of Edmund Duke of Somerset slaine in the first battell at S. Albons in the 32. yeare of Henrie the sixt 350. 65 How Richard Plantagenet Duke of York was slaine through his rash boldnesse and his sonne the Earle of Rutland for his lacke of valiancie 360. 66 How the Lord Clifford for his strange and abominable crueltie came to as strange and sudden a death 365. 67 The infamous end of Lord Tiptoft Earle of Worcester for cruelly executing his Princes butcherly commandements 367. 68 How Sir Richard Neuil Earle of Warwicke and his brother Iohn Lord Marquesse Montacute through their too much boldnesse were slaine at Barnet 371. 69 How King Henry the sixt a vertuous Prince was after many other miseries cruelly murthered in the Tower of London 375. 70 How George Plantagenet third son of the Duke of Yorke was by his brother King Edward wrongfully imprisoned and by his brother Richard miserablie murthered 380. 71 How King Edward the fourth through his surfetting vntemperate life suddenly died in the midst of his prosperity 392. 72 How Sir Anthonie Wooduile Lord Riuers and Scales Gouernour of Prince Edward was with his nephew Lord Richard Grey and other causelesse imprisoned and cruelly murthered 394. 73 How the Lord Hastings was betraied by trusting too much to his euill counsellour Catesby and villanously murthered in the Tower of London by Richard Duke of Glocester 411. 74 The complaint of Henrie Duke of Buckingham 433. 75 How Colingborne was cruelly executed for making a Rime 455. 76 The wilfull fall of the Black-smith and the foolish end of the Lord Audley 463. 77 How the valiant Knight Sir Nicholas Burdet Chiefe Butler of Normandie was slaine at Pontoise 477. 78 How Shores wife King Edward the fourths Concubine was by King Richard despoiled of her goods and forced to do open penance 494. 79 How Thomas Woolsey did arise vnto great authoritie and gouernment his maner of life pompe and dignitie how he fell downe into great disgrace and was arrested of high treason 506. 80 How the Lord Cromwell exalted from meane estate was after by the enuie of the Bishop of Winchester and other his complices brought to vntimely end 520. The Additions 81 The life and death of King Arthur 561. 82 The life and death of King Edmund Ironside 585. 83 The life and death of Prince Alfred 603. 84 The life and death of Godwin Earle of Kent 617. 85 The life and death of Robert surnamed Curthose Duke of Normandie 631. 86 The life and death of King Richard the first surnamed Coeur de Lion 659. 87 The life and death of King Iohn 681. 88 The life and death of King Edward the second 703. 89 The life and death of the two yong Princes sonnes to Edward the fourth 736. 90 The life and death of King Richard the third 750. 91 The Poem annexed called Englands Eliza. 783. The end of the Contents THOMAS NEWTON TO THE Reader in the behalfe of this booke AS when an arming sword of proofe is made Both steele and iron must be tempred well For iron giues the strength vnto the blade And steele in edge doth cause it to excell As each good Blade-smith by his Art can tell For without iron brittle will it breake And without steele it will be blunt and weake So bookes that now their faces dare to show Must mettald be with nature and with skill For nature causeth stuffe enough to flow And Art the same contriues by learned quill In order good and currant method still So that if Nature frowne the case is hard And if Art want the matter all is mar'd The worke which heere is offred to thy view With both these points is full and fitly fraught Set forth by sundrie of the learned Crew Whose stately stiles haue Phoebus garland caught And Parnasse mount their worthy worke haue raught Their words are thundred with such maiestie As fitteth right each matter in degree Reade it therefore but reade attentiuely Consider well the drift whereto it tends Confer the times perpend the history The parties states and eke their dolefull ends With odde euents that diuine iustice sends For things forepast are presidents to vs Whereby we may things present now discusse Certes this world a Stage may well be call'd Whereon is plai'd the part of eu'ry wight Some now aloft anon with malice gal'd Are from high state brought into dismall plight Like counters are they which stand now in sight For thousand or ten thousand and anone Remoued stand perhaps for lesse then one Thomas Newtonus Cestreshyrius THE AVTHORS Induction WHen Sommer sweet with all her pleasures past And leaues began to leaue the shadie tree The winter cold encreased on full fast And time of yeare to sadnes moued me For moistie blasts not halfe so mirthfull be As sweet Aurora brings in spring-time faire Our ioyes they dimme as winter damps the aire The nights began to grow to length apace Sir Phoebus to th' Antarctique gan to fare From Libraes lance to th' Crab he tooke his race Beneath the line to lend of light a share For then with vs the daies more darkish are More short cold moist and stormie cloudie clit For sadnes more then mirths or pleasures fit Deuising then what bookes were best to reade Both for that time and sentence graue also For conference of friend to stand in stead When I my faithfull friend was parted fro I gate me straight the Printers shops vnto To seeke some worke of price I surely ment That might alone my carefull mind content Amongst the rest I found a booke so sad As time of yeare or sadnesse could require The Mirour nam'd for Magistrates he had So finely pen'd as heare could well desire Which when I read so set my heart on fire Eftsoones it me constrain'd to take the paine Not left with once to reade it once againe And as againe I view'd this worke with heed And marked plaine each partie paint his fall Me thought in mind I saw those men indeed Eke how they came in order Princely all Declaring well this life is but a thrall Sith those on whom for Fortunes gifts we stare Oft soonest sinke in greatest seas of care For some perdie were Kings of high estate And some were Dukes and came of regall race Some Princes Lords and Iudges great that sate In counsell still decreeing euery case Some other Knights that vices did embrace Some Gentlemen some poore exalted hie Yet euery one had plai'd his tragedie A Mirrour well it might be call'd a glasse As cleare as any crystall vnder Sun In each respect the Tragedies so passe Their names shall liue that such a worke begun For why with such Decorum is it done That Momus spight with more then Argus eies Can neuer watch to keepe it from the wise Examples there for all estates you find For Iudge I say what iustice he should vse The noble man to beare a noble mind And not himselfe ambitiously abuse The Gentleman vngentlenesse
lings brest Whom not desire of raigne did driue to field But mothers pride who longd the Realme to wield But straight my death shall shew my worthie meed If first to one other murther I proceed VVhile Edward liued dissembled discord lurked In double hearts yet so his reuerence worked But when succeeding tender feeble age Gaue open gap to tyrants rushing rage I holpe the Boare and Bucke to captiuate Lord Riuers Gray sir Thomas Vaughan and Hawte If land would helpe the sea well earnd that ground It selfe to be with conquering waues surround Their speedie death by priuie dome procured At Pomfret tho my life short while endured My selfe I slue when them I damned to death At once my throate I riued and reft them breath For that selfe day before or neere the hower That withred Atropos nipt the springing flower VVith violent hand of their forth running life My head and body in Tower twinde like knife By this my paterne all ye peeres beware Oft hangth he himselfe who others weenth to snare Spare to be each others butcher Feare the Kite VVho soareth aloft while frog and mouse do fight In ciuil combat grappling void of feare Of forreine foe at once al both to beare Which plainer by my pitied plaint to see A while anew your listning lend to mee Too true it is two sundrie assemblies kept At Crosbies place and Baynards Castle set The Dukes at Crosbies but at Baynards we The one to crowne a king the other to be Suspicious is secession of foule frends When eithers drift to th' others mischief tends I fear'd the end my Catesbies being there Discharg'd all doubts Him held I most entire Whose great preserment by my meanes I thought Some spurre to pay the thankfulnesse hee ought The trust he ought me made me trust him so That priuie he was both to my weale and wo. My hearts one halfe my chest of confidence Mine only trust my ioy dwelt in his presence I lou'd him Baldwine as the apple of mine eye I loath'd my life when Catesby would me die Flie from thy chanel Thames forsake thy streames Leaue the Adamant Iron Phoebus lay thy beames Cease heauenly Sphears at last your weary warke Betray your charge returne to Chaos darke At least some ruthlesse Tiger hang her whelp My Catesby so with some excuse to help And me to comfort that I alone ne seeme Of all dame natures workes left in extreeme A Golden treasure is the tried frend But who may Gold from Counterfaits defend Trust not too soone nor yet too soone mistrust With th' one thy selfe with th' other thy friend thou hurt'st VVho twin'th betwixt and steareth the golden meane Nor rashly loueth nor mistrusteth in vaine In friendship soueraigne it is as Mithridate Thy friend to loue as one whom thou maist hate Of tickle credit ne had bin the mischiefe What needed Virbius miracle doubled life Credulity surnamed first the Aegean Seas Mistrust doth reason in the trustiest raise Suspicious Romulus stain'd his Walls first reard With brothers bloud whom for light leape he feard So not in brotherhood ielousie may be borne The ielous Cuckold weares the Infamous Horne A beast may preach by triall not foresight Could I haue shund light credit nere had light The dreaded death vpon my guilty head But Fooles aye wont to learne by after read Had Catesby kept vnstaind the truth he plight Yet had yet enioied me and I yet the light All Derbies doubts I cleared with his name I knew no harme could hap me without his blame But see the fruites of tickle light beleefe The ambitious Dukes corrupt the Traitor theefe To grope mee if allured I would assent To bin a Partner of their cursed intent Whereto when as by no meanes friendship vail'd By Tyrant force behold they me assail'd And summond shortly a Counsell in the Tower Of Iune the fifteenth at appointed hower Alas are Counsels wried to catch the good No place is now exempt from sheading bloud Sith counsels that were carefull to preserue The guiltelesse good are meanes to make them starue VVhat may not mischiefe of Mad man abuse Religious cloake some one to vice doth chuse And maketh God Protectour of his crime Omonstrous world well ought we wish thy fine The fatall skies roll on the blackest day VVhen doubled bloudshed my bloud must repay Others none forceth To me sir Thomas Haward As spurre is buckled to prouoke me froward Derbie who feared the parted sittings yore Whether much more he knew by experience hoare Or better minded clearelier truth could see At midnight darke this message sends to mee Hastings away in sleepe the gods foreshow By dreadfull dreame fell fates vnto vs two Me thought a Bore with tuske so raced our throate That both our shoulders of the blood did smoake Arise to horse straight homeward let vs hie And seeth our foe we cannot match O flie Of Chanteclere you learne dreames sooth to know Thence wisemen construe more then the cock doth crow While thus he spake I held within mine arme Shores wife the tender piece to keepe me warme Fie on adulterie fie on leacherous lust Marke in me ye Nobles all Gods iudgements iust A Pander Murderer and Adulterer thus Only such death I die as I ne blush Now lest my dame might thinke appall'd my hart With eager mood vp in my bed I start And is thy Lord quoth I a Sorcerer A wiseman now become a dreame reader What though so Chanteclere crowed I reck it not On my part pleadeth as well dame Partelot Vniudg'd hang'th yet the case betwixt them tway Nay was his dreame cause of his hap I say Shall dreaming doubts from Prince my seruing slack Nay then might Hastings life and liuing lacke He parteth I sleepe my mind surcharg'd with sinne As Phoebus beames by mistie cloud kept in Ne could misgiue ne dreame of my mishap As blocke I tumbled to mine enemies trap Securitie causelesse through my fained frend Reft me foresight of my approching end So Catesby clawed me as when the Cat doth play Dallying with Mouse whom straight she meanes to slay The morow come the latest light to me On Palfray mounted to the Tower I hie Accompanied with that Haward my mortall foe To slaughter led thou God didst suffer so O deepe dissemblers honoring with your cheare Whom in hid heart you trayterously teare Neuer had Realme so open signes of wrack As I had shewed me of my heauie hap The vision first of Stanley late descried Then mirth so extreame that neare for ioy I died Were it that Swanlike I foresong my death Or merrie mind foresaw the losse of breath That long it coueted from this earths annoy But euen as siker as th' end of woe is ioy And glorious light to obscure night doth tend So extreame mirth in extreame mone doth end For why extreames are haps rackt out of course By violent might far swinged forth perforce Which as they are piercing'st while they violent'st moue For that they
is no more but pray for me all Thus say I Edward that late was your King And twentie two yeares ruled this Imperiall Some vnto pleasure and some to no liking Mercie I aske of my misdoing What auaileth it friends to be my foe Sith I cannot resist nor amend your complaining Quia ecce nunc in puluere dormio I sleepe now in mould as it is naturall As earth vnto earth hath his reuerture What ordained God to be terrestriall Without recourse to the earth by nature Who to liue euer may himselfe assure What is it to trust to mutabilitie Sith that in this world nothing may endure For now am I gone that was late in prosperitie To presume thereupon it is but vanitie Not certaine but as a cherie faire full of wo. Raigned not I of late in great prosperitie Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Where was in my life such an one as I While Lady Fortune had with me continuance Granted not she me to haue victorie In England to raigne and to contribute France She tooke me by the hand and led me a dance And with her sugred lips on me she smiled But what for dissembled countenance I could not beware till I was beguiled Now from this world she hath me exiled When I was lothest hence for to go And am in age who saith but a child Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio I had enough I held me not content Without remembrance that I should die And moreouer to encroch readie was I bent I knew not how long I should it occupie I made the Tower strong I wist not why I knew not to whom I purchased Tartersoll I mended Douer on the mountaine high And London I prouoked to fortifie the wall I made Notingham a place full royall Windsore Eltam and many other mo Yet at the last I went from them all Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Where is now my conquest and victorie Where is my riches and royall array Where be my coursers and my horses hie Where is my mirth my solace and my play As vanitie to nought all is withered away O Lady Bes long for me may you call For I am departed vntill domes day But loue you that Lord that is Soueraigne of all Where be my Castles and buildings royall But Windsore alone now haue I no moe And of Eton the prayers perpetuall Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Why should a man be proud or presume high Saint Bernard thereof nobly doth treate Saying a man is but a sacke of stercorie And shall returne vnto wormes meat Why what became of Alexander the great Or else of strong Sampson who can tell Were not wormes ordain'd their flesh to freat And of Salomon that was of wit the Well Absolon preferred his haire for to sell Yet for his beautie wormes eat him also And I but late in honors did excell Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio I haue played my pageant now am I past Ye wot well all I was of no great elde Thus all things concluded shall be at the last When death approcheth then lost is the field Then seeing the world me no longer vpheld For nought would conserue me heere in this place In manus tuas Domine my spirit vp I yeeld Humblie beseeching thee O God of thy grace O you courteous Commons your hearts embrace Benignely now to remember me also For right well you know your King I was Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio HOW SIR ANTHONY WODVILE Lord Riuers and Scales gouernour of Prince EDVVARD was with his Nephew Lord Richard Gray and other causelesse imprisoned and cruelly murdered Anno 1483. AS silly suiters letted by delayes To shew their Prince the meaning of their mind That long haue bought their brokers yeas and nayes And nere the nigher do daily wait to find The Princes grace from waightie affaires vntwind Which time attain'd by attending all the yeare The wearied Prince will then no suiters heare My case was such not many daies ago For after bruite had blazed all abroad That Baldwine through the aide of other mo Of fame or shame fall'n Princes would vnload Out from our graues we got without abode And preased forward with the rufull rout That sought to haue their doings boulted out But when I had long tended for my turne To tell my tale as diuers other did In hope I should no longer while soiourne But from my suits haue speedily been rid When course and place both orderly had bid Me shew my mind and I prepar'd to say The hearers paus'd arose and went their way These doubtfull doings draue me to my dumpes Vncertaine what should moue them so to do I feared lest affections lothly lumpes Or inward grudge had driuen them thereto Whose wicked stings all stories truth vndo Oft causing good to be reported ill Or drown'd in suds of Laethes muddie swill For hitherto slie writers wilie wits Which haue engrossed Princes chiefe affaires Haue been like horses snaffled with the bits Of fancie feare or doubts full deepe despaires Whose raines enchained to the chiefest chaires Haue so been strain'd of those that bare the stroke That truth was forst to chow or else to choke This caused such as lothed loud to lie To passe with silence sundrie Princes liues Lesse fault it is to leaue then leade awrie And better droun'd then euer bound in giues For fatall fraud this world so fondly driues That whatsoeuer writers braines may brue Be it neuer so false at length is tane for true What harme may hap by helpe of lying pens How written lies may leaudly be maintain'd The lothly rites the diuellish idoll dens With guiltlesse blood of vertuous men bestain'd Is such a proofe as all good hearts haue plain'd The taly grounds of stories throughly tries The death of Martyrs vengeance on it cries The freshest wits I know will soone be wearie In reading long what euer booke it bee Except it be vaine matter strange or merrie Well saust with lies and glared all with glee VVith which because no graue truth may agree The closest stile for stories is the meetest In rufull meanes the shortest forme is sweetest And seeth the plaints alreadie by thee pen'd Are briefe enough the number also small The tediousnesse I thinke doth none offend Saue such as haue no lust to learne at all Regard none such no matter what they brall Warne thou the warie lest they hap to stumble As for the carelesse care not what they mumble My life is such as if thou note it well May cause the wittie wealthie to beware For their sakes therefore plainly will I tell How false and cumbrous worldly honors are How cankred foes bring carelesse folke to care How tyrants suffered and not quell'd in time Do cut their throats that suffer them to clime Nor will I hide the chiefest point of all VVhich wisest Rulers least of all regard That was and will be cause of many a fall This cannot be too
friends can faine Not Synon sly whose fraud best fame rebukes VVas halfe so suttle as these double Dukes First to mine Inne commeth in my brother false Embraceth me well met good brother Scales And weepes withall the other me enhalse With welcome cosin now welcome out of Wales O happie day for now all stormie gales Of strife and rancour vtterly are swaged And we our owne to liue or die vnwaged This proferd seruice saust with salutations Immoderate might cause me to suspect For commonly in all dissimulations Th' excesse of glauering doth the guile detect Reason refuseth falsehood to direct The will therefore for feare of being spide Exceedeth meane because it wanteth guide This is the cause why such as faine to weepe Do houle outright or wailing crie ah ah Tearing themselues and straining sighes most deepe Why such dissemblers as would seeme to laugh Breath not tihhee but bray out hah hah hah Why beggers faining brauery are the proud'st Why cowards bragging boldnesse wrangle loud'st For commonly all that do counterfeat In any thing exceed the naturall meane And that for feare of failing in their feat But these conspirers couched all so cleane Through close demeanour that their wiles did weane My heart from doubts so many a false deuice They forged fresh to hide their enterprise They supt with me propounding friendly talke Of our affaires still giuing me the prayse And euer among the cups to me ward walke I drinke to you good Cuz each traytour sayes Our banquet done when they should go their waies They took their leaue oft wishing me good night As heartily as any creature might A noble heart they say is Lion like It cannot couch dissemble crouch nor faine How villanous were these and how vnlike Of noble stocke the most ignoble staine Their woluish hearts their trayterous foxly braine Or proue them base of rascall race engendred Or from hault linage bastard like degendred Such polling heads as praise for prudent policie False practises I wish were pact on poles I meane the bastard law-brood which can mollifie All kind of causes in their craftie noles These vndermine all vertue blind as Moles They bolster wrong they racke and straine the right And prayse for law both malice fraud and might These quench the worthie flames of noble kind Prouoking best borne to the basest vices Through crafts they make the boldest courage blind Disliking highly valiant enterprices And praysing vilely villanous deuices These make the Bore a Hog the Bull an Oxe The Swan a Goose the Lion a Wolfe or Foxe The Lawyer Catesby and his craftie feeres A rout that nere did good in any reame Are they that had transform'd these noble peeres They turn'd their blood to melancholike fleumes Their courage hault to cowardife extreame Their force and manhood into fraud and malice Their wit to wiles stout Hector into Paris These glauerers gone my selfe to rest I laid And doubting nothing soundly fell a sleepe But suddenly my seruants sore afraid Awaked me and drawing sighes full deepe Alas quoth one my Lord we are betrai'd How so quoth I the Dukes are gone their waies Th' haue bar'd the gates and borne away the kaies While he thus spake there came into my mind This fearefull dreame whereout I waked was I saw a riuer stopt with stormes of winde Where through a Swan a Bull and Bore did passe Franching the fish and frie with teeth of brasse The riuer dri'd vp saue a little streame Which at the last did water all the Reame Me thought this streame did drowne the cruell Bore In little space it grew so deepe and brode But he had kill'd the Bull and Swan before Besides all this I saw an vglie Tode Crale toward me on which me thought I trode But what became of her or what of mee My sudden waking would not let me see These dreames considered with this sudden newes So diuers from their doings ouer night Did cause me not a little for to muse I blest me rose in all the hast I might By this Aurora spred abroad the light Which from the ends of Phoebus beames he tooke Who then the Bulles chiefe gallery forsooke When I had open'd the window to looke out There might I see the streets each where beset My Inne on each side compassed about With armed watchmen all escapes to let Thus had these Neroes caught me in their net But to what end I could not throughly ghesse Such was my plainnes such their doublenesse My conscience was so cleare I could not doubt Their deadly drift which lesse apparant lay Because they caus'd their men returne the rout That rode toward Stonystratford as they say Because the Dukes will first be there to day For this thought I they hinder me in iest For guiltlesse minds do easely deeme the best By this the Dukes were come into mine Inne For they were lodged in another by I got me to them thinking it a sinne Within my chamber cowardly to lye And merrily I ask'd my brother why He vs'd me so he sterne in euill sadnes Cried out I arrest thee traytour for thy badnes How so quoth I whence riseth your suspicion Thou art a traytour quoth he I thee arrest Arrest quoth I why where is your commission He drew his weapon so did all the rest Crying yeeld thee traytour I so sore distrest Made no resistande but was sent to ward None saue their seruants signed to my gard This done they sped him to the King in post And after humble reuerence to him done They trayterously began to rule the rost They pickt a quarell to my sisters son Lord Richard Gray the King would not be won T' agree to them yet they against all reason Arrested him they said for hainous treason Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hault Two worthie Knights were likewise apprehended These all were guiltie in one kind of fault They would not like the practise then pretended And seeing the King was herewith sore offended Backe to Northampton they brought him againe And thence discharged most part of his traine There loe Duke Richard made himselfe Protector Of King and Realme by open proclamation Though neither King nor Queene were his elector Thus he presum'd by lawlesse vsurpation But will you see his deepe dissimulation He sent me a dish of dainties from his bord That day and with it this false friendly word Commend me to him all things shall be weil I am his friend bid him be of good cheere These newes I prayed the messenger go tell My Nephew Richard whom I lou'd full deere But what he ment by well now shall you heere He thought it well to haue vs quickly murdred Which not long after thorowly he furdred For straight from thence we closely were conueied From iayle to iayle Northward we wist not whither Where after a while we had in sunder staied At last we met at Pomfret all together Sir Richard Ratcliffe bade vs welcome thither Who openly all law and right contemned
Beheaded vs before we were condemned My cosin Richard could not be content To leaue his life because he wist not why Good gentleman that neuer harme had ment Therefore he asked wherefore he should die The Priest his ghostly father did replie With weeping eyes I know one wofull cause The Realme hath neither righteous Lords not lawes Sir Thomas Vaughan chasing cried still This tyrant Glocester is the gracelesse G That will his brothers children beastly kill And lest the people through his talke might see The misciefes toward and thereto not agree Our tormentour that false periured Knight Bad stop our mouthes with words of high despight Thus di'd we guiltlesse processe heard we none No cause alleag'd no Iudge nor yet accuser No Quest empanel'd passed vs vpon That murdrer Ratcliffe law and rights refuser Did all to flatter Richard his abuser Vnhappie both that euer they were borne Through guiltlesse blood that haue their soules forlorne In part I grant I well deserued this Because I caus'd not speedie execution Be done on Richard for that murder of his When first he wrought King Henries close confusion Not for his brothers hatefull persecution These cruell murders painfull death deserued Which had he suffred many had been preserued Warne therefore all that charge or office beare To see all murdrers speedily executed And spare them not for fauour or for feare By guiltlesse blood the earth remaines polluted For lacke of Iustice kingdomes are transmuted They that saue murdrers from deserued paine Shall through those murdrers miserably be slaine HOW THE LORD HASTINGS WAS BETRAYED BY TRVSTING TOO MVCH to his euill Counseller Catesby and villanously murdered in the Tower of London by Richard Duke of Glocester the 13. of Iune Anno 1483. I Am that Hastings whose too hastie death They blame that know wherefore I lost my breath With others fearing lest my headlesse name Be wrong'd by partiall brute of flattering Fame Hearing O Baldwine that thou mean'st to pen The liues and falles of English Noblemen My selfe heere present do present to thee My life my fall and forced destinie Ne feare to staine thy credit by my tale In Laethes floud long since in Stigian vale Selfe loue I drown'd What time hath fin'd for true And ceaseth not though stale still to renue Recount I will whereof take this for proofe That blase I will my praise and my reproofe We naked ghosts are but the very man Nor of our selues more then we ought we scan The Heauens high and Earthly vale belowe Yet ring his Fame whose deedes so great did grow Edward the fourth ye know vnnam'd I meane Whose noble nature so to me did leane That I his staffe was I his onely ioy And euen what Pandare was to him of Troy VVhich mou'd him first to make me Chamberlaine To serue his sweets to my most sower paine VVherein to iustly prais'd for secretnesse For now my guilt with shriking I confesse To him too true too vntrue to the Queene Such hate I wan as lasted long betweene Our families Shores wife was my Nice cheat The holy whore and eke the wily peat I fed his lust with louely peeces so That Gods sharp wrath I purchast my iust wo. See here the difference of a noble minde Some vertue raiseth some by vice haue climde The first though onely of themselues begon Yet circlewise into themselues do ron VVithin themselues their force vnited so Both endlesse is and stronger gainst their foe For when end'th it that neuer hath begon Or how may that that hath no end b' vndone Th' other as by wicked meanes they grue And raigned by flatterie so soone they rue First tumbling step fro honours old is vice VVhich once stept downe some linger none arise To former type But they catch vertues spray VVhich raiseth them that climbe by lawfull way Beware to rise by seruing princely lust Surely to stand one meane is rising iust 〈◊〉 learne by me whom let it helpe t' excuse 〈◊〉 â—â—â—hfull now my selfe I do accuse 〈…〉 my Prince I euer pleas'd with such As harmed none and him contented much In vice some fauour or lesse hate let win That I ne wried to worser end my sin But vsde my fauour to the helpe of such As death in later warre to liue did grutch For as on durt though durtie shin'th the Sunne So euen amidst my vice my vertue shoane My selfe I spared with his cheate to staine For loue or reuerence so I could refraine Gisippus wife erst Titus would desire With friendships breach I quencht that brutish fire Manly it is to loth the pleasing lust Small vant to flie that of constraint thou must These faults except if so my life thou scan Lo none I hurt but furdred euery man My Chamber England was my staffe the law Whereby saunce rigour all I held in awe So kind to all and so belou'd of all As what ensued vpon my bloodie fall Though I ne felt yet surely this I thinke Full many a trickling teare their mouthes did drinke Disdaine not Princes easie accesse meeke cheare We know then Angels statelier port ye beare Of God himselfe too massie a charge for sprits But then my Lords consider he delights To vaile his grace to vs poore earthly wants To simplest shrubs and to the dunghill plants Expresse him then in might and mercies meane So shall ye win as now ye rule the Reame But all too long I feare I do delay The many meanes whereby I did bewray My zealous will to earne my Princes grace Lest thou defer to thinke me kind percase As nought may last so Fortunes changing cheare With pouting lookes gan lower on my sire And on her wheele aduanst high in his rome The Warwick Earle admir'd through Christendome Besides the tempting prowesse of the foe My Princes brother did him then forgoe The cause was lik'd I was his link'd allie Yet nor the cause nor brothers treacherie Nor enmies force nor band of mingled blood Made Hastings beare any other mind then good But tane and scap'd from Warwickes griping pawes With me he fled through Fortunes froward flawes To London come at large we might haue seemed Had not we then the Realme a prison deemed Each bush a bar each spray a banner splayed Each house a fort our passage to haue stayed To Lin we leape where while w'await the tide My secret friends in secret I suppli'd In mouth to further Henrie sixt their King And vse my best meanes Edward in to bring The restlesse tide to bar the emptie bay With waltring waues roames wambling forth Away The merrie Mariner hales The bragging boy To masts high top vp hies In signe of ioy The wauering flag is vanst The surging seas Their swelling cease to calmest euen peace Sinkes downe their pride With drunkennesse ' gainst all care The Seamen arm'd await their noble fare On bord we come The massie anchors wai'd One English ship two hulks of Holland aid In such a pinch So small though was the traine
earnestly declar'd Because it is so seeld and slackly hard Th abuse and scorning of Gods ordinances Is chiefest cause of care and wofull chances Gods holy orders highly are abused When men do change their ends for strange respects They scorned are when they be cleane refused For that they cannot serue our fond affects The one our shame the other our sinne detects It is a shame for Christians to abuse them But deadly sinne for scorners to refuse them I meane not this alonely of degrees Ordaind by God for peoples preseruation But of his law good orders and decrees Prouided for his creatures conseruation And specially the state of procreation Wherein we here the number of them encrease Which shall in Heauen enioy eternall peace The only end why God ordained this Was for th' encreasing of that blessed number For whom he hath prepard eternall blisse They that refuse it for the care or cumber Being apt thereto are in a sinfull slumber No fond respect no vaine deuised vowes Can quit or bar what God in charge allowes It is not good for man to liue alone Said God and therefore made he him a make Sole life said Christ is granted few or none All seed-sheders are bound like wiues to take Yet not for lust for lands or riches sake But to beget and foster so their fruite That Heauen and Earth be stored with the suite But as the state is damnably refused Of many apt and able thereunto So is it likewise wickedly abused Of all that vse it as they should not doe Wherein are guilty all the greedy who For gaine for friendship lands or honours wed And these pollute the vndefiled bed And therfore God through iustice cannot cease To plague these faults with sundry sorts of whips As disagreement healths or wealths decrease Or lothing sore the neuer liked lips Disdiane also with rigour some times nips Presuming mates vnequally that match Some bitter leauen sowers the musty batch We worldly folke account him very wise That hath the wit most wealthily to wed By all meanes therefore alwaies we deuise To see our yssue rich in spousals sped We buy and sell rich orphanes babes scant bred Must marry ere they know what mariage meanes Boyes marry old trots old fooles wed yong queanes We call this wedding which in any wise Can bee no mariage but pollution plaine A new found trade of humane merchandise The diuels net a filthy fleshly gaine Of kinde and nature an vnnaturall staine A foule abuse of Gods most holy order And yet allow'd almost in euery border Would God I were the last that shall haue cause Against this creeping canker to complaine That men would so regard their makers lawes That all would leaue the leaudnesse of their braine That holy orders holy might remaine That our respects in wedding should not choke The end and fruite of Gods most holy yoke The Sage King Solon after that he saw What mischiefes follow missought mariages To barre all baits established this law No friend nor father shall giue heritages Coine cattell stuffe or other carriages With any maid for dowry or wedding sale By any meane on paine of banning bale Had this good law in England been in force My fire had not so cruelly been slaine My brother had not causelesse lost his corps Our mariage had not bred vs such disdaine My selfe had lack'd great part of grieuous paine VVe wedded wiues for dignitie and lands And left our liues in enuies bloodie hands My father hight Sir Richard Woduile he Espoused Bedford Duchesse and by her Had issue males my brother Iohn and me Call'd Anthony King Edward did prefer Vs far aboue the state wherein we were He ' spous'd our sister Elizabeth Whom Sir Iohn Gray made widow by his death How glad were we thinke you of this alliance So neerely coupled with so great a King VVho durst with any of vs be at defiance Thus made of might the mightiest to wring But fie what cares do highest honors bring VVhat carelesnesse our selues or friends to know VVhat spite and enuie both of high and low Because the King had made our sister Queene It was his honor to prefer her kin And sith the readiest way as wisest weene VVas first by wedding wealthie heires to win It pleas'd the Prince by like meane to begin To me he gaue the rich Lord Scales his heire A vertuous maid in my mind very faire He ioyned to my brother Iohn the old Duches of Northfolke notable of fame My nephew Thomas who had in his hold The honor and right of Marquise Dorsets name Espoused Cicelie a right wealthie dame Lord Bonuiles heire by whom he was possest In all the rights where through that house was blest The honours that my Sire attaind were diuers First Chamberlaine then Constable he was I doe omit the gainfullest Earle Riuers Thus glistred we to glory cleere as glasse Such miracles can Princes bring to passe Among their lieges whom they mind to heaue To honours false who all their guests deceiue Honours are like that cruell King of Thrace With new come guests that fed his hungry horses Or like the tyrant Busiris whose grace Offred his Gods all strangers strangled corses To forrenners so hard false honors force is That all her bourders strangers either geasts She spoiles to feede her Gods and greedy beasts Her Gods be those whom God by law or lot Or kinde by birth doth place in highest roomes Her beasts be such as greedily haue got Office or charge to guide the silly groomes These officers in law or charge are broomes Which sweep away the sweet from simple wretches And spoile th' enriched by their crafty fetches These plucke downe those whom Princes set aloft By wresting lawes and false conspiracies Yea Kings themselues by these are spoiled oft When wilfull Princes carelesly despise To heare th' oppressed peoples heauy cries Nor will correct their polling theeues then God Doth make those reues the reckles Princes rod. The second Richard is a proofe of this Whom crafty Lawyers by their lawes deposed Another patern good King Henry is Whose right by them hath diuersly beene glosed Good while he grew bad when he was vnrosed And as they sodred these and diuers other With like deceit they vsde the King my brother While he preuail'd they said he owed the Crowne All lawes and rights agreed with the same But when by drifts hee seemed to be downe All lawes and right extremely did him blame Nought saue vsurping traytour was his name So constantly the Iudges construe lawes That all agree still with the stronger cause These as I said and other like in charge Are honours horses whom shee feedes with gests For all whom Princes frankly doe enlarge With dignities these barke at in their brests Their spite their might their falsehood neuer rests Till they deuour them sparing neither bloud Ne lim ne life and all to get their good The Earle of Warwicke was a pransing courser The hauty heart
gaine the mightie men when they be dead By all the spoile and blood that they haue shed The loftie towre where honor hath his seat Is high on rockes more slipper then the ice VVhere still the whirling winde doth roare and beat VVhere sudden qualmes and perils still arise And is beset with many sundrie vice So strange to men when first they come thereat They be amas'd and do they wot not what He that preuailes and to the towre can clime VVith toile and care must needs abridge his daies And he that slides may curse the houre and time He did attempt to giue so fond assaies And all his life to griefe and shame obaies Thus slide he downe or to the top ascend Assure himselfe repentance is the end Baldwine therefore do thou record my name For president to such as credit lies Or thirst to suck the sugred cup of fame Or do attempt against their Prince to rise And charge them all to keepe within their sise VVho doth assay to wrest beyond his strength Let him be sure he shall repent at length At my request admonish thou all men To spend the talent well which God hath lent He that hath one let him not toile for ten For one's too much vnlesse it be well spent I haue had proofe therefore I now repent Thrice happie are those men yea blest is hee VVho can contented serue in his degree M. Cauil HOW THE VALIANT KNIGHT SIR NICHOLAS Burdet Chiefe Butler of Normandie was slaine at Pontoise Anno Dom. 1441. IF erst in Kings affaires we counted were of trust To fight in waged warres as Captaines gainst the foes And might therefore aliue receiue the guerdon iust Which aye his Maiestie employ'd on those Why should we so keepe silence now and not disclose Our noble acts to those remaine aliue T' encourage them the like exploits t' atchiue For if when as we warr'd for Prince and publike weale We might to each for both haue time and place to speake Then why not now if we to both appeale Sith both well know our dealings were not weake We claime as right in truth our minds to breake The rather eke we thinke to speake we franchiz'd are Because we seru'd for peace and di'd in Princes warre VVhich granted so and held deserued due I may full well on stage supplie the place a while Till I haue plainly laid before your view That I haue cause as these to plaine of Fortunes guile VVhich smirking though at first she seeme to smooth and smile If Fortune be who deem'd themselues in skies to dwell She thirleth downe to dread the gulfes of gastly hell But heere I let a while the Ladie Fortune stay To tell what time I liu'd and what our warres were then The great exploits we did and where our armies lay Eke of the praise of some right honorable men VVhich things with eyes I saw call'd now to mind agen VVhat I performed present in the fight I will in order and my fall recite In youth I seru'd that roiall Henry fift the King Whose praise for martiall feats eternall fame reteines When he the Normanes stout did in subiection bring My selfe was vnder then his ensignes taking paines With loial hart I fought pursu'd my Prince his gaines There dealt I so that time my fame to raise French writers yet my name and manhood praise And erst as Burdets diuers warlike wights In Warwicke shire their lands in Arrow ar Were for good seruice done made worthy Knights Whose noble acts be yet recounted far Euen so my selfe well fram'd to peace or war Of these the heire by due discent I came Sir Nicholas Burdet Knight which had to name That time the noble Iohn of Bedford Duke bare sway And feared was in France for courage stout and fell He lou'd me for my fight and person though I say And with reuenues me rewarded yearely well I plaid the faithfull subiects part the truth to tell And was accounted loiall constant still Of stomack worship great and warlike skill But then O greefe to tell ere long this peerelesse King When he restored had his right vnto the Crowne The Duchie all of Normandy eke subiect bring The Frenchemen all and set Lieutenants in each towne High Regent made of France then Fortune gan to frowne He then departed life too soone alas Some men suppose his grace empoisond was Thou Fortune slie what meanst thou thus these prancks to play False Fortune blere ey'd blind vnsteady startling still What meanst thou turning thus thy flattering face away Inconstant where thou bearest most good will Is it thy nature then or i st thy wonted skill It cost thee nought they say it comes by kind As thou art bisme so are thine actions blind I nothing doubt then thou thy selfe shalt fall I trust to see the time when thou shalt be forgot For why thy pride and pompe and power must vanish all Thy name shall die for aye and perish quite I wot And when thou shalt be counted but a sot The noble wights which liu'd and dide in worthy fame In heauen and earth shall find an euerlasting name But words of course are these of Fortune had When vnto Princes haps chance good or ill God sends to euery sort these tempests sad VVhen from his word they swarue and heauenly will Men must endeuour then to please his goodnesse still And then come life or death come ioy come smart No Fortunes frowne can daunt the doughty hart The famous King so dead his son but nine months old Henry the sixt of England was proclaimed King And then the Frenchmen waxt more stout and bold His youth occasion gaue them to conspire the thing Which might them all from due subiection bring On which the Counsell cald a Parliament Of French that might the treasons high preuent VTherein the Duke of Bedford my good Lord and frend VVas Regent made the Prince his deputy in France The Duke of Glocester Protectour was to th' end To rule in cases such at home might hap to chance They chose to gard the Prince in honour to aduance Henry Benford Bishop of VVinchester And Thomas the noble Duke of Excester But here before those things could well be setled sure As great affaires of Kingdomes longer time doe take The Frenchmen did by treason force and coine procure Some townes which English were in France their faith forsake A long discourse it were of all recitall make But of my chance that time recite will I VVhich seru'd in warres my Prince in Normandy Before the Mount S. Michael as in siege I lay In confines of the Normans and the Britons land From townesmen famisht nigh we vitailes kept away And made them oft in danger of dis-Mounting stand But it being strong and also stoutly man'd Euen by our losses they gate heart of grasse And we declining saw what Fortune was Yet nerethelesse we thought by famine make them yeeld Eke they by fight or succours hopte the siege to