the Gout so that he had long time before little use of his Legs When Marques Dorset and the valiant Grayes The Duke of Suffolk when the Proclamation came into England of Justs to be holden in France at Paris be for the Queens sake his Mistress obtained of the King to go thither With whom went the Marquess Dorset and his four Brothers the Lord Clinton Sir Edward Nevil Sir Giles Capel Thomas Cheyney which went all over with the Duke as his Assistants When thou in Triumph didst through Paris ride A true description of the Queens entring into Paris after her Coronation performed at St. Denis Then five great Dukes as did their Places fall The Dukes of Alanson Burbon Vandom Longavile Suffolk with five Cardinals That larg-lim'd Almain of the Giants Race Francis Valoys the Dolphin of France envying the glory that the English Men had obtained at the Tilt brought in an Almain secretly a Man thought almost of incomparable strength which inccuntred Charles Brandon at the Barriers but the Duke grappling with him so beat him about the Head with the Pummel of his Sword that the blood came out of the sight if his Caske Else might my Blood find issue from his force Who beat c. Sir William Brandon Standard bearer to the Earl of Richmond after Henry the Seventh at Bosworth-Field a brave and gallant Gentleman who was slain by Richard there this was Father to this Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk FINIS Henry Howard Earl of Surrey TO THE Lady GERALDINE The ARGUMENT Henry Howard that truly noble Earl of Surrey and excellent Poet falling in love with Geraldine descended of the Noble Family of the Fitzs-Gerarlds of Ireland a fair and modest Lady and one of the honourable Maids to Queen Catharine Dowager eternizeth her praises in many excellent Poems of rare and sundry inventions and after some few years being determined to see Italy that famous Source and Helicon of all excellent Arts first visiteth the renowned City of Floreoe from whence the Geralds challenge their descent from the anctient Family of the Geraldi there in honour of his Mistress he advanceth her Picture and challengeth to maintain her Beauty by deeds of Arms against all that durst appear in the Lifts where after the proof of his incomparable valour whose Arms crowned her Beauty with eternal Memory he writeth this Epistle to his dearest Mistress * FRom learned Florence long time rich in fame From whence thy Race thy noble Grandsiers came To famous England that kind Nurse of mine Thy Surrey sends to heav'nly Geraldine Yet let not Tuscan think I do it wrong That I from thence write in my Native Tongue That in these harsh-tun'd Cadences I sing Sitting so near the Muses sacred Spring But rather think it self adorn'd thereby That England reads the praise of Italy Though to the Tuscans I the smoothness grant Our Dialect no Majesty doth want To set thy praises in as high a Key As France or Spain or Germany or they That day I quit the Fore-land of fair Kent And that my Ship her course for Flanders bent With what regret and how heavy a look My leave of England and of thee I took I did intreat the Tide if it might be But to convey me one sigh back to thee Up to the Deck a Billow lightly skips Taking my sigh and down again it slips Into the Gulf it self it headlong throws And as a Post to England-ward it goes As I sate wondring how the rough Seas stir'd I might far off perceive a little Bird Which as she fain from Shore to Shore would flie Had lost her self in the broad vasty Skie Her feeble Wing beginning to deceive her The Seas of life still gaping to bereave her Unto the Ship she makes which she discovers And there poor fool a while for refuge hovers And when at lengeh her flagging Pinnion fails Painting she hangs upon the ratling Sails And being forc'd to loose her hold with pain Yet beaten off she strait lights on again And tos'd with flaws with storms with wind with weather Yet still departing thence still turneth thither Now with the Poop now with the Prow doth bear Now on this side now that now here now there Me thinks these Storms should be my sad depart
conquer'd France Yet if my Fortunes be thus rais'd by thee This may presage a further good to me And our Saint David in the Britains Right May joyn with George the Sainted English Knight * And old Caermarden Merlin's famous Town Not scorn'd by London though of such renown Ah would to God that Hour my Hopes attend Were with my Wish brought to desired end Blame me not Madam though I thus desire Many there be that after you enquire Till now your Beauty in Nights Bosome slept What Eye durst stir where awfull Henry kept Who durst attempt to sail but near the Bay Where that all-conqu'ring great Alcides lay Your Beauty now is set a Royal Prize And Kings repair to cheapen Merchandize If you but walk to take the breathing Ayre Orithia makes me that I Boreas fear If to the Fire Jove once in Lightning came And fair Egina makes me fear the flame If in the Sun then sad Suspicion dreams Phoebus should spread Lucothoe in his Beams If in a Fountain you do cool your Blood Neptune I fear which once came in a Floud If with your Maids I dread Apollo's Rape Who cous'ned Chion in an old Wives shape If you do banquet Bacchus makes me dread Who in a Grape Erigone did feed And if my self your Chamber-door should keep Yet fear I Hermes coming in a Sleep Pardon sweet Queen if I offend in this In these Delays Love most impatient is And Youth wants pow'r his hot Spleen to suppress When Hope already banquets in Excess Though Henry's Fame in me you shall not find Yet that which better shall content your mind But onely in the Title of a King VVas his advantage in no other thing If in his love more pleasure you did take Never let Queen trust Britain for my sake Yet judge me not from Modesty exempt That I another Phaetons Charge attempt My Mind that thus your Favours dare aspire Shews that 't is touch't with a celestial fire If I 'm in fault the more is Beauties blame VVhen she her self is author of the same All Men to some one quality incline Onely to Love is naturally mine Thou art by Beauty famous as by Birth Ordain'd by Heav'n to cheer the drooping Earth Add faithfull Love unto your greater State And be alike in all things fortunate A King might promise more I not deny But yet by Heav'n he lov'd not more then I. And thus I leave till time my Faith approve I cease to write but never cease to love ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History And that the Helm the Tudors antient Crest THE Arms of Tudor was three Helmets whereof he speaketh as a thing prophetically foretold of Merlin When in thy presence I was call'd to dance Owen Tudor being a courtly and active Gentleman commanded once to dance before the Queen in a Turn not being able to recover himself fell into her Lap as she sat upon a little Stool with many of her Ladies about her And yet with them in Wales that famous be Our learned Bards c. This Berdh as they call it in the Brittish Tongue or as we more properly say Bard or Bardus be their Poets which keep the Records of Pedigrees and Descents and sung in Odes and Measures to their Harps after the old manner of the Lyrick Poets And boast my Blood from great Cadwallader Cadwallader the last King of the Britains descended of the Noble and ancient Race of the Trojans to whom an Angel appeared commanding him to goe to Rome to Pope Sergius where he ended his Life From old Caer-Septon in Mount Palador Caer-Septon now called Shaftsbury at whose Building it was said an Eagle prophesied or rather one named Aquila of the fame of that Place and of the recovery of the Isle by the Britains bringing back with them the Bones of Cadwallader from Rome And from Encons Line the South-Wales King From Theodor c. This Encon was slain by the Rebels of Gwentland he was a notable and worthy Gentleman who in his life did many noble Acts and was Father to Theodor or Tudor Maur of whom descended the Princes of South-Wales From her great Grandam fair Gwenellian Gwenellian the daughter of Rees ap Grisseth ap Theodor Prince of South-Wales married Ednivet Vaughan Ancestor to Owen Tudor By true descent from Leolin the Great This is the Lowhelin called Leolinus Magnus Prince of North-Wales Nor that word Croggen Nick-name of disgrace In the Voyage that Henry the Second made against the Welshmen as his Souldiers passed Offas Ditch at Croggen Castle they were overthrown by the Welshmen which word Croggen hath since been used to the Welshmen's Disgrace which was at first begun with their Honour And kept our Native Language now thus long The Welshmen be those ancient Britains which when the Picts Danes and Saxons invaded here were first driven into those parts where they have kept their Language ever since the first without commixtion with any other And old Caer-Marden Merlins famous Town Caer-Marden or Merlin's Town so called of Merlin's being found there This was Ambrose Merlins whose Prophesies we have There was another of that Name called Merlin Sylvestris born in Scotland sirnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophesied FINIS ELINOR COBHAM TO Duke HVMPHREY The ARGUMENT Elinor Daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough and Wife to Humphrey Plantaginet Duke of Gloucester the Son of Henry the fourth King of England sirnamed Bullingbrook This noble Duke for his great wisdom and justice called the good was by King Henry the fifth Brother to the Duke at his Death appointed Protector of the Land during the nonage of Henry the sixth this Elinor Dutchess of Gloucester a Proud and Ambitious Woman knowing that if young Henry died without issue the Duke her Husband was the nearest of the blood Conspired with one Bullingbrook a Great Magitian Hun a Priest and Jourdan Witch of Eye by sorcery to make away the King and by conjuration to know who should succeed Of this being justly convicted she was adjudged to do pennance three several times openly in London and then to perpetual banishment to the Isle of Man from whence she writes this Epistle MEthinks not knowing who these Lines should send Thou straight turn'st over to the latter end Where thou my Name no sooner hast espy'd But in disdain my Letter casts aside Why if thou wilt I will my self deny Nay I 'll affirm and swear I am not I Or if in that thy shame thou do'st perceive For thy dear sake loe I my Name will leave And yet methinks amaz'd thou shouldst not stand Nor seem so much appalled at my Hand For my Misfortunes have inur'd thine Eye Long before this to Sights of Misery No no read on 't is I the very same All thou canst read is but to read my shame Be not dismay'd nor let my Name affright The worst it can is but t' offend thy sight It cannot wound nor doe thee deadly harm It is no dreadfull Spell
Nobility should bear it If Counsel aid that France will tell I know Whose Towns lye wast before the English Foe When thrice we gave the conquer'd French the foil * At Agincourt at Cravant and Vernoyle If Faith avail these Arms did Henry hold To claym his Crown yet scarcely nine months old If Countries care have leave to speak for me Gray hairs in youth my witness then may be If peoples tongues give splendor to my Fame They add a Title to Duke Humphry's Name If Toyle at home French Treason English Hate Shall tell my skill in mannaging the State If forreign Travel my success may try * Then Flanders Almain Boheme Burgundie That Robe of Rome proud Beauford now doth wear In every place such sway should never bear * The Crosier staff in his imperious Hand To be the Scepter that controules the Land That home to England Dispensations draws Which are of power to abrogate our Laws And for those Sums the wealthy Church should pay Upon the needy Comm'nalty to lay His ghostly Counsels only do advise * The means how Langley's Progeny may rise Pathing young Henry's unadvised ways A Duke of York from Cambridge house to raise Which after may our Title undermine Grafted since Edward in Gaunts famous Line Us of Succession falsely to deprive Which they from Clarence fainedly derive Knowing the will old Cambridge ever bore To catch the Wreath that famous Henry wore With Gray and Scroop when first he layd the Plot From us and ours the Garland to have got As from the March-born Mortimer to reign Whose Title Glendour stoutly did maintain When the proud Percies haughty March and he Had shar'd the Land by equal parts in three * His Priesthood now stern Mowbray will restore To stir the fire that kindled was before Against the Yorkists that shall their Claim advance To steel the point of Norfolk's sturdy Lance. Upon the Breast of Harford's issue bent In just revenge of ancient Banishment He doth advise to let our Pris'ner go And doth inlarge the faithless Scotish Foe * Giving our Heirs in Marriage that their Dow'rs May bring invasion upon us and ours Ambitious Suffolk so the Helm doth guide With Beauford's damned Policies suppl'd He and the Queen in Counsel still confer How to raise him who hath advanced her But my dear Heart how vainely do I dream And fly from thee whose Sorrows are my Theam My love to thee and England thus divided Which hath the most how hard to be decided Or thou or that to censure I am loath So near are you so dear unto me both 'Twixt that and thee for equal love I find England ingrateful and my El'nor kind But though my Country justly I reprove Yet I for that neglected have my love Nevertheless thy Humphry's to the now As when fresh Beauty triumph'd on thy Brow As when thy Graces I admired most Or of thy Favours might the frankly'st boast Those Beauties were so infinite before That in abundance I was only poor Of which though Time hath taken some again I ask no more but what doth yet remain Be patient gentle Heart in thy distress Thou art a Princess not a whit the less Whilst in these Breasts we bear about this Life I am thy Husband and thou art my Wife Cast not thine eye on such as mounted be But look on those cast down as low as we For some of them which proudly pearch so hie Ere long shall come as low as thou or I. They weep for joy and let us laugh in Woe We shall exchange when Heav'n will have it so We mourn and they in after-time may mourn Woe past may once laugh present Woe to scorn And worse then hath been we can never tast Worse cannot come then is already past In all extream's the only depth of ill Is that which comforts the afflicted still Ah would to God thou couldst thy Griefs deny And on my back let all the Burthen lye Or if thou canst resign make them mine own Both in one Carriage to be undergone Till we again our former hopes recover And prosp'rous Times blow these Misfortunes over For in the thought of those fore-passed years Some new resemblance of old Joy appears Mutual our Care so mutual be our Love That our Affliction never can remove So rest in peace where peace hath hope to live Wishing thee more then I my self can give ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History At Agincourt at Cravant and Vernoyle THe three famous Battels fought by the Englishmen in France Agincourt by Henry the fifth against the whole Power of France Cravant fought by Montacute Earl of Salisbury and the Duke of Burgoyne against the Dolphin of France and William Stuart Constable of Scotland Vernoyle fought by John Duke of Bedford against the Duke of Alanson and with him most of the Nobility of France Duke Humphry an especial Counsellor in all these Expeditions Then Flanders Almaine Boheme Burgundy Here remembring the ancient Amity which in his Embassies he had concluded betwixt the King of England and Sigismund Emperor of Almain drawing the Duke of Burgoyne into the same League giving himself as an Hostage for the Duke at Saint Omers while the Duke came to Calice to confirm the League With his many other Imployments to forreign Kingdomes That Crosier staff in his imperious hand Henry Beauford Cardinal of Winchester that proud and haughty Prelate received the Cardinals Hat at Calice by the Popes Legate which dignity Henry the fifth his Nephew forbad him to take upon him knowing his haughty and malicious spirit unfit for that Robe and Calling The means how Langley's Progeny may rise As willing to shew the House of Cambridge to be descended of Edmund Langley Earl of York a younger Brother to John of Gaunt his Grandfather as much as in him lay to smother the Title that the Yorkists made to the Crown from Lionel of Clarence Gaunts elder Brother by the Daughter of Mortimer His Priesthood now stern Mowbray doth restore Noting the ancient Grudge between the House of Lancaster and Norfolk ever since Moubray Duke of Norfolk was banished for the Accusation of Henry Duke of Harford after that King of England Father to Duke Humphry Which Accusation he came as a Combatant to have made good in the Lists at Coventry Giving our Heirs in Marriage that their Dow'rs James Stuart King of Scots having been long Prisoner in England was released and took to Wife the Daughter of John Duke of Somerset Sister to John Duke of Somerset Neice to the Cardinal and the Duke of Excester and Cousin-German removed to the King This King broke the Oath he had taken and became afterward a great Enemy to England FINIS WILLIAM DE-LA-POOLE Duke of SUFFOLK TO Queen MARGARET The ARGUMENT William De-La-Pool first Marquess and after created Duke of Suffolk being sent into France by King Henry the Sixth concluded a Marriage between the King his Master and Margaret Daughter to Rayner Duke of Anjou who only had the
Title of King of Sicily and Jerusalem This Marriage being made contrary to the liking of the Lords and Counsel of the Realm by reason of the yielding up of Anjou and Main into the Dukes hands which shortly after proved the loss of all Aquitain they ever after bore a continued hatred to the Duke and by means of the Commons banished him at the Parliament at Bury where after he had judgment of his Exile being then ready to depart he writes back to the Queen this Epistle IN my disgrace dear Queen rest thy Content And Margarets health from Suffolk's Banishment Five years exile were not an hour to me But that so soon I must depart from thee Where thou 'rt not present it is ever night All be exil'd that live not in thy sight Those Savages which worship the Suns rise Would hate their God if they beheld thine Eyes The worlds great light might'st thou be seen abroad Would at our Noon-stead ever make aboad And force the poor Antipodes to mourn Fearing lest he would never more return Wer 't not for thee it were my great'st exile To live within this Sea-inviron'd Isle Pool's Courage brooks not limiting in Bands But that great Queen thy Sov'raignty commands * Our Faulcons kind cannot the Cage indure Nor Buzzard-like doth stoop to ev'ry Lure Their mounting Brood in open Air doe rove Nor will with Crows be coup't within a Grove We all do breathe upon this Earthly Ball Likewise one Heav'n incompasseth thus all No Banishment can be to him assign'd Who doth retain a true resolved Mind Man in himself a little World doth bear His Soul the Monarch ever ruling there Where ever then his Body doth remain He is a King that in himself doth reign And never feareth Fortunes hot'st Alarms That bears against her Patience for his Arm 's * This was the mean proud Warwick did invent To my digrace at Leister Parliament * That only I by yielding up of Main * Should cause the loss of fertile Aquitain * With the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the Heir of good Duke Humphry's Name And so by Treason spotting my pure Blood Make this a mean to raise the Nevils Brood * With Salisbury his vile ambitious Sire * In York's stern Breast kindling long hidden fire * By Clarence Title working to supplant * The Eagle Ayrie of great John of Gaunt And to this end did my Exile conclude Thereby to please the Rascal Multitude * Urg'd by these envious Lords to spend their breath Crying revenge for the Protectors death That since the old decrepit Duke is dead By me of force he must be murthered * If they would know who rob'd him of his Life * Let them call home Dame Elinor his Wife * Who with a Taper walked in a Sheet * To light her shame at Noon through London Street * And let her bring her Necromantick Book * That foul Hag Jordan Hun and Bullenbrook * And let them call the Spirits from Hell again To know how Humphry dy'd and who shall reign * For twenty years and have I serv'd in France * Against great Charles and Bastard Orleance And seen the Slaughter of a World of Men Victorious now as hardly conquer'd then * And have I seen Vernoyla's batful Fields Strew'd with ten thousand Helmes ten thousand Shields Where famous Bedford did our Fortune try Or France or England for the Victory The sad investing of so many Towns Scor'd on my Breast in honourable Wounds When Mountacute and Talbot of much Name Under my Ensign both first won their Fame In Heat and Cold all these have I endur'd To rouze the French within their Walls immur'd Through all my Life these perils have I past And now to fear a Banishment at last Thou know'st how I thy beauty to advance For thee refus'd the Infanta of France Brake the Contract Duke Humphry first did make 'Twixt Henry and the Princess Arminack Only that here thy presence I might gain I gave Duke Rayner Anjou Mauns and Main Thy Peerless Beauty for a Dower to bring As of it self sufficient for a King * And from Aumerle withdrew my Warlike Pow'rs * And came my self in person first to Tours * Th'Embassadours for truce to entertain * From Belgia Denmark Hungary and Spain And to the King relating of thy story My Tongue flow'd with such plenteous Oratory As the report by speaking did indite Begetting still more ravishing delight And when my Speech did cease as telling all My Look shew'd more that was Angelical And when I breath'd again and pawsed next I left mine Eyes dilating on the Text Then coming of thy Modesty to tell In Musicks numbers my Voice rose and fell And when I came to paint thy glorious stile My speech in greater Cadences to file * By true descent to wear the Diadem * Of Naples Cicil and Jerusalem As from the Gods thou didst derive thy Birth If those of Heaven could mix with these of Earth Gracing each Title that I did recite With some mellifluous pleasing Epithite Nor left him not till he for love was sick Beholding thee in my sweet Rhetorick A Fifteens Tax in France I freely spent In Triumphs at thy Nuptial Tournament And solemniz'd thy Marriage in a Gown Valu'd at more than was thy Fathers Crown And only striving how to honour thee Gave to my King what thy love gave to me Judge if his kindness have not power to move Who for his loves sake gave away his love Had he which once the Prize to Greece did bring Of whom th' old Poets long ago did sing * Seen thee for England but imbark'd at Deep Would over-board have cast his golden Sheep As too unworthy ballast to be thought To pester room with such perfection fraught The briny Seas which saw the Ship infold thee Would vault up to the Hatches to behold thee And falling back themselves in thronging smother Breaking for grief enving one another When the proud Bark for Joy thy steps to feel Scorn'd that the Brack should kiss her furrowing Keel And trick'd in all her Flags her self she braves Cap'ring for joy upon the silver Waves When like a Bull from the Phenician Strand Jove with Europa rushing from the Land Upon the Bosome of the Main doth scud And with his Swannish Breast cleaving the Floud Tow'rd the fair Fields upon the other side Beareth Agenor's joy Phenicia's pride All heavenly Beauties joyn themselves in one To shew their glory in thine Eye alone Which when it turneth that celestial Ball A thousand sweet Stars rise a thousand fall Who justly saith mine Banishment to be When only France for my recours is free To view the Plains where I have seen so oft Englands victorious Engines rays'd aloft When this shall be a comfort in my way To see the place where I may boldly say Here mighty Bedford forth the Vaward led Here Talbot charg'd and here the Frenchmen fled Here with our Archers valiant Scales did lye Here stood the Tents
forreign King * But unto fair Elizabeth shall leave it Which broken hurt and wounded shall receive it And on her Temple having plac'd the Crown Root out the Dregs Idolatry hath sown And Sion's Glory shall again restore Laid ruine wast and desolate before And from Cinders and rude heap of Stones Shall gather up the Martyrs sacred Bones And shall extirp the power of Rome again And cast aside the heavy yoke of Spain Farewell sweet Gilford know our end is near Heaven is our home we are but Strangers here Let us make haste to go unto the blest Which from these weary worldly labours rest And with these lines my dearest Lord I greet thee Until in Heaven thy Jane again shall meet thee ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History They which begot us did beget this sin SHewing the ambition of the two Dukes their Fathers whose pride was the cause of the utter overthrow of their Children At Durham Pallace where sweet Hymen sang The buildings c. The Lord Gilford Dudley fourth Son to John Dudley Duke of Northumberland married the Lady Jane Gray Daughter to the Duke of Suffolk at Durham house in the Strand When first mine ears were pierced with the same Of Jane proclaimed by a Princess name Presently upon the death of King Edward the Lady Jane was taken as Queen conveyed by Water to the Tower of London for her safety and after proclaimed in divers places of the Realm as so ordained by King Edward's Letters-Patents and his Will My Grandsire Brandon did our House advance By Princely Mary Dowager of France Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk married Frances the eldest Daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk by the French Queen by which Frances he had this Lady Jane This Mary the French Queen was Daughter to King Henry the Seventh by Elizabeth his Queen which happy Marriage conjoyned the Noble Families of Lancaster and York For what great Henry most strove to avoid Noting the distrust that King Henry the Eighth ever had in the Princess Mary his Daughter fearing she should alter the state of the Religion in the Land by matching with a Stranger confessing the right that King Henry's Issue had to the Crown * But unto fair Elizabeth shall leave it A Prophesie of Queen Mary's Barrenness and of the happy and glorious Reign of Queen Elizabeth her restoring of Religion the abolishing of the Romish Servitude and casting aside the Yoke of Spain The Lord Gilford Dudley TO The Lady JANE GRAY AS the Swan singing at his dying hour So I reply from my imprisoning Tow'r Oh could there be that pow'r in my Verse T' express the grief which my sad Heart doth pierce The very Walls that straitly thee inclose Would surely weep at reading of my Woes Let your Eyes lend I l'e pay you ev'ry tear And give you interest if you do forbear Drop for a drop and if you 'll needs have lone I will repay you frankly two for one Perhaps you 'll think your sorrows to appease That words of Comfort fitter were than these True and in you when such perfection liveth As in most grief me now most comfort giveth But think not Jane that cowardly I faint To beg man's mercy by my sad complaint That Death so much my Courage can controle At the departing of my living Soul For if one life a thousand lives could be All those too few to consummate with thee When thou this cross so patiently dost bear As if thou wert incapable of fear And do'st no more this dissolution fly Than if long Age constrained thee to dye Yet it is strange thou art become my Foe And only now add most unto my Woe Not that I loath what most did me delight But that so long depriv'd I'm of thy sight For when I speak complaining of my wrong Straightways thy name possesseth all my Tongue As thou before me evermore did'st lie The present Object to my longing Eye No ominous Star did at thy Birth-tide shine That might of thy sad destiny divine 'T is only I that did thy fall perswade And thou by me a Sacrifice art made As in those Countries where the loving Wives With their kind Husbands end their happy lives And crown'd with Garlands in their Brides Attire Burn with his body in the fun'ral fire And she the worthiest reck'ned is of all Whom least the peril seemeth to appall I boast not of Northumberland's great name * Nor of Ket conquer'd adding to our fame When he to Norfolk with his Armies sped And thence in chains the Rebels Captive led And brought safe peace returning to our dores Yet spread his glory on the Eastern Shores * Nor of my Brothers from whose natural grace Vertue may spring to beautifie our Race * Nor of Gray's match my Children born by thee Of the great bloud undoubtedly to be But of thy Virtue only do I boast That wherein I may justly glory most I crav'd no Kingdoms though I thee did crave It me suffic'd thy only self to have Yet let me say however it befell Methinks a Crown should have become thee well For sure thy Wisdom merited or none * To have been heard with wonder from a Throne When from thy Lips the Counsel to each deed Doth as from some wise Oracle proceed And more esteem'd thy Vertues were to me Than all that else might ever come by thee So chast thy love so innocent thy life As being a Virgin when thou wast a Wife So great a gift the Heav'n on me bestow'd As giving that it nothing could have ow'd Such was the good I did possess of late Er'e worldly care disturb'd our quiet state Er'e trouble did in ev'ry place abound And angry War our former Peace did wound But to know this Ambition us affords One Crown is guarded with a thousand swords To mean Estates mean sorrows are but show'n But Crowns have cares whose workings be unknown * When Dudley led his Armies to the East Of our whole Forces gen'rally possest What then was thought his enterprise could let * Whom a grave Council freely did abet That had the judgment of the pow'rful Laws In ev'ry point to justifie the cause The holy Church a helping hand that laid Who would have thought that these could not have swaid But what alas can Parliaments avail Where Mary's Right must Edward's Acts repeal * When Suffolk's pow'r doth Suffolk's hopes withstand Northumberland doth leave Northumberland And they that should our greatness undergo Us and our Actions only overthrow Er'e greatness gain'd we give it all our heart But being once come we wish it would depart And indiscreetly follow that so fast Which overtaken punisheth our hast If any one do pity our offence Let him be sure that he be far from hence Here is no place for any one that shall So much as once commiserate our fall And we of mercy vainly should but think Our timeless tears th' insatiate Earth doth drink All Lamentations utterly forlorn Dying before they fully can be born Mothers that should their wofull Children rue Fathers in death so kindly bid adieu Friends their dear farewell lovingly to take The faithfull Servant weeping for our sake Brothers and Sisters waiting on our Bier Mourners to tell what we were living here But we alas deprived are of all So fatal is our miserable fall And where at first for safety we were shut Now in dark prison wofully are put And from the height of our ambitious state Lie to repent our arrogance too late To thy perswasion thus I then rely Hold on thy course resolved still to dy And when we shall so happily begone Leave it to Heav'n to give the rightful Throne And with that Health I thee regreet again Which I of late did gladly entertain ANNOTATIONS of the Chronicle History Nor of Ket conquer'd adding to our fame JOhn Duke of Northumberland when before he was Earl of Warwick in his expedition against Ket overthrow the Rebels of Norfolk and Suffolk encamped at Mount Surrey in Norfolk Nor of my Brothers from whose natural grace Gilford Dudley as remembring in this place the towardness of his Brothers which were all likely indeed to have raised that House of the Dudleys of which he was a Fourth Brother if not suppressed by their Fathers overthrow Nor of Gray's Match my Children born by thee Noting in this place the Alliance of the Lady Jane Gray by her Mother which was Frances the Daughter of Charles Brandon by Mary the French Queen Daughter to Henry the Seventh and Sister to Henry the Eighth To have been heard with wonder from a Throne Seldom hath it ever been known of any woman endued with such wonderful gifts as was this Lady both for her Wisdom and Learning of whose skill in Tongues one reporteth by this Epigram Miraris Janam Graio sermone valere Quo primum nata est tempore Graia fuit When Dudley led his Army to the East The Duke of Northumberland prepared his power at London for his expedition against the Rebels in Norfolk and making hast away appointed the rest of his forces to meet him at New-Market-Heath of whom this saying is reported that passing through Shoreditch the Lord Gray in his company seeing the people in great numbers came to see him he said The people press to see us but none bid God speed us Whom a grave Council freely did abet John Dudley Duke of Northumberland when he went out against Queen Mary had his Commission sealed for the Generalship of the Army by the consent of the whole Council of the Land insomuch that passing through the Council-Chamber at his departure the Earl of Arundel wished that he might have gone with him in that expedition and spend his bloud in the quarrel When Suffolk's pow'r doth Suffolk's hopes withstand Northumberland doth leave Northumberland The Suffolk men were the first that ever resorted to Queen Mary in her distress repairing to her succors whilst she remained both at Keningal and at Fermingham Castle still increasing her Aids until the Duke of Northumberland was left forsaken at Cambridge FINIS