from olde auncestours As proued these ensignes to be surely oures Ye crafty Welshemen wherfore do you mocke The noble men thus with your fayned rymes Ye noble men why flye you not the flocke Of such as haue seduced so many times False Prophesies are plages for divers crymes Whych god doth let the divilish sorte devise To trouble such as are not godly wyse And that appered by vs thre beastes in dede Through false perswasion highly borne in hand That in our feat we could not chuse but spede To kyll the kyng and to enioye his land For which exployt we bound our selues in band To stand contented ech man with his part So fully folly assured our folysh hart But such they say as fysh before the net Shal seldome surfyt of the pray they take Of thinges to cum the haps be so vnset That none but fooles may warraÌ„t of them make The full assured succes doth oft forsake For Fortune findeth none so fyt to flout As suresby sots whych cast no kinde of doute How sayest thou Henry Hotspur do I lye For thou right manly gauest the king a feeld And there was slayn because thou wouldest not â—y Sir Thomas Percie thine vncle forst to yeeld Did cast his head a wunder seen but â—eâ—ld From Shrewsbury town to the top of LondoÌ„ bridge Lo thus fond hope did theyr both liues abridge Whan Henry king this victory had wunne Destroyed the Percies put their power to flyght He did appoynt prince Henry his eldest sunne With all his power to meete me if he might But I discumfit through my partners fight Had not the hart to mete him face to face But fled away and he pursued the chase Now Baldwin marke for I cald prince of Wales And made beleve I should be he in dede Was made to flye among the hilles and dales Where al my men forsooke me at my nede Who trusteth loyterers seeld hath lucky spede And whan the captaynes corage doth him fayle His souldiers hartes a litle thing may quayle And so Prince Henry chased me that loe I found no place wherin I might abide For as the dogges pursue the selly doâ— The brach behind the houndes on euery side So traste they me among the mountaynes wide Wherby I found I was the hartles hare And not the beast Colprophete did declare And at the last like as the litle roche Must eyther be eat or leape vpon the shore Whan as the hungry pickrel doth approch And there find death which it eskapte before So double death assaulted me so sore That eyther I must vnto my enmy yeeld Or statue for hunger in the baraynâ— feeld Here shame and payne a whyle were at a strife Payne prayed me yeeld shame bad me rather fast The one had spare the other spend my life But shame shame haue it ouercam at last Than hunger gnew that doth the stone wall brast And made me eat both gravell durt and mud And last of all my dung my fleshe and blud This was mine ende to horrible to heare Yet good ynough for a life that was so yll Wherby O Baldwin warne all men to beare Theyr youth such loue to bring them vp in skill Byd Princes flye Colprophetes lying byll And not presume to clime aboue their states For they be faultes that foyle men not their fates WHan starued Owen had ended his hungry exhortacion it was well inough liked Howbeit one found a dout wurth the mouing that concerning this title erle of March for as it appereth there wer .iii. men of .iii diuers nacions together in one time entitled by that honour Fyrst sir Edmund Mortimer whom Owen kept in prison an EnglishmaÌ„ the second the lord George of Dunbar a valiante Scot. banished out of his countrey well estemed of Henry the fowerth the third lord Iames of Burbon a frenchman sent by the french king to helpe Owen Glendour These thre men had this title all at once which caused him to aske how it was true that euery one of these could be Earle of Marche Wherto was aunswered that euery countrey hath Marches belonging vnto them and those so large that they were Earledomes the lordes therof intituled therby so that Lord Edmund Mortimer was Earle of Marche in Englande lord Iames of Burbon of the marches of Fraunce and Lord George of Dunbar erle of the marches in Scotland For otherwise nether could haue interest in others title Thys doubt thus dissolued mayster Ferrers sayde If no man haue affeccion to the Percies let vs pas the times both of Henry the fowerth the fifte and cum to Henrye the syxte in whose time fortune as she doth in the minoritie of princes bare a great stroke among the nobles And yet in HeÌ„ry the fourths time are exaÌ„ples which I would wish Baldvvin that you should not forget as the conspiracie made by the bishop of Yorke and the lorde Mowbray â–ª sonne of him whom you late treated of prycked forward by the earle of Northumberland father to sir Henry Hotspur who fled himselfe but his partners were apprehended and put to death with Baynton and Blinkinsops which could not see theyr duty to theyr King but tooke part with Percy that banished Rebell As he was proceding he was desired to stay by one whych had pondered the story of the Percies who briefly sayd To thende Baldvvin that you may know what to say of the Percyes whose story is not all out of my memory and it is a notable story I wyll take vpon me the person of lord Henry earle of Northumberland father of Henrye Hotspur in whose behalfe thys may be sayd Hovv Henry Percy Earle of Northhumberland vvas for his couetous and trayterous attempt put to death at Yorke O Morall Senec true find I thy saying That neyther kinsfolke ryches strength or fauour Are free from Fortune but are ay decaying No worldly welth is ought save doubtful labour Mans life in earth is like vnto a tabour Which now to mirth doth mildly men provoke And strayt to war with a more sturdy stroke All this full true I Percy find by proofe Which whilom was erle of Northumberland And therfore Baldwin for my Piers behoof To note mens falles sith thou hast tane in hand I would thou shouldest my state well vnderstand For fewe kinges were more then I redouted Through double Fortune lyfted vp and louted As for my kinne their noblenes is knowen My valiauntise were folly for to prayse Wherthrough the Scortes so oft were ouerthrowen That who but I was doubted in my dayes And that kyng Rychard found at all assayes For neuer Scottes rebelled in his rayne But through my force were eyther caught or slayne A brother I had was Erle of Worcester Alwayes in fauour and office with the king And by my wife Dame Elinor Mortimer I had a son which so the Scottes did sting That being yong and but a very spring Syr Henry Hotspur they gaue him to name And though I say it he did deserue the
I fell and never after spoke Than was my carkas caried like a hog To Southwarke borow where it lay a night The next day drawen to Newgate like a dog All men reioycing at the rufull sight Than were on poales my parboylde quarters pight And set aloft for vermine to deuower Meete graue for rebels that resist the power Full litell knowe we wretches what we do Whan we presume our princes to resist We war with God against his glory to That placeth in his office whom he list Therfore was never traytour yet but mist The marke he shot and came to shamefull ende Nor never shall til God be forst to bend God hath ordayned the power all princes be His Lieutenauntes or debities in realmes Against their foes still therfore fighteth he And as his enmies drives them to extremes Their wise deuises prove but doltish dreames No subiect ought for any kind of cause To force the lord but yeeld him to the lawes And therefore Baldwin warne men folow reason Subdue theyr wylles and be not Fortunes slaues A troublous ende doth ever folowe treason There is no trust in rebelles raskall knaues In Fortune lesse whiche wurketh as the waves From whose assautes who lyst to stande at large Must folowe skyll and flye all worldly charge BY saint mary ê™ one yf Iacke wer as well learned as you haue made his oracion What so ever he was by byrth I warraunt hym a gentylman by his learnyng Howe notably and Philosopher like hath he discrybed Fortune and the causes of worldly cumbraunce howe vpryghtly also and howe lyke a deuine hath he determined the states both of officers and Rebelles For in dede officers be gods deputies and it is gods office which they beare and it is he whiche ordeyneth thereto suche as himselfe lysteth good whan he fauoreth the people and evyll whan he wyll punysh theim And therefore whosoever rebelleth agaynst any ruler either good or bad rebelleth against GOD and shalbe sure of a wretched ende For God can not but maintein his deputie Yet this I note by the waye concernyng rebelles and rebellions Although the deuyll rayse theim yet God alwayes vseth them to his glory as a parte of his Iustice. For whan Kynges and chiefe rulers suffer theyr vnder officers to mysuse theyr subiectes and wil not heare nor remedye theyr peoples wronges whan they complayne than 〈◊〉 GOD the Rebell to rage and to execute that parte of his Iustice whiche the parcyall prince woulde not For the Lord Saies a very corrupt officer one whom notwithstanding the king alwaies main temed was destroyed by this Iacke as was also the byshop of Salysbury a proude and coueitous prelate by other of the rebelles And therefore what soever prince desyreth to lyue quyatlye without rebellion must do his subiectes right in all thinges and punyshe suche officers as greue or oppresse theim thus shall they be sure from all rebellion And for the clerer opening herof it were well doen to set forth this Lord Sayes Tragedie What neede that ê™ another seyng the lyke example is seen in the duke of Suffolke whose doinges are declared sufficiently alredy Nay rather let vs go forward for we haue a great mayny behynde that maye not be omytted and the tyme as you see passeth away As for this Lorde Sayes whom Cade so cruelly kylled and spytefully vsed after his death I dare say shalbe knowen thereby what he was to all that reade or heare this storie For God would never have suffred him to haue been so vsed except he had fyrst deserved it Therefore let hym go and with hym the Bushop and all other slaine in that rebellion which was raysed as it may be thought through sum dryâ—t of the duke of Yorke who shortly after began to endeuoure all meanes to attayne the Crowne and â—â—â—refore gathered an armye in Wales and marched towarde London but the kyng wich his power taried and met him at S. Albones Where whyle the king he wer about a treatye therle of Warwyke set vpon the kings army and uewe the duke of Somerset the Erle of Northumberlande the Lorde Clyfforde and other and in conclusion got the victorie and the duke was made Lord Protector Whiche so greved the Queene and her accomplices that pryvy grutches and open dissemblyng never ceassed tyl the duke and his allies were glad to flye the field and Realme he into Irelande they to Calayes whence they came agayne with an army wherof the Erle of Salisburye was leader and marched toward Coventry where y e king than was and had gathered an armye to subdue them and encountred them at Northhampton and fought and lost the fyelde and was taken hym selfe the duke of Buckingham the erle of Shrewesbury the vicounte Beaumount the Lord Egermount and many other of his retinue slayne Yf no man haue any minde to any of these noble personages because they were honourably slaine in battayâ—e let sum man els take the Booke for I mynde to say sumwhat of this duke of Somerset ☞ Whyle he was deuisyng thereon and every man seking farder notes I looked on the Cronicles and fynding styl fyelde vpon fyelde manye noble men slayne I purposed to haue ouerpassed all for I was so wearye that I waxed drowsye and began in dede to slumber but my imaginacion styll prosecutyng this ragicall matter brought me suche a fantasy me thought there stode before vs a tall mans body full of fresshe woundes but lackyng a head holdyng by the hande a goodlye childe whose brest was so wounded y t his hearte myght be seen his louely face and eyes disfigured with dropping teares his heare through horrour standyng vpryght his mercy cravyng handes all to bemangled all his body embrued w t his own bloud And whan through the gastfulnes of this pyteous spectacle I wared afeard and turned awaye my face me thought there came a shrekyng voyce out of the weasande pipe of the headles bodye saying as foloweth Hovv Richard Plantagenet duke of York vvas slayne through his over rash boldnes and his sonne the earle of Rutland for his lack of valiauns TRust Fortune ê™ he in whoÌ„ was neuer trust O folly of men that haue no better grace All rest renowne and dedes lie in the dust Of al the sort that sue her slipper trace What meanest thou Baldwin for to hide thy face Thou nedest not feare although I misse my head Nor yet to mourne for this my sonne is dead The cause why thus I lead him in my hand His skin with blud and teares so sore bestaynd Is that thou mayst the better vnderstand How hardly Fortune hath for vs ordaynde In whom her love and hate be hole contaynde For I am Richard prince Plantagenet The duke of Yorke in royall rase beget For Richarde erle of Cambridge eldest sonne Of Edmund Langley third sonne of king Edward Engendred me of Anne whose course did runne Of Mortimers to be the issue garde For when her brother Edmund died a warde
As from the realme and crowne the king did pourge And me both from mine office frendes and wife From good report from honest death and life For Therle of Warwick through a cancard grudge Which to king Edward causeles he did beare Out of his realme by force did make him trudge And set king Henry agayne vpon his chaire And then all such as Edwardes louers were As traytours tane were greuously opprest But chiefly I because I loved him best And for my goodes and livinges wer not small The gapers for them bare the world in hand For ten yeres space that I was cause of all The exeenâ—ions done within the land For thys did such as did not vnderstand My enmies drift thinke all reportes wer true And so to hate me wurse than any Iewe. For seeldome shall a ruler lose his life Before false rumours openly be spred Wherby this proverbe is as true as rise That rulers rumours hunt about a head Frowne Fortune once all good report is fled For present shew doth make the mayny blind And such as see dare not disclose their mind Through this was I king Edwardes butcher named And bare the shame of all his cruell dedes I cleare me not I wurthely was blamed Though force was such I must obey him nedes With hyest rulers seldome wel it spedes For they ve ever nearest to the nip And fault who shall for all fele they the whip For whan I was by parliament attaynted King Edwardes evilles all wer counted mine No truth avaylde so lyes wer faste and paynted Which made the people at my life repine Crying Crucifige kill that butchers line That whan I should have gone to Blockaut feast I could not passe so sore they on me preast And had not bene the officers so strong I thinke they would have eaten me aliue Howbeit hardly haled from the throng I was in the Fleete fast shrowded by the shrive Thes one dayes life their malice did me give Which whan they knew for spite the next day after They kept them calme so suffeed I the slaughter Now tel me Baldwin what fault doest thou find In me that lustly should such death deserve None sure except desire of honour blind Which made me seke in offices to serve What minde so good that honors make not swerve So mayst thou see it only was my state That caused my death and brought me so in hate Warne therfore all men wisely to beware What offices they enterprise to beare The hyest alway most maligned are Of peoples grudge and princes hate in feare For princes faultes his faultors all men teare Which to auoyde let none such office take Save he that can for right his prince forsake THis Earles tragedy was not so soone finished but one of the cumpany had prouided for an other of a notable person lord Tiptoftes chiefe enemy concerning whom he sayd Lord god what trust is there in worldly chauÌ„ces what stay in any prosperity for see the Earle of Warwicke which caused the earle of Wurcester to be apprehended attaynted and put to death triumphing with his olde imprisoned and newe vnprisoned prince king Henry was by and by after and his brother with him flayne at Barnet field by kyng Edward whoÌ„ he had before time damaged divers wayes As first by his frendes at Banbury field where to revenge the death of his Cosin Harry Nevel Sir Iohn Conyers and Iohn Clappain his seruauntes slewe five thousand Welshemen and beheaded theyr captaynes the earle of Pen broke and syr Rychard Harbert his brother after they wer yelded prisoners of whom syr Rychard Harbert was â—he tallest gentleman both of his person and handes that ever I reade or heard of At which time also Robyn of Ridsdale a rebell of the earle of Warwyks raysing tooke the earle Rivers king Edwardes wifes father and his sonne Iohn at his manour of Grafion and caryed them to Northhampton there without cause or proces beheaded them Whych spites to requite king Edward caused the lord Stafford of Southwike one of Warwikes chyefe frendes to be taken at Brent march and headed at Budgewater This caused the Earle shortly after to raise his power to encounter the king which came agaynst him with an army beside Warwike at Wouluey wher he wan the field tooke the king prisoner and kept him a while at Yorkeshire in Middleham castel whence as sum say he released him agayne but other thinke he corrupted his kepers and so escaped Then through the lordes the matter was taken vp betwene them they brought to talk together but because they could not agree the earle raysed a new army wherof he made captayne the lord Welles sonne which broyle kinge Edward minding to appeace by pollicy fowly distayned his honor committing peruiry For he sent for the lord Welles his brother sir Thomas Dunocke vnder safeconduyte promising theÌ„ vpon his fayth to kepe theÌ„ harmles But after because the Lord Walles sonne would not dissolve his army beheded theÌ„ both and weÌ„t with his power downe into Lincolnshire there fought with sir Robert Welless slewe ten thousand of his souldiers yet ran they away so fast that the casting of of their clothes for the more spede caused it to be called loose-coate fyeld tooke sir Robert other and put them to deth in the same place This misfortune forced the earle of Warwike to saile into FrauÌ„ce wher he was wel entertained of y t king a while and at last with such poore helpe as he procured ther of duke Rayner other he came unto England againe increased such a power in Kyng Henries name y t as the lord Tiptoft sayd in his tragedy king Edwarde vnable to abide him was faine to flye over the washes in Lincolnshire to get a ship to saile out of his kingdome to â—is brother in lawe the duke of Burgoyne So was king HeÌ„ry restored again to the kingdome Al these despites troubles the Earle wâ—ought agaynst king Edward but Henry was so â—nfortunate that ere halfe a yeare was expâ—red king Edwarde came backe agayne and imprisoned him and gave the erle a sielde wherein 〈◊〉 sâ—w both him and his brother I have recounted thus much before hande for the better opeâ—ing of the story which if it should have bene spoken in his tragedâ— would rather have madâ— a volume thaâ— a Pamphlete For I enteâ—de onelye to say in the tragedy what I have 〈…〉 the Earle of Warwycke person 〈…〉 other noble mâ—n wham I have by the waye touched should not be forgotten And therfore imagine that you see this Earle lying with his brother in Paules church in his coat armure with such a face countenaunce as he beareth in portrayture ouer the dore in Poules at the going downe to Iesus Chappell fro the south ende of the quier stayres and saying as foloweth Hovv sir Richard Nevell Earle of VVarvvike and his brother Iohn Lord Marquise Mountacute through their to much boldnes vver slayne at Barnet field
tendeth to the same Wherof it came and is disposed like Downe sinkes the mold by mountes the fiery flame With horne the hart with hoofe the horse doth strike The Wulfe doth spoyle the suttle For doth pyke And generally no fish flesh fowle or plant Doth any property that their dame had want But as for men sith seuerally they haue A mind whose maners are by learning made Good bringing vp alonly doth them save In vertuous dedes which with their parentes fade So that true gentry standeth in the trade Of vertuous life not in the fleshly line For blud is Brute but Gentry is diuine Experience doth cause me thus to say And that the rather for my countreymen Which vaunt and boast their selues aboue the day If they may strayne their stocke for wurthy men Which let be true are they the better than Nay farre the wurse if so they be not good For why they steyne the bewty of theyr blood How would we mocke the burden bearing mule If he would brag he wer an horses sunne To presse his pride might nothing els him rule His boast to proue no more but byd him runne The horse for swiftenes hath his glory wunne To which the mule could neuer the more aspier Though he should prove that Pegas was his sier Ech man may crake of that which is his own Our parentes vertues theirs are and not oures Who therfore wil of noble kind be knowen Ought shine in vertue like his auncestors Gentry consisteth not in landes and towers He is a Churle though all the world be his He Arthurs heyre if that he liue amys For vertuous lyfe doth make a gentleman Of her possessour all be he poore as Iob Yea though no name of elders shewe he can For proofe take Merlyn fathered by an Hob. But who so settes his mind to spoyle and rob Although he cum by due discent fro Brute He is a Chorle vngentle vile and brute Well thus dyd I for want of better wyt Because my parentes noughtly brought me vp For gentle men they sayd was nought so sy As to attaste by bolde attemptes the cup Of conquestes wyne wherof I thought to sup And therfore bent my selfe to rob and ryue And whome I could of landes and goodes depryue For Henry the fourth did then vsurpe the crowne Despoyled the kyng with Mortimer the heyre For whych his subiectes sought to put him downe And I whyle Fortune offred me so fayre Dyd what I myght his honour to appeyre And toke on me to be the prynce of Wales Entiste therto by many of Merlines tales For whych such Idle as wayte vpon the spoyle From euery parte of Wales vnto me drew For loytring youth vntaught in any toyle Are redy aye all mischiefe to ensue Through help of these so great my glory grew That I defyed my Kyng through lofty hart And made sharp warre on all that tooke his part See lucke I tooke lord Reynolde Grey of Rythen And him enforst my doughter to espouse And so vnraunsomed held him still and sithen In Wygmore land through battayle rygorous I caught the ryght heyre of the crowned house The Erle of March syr Edmund Mortymer And in a dungeon kept hym prysoner Then al the marches longyng vnto Wales By Syverne west I did inuade and burne Destroyed the townes in mountaynes and in vales And riche in spoyles did homward safe retourne Was none so bold durst once agaynst me spurne Thus prosperously doth Fortune forward call Those whom she mindes to geue the forest fall Whan fame had brought these tidinges to the king Although the Skots than vexed him ryght sore A myghty army agaynst me he dyd bryng Wherof the French Kyng beyng warned afore Who mortall hate agaynst kyng Henry bore To greve our foe he quyckely to me sent Twelve thousand Frenchmen armed to war bent A part of them led by the Erle of Marche Lord Iames of Burbon a valiaunt tryed knyght Withheld by winds to Wales ward sorth to marche Tooke lande at Plymmouth pryuily on a nyght And when he had done al he durst or myght After that a mayny of his men were slayne He stole to shyp and sayled home agayne Twelve thousand moe in Mylford dyd aryue And came to me then lying at Denbygh With armed Welshmen thousandes double fiue With whom we went to wurcester well nigh And there encampte vs on a mount on high To abide the kyng who shortly after came And pitched his feild on a Hyll hard by the same Ther eyght dayes long our hostes lay face to face And neyther durst the others power assayle But they so stopt the passages the space That vitayles coulde not cum to our auayle Wherthrough constrayned our hartes began to fayle So that the Frenchmen shrancke away by night And I with mine to the mountaynes toke our flight The king pursued vs greatly to his cost From Hyls to wuds fro wuds to valeyes playne And by the way his men and stuf he lost And whan he see he gayned nought saue payne He blewe retreat and got him home agayne Then with my power I boldly came abrode Taken in my cuntrey for a very God Immediatly after fell a Ioly Iarre Betwene the king and Percies worthy bluds Which grew at last vnto a deadly warre For like as drops engendre mighty fluds And litle seedes sprut furth great leaves and buds Euen so small strifes if they be suffred â—un Brede wrath and war and death or they be don The kyng would haue the raunsum of such Scots As these the Percyes had â—ane in the feeld But see how strongly Luker knits her knottes The king will haue the Percies wil not yeeld Desire of goodes soone craves but graunteth seeld Oh cursed goodes desire of you hath wrought All wyckednes that hath or can be thought The Percies deemed it meter for the king To haue redeemed theyr cosin Mortymer Who in his quarel all his power did bryng To fight with me that tooke him prisoner Than of their pray to rob his Souldier And therfore willed him see sum mean wer found To quit furth him whom I kept vily bound Because the king misliked their request They came them selves and did accord with me Complayning how the kyngdome was opprest By Henries rule wherfore we dyd agre To put him downe and part the realme in three The North part theirs Wales wholy to be mine The rest to rest to therle of Marches line And for to set vs hereon more agog A prophet came a vengeaunce take them all Affirming Henry to be Gogmagog Whom Merlyn doth a Mouldwarp euer call Accurst of god that must be brought in thrall By a wulf a Dragon and a Lyon strong Which should deuide his kingdome them among This crafty dreamer made vs thre such beastes To thinke we were these foresayd beastes in deede And for that cause our badges and our creastes We searched out whych scarcely wel agreed Howbeit the Haroldes redy at such a neede Drew downe such issues
same We thre tryumphed in king Richards time Til Fortune ought both him and vs a spite But chiefly me whom clere from any crime My king did banish from his favour quite And openly proclaymed trayterous knight Wherethrough false slaunder forced me to be That which before I did most deadly flee Let men beware how they true folke defame Or threaten on them the blame of vices nought For infamy bredeth wrath wreke foloweth shames Eke open slaunder oftentimes hath brought That to effect that erst was neuer thought To be misdemed men suffer in a sort But none can beare the griefe of misreport Because my king did shame me wrongfully I hated him and in dede became his foe And while he did at war in Ireland lye I did conspire to turne his weale to woe And through the duke of Yorke and other moe All royall power from him we quickely tooke And gaue the same to Henry Boleynbroke Neyther dyd we this alonely for this cause But to say truth force drave vs to the same For he dispising god and all good lawes Slew whom he would made sinne a very game And seing neither age nor counsayle could him tame We thought it wel done for the kingdomes sake To leaue his rule that did al rule forsake But whan sir Henry had attaynde his place He strayt becam in all poyntes wurse than he Destroyed the piers slewe kyng Rychards grace Agaynst his othe made to the lordes and me And seking quarelles how to disagre He shamelesly required me and my sonne To yeld him Scottes which we in field had wun My Nephew also Edmund Mortymer The very heyre apparaunt to the Crowne Whom Owen Glendour held as prisoner Uilely bound in dungeon depe cast downe He would not raunsum but did felly frowne Agaynst my brother and me that for him spake And him proclaymed traytour for our sake This sowle despite did cause vs to conspire To put him downe as we did Richard erst And that we might this matter set on fyre From Owens â—ayle our cosin we remerst And vnto Glendour all our griefes reherst Who made a bonde with Mortymer and me To pryue the king and part the realme in thre But whan king Henry heard of this devise Toward Owen Gleudour he sped him very quyck Mynding by force to stop our enterprise And as the deuell would then fell I sick Howbeit my brother sonne more politike Than prosperous with an oast fro ScotlaÌ„d brought Encountred him at Shrewsbury wher they fought The one was tane and kild the other slayne And shortly after was Owen put to flight By meanes wherof I forced was to fayne That I knew nothing of the former fight Fraude oft avayles more than doth sturdy might For by my fayning I brought him in belief I knew not that wherin my part was chief And while the king thus tooke me for his frend I sought all meanes my former wrong to wreake Which that I might bring to the sooner ende To the bishop of Yorke I did the matter breake And to Therle Marshall likewise did I speake Whose father was through Henries cause exyled The bishops brother with trayterous death defiled These strayt assented to do what they could So did lorde Hastinges and lord Fauconbridge Which altogether promised â—hey would Set all their power the kinges dayes to abridge But se the spite before the byrdes wer flidge The king had woord and seysoned on the nest Wherby alas my frendes wer al opprest The bluddy tyrant â—â—ought them all to ende Excepted me which into Scotland skapte To George of Dunbar therle of March my frend Who in my cause al that he could ey skrapte And when I had for greater succour gapte Both at the Frenchman and the Flemminges hand And could get none I toke such as I sand And with the helpe of George my very frend I did invade Northumberlande ful bold Whereas the folke drew to me stil vnend Bent to the death my party to vphold Through helpe of these ful many a fort and hold The which the king right manfully had manâ— I easely wunne and seysed in my hand Not so content for vengeaunce drave me on I entred Yorkeshire there to waste and spoyle But ere I had far in the countrey gon The shirif therof Rafe Rekesby did assoyle My troubled hoost of much part of our toyle For he assauting freshly tooke through power Me and lord Bardolph both at Bramham more And thence conueyed vs to the towne of Yorke Until he knew what was the kinges entent There loe Lord Bardolf kinder than the Storke Did lose his head which was to London sent With whom for frendshippe urine in like case went This was my hap my forâ—une or my fawte This life I led and thus I came to naught Wherfore good Baldwin wil the pyers take hede Of slaunder malyce and conspiracy Of couetise whence al the rest procede For couetise ioynt with contumacy Doth cause all mischief in mens hartes to brede Ad therfore this to Esperance my wurd Who causeth bludshed shall not skape the swurd BY that this was ended I had found out the storie of Richard earle of Cambridge and because it conteyned matter in it though not very notable yet for the better vnderstanding of the rest I thought it mete to touche it and therfore sayd as foloweth You haue sayd wel of the Percies and favourably For in dede as it should appere the chyefe cause of theyr conspiracie agaynst kyng Henry was for Edmund Mortimer theyr cosins sake whom the king very maliciously proclaymed to haue yelded hym selfe to Owen colourably whan as in deede he was takeÌ„ forcibly against his wil very cruelly ordered in prison And seing we are in haÌ„d with Mortimers matter I wyll take vppon me the person of Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge who for his sake likewise died And therfore I let passe Edmund Holland erle of Kent whom Henry the fowerth made Admirall to skoure the Seas because the Buttons were abrode whiche Earle as many thynges happen in warre was slayne with an arrowe at the assaulte of Briake shortly after whose death thys king dyed and his sonne Henry the fyft of that name succeded in his place In the beginning of this Henry the fyfts rayne dyed this Rychard and with him Henry the lord Scrope others in whose behalfe this may be sayd Hovv Richard erle of Cambridge entending the kinges destruction vvas put to death at Southhampton HAst maketh wast hath commonly ben sayd And secrete mischiefe seeld hath lucky spede A murdering mind with proper pryze is wayd Al this is true I find it in my Crede And therfore Baldwin warne all states take hede How they conspire any other to betrappe Least mischiefe meant light in the miners lappe For I lord Richard heyre Planâ—agenet Was Erle of Cambridge and right fortunate If I had had the grace my wit to set To have content me with mine owne estate But o false honours broders of
debate The loue of you our lewde hartes doth allure To lese our sâ—lues by seking you vnsure Because my broâ—her Edmund Mortimer Whose eldest sister was my wedded wife I meane that Edmund that was prisoner In Wales so long through Owens busy strife Because I say that after Edmundes life His rightes and titles must by law be mine For he ne had nor could encrease his line Because the right of realme crowne was ours I serched meanes to helpe him thervnto And where the Henries held it by their powers I sought a shift their tenures to vndo Which being force sith force or sleyt must do I voyde of might because their power was strong Set privy sleyte agaynst theyr open wrong But sith the deathes of most part of my kâ—â—ne Did dash my hope throughout the fathers dayes I let it slip and thought it best beginne Whan as the sâ—nne shuld dred lest such assayes For force through spede sleyght spedeth through delayes And seeld doth treason time so fitly find As whan al dangers most be out of minde Wherfore while Henry of that name the fifte Prepared his army to go conquer Fraunce Lord Skrope and I thought to attempt a drifte To put him downe my brother to avaunce But werâ— it gods wil my luck or his good chaunce The king wist wholy wherabout we went The night before the king to shâ—pward bent Then were we strayt as traytours apprehended Our purpose spied the cause therof was hid And therfore loe a false cause we pretended Wherthrough my brother was fro daunger ryd We sayd for hier of the French kinges coyne we did Behight to kil the king and thus with shame We stayned our selves to save our frend fro blame Whan we had thus confest so foule a treason That we deserved we suffred by the lawe Se Baldwin see and note as it is reason How wicked dedes to wofull endes do drawe All force doth fayle no crafte is wurth a stra'â— To attayne thinges lost and therfore let them go For might ruleth right and wil though God say no. WHan stout Richarde had stoutly sayd his mind belike ê™ one this Rychard was but a litle man or els litle fauoured of wryters for our Cronicles speake very litle of him But seyng we be cum now to king Henries viage into Fraunce we can not lack valyant men to speake of for among so many as were led and sent by the Kyng out of thys realme thyther it can not be chosen but sum and that a great summe were â—layne among theym wherfore to speake of them all I thynke not nedefull And therfore to let passe Edwarde Duke of Yorke and the Earle of Suffolke slayne both at the battayle of Agine courte as were also many other Let vs ende the time of Henry the fyfth and cum to hys sunne Henry the syxt whose nonage brought Fraunce and Normandy out of bondage and was cause that fewe of our noble men died aged Of whom to let passe the numbre I wyll take vppon me the person of Thomas Mountague earle of Salysburye whose name was not so good at home and yet he was called the good erle as it was dreadful abrode who exclaming vpon the mutability of fortune iustly may say thus Hovv Thomas Montague the earle of Salysbury in the middes of his glory vvas chaunceably slayne vvith a piece of ordinaunce WHat fooles be we to trust vnto our strength Our wit our courage or our noble fame Which time it selfe must nedes deuour at length Though froward Fortune could not foyle the same But seing this Goddes gideth al the game Which still to chaunge doth set her onely lust Why toyle we so for thinges so hard to trust A goodly thing is surely good reporte Which noble hartes do seke by course of kinde But seen the date so doubtful and so short The wayes so rough wherby we do it find I can not chuse but prayse the princely minde That preaseth for it though we find opprest By soule defame those that deserve it best Concerning whom marke Baldwin what I say I meane the vertuous hindred of their brute Among which number reken wel I may My valiaunt father Iohn lord Montacute Who lost his life I iudge in iust pursute I say the cause and not the casual spede Is to be wayed in euery kinde of dede This rule obserued how many shall we find For vertues sake with infamy opprest How many agayn through helpe of fortune blind For yll attemptes atchiued with honour blest Succes is wurst ofttimes whan cause is best Therfore say I god send them sory happes That iudge the causes by their after clappes The ende in dede is iudge of euery thing Which is the cause or latter poynt of time The first true verdyct at the first may bryng The last is slow or slipper as the slime Oft chaunging names of innocence and crime Duke Thomas death was Iustice two yeres long And euer sence sore tiranny and wrong Wherfore I pray the Baldwin waye the cause And prayse my father as he doth deserue Because erle Henry king agaynst all lawes Endeuoured king Richard for to starve In iayle wherby the regal crowne might swarve Out of the line to which it than was due Wherby God knowes what euil might ensue My lord Iohn Holland duke of Excester Which was dere cosin to this wretched king Did mooue my father and the erle of Glocester With other lordes to ponder well the thyng Who seing the mischiefe that began to spring Did all consent this Henry to depose And to restore kyng Richard to the rose And while they did deuise a prety trappe Wherby to bring their purpose bettre about Which was in maske this Henry to haue slayne The duke of Awmerle blew their counsayâ—e out Yet was their purpose good there is no doubt What cause can be more wurthy for a knight Than save his king and helpe true heires to right For this with them my father was destroyed And buryed in the doungâ—â—l of defame Thus evil chaunce theyr glory did auoyde Wheras their cause doth clayme eternal 〈◊〉 Whan dedes therfore vnluckely do frame Men ought not iudge the authours to 〈◊〉 naught For right through might is often overraught And God doth suffer that it should be so But why my wit is feble to decise Except it be to heape vp wrath and wo Upon their heades that iniuries devise The cause why mischiefes many times arise And light on them that wold mens wronges redresse Is for the rancour that they beare I gesse God hateth rigour though it furder right For sinne is sinne how euer it be vsed And therfore suffereth shame and death to light To punish vice though it be wel abused Who furdereth right is not therby excused If through the same he do sum other wrong To every vice due guerdon doth belong What preach I now I am a man of warre And that my body I dare say doth professe Of cured woundes beset with many a
skarre My broken Iaw vnheald can say no lesse O Fortune Fortune cause of all distresse My father had great cause thy fraude to cursse But much more I abused ten times wursse Thou neuer flatteredst him in all his life But me thou dandledst like thy darling deare Thy giftes I found in every corner rife Where ever I went I met thy smyling cheare Which was not for a day or for a yeare But through the rayne of thre right worthy kynges I found the forward in al kind of thinges The while king Henry conquered in Fraunce I sued the warres and still found victory In all assaultes so happy was my chaunce Holdes yelde or wunne did make my enmies sory Dame Prudence eke augmented so my glory That in all treaties ever I was one Whan weyghty matters were agreed vpon But whan this king this mighty conquerour Through death vnripe was both his realmes bereft His sely infant did receyue his power Pore litle babe ful yong in cradell left Where crowne and Scepter hurt him with the hefâ— Whose wurthy vncles had the governaunce The one at home the other abrode in Fraunce And I which was in peace and war wel skilled With both these rulers greatly was estemed Bare rule at home as often as they willed And fought in Fraunce whan thei it nedeful demed And every where so good my seruice semed That Englishmen to me great loue did beare Our foes the French my force fulfilled with feare I alwayes thought it fitly for a prince And such as haue the regiment of realmes His subiectes hartes with mildnes to convince Wyth iustice myxt auoyding all extremes For like as Phebus with his chearfull beames Doth freshly force the fragrant floures to florish So rulers mildnes subiectes loue doth norish This found I true for through my mild behauour Their hartes I had with me to liue and dye And in their speache for to declare their fauour They called me styll good earle of Salisbury The lordes confest the commons did not lye For vertuous life fre hart and lowly mind With high and low shal alwayes fauour find Which vertues chief becum a man of war Wâ—erof in Fraunce I founde experyence For in assaultes due mildnes passeth farre Al rigour force and sturdy violence For men wil stoutly sticke to their defence When cruel captaynes covet them to spoyle And so enforst oft geue their foes the foyle But when they know they shall be frendly vsed They hazard not their heades but rather yelde For this my offers neuer were refused Of any towne or surely very seelde But force and furies fyt be for the feelde And there in dede I vsed so the same My foes would flye if they had heard my name For whan lord Steward and erle Uantadore Had cruelly besieged Crauant towne Which we had wunne and kept long time before Which lieth in Awxer on the riuer Youne To rayse the siege the Regent sent me downe Where as I vsed all rigour that I might I killed all that were not saued by flight When the erle of Bedford then in Fraunce lord regent Knew in what sort I had remoued the syege In Brye and Champayne he made me vice gerent And Lieutenaunt for him and for my Lyege Which caused me go to Bry and ther besyege Mountaguillon with twenty wekes assant Which at the last was yelded me for naught And for the duke of Britayns brother Arthur Both erle of Richmonde and of Yvery Against his othe from vs had made departure To Charles the Dolphin our chief enemy I with the regent went to Normandy To take his towne of Yvery which of spight Did to vs dayly al the harme they might They at the first compounded by a day To yeeld if rescues did not cum before And whiles in hope to fight we at it lay The Dolphin gathered men two thousand skore With erles lordes and captaynes ioly store Of which the duke of Alanson was gide And sent them downe to see if we would bide But they left vs and downe to Uernoile went And made their vaunt they had our army slayne And through that lye that towne from vs they hent Which shortly after turned to their payne For there both armies met vpon the plaine And we .viii. M. whom they flew not slewe before Did kil of them ten thousand men and more When we had taken Uernoile thus againe To driue the Dolphin vtterly out of Fraunce The Regent sent me to Aniowe and to Mayne Wher I besieged the warlik towne of Mawns Ther lord of Toysers Baldwins valiaunce Did well appere which wold not yeeld the towne Till all the towres walles wer battred downe But here now Baldwin take it in good part Though that I brought this Baldwin ther to yeeld The Lion searce for all his noble hart Being overmatched is forst to flye the feeld â–ª If Mars him selfe had there ben with his sheeld And in my sâ—ormes had stoutly me withstoode He should haue yeeld or els haue shed my bloode Thâ—s wurthy knight both hardy stout and wise Wrought well his feate as time and place require Whan fortune fayles it is the best advice To strike the sayle least al lie in the mire This have I sayd to thend thou take no yre For though no cause be found so nature frames Men haue a zeale to such as beare their names But to returne in Mayne wan I at length Such towns fortes as might either helpe or hurt I mannâ—d Mayon Suzans townes of strength Fort Barnarde Thanceaux S. Eales the curt With Lile sues Bolton standing in the durt Eke Gwerland Susâ—e Loupeland and Mountsure With Malicorne these wan I and kept full sure Besides al this I tooke nere forty holdes But those I razed even with the grounde And for these dedes as sely shepe in foldes Do shrinke for feare at every litle sound So fled my foes before my face ful round Was none so hardy durst abide the fight So Mars and Fortune furdered me their knight I tel no lye so gastful grewe my name That it alone discomfited an host The Scots and Frenchmen wil confesse the same Els wil the towne which they like cowardes lost For whan they sieged Bewron with great bost Being fourty M. Britayns French and Scottes Fiue hundred men did vanquish them like sottes For while the Frenchmen did assault them stil Our Englishmen came boldly furth at night Criyng sainct George Salisbury kil kil kil And offred freshly with their foes to fight And they as frenchly tooke them selves to flight Supposing surely that I had ben there Se how my name did put them all in feare Thus was the Dolphins power discomfited Fower M. slayne their campe tane as it stoode Wherby our towne and souldiers profited For there were vitayles plentifull and good This while was I in England by the rood To appeace a strife that was right foule befall Betwene Duke Humfrey and the Cardinall The Duke of Exceter shortly after died
mine vncle chiefly as he sayed Who in his mouth no other matter had Saue punish such as had my brother trayed The faut wherof epparantly he layed To good duke Murdo his elder brothers sonne Whose father dyed long ere this dede was doen. My cursed vncle â—lyer than the snake Which would by craft vnto the crowne aspier Because he sawe this Murdo was a stake That stayed vp the stop of his desier For his elder brother was Duke Murdoes fier He thought it best to haue him made away So was he suer I goen to haue his pray And by his craftes the traytour brought to passe That I destroyed Duke Murdo and his kin Poore innocentes my louing frendes alas O kinges and Princes what plight stand we in A trusted traytour shal you quickely winne To put to death your kin and frendes most iust Take hede therfore take hede whose rede ye trust And at the last to bring me hole in hate With god and man at home and eke abrode He counsayled me for surance of my state To helpe the Frenchmen then nye overtrode By Englishmen and more to lay on lode With power and force al England to invade Against the othe and homage that I made And though at first my conscience did grudge To breake the bondes of frendship knit by oth Yet after profe see mâ—schiefe I did iudge It madnes for a king to kepe his troth And semblably with all the world it goth Sinnes ofte assayed are thought to be no sinne So sinne doth soyle the soule it sinketh in But as diseases common cause of death Bring daunger most whan least they pricke smart Which is a signe they haue expulst the breth Of liuely heat which doth defende the hart Euen so such sinnes as felt are on no part Haue conquered grace and by their wicked vre So kild the soule that it can haue no cure And grace agate vice stil suceedeth vice And all to haste the vengeaunce for the furst I arede therfore all people to be wise And stoppe the bracke whan it begins to burst At taste no poyson vice is venim wurst It mates the mind beware eke of to much All kil through muchnes sum with only touche Whan I had learned to set my othe at nought And through much vse the sence of sinne exyled Agaynst king Henry what I could I wrought My fayth my othe vniustly foule defiled And while sly Fortune at my doinges smiled The wrath of God which I had wel deserued Fell on my necke for thus loe was I serued Ere I had raygned fully fiftene yere While time I laye at Pertho at my place With the Quene my wife children me to chere My murdring vncle with the double face That longed for my kingdome and my mace To sâ—ay me there suborned Robert Gram With whom his nephew Robert Stuart cam And whan they time fit for their purpose found Into my priuy chaumber they aâ—â—art Where with their sweardes they gave me many a wound And slue al such as stucke vnto my parte There loe my wife dyd shewe her louing harte Who to defende me felled one or twayne And was sore wounded ere I coulde be slayne See Baldwin Baldwin the vnhappy endes Of suche as passe not for theyr lawfull oth Of those that causâ—les leaue theyr fayth or frendes And murdre kynsfolke through their foes vntroth Warne warne all princes all lyke sinnes to loth And chiefely suche as in my Realme be borne For God hates hyghly suche as are forsworne WHan this was sayd let King Iamy go ê™ mayster Ferrers returne we to our owne story se what broyls wer amoÌ„g the nobility in y e kinges minority How y e cardinal Bewford maligneth the estate of good duke HuÌ„frey the kinges vncle protector of y e realme by what driftes he first banisheth his wife froÌ„ him And lastly howe the good duke is murderously made away through conspiracy of Quene Margaret and other both whose tragedies I entend at leasure to declare for they be notable Do so I pray you ê™ another But take hede ye demurre not vpon them And I to be occupied the meane time will shewe what I haue noted in the duke of Suffolkes doinges one of the chiefest of duke Humfreyes destroyers who by the prouidens of God came shortly after in such hatred of the people that the King him selfe could not saue hym from astraunge and notable death which he may lament after this maner Hovv Lorde VVilliam Delapole Duke of Suffolke vvas vvorthily punyshed for abusing his Kyng and causing the destruction of good Duke Humfrey HEauy is the hap wherto all men be bound I meane the death which no estate may flye But to be banisht headed so and drownd In sinke of shame from top of honors hye Was never man so served I thinke but I And therfore Baldwin fro thy grave of griefe Reiect me not of wretched princes chiefe My only life in all poyntes may suffise To shewe howe base all baytes of Fortune be Which thaw like yse through heate of enuies eyes Or vicious dedes which much possessed me Good hap with vices can not long agree Which bring best fortunes to the basest fall And happiest hap to enuy to be thrall I am the prince duke William De la Poole That was so famous in Quene Margets dayes That found the meane Duke Humfreyes blud to coole whose vertuous paynes deserve eternal prayse Wherby I note that Fortune can not raise Any one aloft without sum others wracke Fluds drowne no fieldes before they find a bracke But as the waters which do breake their walles Do loose the course they had within the shore And dayly rotting stinke within their stalles For fault of moouing which they found before Euen so the state that over high is bore Doth loose the lyfe of peoples love it had And rots it selfe vntil it fall to bad For while I was but Erle eche man was glad To say and do the best by me they might And Fortune ever since I was a lad Did smile vpon me with a chereful sight For whan my Kyng had doubed me a Knight And sent me furth to serve at warre in Fraunce My lucky spede mine honor dyd enhaunce Where to omit the many feitâ—s I wrought Under others gyde I do remember one Which with my souldyers valiantly was fought None other captayne save my selfe alone I meane not now the apprinze of Pucel Ione In which attempte my travayle was not smal Though the Duke of Burgoyn had the prayse of al. But the siege of Awmarle is the â—eate I prayse A strong built towne with castes walles vaultes With men and weapon armed at al assayes To which I gave nâ—â— five times five assaultes Tyl at the last they yelded it for naughtes Yet Lord Rambures like a valiaunt Knight Defended it as long as euer he might But what prevayled it these townes to winne Which shortly after must be lost againe Wherby I see there is