now so great a terrour through the land Is spread of him that to his conquering hand Themselves Falaise Lyseaux and Honfleur yeeld And uncontroll'd his march had Edward held Beyond the bounds of Normandy at last Faire Eureux streame and Seine it selfe he past Now time it seem'd to stop his furious course Yet durst the French oppose no armed force But breake the bridges downe where he should passe Which soone they finde too poore a barre alas ' Gainst Edward's spirit whose resolved way No high-swoll'n streame no flood had power to stay No more then Caesars after he had gone Past the forbidden streame of Rubicon One part of Some neere Abbevile was knowne That might be foorded when the tide was gone To which sixe thousand Souldiers Philip sent By Godmar led with politicke entent To stop great Edward there but with as bad A Destiny as with presage as sad As those unhappy Persians sent to stay At Granicus great Alexander's way No disadvantage could his passage barre To whom the honour of that future warre Was meant by Fate Vpon the rivers banke Stood Godmer's Souldiers in well-order'd ranke Through them as through the channell must the worth Of th'English Souldiers carve their passage forth Edward that knew their resolutions well And could by former hard adventures tell That his bold men for him would rush to fight Through waies which some would fear to take in flight And passe that streame by his command alone Yet would not now command but lead them on And in the action their example be He cryes Who loves me now will follow me And springing forth into the trembling streame Is follow'd with such spirit and zeale by them That all the French amazed at a sight So wondrous strange almost forget to fight And with dismay are vanquished to see Th' undaunted courage of an enemy With small adoe while faintly they oppose The English gaine the banke and rout their foes Of whom are many flaine the rest for feare Disorder'd flye but their retreat is neare To Abbevile where then King Philip lay With all his great and glorious army they Chas'd by the English swords affrighted came And by their fellowes who esteem'd the shame As great as was the losse received are As bad presages of the future warre King Philip follow'd by the bravest hoast That e're before the Realme of France could boast In confidence of Conquest to succeed And to revenge the late disgrace with speed Although advis'd at Abbevile to stay And rest his Army marches thence away Thou sweetest Muse of all th' Aönian Spring Faire-hair'd Calliope that best canst sing Of Kings high deeds and God-like Heroes fames Declare King Philip's power recite the names Of all beside the native Chevalry Of France and flower of her Nobility The forraigne lands that shar'd in that great day And royall Princes that did there display Their dreadfull colours in the ayd of France And forward thence to Crescy field advance Within the Van with Charles of Alanson The royall Banner of Bohemia shone With which did Lodowike her old Martiall King His furious horse and well-try'd lances bring His glittering Plume that many an honour'd field Had knowne and many a dreadfull fight beheld Wav'd there unhappily ordain'd to be A lasting fame to Edwards victory Along with him march'd Charles his Princely Sonne For whom the Fates a fairer thread had spunne Sav'd to preserve the name and ancient stemme And after weareth ' Imperiall Diadem Thither from farre Majorca's Monarch brings His light-arm'd Souldiers from whose fatall slings As from strong Bowes death 's carried nor of yore Were Cretan shafts or Parthian feared more With fifteene thousand mortall Crosse-bowes there The stout Grimaldi and Antonio were Two noble Chiefes from stately Genoa Whose Gallyes had in many a Navall fray Against prond Venice wrastled long to gaine The rule of all the Mid-land Ocean Stout John of Heinault to King Philip's side His forces brings although so neere ally'd To Englands King as Vnckle to the Queene And had by Edward highly honour'd beene He now had chang'd his faith and for the gold Of France his mercenary valour sold There march those warlike Flemmings that attend Their Earle of Flanders Lewis a constant friend To France but no strong number could he get Nor ore his subjects was his power so great They honour'd Edward's worth and to his side Had beene without their Earles consent ally'd There Charles of Blois leads on his martiall traine In glittering armour Burbon and Lorraine To whom whilest all the army march'd away But new arrived there in rich array Brings Savoyes Duke a thousand men of armes Whom from the lofty Alps the lovd alarmes Of this great warre had drawne with dismall fate Too soone alas arriv'd though seeming late How many men dooes Fortune bring from farre Their parts to suffer in this tragicke warre How many Lands their severall shares of woe Must contribute to Philip's overthrow Perchance cause Edward will his force advance No farther then the continent of France She fear'd his fame would be no farther knowne But circumscribed where the deed was done Nor therefore suffers France to bleed alone The sad Bohemian wives that live upon Great Albis bankes and drinke faire Moldaes streame Must make this battell their lamented theame Those that beyond the clouded Alpes doe dwell And Netherlanders shall be forc'd to tell Great Edward's honor while their owne deere wounds They count receiv'd on Crescyes fatall grounds While thus the French march on in rich array In Crescy parke encamped Edward lay His firme Battalia on well chosen ground Was clos'd behinde and barricado'd round With strongest fences made by plashing trees And placing there the weighty'st carriages Thither were all the Leaders horses brought To cut off hope of flight and leave no thought In English breasts but Death or Victory Their resolutions that before were high By this strict meanes were more ascertain'd there Their minds were cheerfull fresh their bodies were And fit t' encounter their approching foes In three Battalia's does the King dispose His strength which all in ready order stand And to each others rescue neere at hand The first in ranke that early blooming flower Of fame Prince Edward leads a Warriour Before a man no Downe had cloath'd his chinne Nor seventeene Springs had this young Souldier seene Within his battell famous Leaders are Brave Warwicke Stafford Harcourt Delaware There Beauchampe Bourchier Clifford Chandois weild Their active armes whom many an honour'd field Had fam'd before The second Squadron by Northamptons Earle was led there Willoughby There Arundell Lord Rosse and Basset stand Men that could well obey and well command Within the third King Edward meanes to fight The great French Army now approach'd their sight And to each Campe did threatning Mars display What the succeeding horrors of the day Were like to be The bloody stroake is nigh Nor in the power of Fortune does it lye Their warrelike fury longer to restraine
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
Nor from that Noble path which hitherto Thy farre-admired youth has trod to serve Inglorious lusts and pleasures doe not swerve Those fruits seeme sweet to such alone as live Discerning not man's true prerogative Beasts lives whose soules are drowned in the flesh Not capable of perfect happinesse Nor suffring those coelestiall seeds to grow Or spring in them which God at first did sowe When purer Soules are not so much in thrall To flesh but that their high originall They well discerne and oft abstracted flye In contemplation of eternity Which spurres them on to spend th' uncertaine times They have in glorious deeds unstain'd with crimes And such I know is Edward's noble ayme Thou aemulat'st the ancient Sonnes of fame Thy worth securely may such stories love Thee great examples shame not but approve Thou know'st that Honour has a chearefull face And solid joy within that Nere's base Voluptuous feasts and lusts were not so sweet As Cato's manly temperance nor yet So truly safe Sardanapalus ease As were the labours of great Hereules Though Vertnes wayes seeme rough at first to be The habit makes them sweet nor teaches she Her noble schollers onely to endure Cold hunger thirst or labour but secure To overcome them and to make all these Their trophees rather than their grievances And not to feare what Death it selfe can doe Which Pleasures strength could never reach unto Oh give not way to this thy wanton flame Nor tempt the honour of that Princely Dame Love may hereafter blesse thee there and may Assist thy wishes in a lawfull way Great Chiefes among their other markes of fame Have gain'd by noble Continence a name Thinke on that Roman Worthy whose high story Thou read'st so oft and aemulat'st his glory That Scipio who first ' gainst Carthage fought And his great name from conquerr'd Affricke brought In heat of youth as thou art now was he When Spaines new Carthage then a Colony Of Affricans by warrelike force he wonne Great was the pillage of that wealthy Towne But ' mongst their store of captives one there was A noble Virgin that did farre surpasse The rest her wondrous beauty did amaze The Conquerors no Roman eyes durst gaze On that bright forme but streight became her thrall Though Captive she The youthfull Generall Began himselfe to feele Loves powerfull flame But that a noble vertue overcame And quench'd againe With gentle words he chear'd The maid and all her love and fortunes heard Then to that Prince to whom she was affy'd Deliver'd freely his unstained Bride The land admir'd him and that act there wonne As much as his successefull sword had done Of such a temper art thou made I know Brave Prince as much to thee as Scipio Of deathlesse fame is meant by Destiny As much thy hand shall act in France as he In Spaine or Affricke and a greater King Then Syphax was shalt thou to England bring Forsake not therefore Vertues wayes who will Thy best desires thy highest aymes fulfill To her Heröike Edward's heart inclin'd And now resolv'd to cure his love-sicke mind He musters all the thoughts of warre and fame The Nymphs were vanish'd when brave Chandois came Into his presence he relates the newes Of France and great King Edward's purpose shewes Well does the Warre his father had design'd For him to manage suit blacke Edward's mind Those gallant Lords that had resolv'd to fight Against th' injurious French for Edward's right Are all prepar'd and from the English shore With Fates auspitious soone transported o're Whilest France from them must England's prowesse feele The King ' gainst Scotland drawes his vengefull steele Enrag'd for Berwicks sacke A furious rode Although their King a prisoner yet abode In Edward's hands some Scots had lately made Whom gold from France had tempted to invade The North of England Berwicke Towne they tooke The pillage gain'd dismantled and forsooke The towne againe Great Edward not content To gaine his owne unlesse the foes repent And dearely rue their rash presumption too Wiâ—h dreadfull force and fury marches through The bowels of their land for want of foes The empty townes and walls he overthrowes Nor are religious Monasteries free Or priviledg'd from his hostility And though to conquest of the land enclin'd For all his right the Ballioll had resign'd To him at Roxburgh so he marched on That men might deeme by his invasâ—on He did not meane his conquest to enjoy Or came not to possesse but to destroy At last to Berwicke when his vengefull ire Againe was vanish'd backe does he retire To build her ruin'd walls more faire and strong And brings with him the Ballioll along I est left behind he might againe recall His resignation but no ayd at all To Edward's purpose could his title bring Whom Scotland never would acknowledge King The peoples hearts did with King David live Those hearts to Edward Ballioll could not give Nights silent charmes all eyes in slumber clos'd When lo while Edward in his tent repos'd He dreamt before him armed Scotland stood Her martiall visage pale with losse of blood Which through her loosened helmet did appeare The furious Lion her broad shield did beare And thus with sober Majesty she spake At last why furious Edward dost thou make These sad invasions and so vainly striue To ravish hence what warre shall never give My Crowne and Scepter not ordain'd to be The swords reward or spoyle of victory This truth thy Grandsire might at length have found Who did so oft my bleeding bosome wound Although not unreveng'd In threescore yeares That last have passed what alternate teares For noble sonnes with me has England shed What crimson streames have we two sisters bled What mutuall wounds have thy sterne Grandsiers blade My warrelike Bruce and thou great Edward made Yet all in vaine No conquest can unite Whom our great God is purpos'd to invite A sweeter way to bonds of unity This knot a Monarch's happy birth must tye Although before those Halcyon dayes alas Shall many yeares and strange adventures passe Thy seed commixt with ours shall then enjoy What battels cannot purchase but destroy Blew Neptunes armes that compasse both these lands And now are cruell lists to joyne our hands As combatants and make the I le a stage Of our divided Nations warre and rage Shall then embrace us as a marriage ring My royall James shall to this Iland bring By birth as well as by his reigne a peace All rapine theft and barbarous feuds shall cease Which now our borders doe so much infest And after him more to confirme those blest And Halcion dayes shall Charles from heaven be sent Whose pious just and temp rate government Shall teach the world that peacefull Vertues bring As true and lasting honour to a King As by victorious warres can be obtain'd Or by the blood of slaughter'd Nations gain'd That they more sweetly set a Monarch forth As Aristides and good Cato's worth Deserve more solid and enduring
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
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
EDWARDVS III. D.G. ANGLIAE ET FRANCIAE REX DOMINVS HIBERNIAE EDWARD the III King of England and France Lord of Ireland Hee raigned 50 yeares 5 mo Hee died at the manor of Shene in Surrey 1377 and lyeth buried at Westminster The Victorious REIGNE OF KING EDVVARD THE THIRD Written in seven Bookes By his Majesties Command Tu mihi tu Pallas Caesariana veni Matt. LONDON Printed for T. Walkley and B. Fisher and are to bee sold at the signe of the Talbot without Aldersgate 1635. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY MONARCH CHARLES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT BRITTAINE FRANCE AND IRELAND DEFENDER OF THE FAITH c. SIR I Should have humbly craved your Majesties pardon for my omission of the latter part of King Edward's Reigne but that the sense of mine owne defects have put mee in minde of a more necessary suit to beg forgivenesse for that part of it whichis here written For I am not so presumptuously vaine when I consider either the Dignity of your Office or the Vertues of your Person as to imagine that any writing from my unworthy selfe can bee either too short er enough elegant to be presented to your sacred hand For should your Maiesty vouchsafe to read it as the precious howres of so great a Monarch which maáe Horace affect shortnesse to Augustus Caesar would tell me the Poem were too too long so the iudicious Censure of so wise a Prince would make mee tremble at the defects of it Those defects whatsoever they be can be imputed onely to insufficiency for neither was there Argument wanting nor yet endevour since I had the Actions of a great King to require my skill and the Command of a greater King to obliege my care Those great Actions of Edward the Third are the Argument of this Poem which is there ended where his fortune beganne to decline where the French by revolts and private practises regained that which had beene wonne from them by eminent and famous victories which times may affoord fitter observations for an acute Historian in Prose than straines of height for an Heroike Poem Your gracious Pardon onely can rectifie what may bee amisse in my unworthy and imperfect labour In hope of which I humbly cast both it and my selfe at your Maiesties feet beseeching Almighty God to blesse you with a long and happy Reigne on earth and after to crowne you with incorruptible glory So prayeth Your Majesties Most humble Subject and Servant THO. MAY I have perused this Booke and conceive it very worthy to be published IO. COKE Knight Principall Secretary of State Whitehall 17. of November 1634. THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The first Booke Argument I. Edward the third is crown'd a bootlesse warre ' Gainst Scotland made ambitious Mortimer At Notingham surpris'd in all his glory Carnarvan Edward's lamentable story THe third greatest Edward's reigne we sing The high atchievements of that martial King Whose long succesfull prowesse did advance So many trophees in triumphed France And first her golden Lillies bare who ore Pyrenes Mountaines to that Westerne shore Where Tagus tumbles through his yellow sand Into the Ocean stretch'd his conquering hand The second Edward while disloyall hate Vn justly strove to cure the wounds of state And sadly punish to this Nations staine The grievances of his misgovern'd reigne Was now deposed from the Regall throne To which the Sonne is chosen and upon His Fathers ruines is compell'd to rise As if by that the envious Destinies Meant to allay this Edward's glorious reigne As loath to suffer England to obtaine So great a blessing at the lawfull time Or such a Prince without a publike crime For which the Land must after suffer by A rent so made in his Posteritie Young Edward's age may plead his innocence And free his fame from this unkind offence He did receive not seize the royall crowne Which other mens disloyalty had throwne Too soone on him nor could an actor be In his devested father's injurie But to employ the new-establish'd state In forreigne action and to vindicate The Kingdomes honour gainst that enemy A warre on Scotland they at first decree Fresh were the causes of it a deepe and sad Remain'd those wounds that warlike Bruce had made And that great losse which England had sustain'd While her unhappy second Edward reign'd This expedition that did bootlesse prove To Englands ends serv'd onely to remove The young Kings person and his court so farre Whilest every thought was busi'd in the warre That murdrous Treason who still shuns the light From Hels blacke shades might take his dismall flight And worke without the search of curious eye Deposed Edward's wofull tragedy But while this execrable murder here Was wrought upon his person fruitlesse were Th' attempts ' gainst Scotland that the yong King made The same proud traitour Mortimer betray'd His Countries honour there and let the foes Whom that great English army did enclose b At Stanhop Parke retire in safety thence By him the Kingdomelost a warres expence And that brave Prince for triumphs borne to whom Fate ow'd so many victories to come Of his first actions honour was depriv'd But this perchance the pittying fates contriu'd T' appease oh murder'd Edward thy sad ghost That Englands state by his corruption crost Might feele thy traitour to be hers and know Who kill'd his King would prove his Countries foe This to thy just revenge must make the way Forgive the powers above though they delay A while that certaine punishment they owe To guilt let Fortune haue a time to show Her power in raising and how long she can In spight of Iustice guard a wicked man Till she have made him high enough to be A fit and hated sacrifice for thee Ambitious Mortimer who reign'd alone In Isabels misled affection And with the beauties of that Queene as Dower To them enjoy'd almost a Regall power Had like an high-swolne and impetuous tide Borne all before him rais'd to such a pride As did his owne approaching ruine show And draw it on Plethorike bodies so From whence diseases of themselves doe breed The seeds of death in that strong fulnesse feed The greatest Nobles now begin to feare And therefore hate the power of Mortimer They that had joyn'd with his attempts before And help'd to worke them out doe now abhor To see the fruit on him alone to fall And though at first they doe not looke at all Vpon his wicked deeds but high estate And not his vices but great power doe hate At last through that his vices they survey For Iustice Envie must prepare the way But nothing thence feares his aspiring minde For Fortune like her selfe dooes ever blinde Her favovrites who nere decline at all Their envy'd height untill they ruin'd fall Nor ought does hee in their repining see But his owne greatnesse and selicity Swell'd with that flattring distance provd to move Their feare and would not change it for their love
Till those distastefull courses that did seeme To prop his state wrought on to ruine him Faire Notingham the theater where all His pompe is shew'd must show his sudden fall No scene of Fortune in so short a space Presented ever a more changed face Nor more amaz'd spectatours hearts then here Did this quick-turning fate of Mortimer So farre beyond what any could surmise They scarse dare trust the witnesse of their eyes Such hidden paths doe God's high judgements tread That ere the pride of wicked men can dread Their neere approach they feele the fatall blow His ruine is contriu'd young Edward now Whose manly thoughts are riper then his yeares Had with a number of his stoutest Peeres And saithfull servants cast a ventrous way In spight of all his guards to seize the prey Night is th' appointed time for their designe And now the golden Phoebus 'gan decline Vnto the West that young couragious Lord The noble Mountague whose prosperous sword In forraine parts hereafter shall deserve So well and early here begins to serve His Prince at home a chiefe assistant now To young King Edward in the overthrow Of Mortimer was in his house alone Retir'd his youthfull thoughts still fix'd upon Th'atchievement tedious seem'd the houres of light To him and slow th'approach of duskie night His trusty armes with various carving wrought And glittering sword two nimble Pages brought Which whilest with care they buckle on at doore A knocke is heard Sir Thomas de la Moore A Knight well knowne to noble Mountague And welcome still that long had beene a true And faithfull servant to that wofull Prince Carnarvan Edward and had ever since His Lords accursed murder mourning spent His daies and prayers to God's high throne had sent Imploring justice for so blacke a crime His presence is admitted though the time And action greatest secrecy require To whom while gazing he did seeme t' admire Those armes thus spake the gallant Montague Ah thinke not De la Moore that vengeance due To wicked men can be for ever stay'd Or that bright Iustice should be still afraid To draw her sword three Summers now have past Thrice has the painted pride of Flora grac'd Earths joyfull bosome thrice has winters raine Bereav'd her of that verdant dresse againe Since we oh shame have not disdain'd to beare The yoake of that proud traitour Mortimer And England suffred his usurped reigne To guard his pride and fill his pompous traine Where ninescore Knights attend his gawdy state The Royall patrimony's spent of late That wealth that noble Edward should possesse His mother holds whose unjust Dower no lesse Containes should all the Crowne revenues be But rightly valu'd then two parts of three And what she holds false Mortimer enjoyes Who link'd too neere in love with her destroyes Not onely her revenues but her fame And brands the kingdome with another shame One Port one undistinguish'd house with her Her sawcy Minion keepes one Caterer With aequall price and priviledge dooes buy Provision for that ill-joyn'd family So is their state in all as man and wife To open view and for their secret life How free the bed has beene ere long they say Her teeming wombe will to the world betray Nor is this all the sieknesse of the time Great Edward's honour is ecclips'd by him Who long has rul'd the Land whilest we afrayd Of that usurped power perforce obey'd And fatall 't was to contradict at all What else so lately caus'd the pity'd fall Of noble Edmund Earle of Kent who dy'd A sacrifice to Mortimer's sterne pride And Isabellaes lawlesse power nor could Though Edward's Vncle his high birth and blood Protect his life This haplesse Prince abus'd By their delusions his best meanes had us'd To helpe not knowing he before was slaine Deposed Edward to the crowne againe Ah De la Moore the wondring people saw That Prince condemn'd by their tyrannicke law Five houres together on a scaffold stand Nor all that while found they so base a hand That would be hir'd untill the Sunne was set To shed the blood of a Plantagenet What neede I speake those treasons which of late He wrought for Scotland gainst the English state What bribes he thence received to betray His Countreys honour which he now shall pay How two yeeres since he drew the Parliament Held at Northampton then to give consent That peace with Scotland should be ratify'd So prejudiciall to the English side In which those famous Rolls that did containe Their homage to this Scepter were againe Giv'n up and all those jewels of renowne And price that did belong to Scotlands crowne And thence by former English Kings were tane Were at this peace delivered backe againe Which by a marriage was confirm'd and Ioane King Edward's sister was bestow'd upon Young David Bruce their King Fates can deferre No longer now th' account of Mortimer Nor dooes our brave young Edward feare to call The traitour to a tryall nor shall all His traine defend him nor the strength of that Faire Castle there in which with wanton state His beautious Queene and hee their revels keepe And there by night securely guarded sleepe Nor can their pride allow they filling all The King a roome within his Castle wall A meaner lodging in the towne alas Must serve the King but ere this night doe passe The Castle shall be his againe and there Shall rising Phoebus see proud Mortimer A prisoner where now he reignes whilest all The Land shall wonder at his sudden fall Or else the blood that feeds this life shall flow Vpon you stained earth but ere I show To thee the way that Edward has design'd Doe thou relate what yet remaines behind Of Mortimer's foule crimes which thou so well Hast learn'd which I in part have heard thee tell And at each accent passionately sigh The late King Edward's ruthfull tragedy Though sad the story be 't will take up time Vntill that houre that must revenge the crime Doe call us hence Lord Montague had done When thus deepe sighing De la Moore begun ` Since you command my Lord I will recite Though still I tremble to remember it That ruth that never found a parallell That story that no eloqvence can tell In accents sad enough no moorning line Expresse although the saddest Muse of nine Melpomene should search through all her store And tune her tragicke lessons ore and ore When all those balefull mischiefes she has sought That barbarous Thrace that Thebes and Argos wrought A sadder story she did nere relate Then was Carnarvan Edward's tragicke fate While this depos'd unhappy Prince remain'd In Killingworth faire Castle entertain'd In gentle manner by his kinsman there The noble Henry Earle of Lancaster In part he seemed to enjoy content If after losse of Regall government Content can come the curteous Earle still showes Himselfe compassionate of Edward's woes And in the noblest manner lessons them That he almost could have forgot t' esteeme Those
Of fate another meanes to torture him The monsters found for feare some troope might paâ—â— By chance that knew this wofull Prince his face And rescue him his board and haire they meant To shave away and for that dire entent By Severnes side enforc'd him to alight And on the ground to sit cold was the night March then began and frosts like pearles around Lay glistering on the surface of the ground No other water while they shave their Lord Have they but what the river can afford Who seemes from their unhallowed hands to flee As loath his pure and christall streame should be Abused so that sacred head whereon The holy oyle was powred forth Vpon Whose temples once the royall Diadem Of England stood is there prophan'd by them That face where Majesty so lately sat Whose frowne the greatest nobles trembled at With impious hands doe they disfigure now The whilest the waters cold torments him too But he with patience armed or so great A spirit as scorn'd such Villaines to entreat Vtters no more but thus yet while you shave In spite of you I 'll some warme water have With that the teares flow'd downe his cheekes amaine Some servants that stood by could not refraine From melting griefe but Gurney and the rest With bitter taunts doe more and more molest His soule and all his suffring teares deride With reeds and sedge that grew on Severne side In scorne their Prince his sacred head they crowne And whilest with laughter lowly bowing downe They strive to make sad Edward feele what he Was once forget what they themselves should be Poore Bischapp then as Gurney's servant went Among the traine who now apaenitent With daily teares and sighes from Gods high throne Dooes begge forgivenesse for what then was done And fasting lets his beard and haire to grow Vnshorne ere since his Lord was â—aved so This Bischapp saw my Lord and told it me As an eye-witnesse will posterity Beleeve this story that a King although Depos'd from villaines hands could suffer so A King I say whose wife did then retaine The power of Regent and whose Sonne did reigne But then to heaven let us turne our eyes And thinke as God is purpos'd to chastise So instruments will worke and Furyes will Be found to execute the worst of ill So much was Edward wrong'd that now too late It grew to pity his afflicted state For to secure his foes his death was sought To Berkley Castle he againe was brought Vnhappy Berkley damn'd by Fates to be The balefull stage where such a tragedy Was acted as no ages that succeed But shall accurse no human hearts but bleed To heare it told to make his misery Compleat the manner of his death must be Farre worse then death for to conceale their owne Abhorred guilt and keepe the deed unknowne A hellish way the catiffes found at length To worke the murther mastring him by strength A horne they thrust into his fundament And through that pipe into his entrailes sent A burning spit oh what pathetique tongue Can tell the paine his pious soule whom long Affictions here had mortify'd and taught On heaven alone to fixe his zealous thought From forth the hands of that accursed crew Vp to the glorious quire of Angels flew No outward signes of murder did appeare And of their skill so confident they were That to the peoples open view a day The royall coarse in Gloster Abbey lay But guilt of conscience and a sad dismay Vpon th' offenders seiz'd nor durst they stay In England long Matrevers since has spent His dayes they say a weeping paenitent In Germany False Gurney as he crost The Seas of late was taken there and lost His head as we have had intelligence Too small a vengeance for his foule offence The next revenge oh murder'd Lord for thee I hope the fall of Mortimer will be And now so farre had their discourses gone That day was vanish'd and the hower drew on Which for the Kings designe was set from whom A trusted squire to Montague was come Arm'd as he was the youthfull Lord arose And forth with courage flew the like did those That were alike engag'd a gallant band About the person of their Prince they stand ' Mongst whom brave Edward in rich armour dight His early manhood showes with such a bright Heröike visage dooes the blew-ey'd maide Appeare in all her warlike tire arrey'd For yet no golden downe had cloath d his chin Nor twice nine painted Summers had he seene And yet those young those maid-like frownes as there They show'd the Genius of great France might feare Much more in them the sure and present fall Of guilty Mortimer was read by all Farre from-that Castle on the side of Trent A Caves darke mouth was found of deepe descent Vpon the brinke of which there grew a round So close a thicket as quite hid the ground From sight the Cave could be descry'd by none And had remain d for many yeeres unknowne Whose hollow wombe did farre from thence extend And under-ground an uncouth passage lend Into the Castle This darke vault was made To serve the Fort when Danes did first invade This fertile Iland now not thought upon For the remembrance as the use was gone Of such a place untill of late it chanc'd Sir Robert Holland to that charge advanc'd Surveying all his Castles nookes had try'd That horrid way and closely certify'd The King the truth of all with store of light The noble troope arrived there by night There voyd of feare into the darke descent With his brave traine Heröicke Edward went And through the ragged entrailes of the Cave And balefull paths did fierce Rhamnusia wave Here flaming brand to guide their passage right And vanquish all the terrours of the night No damps no noisome stinkes their sense invade Rhamnusia's power expell'd them all and made Her Champions passe with fresh and spritely cheare Those mouldy vaults and ayre unstirred where So many yeeres no humane foot had trode Nor living thing but toades and batts abode Yet full of hazard did th' attempt appeare So great a traine had pompous Mortimer But they secure of any danger nigh Within the Castle some in jollity Consum'd that hower of night and some in sleepe For th' Earle himselfe the Castle keyes did keepe In such a fearelesse but a fatall plight The wodden horse surpris'd old Troy by night Into her chamber the faire Queene was gone Where with her Minion Mortimer alone She sate but not his dearest company Nor loves sweet thoughts which wont to give so high A rellish to them now could bring delight They both were sad on that portentuous night The fates it seem'd into their soules had sent A secret notice of their dire entent Which she could not conceale nor Mortimer Although he often strove by courting her To hide the inward sadnesse of his brâ—â—st Carnarvan Edward's Manes had possest The roome and many strange ostents declar'd Th' approaching
ruine in the Castle-yard The dogges were heard unusually to howle About their windowes the ill-boding Owle Night-iars and shreiches with wide-stretched throats From Yews and Holleys sent their baiefull notes And which encreast their sad and ominous feares The beautious Queene relates while standing teares Began to dazle her bright starry eyes That ghastly dreame that did last night surprise Her frighted fancy Mortioner quoth she Me thought the skye was wondrous cleare when we Together walk'd in yonder court alone The gentle aire seem'd undisturb'd anone Rose sudden stormes a darke and pitchie cloud Obscur'd heaven's face and thunder roar'd aloud The trembling earth about us moved round At last it open'd and from under-ground Rose Edward's pale and dismall ghost his hand Arm'd with a flaming sword a threatning band Of furies did upon the ghost attend Hee cry'd revenge with that they all gan bend Their force ' gainstus and thee me thought they flew At which I frighted wak'd and hardly knew So great the terrour was whether we were Alive or not Ambitious Mortimer Scorning to show from any dreame a feare Strove to divert so sad a theame and cheare The Queene with amorous discourse againe While thus he flatters his owne fate in vaine A boistrous noise about the doores they heare The maids without that waited shreik'd for feare Clashing of steele and grones of dying men Approach d their cares for in the Lobby then Stout Turrington and Nevil both were slaine That durst by force resist the armed traine And in the chamber ere the Queene and he Had time to doubt what this strange storme should be Sent from the King the armed troopes appeare By whose command they seize on Mortimer And in an instant hurry him away For at the Chamber-doore did Edward stay The wofull Queene at first amazed stands But quickly recollected wrings her hands Strikes her faire breast and after them she hyes To the next Lobby weepes and kneeling cryes Deere Sonne for well she knew her Son was there Oh pitty pitty gentle Mortimer Let no accusers raise thine anger so Nor wicked counsell make thee prove a foe To him that well deserves oh pull not downe So true so strong a pillar of thy crowne But when she sees him gone and no reply Vouchsaf'd to her for Edwards modesty Because his justice her fond suite denyde For feare his tongue should be enforc'd to chide A mothers crime or folly words forbeares A griefe too great to be exprest by teares Confounds her sense as in an extasie She fals to ground and helplesse seemes to lye Vntill the maids and Ladies of her traine Had to her chamber borne her backe againe The Castle wholly to the King's command Is now reduc'd and to his royall hand The keyes deliver'd up nor dooes he feare The great and pompous traine of Mortimer They soone submitted when their Lord was taine And here seemes Edward to begin his reigne Henceforth his regall power his treasury Shall be his owne those rayes of Majesty A subjects greatnesse shall ecclipse no more Nor shall the Land a blazing-star adore Instead of true-borne Phoebus and thus farre The tragaedy of this great Mortimer Faire Nottingham began and op'd the way What now remaines another place must play The scoene from thence to London is remov'd Where more foule treasons are against him prov'd More debts then one condemned head could be Or single life enough to satisfie Had not th' opprobrious manner of his fate And that proud height that pinnacle of state From whence the people 's late astonish'd eyes Had seene him star-like shoot as from the skyes Ambitious Phaëton was dinged downe By Ioves revengefull thunder fully showne With what proportion powerfull Iustice can Redeeme her selfe against the greatest man And that there 's no such envy'd height at all But she can make it pity'd by a fall And now the common Gallowes is the place Where this great Lord with shame must end his race On earth and twice did rising Phoebus there Behold the body of dead Mortimer To all a scorned spectacle remaine But yet thus much thy memory shall gaine Of great and tragicke fame that all shall say A stranger game did Fortune never play And whensoere that fickle goddesse glories In her proud sportive trophees when the stories Of her most envy'd favovrites are told Who next to Kings and Emperours did hold The Helme and keepe the neerest roomes in state When Plavtianus greatnesse we relate With his so sudden ruine when we tell How once great Romes ador'd Sejanus fell Or how Ruffinus torne and mangled dy'd In all the height of his ambitious pride Among those names shalt thou in times to come Great Mortimer fill up a tragicke roome And in thy story like to them shalt be A Document to all posterity Annotations upon the first Booke a About the fift yeere of King Edward the second his reigne that renowned King of Scotland Robert le Bruce having now over-mastred the opposite faction in his owne Nation and driven out all the English Garrisons left there in possession by Edward the first had wholly recovered his Kingdome of Scotland and not so contented had much endammaged by often inrodes the Realme of England To take revenge of him Edward the second with a wonderfull great and rich English army containing about 80000. invadeth Scotland in his owne person at a place called Bannocks bourne it came to a battell where the English are discomfited with as great an ouer-throw as ever they received in any field sixe of their greatest Noblemen slaine about 700. Knights and gentlemen of account besides many noble prisoners taken about the number of common souldiers slaine the Authors of that time whether misinformed or partiall most wretchedly disagree some accounting 10000. some 50000. but how great so ever the number were no revenge was taken during the whole reigne of Edward the second but the kingdome of England in many ensuing actions suffred much from the hands of Robert le Bruce the fortune of war running all on that side while he lived b While deposed Edward was miserably murdered in Berkley Castle the young King was upon the borders of Scotland with a puissant army and having environed the Scots who had entred England with invasive armes in the woods of Wiredale and Stanhop parke and stopped up all passages made sure account of victory but by the treason of the Lord Mortimer for which hee was afterwards among other things accused and condemned after they had lodged there fifteene dayes and began to feele much want they were suffred to escape and the young King lost his first enterprise besides the expence of much treasure and a wonderfull danger of his owne person for Sir Iames Douglas a valiant servant of King Robert le Bruce with 200. light horses assailed the Kings owne pavilion where the King was so neere death that a Chaplaine of his who stoutly behaved himselfe was slaine in his Masters defence and Sir Iames retired from
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
come As Curio his by his afflicted Rome This stirring Frenchman Edward joyes to see And honours him with Richmonds signiory Then ore the Seas to Antwerpe to provide Confederacies to support his side He sailes in person with his Queene and Sonne Where what Queene Philips father had begun The noble William Heinaults Earle to draw Those German Dukes to his great sonne in law King Edward's royall presence in their land Soone brings to passe the Dukes of Gelderland And Brabant joyne with him and to his side The potent Flemmings too though strongly ty'd By oath and obligation to the Crowne Of France by c Iames of Artevile are won Nor were their oathes and obligations broke For noble Edward to preserve them tooke Vpon himselfe the style and armes of France And on his royall Standard did advance The Flower deleces thence he past the Rhine And there with speed did to his party joyne The potent Prelate that did then the land Of Agrippina's Colony command There did Bavarian Lewis the Emperour Bestow on Edward more to same his power An office high creating him ore all The Roman Empire Vicar generall Though soone unconstant Lewis did revoke That grant and to his owne dishonour tooke The side of France that men might after know By Edward's conquest Philip's overthrow That Lewis the Roman Emperour could be Nor usefull friend nor hurtfull enemy No lesse doos Philip labour to advance His strength by leagues and to his wealthy France The power of many forraine Princes draw With him the two great Dukes of Austria And the old warlike King of Boheme joyne With Cassimere th Elector Palatine And in this heat on either side too soone By little sparkles is the fire begun Pope Benedict now summers gawdy pride Had his belov d Avignion beavtify d With all the Court resided there to whom Those Lords that saught the peace of Christendome Which as they justly fear d would by the warre Of these two Monarchs be engag'd too farre Resorted thither daily to complaine The Pope himselfe was griev'd that he in vaine Had by his Legates often striv'd of late To reconcile the Kings that fresh debate Was nourish'd daily and that either Land Had felt already warres ungentle hand That Philip's royall Navy which had beene Prepar'd for pious wars in Palaestine To free th' afflicted Christians of the East Was now so ill diverted to infest The shores of England sometimes would he chide King Edwards heat and too ambitious pride That durst make such a claime or hope at all That he could conquer with a strength so small So great a land so rich a crowne from one That had already firme possession Sometimes againe would he expostulate ' Gainst Philip's punctuall and vainglorious state That Edward's strictest homage would require And tease a spirit active as the fire One Prince in vertue as in honour high Robert the learned King of Sicily Was then in person at Avignion Whose skill discerning every motion Aspect and powerfull influence of the starres Foresaw th event of these so tragicke warres And wail'd the woes that France would suffer thence Of that the Pope desir'd intelligence About his chaire the revered Colledge sate By whom the King was plac'd in fitting state When thus the Pope bespake him Royall Sonne Since well we know your good intention And can no lesse commend your pious will To end these warres then we admire that skill By which your noble soules delighted eye Takes wise survey of all the starry skye And in that glorious booke the future fates Of men can read and change of greatest states And shall we thinke the stars would ever show What shall betide mortality if now They would be silent in so great a warre If this great warre proceed that doos so farre Engage the shaken state of Christendome And looke so full of tragicke threats on whom If they neglect a state so eminent As France or England can they be intent Vnto our cares declare renowned d King What strange effects these stars are like to bring For we allow that Christian use may be Made of praedictions by Astrology Let dim-ey'd heathens count it double woe When future fates they are enforc'd to know Who thinke the stars no higher power obey And judgements unavoidable which they Denounce ' gainst mortall men which when they heare Their hopes are fled and they can onely feare But we that worship his eternall name That rules the stars that heaven and earth did frame Have learn'd that though their usuall vertue guide The state of earth and show what shall betide Beyond controll of Nature certaine still It is not certaine ' gainst his sacred will If not ' gainst him then why should we despaire It is not certaine ' gainst a Christians prayer That sacred charme has power to thwart the law Which constant Nature strives to keepe to draw The moving stars on t of their wonted way And in the height of his carriere to stay The glorious Sunne himselfe which once was done When noble Ioshuah fought in Gibeon As afterward he was enforc'd to take A backward course for Hezekiah's sake In vaine a cause of this great wonder wrought Chaldaeaes wise Astrologers had sought To finde by Art for all Arts uselesse prov'd Vntill the great Assyrian Monarch mov'd His servants sent to Hezekiah's land The powerfull working of so great a hand None but inspired Prophets could descry No Oracle but Iuda's Deiry We therefore may beleeve no starres portent Is sure against a Christian paenitent Nay more if paenitence have oft controll'd Those doomes which sacred Prophets have foretold And could reverse the Lord's severe decree Denounc'd by Ionas ' gainst great Ninivee It well may thwart what ere the heavens portend But happy are those threats when they amend The sinfull world made usefull so to be A wholesome cure and not a malady Be therefore pleased learned Prince to show To us what Kingdomes are most threatned now King Robert sigh'd since holy Sir quoth he Yov have beene pleas'd to grace Astrology And tell her Christian uses I shall now My good entents with greater freedome show But when I speake of this ensuing warre Expect no actions in particular Too dim an eye have we Astrologers Too generall to search out those the stars Distinctly cannot future things decree Or mens fraile skill exactly cannot see Inspired Prophets onely that can finde Allow'd to speake their great Creators minde Whose eye of Providence counts nothing small As to his power is nothing great at all But thus we finde if this sad warre proceed So much so long unhappy France shall bleed Th' enfeebled Kingdome shall expire or neere To utter ruine grow full fourescore yeere This blacke and balefull influence shall last Recount oh France thy former woes what wast The conquering Romans made what blood so ere The Frankes drew from thee to inhabite here Or when fierce Rollo with his Danish flood Broke in upon thee to this sea of blood 'T
is small and weigh'd with conquering Englands wars Shall be accounted slight and gentle scars Deepe as thy wounds shall thy dishonour be Alas how great a map of misery How long a tragicke field of warre shalt thou Rich France become the pride of Europe now But then the pitty of all neighbour Lands Oh doe not scorne at English Edward's hands On hardest termes a peace to entertaine Nor let King Philip strive ' gainst fate in vaine No force can there prevaile nor overthrow The Martiall fame that Destinies doe owe To Edward's high nativity for whom A glorious thread is spun such as their loome Was proud to see when those old Worthies came Into the world that with so loud a fame Have fill'd the eares of all posterity Such shall this active Edward prove as high And wondred at shall be his deeds of warre Although his stage cannot extend so farre Nor his small Kingdomes forces over-run Farre distant Lands as did the Macedon Or Romes proud Sonnes his deeds within the bounds Of France excepting Scotlands fatall wounds As mighty trophees and as great shall gaine As such a circuit ever did containe And for the severall actions of his warres Though I but dimly see particulars Within this spacious Continent where once Great Caesar govern'd those stout legions Whose strength could after over-come the power Of Rome it selfe and make him Emperour Let disadvantages of battels be Well weigh'd the past and present quality Of such a foe the stars to him do give As true a fame as Caesar did atchieve But such calamities this heart will bleed To see and therefore holy Sir with speed If a prevention can at all be had Let your high power be interposed sad Are all that heare the King's praediction And thinke which way they may the strife attone But while they thinke thus on the Ocean A mighty blow this fatall warre began Slight skirmishes had wounded either side And banish'd Peace nor must the cause be try'd By any judge but Warres uncertaine chance Edward already wore the armes of France And in his honour stood engag'd to gaine The Crowne he claim'd as Philip to maintaine That great possession in their owne estates Both strong both powerfull in confoederates And both alike incens'd But ere rich France In her owne bosome try the puissance Of warlike Edward she must weeping heare Her losses by him and be taught to feare Or Fortune else was purpos'd to declare How hot how aequall a desire of warre Both Nations had that in the middle way Would meet the tryall and disdain'd to stay Till either other should at home invade But with their armed Navall forces made Blew Neptunes face the first discolour'd stage Of warre and Scene of their incensed rage The Fleet of France so great it was esteem'd Invindible by Englands force and seem'd To beare command ore all those narrow Seas Proud of spoiles and wealthy pillages Which from sack'd Hampton they had brought away Betweene the Ports of Sluce and Blankebergh lay In three faire bodies led by three that then In navall fights were held the bravest men France had and did in all Sea-arts excell The stout Bahuchet with brave Kiriell And Barbenoire the Genois Admirall So show'd their Navy when conjoyned all Men would have thought some forrest mou'd from far When Winters rage the Pines proud tops did bare Or that the fam'd Aegaean Cyclades Torne from their roots had floated on the Seas Vpon that coast this haplesse Navie lay To intercept King Edward in his way To Sluce who now from England had put forth His Fleet though lesse in number yet in worth Fortune and courage greater then the foes Came sailing on When golden Phoebus rose Behinde the French and shooting forth his light Display'd the English Navy to their sight The royall Banners to their scouts appeare And notice give that Englands King is there At which the French are swelled with excesse Of joy though false with golden promises Flattring themselves How blinde are humane eyes How hidden are the path of Destinies Never did wretches not ordain'd to see The setting Sunne with vainer jollity Welcome their ruine and each other cheere They thanke the fates that had presented there The King of Englands person and so great A price that day had on their valour set That this great storme that proudly threatned France Was now committed wholly to the chance Of their Sea-fight that onely they should have The actions honour not alone to save Their land in warre but keepe it from a warre And cut off danger ere it came so farre Great Edward slowly brings his Navy on Waiting advantage wisely till the Sunne Declining Westward at his backe might be And dazle thence the face of th' enemy Although his Souldiers hardly brook'd delay So much they long'd for tryall of the day And in their courages were raised high To thinke they had so brave a witnesse by As was their King and such a King as he Who would as well their great example be As witnesse of their deeds This time of stay He spent to set his Fleet in faire array The middle body he himselfe maintain'd In which the great and tallest ships were mann'd Which choisest Archers held twixt every two Of whom one ship with men of armes did goe On either wing loose ships of archers lay On all occasions ' gainst the foe to play The wings themselves with gallant Lords were fill'd The Earles of Darby Pembrooke Gloster held The right where Huntington commanded all Of Englands Southerne fleet Lord Admirall Lord Morley Admirall of all the North The left wing had with many Lords of worth Northamptons Earle Lord Percy Delaware And Robert of Artois who th' honours bore Of Richmonds Earledome then with many moe Of honour'd name and noble service too Heröicke Edward when both Navies neere Had made approach 'gan thus in short to cheere His forward Souldiers It were needlesse now Brave Englishmen and valiant Lords to show How much depends on this great Navall fight That all the tryall of our royall right To France and your rich hopes are lost undone Are all designes unlesse this day be won This is the gate of our great enterprise This is that entrance where the danger lyes Which if we master now the future war Will prove more easie as more fruitfull farre And not a warre but a reward will be And recompence of this dayes victory Here let your valour sway warres future chance And though not conquer yet disharten France The Sunne and winde are both auspicious To us the channell advantagious With these let us in our owne cause appeare See what spectatours fortune gives us here Oh let our friends the Flemmings from the Bayes Of Sluce and Blankebergh now behold and praise Your deeds and viewing th English puissance Thinke themselves happy in forsaking France To side with us but I in vaine prolong The battels tryall and your valours wrong To keepe such eager spirits from action
sustein'd in sorrow and dismay Bewailing France and cursing that sad day He tack'd about to be in safety gone But by the warlike Earle of Huntington The Southerne Admirall so sore was chas'd And hard-beset he was enforc'd at last By secret flight almost alone to goe A sad reporter of so great a blow Blacke night now challeng'd her alternate reigne Sâ—â—â— soone enough to hide that tragicke staine Which on the blushing face of Neptune lay Not soone enough to part the mortall fray Warres raging fire was spent the fuell gone And all that Mars could doe already done Nor would great Edward then approach the shore But make the Oceans bosome which before Had beene the stage of his victorious fight To be his lodging field whilest all the night Drums beat and Trumpets to the havens nigh Proclaime his great and noble victory But when the rosie morning gan appeare With joy to welcome his arrivall there The towne of Sluce prepares while all along The haven people numberlesse doe throng To view the face of that Heroicke King And all the shores with acclamations ring At last great Edward lands and waited on By all the noblest Burgers of the towne And English Lords in triumph takes his way To Gaunt where his belov d Queene Philip lay With such expressions of true state and love Did white-arm'd Iuno meet triumphant Iove When from the Gyants warres he came as she Her Lord return'd from this great victory With her at Gaunt remain'd the greatest States Of Netherland and best confoederates King Edward had for his great warre in hand The Dukes of Brabant and of Gelderland With Heinaults Earle his comming did attend And Iames of Artevile his constant friend Whose power had drawne those people to his side There all their leagves are firmely ratifi'd While happy Gaunt is proud to entertaine So brave a Monarch with his noble traine But much more proud that she had beene the place Of birth to one faire branch of Edward's race Young princely Iohn who thence shall take his name And lend the towne in liev eternall fame Annotations upon the second Booke a This great battell of Halydon hill a place neere Berwick was tought in the sixt yeere of the reigne of King Edward the third of England and the second of King David of Scotland who being then a childe remained in France and Archimbald Dowglas Earle of Argus governed the realme of Scotland for him the English army was led by King Edward himselfe in person that of Scotland by the forenamed Earle of Angus Regent of the Kingdome in this battell the Scots received a great overthrow although the writers of those times doe much disagree about the number of those that perished in the vanquished army the Scottish Histories allowing foureteene thousand the English naming aboue thirty thousand but howsoever it were by this victory Berwicke was gained to the Crowne of England b This Robert of Artois was a Prince of the blood of France descended from Robert Sonne to Lewis the eight there had beene a suit betwixt the said Robert and Maud his Aunt Countesse of Burgundy about the Earledome of Artois Robert presuming upon his owne power and the service he had done King Philip in advancing him to the Crowne for Robert of Artois was at the first a great maintainer of Philips title against Edward of England forges a deed thereby to overthrow his Aunts right which being afterwards discovered made her right the more and moved the French King to give judgement on her side so that the County of Artois was by Parliament confirmed upon Maud which so offended Robert as in his rage he openly said hee would unmake the King by the same power that he had made him This rash threatning so incensed the King that he presently layed to apprehend him but failing therein he proclaimed him Traitour confiscated his estate forbidding all his Subjects to receive or aide him Robert of Arto is being thus distressed comes over into England is joyfully entertained by King Edward made of his Councell and invested in the Earledome of Richmond where hee becomes a great incendiary betweene the two Kings discovering to King Edward the secrets of France and disapproving now of King Philips title upon which a Declaration is published and sent to the Pope and all the neighbour Princes shewing the usurpation of Philip de Valois upon the Crowne of France c There was among the Flemmings one Iaques de Artevile a Citizen of Gavnt of great estimation among the people he was their Leader and Tribune as it were in all their tumults him King Edward gets by great rewards to take his part and thereby had them all ready to assaile the French King upon any occasion This Iaques though a man of meane condition was an usefull friend to England whose death happening about seven yeeres after for in a tumult his braines were beaten out was much lamented by King Edward d This Robert King of Cicily as Collenutius and other Neopolitan writers testifie was a learned Prince and much renowned for his skill in Astrology hee was about this time saith our Froissard at Avignion with Pope Benedict where he declared to the Pope by his skill what great warres and blood-shed was like to be and lamented the miseries of France That report of Froissard gave ground to this discouse in the Poem e This Navall fight which is here at large described in the Poem was out of doubt the greatest that ever had been vpon these narrow Seas the numbers were many the fight was cruell and the slaughter exceeding great The French Navy by consent of most writers consisted of 400 saile the English consisted according to some authors of 200 saile according to others of 200. to others of 300. although Froissard report that the Frenchmen were foure to one English which may be thought too much oddes to be beleeved for the French in those dayes had good Sea-men but the slaughter was exceeding great and the victory as compleat on the English side as could be imagined for very few of the French ships escaped home but were either sunke or taken and 30000 of their men flaine of the English those writers that report most have mentioned but 4000. THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The third Booke Argument III. Atruce ' twixt France and Englands Kings is made The Garter fâ—unded Edward dooes invade King Philip's lands the warre 's to tryall brought And that renowned field of Crescy fought A Wound so mortall had enfeebled France By Sea receiv'd she could no more advance Her colours there no more had she or veine To bleed or spirits left to strive againe What now remaines of this lovd-threatning warre The Continent alone must feele as farre As Tourney fill'd with high and wealthy hopes Victorious Edward leads his cheerefull troops Augmented lately with new-mustred bands Of his confederates in the Netherlands That towne is first enobled by his stay Iudg'd worthy to be made the
maiden prey A royall army would vouchsafe to take Nor is King Philip in her rescue slacke But for the late dishonourable blow Fill'd with revenge and fury thither now Is marching with a numerous hoast and brings Besides his French-men the two warlike Kings Navarre and Boheme nor will Edward rise From Tourneys siedge although too small a prize One Cities conquest now appeares to be For Edward's sword but Fortune lets him see That she to crowne his glorious hopes so nigh Had brought a warre of greater dignity And now the two incensed Kings are met And their great cause on one dayes tryall set As all beleeve all expectations neere Are drawne nor have they time to hope or feare The armies both stand rang'd in faire array And fierce Bellona proud of such a day As if it lay not in the power of chance That storme to scatter shakes her dreadfull lance For like two high-swoll'n seas on either side Whose meeting rage no Isthmos did divide But windes that from contrary quarters blow Together drive the two Battaliaes show But that Eternall God who from on high Surveys all hoasts disposes victory Call'd thence the Lord of hoasts and sets the times Of warre or peace as sinfull Nations crimes Provoke his justice did not thinke it good That cloud should yet dissolue in showres of blood But pleas'd to respite for a time the woes Of wretched France and for his purpose chose An instrument whose weaknesse might make knowne The power that reconcil'd them was his owne A veiled Nun alone could enterpose And stay the fury of these armed foes Jane de Valois a Princely Lady neere To one in blood as by alliance deere To tother Mother to great Edward's Queene And Philip's sister who of late had beene Since Heinaults death at Fontenelles vow'd A holy Nun She waken'd with the loud Alarmes of this so great so fear'd a blow Her quiet cloister had forsaken now Amidst their armed troopes her way she tooke And through the rudest breasts a reverence strooke Well did the fame of her chaste life before Become the sacred habit that she wore Pure innocence her snow-white veile profest Her blacke a sorrow silently exprest Grave was her comely face Devotion On beavties ruines with more beavty shone In all her gestures dwelt humility But temper'd with commanding Majesty As thus she passes to perswade the Kings Faire Peace descends and with her silver wings Cutting the ayre above the Princesse still Hangs gently hovering whose calme breath doth fill The changed Campes the Souldiers 'gan to feele A mildenesse seize their breasts all thoughts of steele Of blood and slaughter seemed to withdraw This gentle Nymph when fierce Bellona saw As she from heaven descended downe and knew Her hopes were now put off away she flew And left the field but with an angry looke Turn'd backe and proudly her plum'd helmet shooke Goe sluggish Nymph quoth she enjoy thy day Fates may deferre but cannot wipe away This Kingdomes wounds but 't is not their decree The fields of Tourney should renowned be To future times for such a glorious day In Crescy fields brave Edward shall display His conquering colours there the French shall fall And that poore Village now scarce nam'd at all Shall for the death of many thousands be A place of fame to all posterity There I shall reigne till then dull fields adieu And like a Dragon through the ayre she flew And now so well the Princesse did perswade Both Kings so powerfull he that sent her made Her pious Eloquence that all their hate Seem'd banish'd Philip of Valois forgate His thirst of vengeance for the fatall blow France tooke in that great Navall overthrow Edward relented too content to cease His royall clayme a while a sudden peace Is for three yeeres concluded to remaine The dreadfull colours folded up againe The threatning swords are sheath'd not stained yet In blood at all and all those Princes met To make the tryall of so great a day Depart againe King Edward takes his way By Flanders home and with his dearest Queene That royall pledge that for two yeeres had beene Left there by him the honour of their clime And there had brought within that happy time His royall family a faire increase Two Princely Sonnes to England crost the Seas But soone Wars flame that had a while in vaine Beene by the Truce deprest broke out againe And higher blaz'd but by degrees it came Nor did the royall quarrell and great claime That Edward laid to France begin the jarre But to draw on this great and fatall Warre Collaterall causes are found out by fates And first in aide of their confoederates Abovt the question'd right of Brittaines Lands Th'engaged Princes by their servants hands And meaner strengths begin to blow the flame To England Montford's widow'd Dutchesse came And here from Edward noble succours gain'd Gainst Charles of Bloys whom Philip's power sustain'd The Earles of Suffolke Pembrooke Salisbury And Stafford flowers of English chevalry Bourchier and Spencer Lords and many moe Of honour'd name with her to Brittaine goe With them went Robert of Artois who first In Edward kindled that ambitious thirst And fir'd his active spirit to advance His owne high honour by the woes of France At Vannes siedge so fate ordain'd he tooke His mortall wound but ere the soule forsooke Her earthly reliques thence to Englands ground Transported backe a quiet grave he found Her Souldier England willingly entomb'd His native France that by his meanes was doom'd So many following mischiefes to endure Bestow'd his death but not his sepulture Vannes and other little townes are won And lost but no important action This warre produces where the threats are high Save that the two great foes are drawne so nigh Though timely truces doe againe prevent The fatall blow great Edward not content To send in Montford's aide those forces ore Arrives himselfe upon the Brittaine shore To whom Prince Iohn the Duke of Normandy With forty thousand men approached nigh In Bloys his right the armies both prepare To give the blow Neere was the stroke of warre And Brittaine Vannes had almost beheld What was decreed to Crescyes fatall field The royall powers of England and of France In Brittaines cause to try their puissance Before their owne great quarrell they maintaine But Brittaines Dutchie must not hope to gaine So great an honour here cleere growes the day Without a showre this cloud is blowne away The warre is done two Cardinals attone As earst a Ladies gentle breath had done The royall Armies and so well perswade Truce is againe 'twixt France and England made Sterne Mars a while from deeds of blood restrain'd Strove still to whet his rage and entertain'd That breathing space in pastimes to prepare His cruell forces for th' ensuing warre For like a Campe showes Edwards marshall Court To which the Knights of greatest fame resort From every land their prowesse there to try And gaine renowne by active Chevalry
Nor now can silver-winged Peace againe As earst at Tourney and Malstroict shee did Th' enraged troops without death's stroke divide But fierce Enyo chas'd from thence away Without controllment claimes this fatall day Darke grew the troubled ayre as if it strove Within the souldiers furious breasts to move A sad presage of what would then ensue Nor longer could the golden Phoebus shew His cheerefull face The lightnings flashy light And loudest claps of thunder ' gan affright The darkned welkin which in teares apace Dissolv'd to fall upon the tragicke place Another darknesse more portentous rose Ore both th' amazed camps Whole sholes of Crowes And croaking Ravens that obscure the skye From all the neighbouring fields to b Crescy flye As thicke as Cranes in winter that forsake To drinke warme Nile the frozen Strymons lake And muster there themselves in hope to prey Vpon the slaughter of so great a day From these ostents are deepe impressions wrought The souldiers fancies as each breast is fraught With passions various variously surmise Presaging murmurs through all parts arise In some the thirst of fight encreast in some Appear'd the palenesse of a death to come Yet none so much on their owne danger thought As they divin'd after this field was fought About their Kings and Nations changed fate Nor had they time to feare their private state 'Twixt both the Marshals one on either side Through every battell did great Edward ride Whose royall presence with fresh vigour fill'd The souldiers cheerefull bosomes and exil'd Even from the coldest hearts all thoughts of feare No long perswasive Oratory there Did that short time afford or Edward need Few exhortations serv'd that did proceed From such a Prince He briefly bids them crowne That day their Nations honour and their owne And sets before the common souldiers eyes How great how glorious was their valours prize How many Princes wealthy spoyles would be The recompence of that dayes victory But when approaching Philip had beheld His English foes embattell'd in the field And that the warre admitted no delay He vainely joy'd to see the wish'd for day That might redeeme the honour France had lost And straight drew on his rich and numerous hoast In which so many severall Nations fought By their owne Soveraignes there in person brought And now those forraigne Princes every where With fitting language briefly 'gan to cheere Their armed Subjects that in this dayes fight As well their Countries honour as the right Of Philip lay that all great France would fame And thanke their conquering hands how great a shame It were for them to shrinke in such a warre To which for honour they had come so farre And left their dearest pledges whom if they Againe would see it in their valours lay But most does Philip his French troops excite As most of all engaged in the fight By natures lawes and all the love they beare To their deare native soyle whose freedome there Or shamefull conquest into question came That 't was a staine already to the name Of France a petty King that claime durst make Or their great kingdomes conquest undertake Which they must wipe off by their valours now And for his pride chastise th' ambitious soe That easie 't was to doe since Edward's power So few in number not one hand ' gainst foure Of fighting men was able there to show And to revenge their fellow souldiers now Who neere to Sluce on Neptune's watery Maine Had beene before by English Edward slaine With such like speeches all their hearts are fir'd And now a signall every where desir'd Which given on both sides a lowd shout arose And Death began to deale his fatall blowes Farre off at first his winged message flyes While the strong-armed English Archer plyes His bloody taske while Genoan Crossebowes backe Returne their fury and the ayre growes blacke With shafts as erst with winged fowle it did The English Vangard which Prince Edward led 〈◊〉 in the figure of an herse came on ' Gainst which the furious Charles of Alanson Kâ—â—g Philip's brother with Bohemia's King The strength of all the Chevalry did bring But â—re the horse came on in full carriere The Genoan Crossebowes that stood formost were To powre their stormes of fury on the foe But there began the fatall overthrow Of that huge Army For the late great fall Ofraine although it did no hurt at all To the English bow-strings spoyl'd the Genoans quite And made their Crossebowes uselesse in the fight Who weary'd with their mornings march so farre And griev'd with dis-respect had tane no care How to preserve their strings Which seeing on On Chevaliers cryes hot Count Alanson And o're yon lazy Genoans bellies make Your way to victory let souldiers take The Van from uselesse beasts With that they ride Vpon them furiously by their owne side The wretched Genoans are trod downe and slaine But nothing by that act the horsemen gaine For o're their bodies some are tumbled downe The rest that stand in that confusion Are gall'd with arrowes that uncessant flye From th' English fresh and gallant Archery Which did almost the whole Battalia rout The whiles the dying Genoans round about Might see before their latest gaspe of breath Their owne revenge wrought in the Horsemens death And for the wrong which their owne side did doe And quickly righted by the valiant foe But loth farre off t' endure the Archers force Count Alanson with his approaching horse Within Prince Edward's battell strives to bring The fight and thither th' old Bohemian King With his brave troope does even-ranked ride Whose reines are all fast to each other ty'd As if they meant to mow the enemy By squadrons downe So chained Bullets flye And sweepe a field as those Bohemian horse Close-link'd together came And now their force Within the Archers formost ranke had got There the encounter growes more closely hot There battell-axes swords and lances stand There foot to foot and furious hand to hand The men at Armes maintaine a constant warre And now Prince Edward's battell too too farre Began to be opprest to succour whom The second battell of the English come In which with other Lords Northampton stood And all too little in this scene of blood That succour seemes to be Vp to the hill On which King Edward with his battell still Vntouch'd kept stand the Lords have sent to crave Ayd for the Prince in this sad storme but have This answer past their expectation made While hee 's alive send not to me for ayd T is he must weare this honour nor will I Be Edward's rivall in the victory Or feare so much his danger to step in And seize those Bayes which he alone will winne From this Heroike answer of a King In every bosome did fresh vigour spring That answer might have wrought despairing feare But that young Edward and the Nobles there The worth and wisdome of the King did know And he their spirits whom he sent it
to Now does the day grow blacker then before The Swords that glister'd late in purple gore Now all distain'd their former brightnesse lose Whilest high the tragicke heape of slaughter rose Swords meeting swords and breaking lances sound Clattering of armed breasts that fall to ground And dying souldiers groanes are onely heard Horror in all her saddest shapes appear'd But long the fury of a storme so strong Could not endure nor Fortune waver long In such a tryall but at last must show Which way her favours were decreed to goe The English Swords with slaughter reeking all At last had carved in the Frenchmens fall Their way to victory who now apace Are beaten downe and strew the purple place Where like their owne pale-fading Lillies lye The flower of all the French Nobility What Muse can in this field of death declare Each private wound each fate particular Or pay the severall obsequies to all ' Mongst common souldiers slaughter'd Princes fall 'Twixt whom Death takes away the distance now While in one streame their bloods commixed flow There Alanson striving to cure in vaine The wound of France is beaten downe and slaine There dyes Majorca's King who from his home So farre had sail'd to find a forraigne tombe And dearely that alliance which he thought So safe to him in this fierce battell bought Lewis Earle of Flanders that to Philip's state Had beene so constant a confaederate Whom no conditions to King Edward's side Could ever draw on Edward s weapons dy'd Sealing in blood his truth to France to lye A wailed part of her calamity There Savoy's Duke the noble Amy lay Weltring in gore arriv'd but yesterday At Philip's haplesse Campe as short an ayd As Rhaesus prov'd to falling Troy betray'd The first sad night and by Tidydes hand Slaine e're his Steeds had graz'd on Trojan land Or drunke at all of Xanthus silver streame But most the warrelike Monarch of Boheme Old Lewis was fam'd Who on that honour'd ground Chain'd to the formost of his troops was found And charging at the head of all was slaine His cold dead hand did yet that Sword retaine Which living erst it did so bravely weild His hopefull sonne young Charles had left the field When he perceiv'd that Fortune quite was gone To Edward's side His Father blood alone Was too too great a sacrifice to be Bestow d on France whose dying valiancy Made all men more desire his Sonne to live And that the branch of such a tree might thrive There was the Noble Bourbon there Lorraine Aumall Nevers and valiant Harcourt slaine In vaine had Philip now whose Princely soule In all those deaths did bleed strive to controll By highest valour what the Fates would doe Wounds not in mind alone but body too Vnhorsed twice did th' active King receive As much asham'd no blood at all to leave In such a field although enforc'd to part Himselfe from thence at last his strugling heart Is to necessity content to yeeld And flyes with speed from that unhappy field With whom the Frenchmen all the fight forsake And o're the Countrey flight disordred take By this had Night her sable mantle spred Vpon the earth by whose protection fled The vanquish'd French with more security A most compleat and glorious victory The English had obtain'd yet would not now Dis-ranke themselves to chase the flying foe But in that field which they alone possest Resolve to give their weary'd bodies rest Till mornings light display those wealthy spoyles That must reward the conquering souldiers toyles Now great King Edward from the Windmill hill Came downe where his untouch'd Battalia still Had stood till all the fight below was done And in his armes embrac'd his armed Sonne Who now with blood and sweat was all distain'd Then gratulates his early honour gain'd In such a field of danger joy'd to see His blooming yeares thus flesh'd in victory Well did that day presage the future glory And martiall fame of this great Prince whose story With admiration after-times shall heare Like miracles his conquests shall appeare In France atchiev'd nor shall that kingdome bound His Swords great deeds whose fame shall farther sound And royall trophees of blacke Edward's praise Beyond the Pyrenaean mountaines raise Next morne mists fatall to the French arose To Crescy field where their encamped foes Stood now refresh'd were many troops of France Discerning not the former battels chance Like sacrifices come and fell there more Then had beene flaine in all the fight before Victorious Edward for so great a day To God's high Throne on bended knees did pay His true and humble thankes and briefly then Commend the worthy service of his men Who now the spoyles of that rich Army share As just reward of their victorious warre Annotations upon the third Booke a King Edward taking Caranton protested openly that he sacrificed it to the memory of these Gentlemen who had the yeere before beene uniustly massacred by King Philip and their heads now were standing upon the gates of that unhappy towne For King Philip of France the yeare before perceiving that a terrible tempest of warre was likely to fall upon him out of England waxed cruell in his iealousie and put sundry principall men of Normandy Picardy and Guyenne to death for no other crime but that they were English in affection Among whom are reckoned Sir Oliver de Cliâ—â—on Baco Persie and Geoffrey of Malestroict Knights of the best note Sir Godfrey of Harecourt brother to the Earle of Harecourt a man once in high favour with King Philip being upon this occasion also summoned to Paris fled to King Edward into England and became another Robert of Artois for his valour and counsels at this present invasion of France did much advantage King Edward's atchievements though two yeares after he forsooke the English and returned againe to the obedience of Philip his naturall Lord. b This great battell of Crescy where King Edward obtained so full and wonderfull a victory is at large recited in the Poem and therefore little shall need here to bee spoken of it but onely of the numbers which fought or dyed on both sides The English Army by generall consent of almost all Authors consisted of 30000. The French according to those that speake least together with their auxiliaries were about 60000. But many Authors of good credit report their number twice as many others agree upon an hundred thousand Upon that Saturday being the 26 of August 1346 when this great battell was fought the slaughter was great on the French side for none were taken to mercy upon that day for the Conquerors thought it not safe for themselves to take any Prisoners But the next morning presented new worke for a great mist arose that men could hardly see the distance of an acre of ground from them when as many troops of Frenchmen from Roan Beavicois and other Cities comming to joyne themselves with King Philip and not hearing of his discomfiture together with great
In many an hard adventure France had knowne His noble service Oxford tenders there And that redoubted Lord that must appeare In Poicteirs battell honours brightest starre Lord Audley Chandois in all feats of warre And policies to none inferiour And then young Edward's chiefest Counsellour With these brave William Earle of Sarum clad In shining armes appeares now not so sad Since sage resolves had weaned fond desire And in his breast extinguish'd Cupid s fire A fire once swéet alas whilest lawes did seeme T' allow his love and power to favour him The sowrest Vertues did excuse his flame When he the beauties of that Princely Dame Enjoy'd as then he well might seeme to be The envy of a Prince much more is he Since reason did that passion quite convince Now truly growne the envy of a Prince Prince Edward sigh'd and wish'd himselfe as free When he beheld the cheere of â—alisbury From that faire flame One object kindled both But Edward's was not of so long a growth As Salisburies nor had beene ayded so By powerfull Time the passion to forgoe Forbeare a while to sound the Martiall noyse Calliope and tune thy gentler voyce Soft Erato declare what Princely love Did then thâ— Heroike breast of Edward move Not many yeares had past since by the lawes Of holy Church that long-depending cause Betwixt Lord Holland and Earle Mountague Who both with power and eager clayme 's did sue For Kent's faire Countesse was on Holland's side Decree'd and by Pope Clement ratifi'd By which decree blest Holland freed from strife Possession tooke of his admired wife And his bright Iewell now in publike wore Which from the Court had beene conceal'd before While that great suit depended and unknowne It was what husband should the Lady owne Her tempting beauties now th' ecclipse and pride Of Englands Court had love-sicke Edward spy'd The flames unseene his youthfull bosome burn'd His active thoughts so cheerefull once are turn'd To pensive musings company he flyes And for his wonted Princely exercise And high discourse with martiall Lords he loves Retreats sad musicke and the silent groves Why did you gaze unhappy eyes quoth he Too late on her it is too soone for me Because too late The Lawes are false that say No time can barrea Prince Debarr'd for aye Am I. In what possession can they give Vnlesse in Love a fit prerogative For Princes to receive where did she lye While free she was conceal'd from Edward's eye Was not her birth of height enough and shee A branch of England's royall family Her name Plantagenet Earle Edmund's heire Did she not bring together with that faire And heavenly forme a dower that might affright Those Lords from courting of her and invite A Prince his highest flames why is not she Restor'd againe to her great family From which th' ambitious love of Holland durst To draw her maiden innocence at first Or else some forraine Monarch would from farre Have come perchance to fetch a prize so rare A thousand Princely suitors for the fame Of Spartan Helen's virgin beauties came By deeds of armes their persons to endeare And by a warre reveng'd the rape of her As many ventrous youths for such a Bride As was the faire Hippodamea dy'd At cheaper rate why did our climate set Thy maiden blossome faire Plantagenet Would thou hadst beene the prize of Chevalry For which great Princes might have come to try Their manly prowesse Edward might have worne Thee then perchance or thou at worst beene borne From hence away to be a forraine Queene Nor had I here thy killing beauty seene Thus as within a laurell Bower he sate Did Edward's love-sicke thoughts expostulate The twy-light then began nor had night spred Her sable mantle yet though day were fled When lo before him one on either hand Two Nymphs of more than humane visage stand The one was plaine her looks compos'd and grave Yet seem'd a chearefull Majesty to have A mantle rough o're her tall shoulders hung Her undeck'd haire behind she earelesse flung Her name was Arete on tother side Stood Hedone her foe her beauties pride In all alluring amorous formes display'd Transparant silkes her snow-white limbs array'd And Tyrian scarfes with gold embroyder'd o're The precious spoyles of every Easterne shore Adorn'd her ivory necke and tresses faire From whence diffused odours fill'd the ayre Shee thus assailes the Prince Enjoy the time Sweet Prince that Fortunes height and Natures prime Both meet to blesse thee with and ravish'd see What pleasures wait on youth and Royalty Thou hast the top of others wish and mayâ—st Plucke those sweet fruits which neither age can taste Nor low estate procure Both fade away Not onely men but Princes turne to clay Then take in time what ne're will come againe What is not used was bestow'd in vaine Which prudent Nature never did intend In any gift she gave Why should'st thou spend In toyles and hazards these thy happy dayes To gaine that nothing that vaine shadow Praise Of which as life no reall use can make So th' absent ghost or senselesse grave can take No joy at all What e're the vulgar deeme Beleeve me wisest men did ne're esteeme That bubble Honour When King Pyrrhus once Resolv'd t' invade so many nations A vaine renowne by restlesse toyles to winne And make the ending of one warre beginne Another still wise Cyneas ask'd his Lord What comfort all those labours should afford His life at last When all is overcome Wee 'll live quoth Pyrrhus merrily at home So may you now quoth he Why seeke you by Those toyles what now you have in certainty Nor could vaine Pyrrhus answer him or name A reall end of his ambitious ayme Then use thy time But if thou onely strive For so much fame as may more licence give And more sweet rellish to thy pleasures know Thou hast already what thy age could doe Attain'd unto thy worth enough is knowne And Crescy field with Bayes enow did crowne Thy youthfull browes Now reape the happy fruit With confidence pursue thy amorous suit Regard not lawes nor popular ayre at all I 'le worke thine ends and Kents faire Countesse shall Her bed and beauties yeeld to thy delight And meet thy wish 'T was I that did invite The Spartan Dame to Paris armes and led The Queene of Love to young Anchises bed Can she refuse can wedlock's aëry tye Or that supposed vertue Chastity Poore names which men ' gainst natures free entent To rob themselves of pleasure did invent Resist those reall arguments that be Opposers here and proudly plead for thee Alas what tempted Lady can deny Such love fame feature youth and dignity Then weigh not rumour sit not pining downe But freely take what power can make thine owne With that she ceas'd when thus faire Arete Heroike Prince built up by Fate to be Bright Honour 's great example England's fame And to succeeding times a glorious name Oh doe not staine thy high beginnings now
praise Then Marius triumphs or great Pompey's Bayes My ransom'd King home to his Kingdome send And these so bloody jarres and bootlesse end Strive not ' gainst Fate With that she vanished While Edward wak'd lay musing on his bed A messenger arrived at the tent That from his sister Scotland's Queene was sent Who su'd for her beloved Lord's release Great Edward gan relent and termes of peace Resolv'd t' embrace fates onely did ordaine That David there a prisoner should remaine Till he in woes a partner find and see A greater King in that captivity That weighing well the losse of potent France He may the more excuse warres fatall chance Past Touraine now the Prince of Wales was come And through Poictou to Burdeaux marching home After so many great atchievements done So many Townes and stately Cities wonne His men enrich'd the French endammag'd more Then all th'incursions that had beene before Could make them feele when th' open hand of warre Though uncontroll'd it let him passe so farre Beside Poictiers presents it selfe to stay This youthfull Lion and redeeme the prey Or else kind Fortune thought the prey to be Too meane for her blacke Edward's dignity Nor had the forts the Cities he had wonne As strong Narbon and stately Carcason With all the pillage gain'd in her esteme Or fame or danger great enough for him Vnlesse this wondrous battell had beene fought From which a captive Monarch should be brought With fame as great to him as e're before One field could give to any Conquerour Few were Prince Edward's troops King Iohn of France Arm'd with his kingdomes choycest puissance And all the flower of French Nobility With a resolve unfortunate though high Pursu'd the Prince to make him that sad day A deare account for all his voyage pay His passages they cut off every way In hope to seize what they esteem'd their prey But prov'd too strong for their weake armes to hold So when Getulian hunters too too bold A furious Lion round about beset And will not let him scape they vainly whet The beast's high courage whose collected ire To them as deadly as enclosed fire Breakes forth at last his danger anger moves And fatall onely to the hunters proves Not farre from Poictiers towne brave Edward was And there encamp'd nor further could he passe Nor longer shun the battels fatall stroke Him there King Iohn's huge army overtooke His wisely seated campe on every side Was both by paines and Nature fortifi'd Thicke Vines and bushes round had fenc'd the place Hard for the French Cavallery to passe With poore eight thousand there entrench'd he lyes Against six times as many enemies And disadvantag'd so a courage shew'd As great as was the fortune that ensu'd Men knew not which to wonder at that he With such a strength durst hope for victory Or that he gain'd it that he stood the blow Or that he gave so great an overthrow The Cardinall of Perigortin vaine Had strived long by treaties to detaine King Iohn's resolved fury from the fight As much bewailing Edward's wofull plight In vaine had Edward offred to restore All townes and forts that he had gain'd before And satisfie for all the dammage done But Fate to worke his fall had blinded Iohn No other termes will be accepted now But that Prince Edward with a hundred moe His chiefest Knights and noblest in the field Should to his hands themselves as prisoners yeeld These base conditions Edward scornes to take And to the King returnes defiance backe His valiant troops agree resolv'd to dye Or spite of a odds to gaine a victory Whom thus their most undaunted Prince bespake Brave Countreymen if I have skill to take Presage of future fortune when I see Your lookes your not despairing industry Which all the time that our vaine treaties were About your campe could worke with such a cheare Me thinkes I swell with hopes nor could be sad If twice as many that proud army had But that I know their numbers fright not you I could brave souldiers by example show How uselesse thronging numbers prove in warre Then why should Iohn presume on that so farre To make such proud conditions as that we For feare of him should choose captivity And yeeld our selves as prisoners to the foe Before the chance of warre have made us so By which our honour we had quite forgone Honour our Countries Iewell not our owne By her entrusted to us which when I Forget to keepe let me unvalu'd dye How great a price is on this battell set If we subdue no army ever yet In all the books of fame was honour'd more A richer Bayes no Nation ever wore But if we dye those conquering souldiers Whom bleeding France has often selt and feares Survive in England our revenge to take But God that gives all victories can make Our owne swords do 't There is no souldier here But does already some French trophee weare Here fight those armes who from the Norman warres From Brittaines conquest brought victorious scarres Those noble names whom Crescy field renown'd And Sluce before with Navall Garlands crown'd Then by such armed friends environ'd why Should I at all despaire of victory The Prince had done th' undanted souldiers show By cheerefull signes they dare abide the foe Too confident of victory King John In three large battels drawes his army on On fire to charge nor could his heat forbeare When he that led the first Battalia there His brother Orleance with sage advice Thus spake oh Sir forbeare your enemies A while deferre the dayes uncertaine chance And let this conquest cost no blood of France We need not fight at all the famish'd foe Our strengths environ round he cannot goe To forrage now nor fetch provision in To feele that want already they begin It will become their wish on swords to dye And mix their ruine with our tragaedy But why should we against a Christian hoast Refuse that conquest that no blood will cost And rather hasten in their tragicke fall To beare a part without a wound at all The captive Prince shall be at your command Then why should you with danger thrust your hand To quench that flame that would it selfe expire And battell more than victory desire Sound was the Dukes advice brave Edward's day In midd'st of Fates had vanished away Nor so had headlesse France beene over-runne Had that beene follow'd but unhappy Iohn Whom Fate had blinded thus in wrath replyes Does that poore handfull of the enemies Affright your courage brother can you weigh ' Gainst such a prize the danger to what day Should France her fortune ever trust if here She should misdoubt her swords and feeding feare By such flye courses seeke to steale renowne Not take it boldly as our Nation Have ever us'd if famine not the sword Should here to us a victory afford The boasting English who so oft of late ' Gainst us have prov'd in battell fortunate Even in our kingdomes bosome would not
must he gaine That Crowne when England has abandon'd Spaine b And now the day beyond all hope is lost On Henry's side and that great numerous hoast Fly in amazement and themselves expose Without resistance to the conquering foes While many thousands as they thronging flye From English weapons in the river dye That flowes by Naveret whose streame affords As many deaths almost as Edward's swords Sad Henry though his heart disdaines to flye Yet since reserv'd for Royall dignity By kinder Fates hereafter yeelds to flight And though sore wounded in the fatall fight Vpon his Iennet mounted leaves the field By this the French Battalia's that bad held The longest out and first encounter'd where Stout Bertram fought ' gainst Iohn of Lancaster Are quite consum'd and weltring in their blood Cover the place where late they fighting stood Their Chiefes enforc'd to yeeld and Bertram there Againe by th' English taken prisoner Sterne Mars his taske had to the utmost done Nor e're had Spaine beheld a Garland wonne With more renowne or conquest more compleat Than in this famous field of Naveret Blacke Edward purchas'd nor could ought allay The lasting fame of that victorious day Save that the Prince his noble valour lost On such a cause that so much blood it cost To raise a wicked Tyrant and againe Advance Don Pedro to the Throne of Spaine Annotations upon the seventh Booke a Prince Edward by the common consent of all brought into Spaine an Army consisting of thirty thousand English Gascoignes and other strangers being for the number of themesteemed as expert souldiers as any in the world The cast companies of English which had served in so many famous exploits under himselfe and King Edward his father upon this occasion came in to serve him King Henry of Castile had a great Army for besides the French which served him under the conduct of Bertram of Clesquy and were in number about foure thousaad men at Armes besides many other loose troopes hee had of Spaeniards Saracens and others above fourescore thousand When it came to Battell Prince Edward obtained a compleat victory the slanghter considering so great a victory was not much for the Spaniards were too soone routed and did not in their owne deare quarrell behave themselves so stoutly as their French auxiliaries did But there were slaine of them besides five hundred Gentlemen of quality above seven thousand of the common souldiers Of the English side were slaine of men of quality but foure Knights two Gascoignes one Almaine and the fourth an English-max and of common souldiers about sixteene hundred as some write though Froissard saith not above forty but the other number is more credible considering how fiercely the battell was fought as all agree There were taken Prisoners to the number of two thousand and among them the Earle of Dene Sir Bertram of Clesquy the Marshall Dandrehen and many other men of name b After this great victory Prince Edward at Burges seated the tyrant Pedro in his Throne againe and for so great a merit the promised recompenee is required by the Prince which Don Pedro could not or cared not to provide but starving him with delayes enforced him in the end to returne to Burdeaux without money to pay his Army and which was worse without health which he never after recovered Some Hystorians report that hee was poysoned in Spaine others say it was a Dropsie of which the Prince never could bee after cured Such was the successe of this unfortunate action undertaken to right an ungratefull Tyranâ— who afterward notwithstanding was againe dispossessed taken and put to death by his brother Henry But the affaires of England did wonderfully suffer from that time The Prince to pay his souldiers who were not able to stay Don Pedro's leisure coyned his Plate and when all would not serve he fell upon a worse mis-fortune to cure a present want with a greater and more durable losse seeking to lay upon his subiects in Gascoigne a new taxation which bred a most dangerous revolt namely the imposition of Fevage or Chimney money which so discontented the people that they exclaime against the government of the English and appeale to the King and Court of France for redresse The King of Franâ—e at the instance of divers great Lords although by the Articles of accord at Brettigny hee were bound to quit all homage for the â—utchy of Aquitaine which he might claime of the English entertaines their complaint and sends to the Prince of Wales at â—urdeaux summoning him to answer before him and his Court at Paris concerning these matters The Lords of Arminiague D'Albret Peregot Cominges and many others made their protestations against the King of England for the Crowne of France alleaging that they were by nature to obey that and not a strange Soveraigne that it was absolutely against the fundamentall law of the kingdome to dissever them from the Crowne that the Contract was made in prison and therefore by the right of Nations not to obliege therefore they utterly disclaim'd the government of England By their example the Cities of the County of Ponthieu which was King Edward his undoubted inheritance revolted all to the French King King Edward complained of this breach of Accord to the Pope and other Christian Princes but treaties availed little the English side when the French hearts were weary of their yoake and resolved to returne to their old obedience From this time being the 42 yeare of King Edward's reigne the tide of Fortune was turned from the English to the French side Edward the Renowned Prince of Wales was sicke of a lingring malady and not able to endure the travell of Warre and old King Edward was mis-led in England by evill servants which caused disquiet in Parliaments and many distempers in the State at home All these occasions were politikely looked into by Charles surnamed the Wise King of France who though forewarned by his father and Grandfathers mis-fortunes he never would venture any pitch'd battels against the English for there were divers Armies sent over from hence after that time but returned fruitlesse as the Chronicles will informe you yet hee omitted no opportunities of recovering his kingdome by secret solicitations large promises and other wary practises by which as also some fortunate skirmishes of Bertram his best servant hee recovered all before the death of King Edward except the Towne of Calleis onely Those eminent victories and great actions by which the English had gained so much of France have beene the subject of this Historicall Poem the particular revolts flye practices and petty actions by which insensibly it was lost againe you may read distinctly in the Chronicles at large FINIS