first into England O would Aumerle had suncke when he betrayd The complot which that holy Abbot layd The Abbot of Westminster had plotted the death of King Henry to haue beene doone at a Tylt at Oxford of which confedracie there was Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Thomas Holland Duke of Surry the Duke of Aumerle Mountacute Earle of Salisbury Spenser Earle of Gloster the Bishop of Carlile Sir Thomas Blunt these all had bound themselues one to another by Indenture to performe it but were all betrayd by the Duke of Aumerle Scroope Greene and Bushie die his fault in graine Henry going towards the Castle of Flint where King Richard was caused Scroope Greene and Bushie to be executed at Bristow ' as vile persons which had seduced this King to this lasciuious wicked life Damn'd be the oath he made at Doncaster After Henries exile at his returne into England hee tooke his oth at Doncaster vpon the Sacrament not to clayme the crowne or kingdome of England but onely the dukedome of Lancaster his owne proper right and the right of his wife And mourne for Henry Hote-spurre her deere sonne As I for my c. This was the braue couragious Henry Hote-spurre that obtayned so many victories against the Scots which after falling out right with the curse of Queene Isabell was slaine by Henry at the battaile at Shrewsburie Richard the second to Queene Isabell. WHat canst thou looke or hope for frō that hand which neither sence nor reason could cōmand A kingdoms greatnes hardly can he sway That wholsome counsaile did not first obay Ill did thys rude hand guide a scepter then Ill thys rude hand now gouerneth a pen How should I call my selfe or by what name To make thee know from whence these letters came Not from thy husband for my hatefull life Hath made thee widdow being yet a wife Nor from a King that title I haue lost And of that name proude Bullenbrooke doth boast Neuer to haue beene might some comfort bring But no woe is to say I was a King This lawlesse life which first procur'd my hate This tongue which first denounc'd my kingly state This abiect minde which did consent vnto it This hand that was the instrument to doe it These all beare witnes that I doe denie All worldly hopes all kingly maiestie Didst thou for my sake leaue thy fathers Court Thy famous Country and thy princely port And vndertook'st to trauaile dangerous waies Driuen by aukward winds and boyst'rous seas And lefts great Burbon for thy loue to mee VVho sued in marriage to be linck'd to thee Offring for dower the Countries bordring nie Of fruitfull Almaine and rich Burgundie Didst thou all this that England should receaue thee To miserable banishment to leaue thee And in thy ruine and thy fortunes wracke Forsaken heere to Fraunce to send thee back VVhen quiet sleepe the heauy harts releefe Seales vp my sences some-what lesning greefe My kingly greatnes vnto minde I call And thinke that I but dreamed of my fall VVith this conceite my sorrowes I beguile That my fayre Queene is but with-drawne a while And my attendants in some Chamber by As in the height of my prosperitie Calling aloude and asking who is there The Eccho aunswering tells mee VVoe is there And when mine armes would gladly thee enfold I clip the pillow and the place is cold VVhich when my waking eyes precisely view T'is a true token that it is too true As many minuts as in one howre be So many howers each minute seemes to me Each howre a day morne euening set and rise Each day a yeere complet with miseries A sommer winter spring-time and a fall All seasons varying yet vnseasoned all Hote griefes cold cares moyst sorrow scorching hate Too long extreames too short a temperate Each yeere a world from golden ages past That hasteth on the yron times at last That from creation of all happy things A desolution to my fortune brings Thys endlesse woe my thred of lyfe still weares In minuts howers dayes moneths ages yeres Ioy in the sunne that doe possesse the South For Pomfret stands here in the Norths cold mouth There wanton Sommer lords it all the yeere Frost-starued VVinter doth inhabite heere A place wherein Dispayre may fitly dwell For sorrow best sutes with a clowdy Cell Let Herford vaunt of our atchiuements done Of all the honours that great Edward wone Of famous Cressy where his keene sword lopp'd The flowers of Fraunce which all had ouer-topp'd And with those fayre Delices set the walke vvhere our emperious English Lyons stalke vvhich pluck'd those Lillies planted on those streames And set them heere vpon the banks of Thames Now Bullenbrooke our conquering Trophies beares Our glorious spoyles thys false Vlisses weares And all the story of our famous warre Must grace the Annalls of great Lancaster Seauen goodly syens from one stocke begun Seauen liuely branches from one roote did run My princely Father was the straightest stem The fairest blossome which adorned them VVhose precious buds began to spring so faire As soone they shew'd what fruit they meant to beare But I his graft and barraine trunke am growne And for a fruitlesse water-bough am hewne From our braue Grandsire both in one degree Yet after Edward lohn the young'st of three But princely VVales by me giues place to Gaunt Henry on Richard now predominant VVhen that vsurping bastard-sonne of Spayne Deposed Petro from his peacefull raigne My Father mou'd with the Castillians moane Pluck'd downe that proude aspyring Phaeton And ere a Crowne had yet adorn'd his head A conquered King from Fraunce to England led A subiects hand my Crowne from mee hath torne And by a home-nurst begger ouer-borne Is valour hence with him to heauen fled Or in my barren breast decay'd and dead VVho for his vertue and his conquests sake Posteritie a demie God shall make And iudge this vile and abiect spirit of mine Could not proceede from temper so diuine VVhat earthly humor or what vulgar eye Now lookes so low as on my misery VVhen Bullenbrooke is seated on our throne And makes that his which we but call'd our owne He bids commaunds he chooseth he elects Pardons defends he warrants he protects Into our counsells he himselfe intrudes And who but Herford with the multitudes Thus Bullenbrooke triumpheth in our fall And for their King reputed is of all His power disgrades his dreadfull frowne disgraceth He throwes them downe whō our aduauncement placeth As my disable and vnworthy hand Could giue no soueraine title of commaund He treads our sacred tables in the dust And proues our acts of parliament vniust As though he hated that it should be said That such a law by Richard once was made VVhen Herford had his iudgement of exile Saw I the peoples murmuring the while Saw I the loue the zeale the fayth the care The Commons still to pleasing Herford bare Fond women and scarce-speaking chyldren moume vveeping his parting wishing his
of my rebellious sonne Rich Normandie with Armies ouer-runne Henry the young King whom King Henry had caused to bee crowned in his life as he hoped both for his owne good the good of his subiects which indeede turned to his owne sorrowe and the trouble of the whole Realme for he rebelled against him and raysing a power by the meanes of Lewes King of Fraunce William King of Scots who tooke part with him inuaded 〈◊〉 Vnkind my children most vnkind my wife Neuer King more infortunate then King Henry in the disobedience of his chyldren first Henry then Geffery then Richard then Iohn all at one time or other first or last vnnaturally rebelled against him then the iealoufie of Ellinor his Queene who suspected his loue to Rosamond which grecuous troubles the deuout of those times attrybuted to happen vnto him iustly for refusing to take vpon him the gouernment of Ierusalem offered vnto him by the Patriarck there which Countrey was mightily afflicted by the Souldane Which onely Vahan thou and I doe know This Vahan was a Knight whom the King exceedingly loued who kept the Pallace at Woodstocke and much of the Kinges iewels and treasure to whom the King committed many of his secrets and in whom hee reposed such trust that hee durst commit his loue into his charge FINIS TO HIS SINGVLER good Lord the Lord Mount-eagle MY verie good Lord let mee not need by tedious protestation to expostulate the long conceiued desire I haue had to honour you your owne noble inclination can best conceiue what greater testimonie coulde bee demonstrate and I had rather abreuiate what I woulde say then by saying too much to giue doubtfull construction of vndoubted well meaning Let this my Epistles be one staire or little degree whereby I may ascend into the entrance of your good opinion as one whom I haue chose amongst the number of mine honourable friends whose patronage may giue protection to my newe aduentured Poesie Thus leauing your honour to your hopefull fortunes and my Muse to your gracious acceptance I wish you all happines Michaell Drayton King Iohn to Matilda * The Argument After that King Iohn had assaied by all meanes possible to win the fayre and chast Matilda to his vnchast and vnlawfull bed and by vniust courses and false accusation had banished the Lord Robert Fitzwater her noble Father and many other of his alies who iustly withstood the desire of this wanton King seeking the dishonour of his faire and vertuous daughter this chast Lady still solicited by this lasciuious King flies vnto Dunmowe in Essex where in a Nunnarie shee becomes a Nun whether the King still persisting in his sute solicits her by this Epistle her reply confirmes her vowed and inuinsible chastitie making knowne to the King her pure vnspotted thoughts WHen these my Letters come vnto thy view Think them not forc'd or faind or strange or new Thou knowst no way no meanes no course exempted Left now vnsought vnprou'd or vnatempted All rules regards all secrets helps of Art VVhat knowledge wit experience can impart And in the old worlds Ceremonies doted Good dayes for loue times howers and minutes noted And where Art left loue teacheth more to find By signes in presence to expresse the minde Oft hath mine eye told thine eye beautie greeu'd it And begd but for one looke to haue releeu'd it And still with thine eyes motion mine eye mou'd Labouring for mercie telling how it lou'd If blush'd I blush'd thy cheeke pale pale was mine My red thy red my whitenes aunswered thine If sigh'd I sigh'd alike both passion proue But thy sigh is for griefe my sigh for loue If a word past that insufficient were To helpe that word mine eye let forth a teare And if that teare did dull or sencelesse proue My hart would fetch a sigh to make it moue Oft in thy face one fauour from the rest I singled forth that likes my fancie best This likes me most another likes me more A third exceeding both those lik'd before Then one that doth deriue all wonder thence Then one whose rarenes passeth excellence VVhilst I behold thy Globe-like rouling eye Thy louely cheeke mee thinkes stands smiling by And tells mee those but shadowes supposes And bids me thether come and gather Roses Looking on that thy brow doth call to mee To come to it if wonders I will see Now haue I done and now thy dimpled chin Againe doth tell me I but newe begin And bids me yet to looke vpon thy lip Least wondring least the greatest I ouerslip My gazing eye on this and this doth ceaze vvhich surfets yet cannot desire appease Then like I browne ôlouely browne thy haire Onely in brownenes beauty dwelleth there Then loue I blacke thine eye-ball blacke as Iet Then cleere that ball is there in Christall set Then white but snow nor swan nor Iuorie please Then are thy teeth more whiter then all these In browne in blacke in purenes and in white All loue all sweets all rarenes all delight Thus thou vile theefe my stolne hart hence doest carry And novv thou flyest into sanctuarie Fie peeuish girle ingratefull vnto nature Did she to this end frame thee such a creature That thou her glory should increase thereby And thou alone doest scorne societie VVhy heauen made beauty like her selfe to view Not to be lock'd vp in a smokie Mew A rosy-taynted feature is heauens gold vvhich all men ioy to touch all to behold It was enacted when the world begun That so rare beauty should not liue a Nun. But if this vow thou needes wilt vndertake O were mine armes a Cloyster for thy sake Still may his paines for euer be augmented This superstition that at first inuented Ill might he thriue that brought this custome hether That holy people might not liue together A happy time a good world was it then vvhen holy women liu'd with holy men But Kings in this yet priuiledg'd may bee Ile be a Monke so I may liue with thee VVho would not rise to ring the mornings knell VVhen thy sweet lips might be the sacring bell Or what is he not willingly would fast That on those lips might feast his lips at last vvho vnto Mattens early would not rise That might reade by the light of thy faire eyes On worldly pleasure who would euer looke That had thy curles his beades thy browes his booke VVert thou the crosse to thee who would not creepe And wish the crosse still in his armes to keepe Sweet girle ile take this holy habite on me Of meere deuotion that is come vpon me Holy Matilda thou the Saint of mine Ile be thy Seruant and my bed thy shrine vvhen I doe offer be thy breast the Alter And when I pray thy mouth shall be my Psalter The beades that we will bid shall be sweet kisses vvhich we will number if one pleasure mifses And when an Auic comes to say Amen vve will begin and tell them or'e againe Now
alas too loosely set to sale Shee need not like an vgly Minataur Haue been lock'd vp from iealious Ellinor But beene as famous by thy mothers wrongs As by thy Father subiect to all tongues To shadow sinne might can the most pretend Kings but the conscience all things can defend A stronger hand restraines our wilsull powers A will must rule aboue this will of ours Not following what our vaine desires doe wooe For vertues sake but what we onely doe And hath my Father chose to liue exild Before his eyes should see my youth defild And to withstand a Tyrants lewd desire Beheld his Towers and Castles razd with fire Yet neuer tuch'd with griefe so onely I Exempt from shame might with true honour die And shall this iewell which so deerely cost Now after all by my dishonour lost No no his reuerend words his holy teares Yet in my soule too deepe impression beares No no his fare-well at his last depart More deepely is engrauen in my hart Nor shall that blot by mee his name shall haue Bring his gray haires with sorrow to his graue Rather with pitty weepe vpon my Tombe Then for my birth to curse my mothers wombe Though Dunmowe giue no refuge heere at all Dunmowe can giue my body buriall If all remorcelesse no teare-shedding eye My selfe will moane my selfe so liue so die Notes of the Chronicle historie THis Epistle containeth no particuler poynts of historie more then the generallity of the argument layeth open for after the banishment of the Lord Robert Fitzwater and that 〈◊〉 was become a Recluse at Dunmowe from whence this reply is imagined to bee written the King still earnestly persisting in his sute Matilda with this chast constant deniall hopeth yet at length to find some comfortable remedy and to rid herselfe of doubts by taking vpon her this monasticke habite and to shew that shee still beareth in minde his former crueltie bred by the impatience of his lust she remembreth him of her fathers banishment the lawlesse exile of her alies and friends Doost thou of Father and of friends depriue mee Then complayning of her distresse that flying thether thinking there to finde releefe she sees herselfe most assayld where she hoped to haue found most safetie Alas and fled I hether from my foe That c. After againe standing vpon the precise poynts of conscience not to cast off this habite she had taken My vowe is taken I a Nunne profest And at last laying open more particulerly the miseries sustained by her Father in England the burning of his Castles and houses which she proueth to be for her sake as respecting onely her honour more then his natiue country and his owne fortunes And to withstand a Tyrants lowde desire Beheld his Towers and Castels set on fire Knitting vp her Epistle with a great and constant resolution Though Dunmow giue no refuge heere at all Dunmow can giue my body burià ll FINIS To the vertuous Lady the Lady Anne Harrington wife to the honourable Gentleman Sir Iohn Harrington Knight MY singuler good Lady your many vertues knowne in generall to all and your gracious fauours to my vnworthy selfe haue confirmed that in mee which before I knew you I onely sawe by the light of other mens iudgements Honour seated in your breast findes herselfe adorned as in a rich pallace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes her admirable which like the sunne from thence begetteth most precious things of this earthly world onely by the vertue of his rayes not the nature of the mould Worth is best 〈◊〉 by the worthie deiected mindes want that pure fire which should giue vigor to vertue I refer to your owne great thoughts the vnpartiall Judges of true affection the vnfained zeale I haue euer borne to your honorable seruice and so rest your Ladiships humbly at commaund Michaell Drayton Queene Isabell to Mortimer * The Argument Queene Isabell the wife of Edward the seconde called Edward Carnaruan being the daughter of Phillip le Beau King of Fraunce forsaken by the King her husband who delighted onely in the company of Piers Gaueston his minion and fauorite and after his death seduced by the euill counsaile of the Spensers This Queene thus left by her husband euen in the glory of her youth drewe into her especiall fauour Roger Mortimer Lorde of VVigmore a man of a mightie and inuinsible spirit This Lord Mortimer rising in Armes against the King with Thomas Earle of Lancaster and the Barrons was taken ere hee could gather his power and by the King committed to the Tower of London During his imprisonment he ordained a feast in honor of his birth-day to which he inuited Sir Stephen Segraue Lieutenant of the Tower and the rest of the officers where by meanes of a drinke prepared him by the Queene hee cast them all into a beauie sleepe and with ladders of cordes beeing ready prepared for the purpose hee escapeth and flyeth into Fraunce whether shee sendeth this Epistle complayning her owne misfortunes and greatly reioycing at his safe escape THough such sweet comfert comes not now from her As Englands Queene hath sent to Mortimer Yet what that wants which might my power approue If lines can bring this shall supply with loue Mee thinks affliction should not fright mee so Nor should resume these sundry shapes of wo But when I faine would finde the cause of this Thy absence shewes mee where the erroris Oft when I thinke of thy departing hence Sad sorrow then possesseth euery sence But finding thy deere blood preseru'd thereby And in thy life my long-wish'd libertie vvith that sweet thought my selfe I onely pleuse Amid'st my griefe which sometimes giues me ease Thus doe extreamest ills a ioy possesse And one woe makes another woe seeme lesse That blessed night that mild-aspected howre VVherein thou mad'st escape our of the Towre Shall consecrated euer-more remaine VVhat gentle Planet in that howre did raigne And shall be happy in the birth of men vvhich was chiefe Lord of the Ascendant then Oh how I fear'd that sleepie iuyce I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent Or that some vnseene misterie might lurke VVhich wanting order kindly should not worke Oft did I wish those dreadfull poysoned lees That clos'd the euer-waleing Dragons eyes Or I had had those sence 〈◊〉 stalkes That grow in shadie Proserpines darke walkes Or those blacke weedes on Lethe bankes below Or Lunary that doth on Latmus flow Oft did I feare thys moyst and foggie Clime Or that the earth waxt barraine nowe with time Should not haue hearbes to helpe me in this case Such as doe thriue on Indias parched face That morrow when the blessed sunne did rise And shut the lidds of all heauens lesser eyes Forth from my 〈◊〉 by a secret staire I steale to 〈◊〉 as though to take the ayre And aske the gentle stood as it did glide Or thou didst 〈◊〉 or perish by the tide If thou didst perish I desire the streame To
lay thee softly on her siluer teame And bring thee to me to the quiet shore That with her teares thou might'st haue some teares more VVhen suddainly doth rise a rougher gale vvith that me thinks the troubled waues looke pale And sighing with that little gust that blowes vvith this remembrance seemes to knit her browes Euen as this suddaine passion doth 〈◊〉 mee The cheerfull sunne breakes from a clowde to light mee Then doth the bottom euident appeare As it would tell mee that thou 〈◊〉 not there VVhen as the water flowing where I stand Doth seeme to tell mee thou 〈◊〉 safe on land Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Nauarre VVhen Fraunce enuied those buildings onely blest Grac'd with the Orgies of my bridall feast That English Edward should refuse my bed For that incestuous shamelesse Ganimed And in my place vpon his regall throne To set that girle-boy wanton Gaueston Betwixt the feature of my face and his My glasse assures me no such difference is That a foule witches bastard should thereby Be thought more worthy of his loue then I. VVhat doth auaile vs to be Princes heires vvhen we can boast our birth is onely theirs VVhen base dissembling flatterers shall deceaue vs Of all our famous Auncestors did leaue vs And of our princely iewels and our dowers vvee but enioy the least of what is ours when Minions heads must weare our Monarches crownes To raise vp dunghills with our famous townes VVhen beggers-brats are wrapt in rich perfumes And sore aloft impt with our Eagles plumes And ioynd with the braue issue of our blood Alie the kingdome to theyr crauand brood Did Longshanks purchase with his conquering hand Albania Gascoyne Cambria Ireland That young Carnaruan his vnhappy sonne Should giue away all that his Father wonne To backe a stranger proudly bearing downe The braue alies and branches of the crowne And did great Edward on his death-bed giue This charge to them which afterward should liue That that proude Gascoyne banished the land No more should tread vppon the English sand And haue these great Lords in the quarrell stood And seald his last will with their deerest blood That after all this fearefull massaker The fall of Beuchamp Lasey Lancaster Another faithlesse fauorite should arise To cloude the sunne of our Nobilities And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That nowe a Spenser should succeede in all And that his ashes should another breed vvhich in his place and Empire should succeed That wanting one a kingdoms wealth to spend Of what that left thys now should make an end To wast all that our father wonne before Nor leaue 〈◊〉 sword to conquer more Thus but in vaine we 〈◊〉 doe resist vvhere power can doe euen all things as it list And with vniust men to debate of lawes Is to giue power to hurt a rightfull cause VVhilst parliaments must still redresse their wrongs And we must 〈◊〉 for what to vs belongs Our wealth but fuell to theyr fond excesse And we must fast to feast their wantonnesse Think'st thou our wrongs then insufficient are To moue our Brother to religious warre And if they were yet Edward doth 〈◊〉 Homage for 〈◊〉 Guyne and Aquitaine And if not that yet hath he broke the truce Thus all accur to put backe all excuse The Sisters wrong ioyn'd with the Brothers right Me thinks might vrge him in this cause to fight Be all those people sencelesse of our 〈◊〉 vvhich for our Country oft haue manag'd Armes Is the braue Normans courage now forgot Or the bold Brittons lost the vse of shot The big-bon'd Almaines and stout Brabanders Their warlike Pykes and sharp edg'd Semiters Or doe the Pickards let theys 〈◊〉 lie Once like the Centaurs of olde Thessalie Or if a valiant Leader be theyr lack vvhere thou art present who should driue them back I doe coniure thee by what is most deere By that great Name of famous Mortimer By auncient VVigmors honourable Crest The 〈◊〉 where all thy famous Grandsires rest Or if then these what more may thee approue Euen by those vowes of thy vnfained loue That thy great hopes may moue the Christian King By forraine Armes some comfort yet to bring To curbe the power of Traytors that rebell Against the right of princely Isabell. Vaine witlesse woman why should I desire To adde more spleene to thy immortall fire To vrge thee by the violence of hate To shake the pyllars of thine owne estate VVhen what soeuer we intend to doe To our misfortune euer sorts vnto And nothing els remaines for vs beside But teares and Coffins onely to prouide VVhen still so long as Burrough beares that name Time shall not blot out our deserued shame And whilst cleere Trent her wonted course shall keepe For our sad fall her christall drops shall weepe All see our ruine on our backs is throwne And to our selues our sorrowes are our owne And Tarlton now whose counsell should direct The first of all is slaundred with suspect For dangerous things dissembled sildome are vvhich many eyes attend with busie care VVhat should I say my griefes doe still renew And but begin when I should bid adiew Few be my words but manifold my woe And still I staie the more I striue to goe As accents issue forth griefes enter in And where I end mee thinks I but begin Then till faire tyme some greater good affords Take my loues payment in these ayrie words Notes of the Chronicle historie O how I feard that sleepie drinke I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent MOrtimer beeing in the Tower and ordayning a feast in honour of his birth-day as he pretended and inuiting there-vnto Sir Stephen Segraue Constable of the Tower with the rest of the officers belonging to the same hee gaue them a sleepie drinke prouided him by the Queene by which meanes hee got libertie for his escape I steale to Thames as though to take the ayre And aske the gentle streame as it doth glide Mortimer being gotte out of the Tower swamme the riuer of Thames into Kent whereof shee hauing intelligence doubteth of his strength to escape by reason of his long imprisonment being almost the space of three yeeres Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Naudrre Edward Carnaruan the first prince of Wales of the English blood married Isabell daughter of Phillip the faire at Bulloyne in the presence of the Kings of Almaine Nauarre and Cicile with the chiefe Nobilitie of Fraunce and Englande which marriage vvas there solemnized with exceeding pompe and magnificence And in my place vpon his regall throne To set that girle-boy wanton Gaucston Noting the effeminacie and luxurious wantonnes of Gaueston the Kings Minion his behauiour and attire euer so womanlike to please the eye of his lasciuious Prince That a foule witches bastard should thereby It was vrged by the Queene and the Nobilitie in the disgrace of Piers Gaueston that his mother was conuicted of
to spend their breath Calling reuenge on the Protectors death That since the old decrepit Duke is dead By mee of force he must be murthered If they would know who robd him of his life Let them call home Dame Ellinor his wife vvho with a Taper walked in a sheete To light her shame at no one through London streete And let her bring her Nigromanticke booke That foule hagge Iordane Hun and Bullenbrooke And let them call theyr spirits from hell againe To know how Humfrey died and who shall raigne For twentie yeeres and haue I seru'd in Fraunce Against great Charles and bastard Orleance And seene the slaughter of a world of men Victorious now and conquered agen And haue I seene Vernoylas batfull fields Strewd with ten thousand Helmes ten thousand shields vvhere famous Bedford did our fortune trie Or Fraunce or England for the victory The sad inuesting of so many Townes Scor'd on my brest in honourable wounds VVhen Mountacute and Talbot of such name Vnder my Ensigne both first wonne theyr fame In heate and cold all fortunes haue indur'd To rouze the French within their walls immur'd Through all my life these perrills haue I past And now to feare a banishment at last Thou know'st how I thy beauty to aduaunce For thee refusd the infant Queene of Fraunce Brake the contract Duke Humfrey first did make Twixt Henry and the Princesse Arminacke Onely sweet Queene thy presence I might gaine I gaue Duke Rayner Aniou Mauns and Maine Thy peerelesse beauty for a dower to bring To counterpoize the wealth of Englands King And from Aumearle with-drew my warlike powers And came my selfe in person first to Towers Th'Embassadours for truce to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungarie and Spaine And telling Henry of thy beauties storie I taught my tongue a Louers oratorie As the report it selfe did so indite And make tongues rauish eares with theyr delight And when my speech did cease as telling all My lookes show'd more that was Angelicall And when I breath'd againe and paused next I left mine eyes to preach vpon the text Then comming of thy modestie to tell In musicks numbers my voyce rose and fell And when I came to paint thy glorious stile My speech in greater cadences to file By true descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicils and Ierusalem And from the Gods thou didst deriue thy birth If heauenly kinde could ioyne with brood of earth Gracing each tytle that I did recite vvith some mellifluous pleasing Epithite Nor left him not till hee for loue was sicke Beholding thee in my sweet Rethorick A fifteens taxe in Fraunce I freely spent In tryumphs at thy nuptiall Tournament And solemniz'd thy marriage in a gowne Valu'd at more then was thy Fathers Crowne And onely striuing how to honour thee Gaue to my King what thy loue gaue to mee Iudge if his kindnes haue not power to moue vvho for his loues sake gaue away his loue Had he which once the prize to Greece did bring Of whom old Poets long agoe did sing Seene thee for England but imbarqu'd at Deepe vvould ouer-boord haue cast his golden sheepe As too vnworthy ballast to be thought To pester roome with such perfection fraught The brynie seas which sawe the shyp enfold thee vvould vaute vp to the hatches to behold thee And falling backe themselues in thronging smoother Breaking for griefe enuying one another VVhen the proude Barke for ioy thy steps to feele Scorn'd the salt waues should kisse her furrowing keele And trick'd in all her flaggs herselfe she braues Dauncing for ioy vpon the siluer waues vvhen like a Bull from the Phenician strand Ioue with Europa trypping from the land Vpon the bosome of the maine doth scud And with his swannish breast cleauing the flood Tow'rds the fayre fields vpon the other side Beareth Agenors ioy Phenicias pride All heauenly beauties ioyne themselues in one To shew theyr glory in thine eye alone vvhich when it turneth that celestiall ball A thousand sweet starrs rise a thousand fall VVho iustly sayth mine banishment to bee vvhen onely Fraunce for my recourse is free To view the plaines where I haue seene so oft Englands victorious Ensignes raisd aloft vvhen this shall be my comfort in my way To see the place where I may boldly say Heere mighty Bedford forth the vaward led Heere Talbot charg'd and heere the Frenchmen fled Heere with our Archers valiant Scales did lie Heere stoode the Tents of famous VVillohbie Heere Mountacute rang'd his vnconquered band Heere forth we march'd and heere we made a stand VVhat should we stand to mourne and grieue all day For that which time doth easily take away VVhat fortune hurts let patience onely heale No wisedome with extreamities to deale To know our selues to come of humaine birth These sad afflictions crosse vs heere on earth A taxe imposd by heauens eternall law To keepe our rude rebellious will in awe In vaine we prise that at so deere a rate vvhose best assurance is a fickle state And needlesse we examine our intent vvhen with preuention we cannot preuent vvhen we our selues fore-seeing cannot shun That which before with destinie doth run Henry hath power and may my life dispose Mine honour mine that none hath power to lose Then be as merry beautious royall Queene As in the Court of Fraunce we erst haue beene As when ariu'd in Porchesters faire roade vvhere for our comming Henry made aboade vvhen in myne armes I brought thee safe to land And gaue my loue to Henryes royall hand The happy howers we passed with the King At faire South-hampton long in banquetting VVith such content as lodg'd in Henries brest vvhen he to London brought thee from the VVest Through golden Cheape when hee in pompe did ride To VVestminster to entertaine his Bride Notes of the Chronicle historie Our Faulcons kinde cannot the cage indure HE alludes in these verses to the Faulcon which was the auncient deuice of the Poles comparing the greatnes and haughtines of his spirit to the nature of this byrd This was the meane proude Warwicke did inuent To my disgrace c. The Commons at this Parliament through Warwickes meanes accused Suffolke of treason vrged the accusation so vehemently that the King was forced to exile him for fiue yeeres That onely my base yeelding vp of Maine Should be the losse of fertile Aquitane The Duke of Suffolke beeing sent into Fraunce to conclude a peace chose Duke Rayners daughter the Lady Margaret whom he espoused for Henry the sixt deliuering for her to her Father the Countries of Aniou and Maine the Cittie of Mauns Wherevpon the Earle of Arminack whose daughter was before promised to the King seeing himselfe to be mocked caused all the English men to be expulsed out of Aquitaine Gascoyne Guyne With the base vulgar sort to winne him fame To be the heyre of good Duke Humfreys name This Richard that was called the great Earle of Warwick when Duke Humfrey was dead grewe into
exceeding great fauour with the Commons With Salisbury his vile ambitious Sire In Yorks sterne brest kindling long hidden fire By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle Ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt Richard Plantaginet Duke of Yorke in the the time of Henrie the sixt claymed the Crowne beeing assisted by this Richard Neuell Earle of Salisburie and Father to the great Earle of Warwicke who fauoured exceedingly the house of Yorke in open parliament as heyre to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of Edward the third making his title by Anne his mother wife to Richard Earle of Cambridge sonne to Edmond of Langley Duke of Yorke which Anne was Daughter to Roger Mortimer Earle of March which Roger was sonne and heyre to Edmond Mortimer 〈◊〉 married the Lady Phillip Daughter and heire to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward to whō the crowne after Richard the seconds death lineally discended he dying without issue And not to the heires of the Duke of Lancaster that was younger Brother to the Duke of Clarence Hall cap. 1. Tit. 〈◊〉 or Lanc. Vrg'd by these enuious Lords to spend their breath Calling reuenge on the Protectours death Humfrey Duke of Glocester and Lorde Protectour in the 〈◊〉 yeare of Hen. 6. was by the meanes of the Queene and the Duke of Suffolk was atested by y e Lord Beumond at the Parliament 〈◊〉 at Berry and the same night after murthered in his bed If they would know who rob'd him c. To this verse To know how Humfrey dyed and who shall raigne In these verses her iests at the Protectours wife who being 〈◊〉 and conuicted of treason because with Iohn Hun a Priest Roger Bollingbrooke a Negromancer and Margery Iordane called the Witch of Ely shee had consulted and agreed by Sorcery to kill 〈◊〉 King was adiudged to perpetuall pryson in the Ile of Man and 〈◊〉 doo penaunce openly in three publique places in London For twenty yeares and haue I seru'd in Fraunce In the 6. yeare of Hen. the 6. the Duke of Bedford being deceased then Lieutenant generall and Regent of Fraunce this Duke of Suffolke was promoted to that dignity hauing the L. Talbot 〈◊〉 Scales and the Lord Mountacute to assist him Against great Charles and Bastard Orleance This was Charles the seauenth that after the death of Henry the 〈◊〉 obtained the crowne of Fraunce recouered againe much of that his Father had lost Bastard Orleance was sonne to the Duke of Orleance begotten of the L. Cawnies wife preferred highly to many notable offices because he being a most valiant Captaine was continuall enemy to the Englishmen daylie infesting them with diuers incursions And haue I seene Vernoyla's batfull fields Vernoyle is that noted place in Fraunce where the great battell was fought in the beginning of Hen. 6. his raigne where the most of the French cheualry were ouercome by the Duke of Bedford And from Aumearle with-drew my warlike powers Aumearle is that strong defenced towne in Fraunce which the Duke of Suffolke got after 24. great assaults giuen vnto it And came my selfe in person first to Towers Th'Embassadours for truce to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungary and Spaine Towers is a Citty in Fraunce built by Brutus as he came into Britaine where in the 21. of Henry the 6 was appoynted a great dyet to bee kept whether came th'Embassadours of th'Empire Spaine Hungary and Denmarke to intreate for a perpetuall peace to be made betweene the two Kings of England and Fraunce By true descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem Rayner Duke of Aniou Father to Queene Margarit call'd him selfe King of Naples Cicily and Ierusalem hauing the title alone of King of those Countries A fifteenes taxe in Fraunce I freely spent The Duke of Suffolke after the marriage concluded twixt King Henry and Margarit Daughter to Duke Rayner asked in open Parliament a whole fifeteenth to fetch her into England Seeue thee for England but imbark't at Deepe Deepe is a Towne in Fraunce bordering vpon the Sea where the Duke of Suffolke with Queene Margarit tooke shippe for England As when ariu'd in Porchesters faire Roade Porchester a Hauen Towne in the South-west part of England where the King taried expecting the Queenes ariuall whom from thence he conueyed to South-hampton Queene Margarit to William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke WHat newes sweet Pole look'st thou my lines should tell But like the sounding of the dolefull bell Bidding the deaths-man to prepare the graue Expect from me no other newes to haue My brest which once was mirths imperiall throne A vast and desart wildernes is growne Like that cold Region from the world remote On whose breeme seas the Icie mountaines flote vvhere those poore creatures banish'd from the light Doe liue imprison'd in continuall night No ioy presents my soules internall eyes But diuination of sad tragedies And care takes vp her solitarie Inne vvhere youth and ioy theyr Court did once begin As in September when our yeere resignes The glorious sunne vnto the watry signes vvhich through the clowdes lookes on the earth in scorne The little Byrd yet to salute the morne Vpon the naked branches sets her foote The leaues now lying on the mossy roote And there a silly chirripping doth keepe As though shee faine would sing yet faine would weepe Praysing faire Sommer that too soone is gone Or mourning VVinter too fast comming on In this sad plight I mourne for thy depart Because that weeping cannot case my hart Now to our ayde who stirres the neighbouring Kings Or who from Fraunce a puissant Armie brings VVho moues the Norman to assist our warre Or brings in Burgoyn to ayde Lancaster VVho in the North our lawfull claime commends To winne vs credite with our valiant friends To whom shall I my secrete thoughts impart VVhose brest is now the closet of my hart The auncient Heroes fame thou didst reuiue And didst from them thy memory deriue Nature by thee both gaue and taketh all Alone in Pole she was too prodigall Of so diuine and rich a temper wrought As heauen for him perfections depth had sought Peables and Flints we finde in euery path The Diamond rich India onely hath VVell knew King Henry what he pleaded for vvhen thou wert made his sweet-tong'd Orator vvhose Angell-eye by powrefull influence Imparteth wonders passing eloquence That when loue would his youthfull sports haue tryde But in thy shape himselfe would neuer hide vvhich in his loue had beene of greater power Then was his Nymph his flame his swanne his shower To that allegiance Yorke was bound by oath To Henries heyres and safetie of vs both No longer now he meanes record shall beare it He will dispence with heauen and will vnsweare it Hee that's in all the worlds blacke sinnes forlorne Is carelesse now how oft hee be forsworne And now of late his title hath set downe By which he claimes the right of Englands Crowne And now I heare his
in wages which serued vnder him during those warres But this alone by VVoolseys wit was wrought Thomas Woolsey the Kings Almoner then Bishop of Lincolne a man of great aucthority with the King and afterward Cardinall was the cheese cause that the Lady Mary was married to the old French King with whom the French King had dealt vnder hand to befriend him in that match When the proud Dolphin for thy valure sake Chose thee at tylt his princely part to take Frauncis Duke of Valoys and Dolphin of Fraunce at the mariage of the Lady Mary in honour thereof proclaimed a Iusts where he chose the Duke of Suffolke and the Marques Dorset for his aydes at all Martiall exercises Galeas and Bounarme matchles for their might This County Galeas at the Iusts ranne a course with a Speare which was at the head 5. inches square on euery side and at the But 9. inches square whereby hee shewed his wonderous force and strength This Bounarme a Gentleman of Fraunce at the same time came into the field armed at all poynts with 10. Speares 〈◊〉 him in each 〈◊〉 3 vnder each thigh one one vnder his left arme and one in his hand and putting his horse to the carere neuer stopped him till he had broken euery staffe Hall ¶ Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke to Mary the French Queene BVt that thy fayth commaunds mee to forbeare The fault thine owne if I impatient were VVere my dispatch such as should be my speed I should want time thy louing lines to reed Heere in the Court Camelion like I fare And liue God knowes of nothing but of ayre All day I waite and all the night I watch And starue mine eares to heare of my dispatch If Douer were th'Abydos of my rest Or pleasant Callice were my Maryes Cest Thou should'st not need faire Queene to blame me so Did not the distance to desire say no No tedious night from trauell should be free Till through the waues with swimming vnto thee A snowy path I made vnto thy Bay So bright as is that Nectar-stayned way The restlesse sunne by trauailing doth vveare Passing his course to finish vp his yeere But Paris locks my loue within the maine And London yet thy Brandon doth detaine Of thy firme loue thou put'st me still in mind But of my fayth not one word can I finde VVhen Long auile to Mary was affied And thou by him wast made King Lewis bride How oft I wish'd that thou a prize mights bee That I in Armes might combat him for thee And in the madnes of my loue distraught A thousand times his murther haue fore-thought But that th'all-seeing powers which sit aboue Regard not mad mens oathes nor faults in loue And haue confirm'd it by the graunt of heauen That louers sinnes on earth should be forgiuen For neuer man is halfe so much distrest As he that loues to see his loue possest Comming to Richmond after thy depart Richmond where first thou stol'st away my hart Mee thought it look'd not as it did of late But wanting thee forlorne and desolate In whose faire walkes thou often hast been seene To sport with Katberine Henries beautious Queene Astonishing sad-vvinter with thy sight As for thy sake the day hath put back night That the Byrds thinking to approch the spring Forgot themselues and haue begun to sing So oft I goe by Thames so oft returne Mee thinks for thee the Riuer yet doth mourne vvho I haue seene to let her streame at large vvhich like a Hand-mayde wayted on thy Barge And if thou hapst against the flood to row VVhich way it ebd before now would it flow Letting her drops in teares fall from thy oares For ioy that shee had got thee from the shoares The siluer swannes with musicke that those make Ruffing theyr plumes come glyding on the lake As the fleet Dolphins by Arions strings vvere brought to land with musicks rauishings The flocks and heards that pasture neere the flood To gaze vpon thee haue forborne theyr foode And sat downe sadlie mourning by the brim That they by nature were not made to swim VVhen as the Post to Englands royall Court Of thy hard passage brought the true report Hovv in a storme thy well rigg'd shyps were tost And thou thy selfe in danger to be lost I knew twas Venus loth'd that aged bed vvhere beautie so should be dishonoured Or fear'd the Sea-Nymphs haunting of the Lake If thou but seene theyr Goddesse should forsake And whirling round her Doue-drawne Coach about To view thy Nauie nowe in launching out Her ayrie mantle loosly doth vnbind vvhich fanning forth a rougher gale of vvind vvafted thy sayles with speede vnto the land And runnes thy shyp on Bullens harboring strand How should I ioy of thy arriue to heare But as a poore sea-faring passenger After long trauaile tempest-torne and wrack'd By some vnpittying Pyrat that is sack'd Heares the false robber that hath stolne his wealth Landed in some safe harbor and in health Enriched with inualuable store For which he long hath traueled before VVhen thou to Abaile held'st th'appointed day vve heard how Lewes met thee on the way vvhere thou in glittering Tissue strangly dight Appear'dst vnto him like the Queene of light In Cloth of siluer all thy virgine traine In beautie sumptuous as the Northerne waine And thou alone the formost glorious starre vvhich lead'st the teame of that great VVagoner VVhat could thy thought be but as I doe think VVhen thine eyes tasted what mine eares did drinke A Cripple King layd bedrid long before Yet at thy comming crept out of the dore T'was well he rid he had no legs to goe But this thy beauty forc'd his body to For whom a cullice had more fitter beene Then in a golden bed a gallant Queene To vse thy beauty as the miser gold vvhich hoards it vp but onely to behold Still looking on it with a iealous eye Fearing to lend yet louing vsurie O Sacriledge if beauty be deuine The prophane hand should tuch the halowed shrine To surfet sicknes on the sound mans dyet To rob Content yet still to liue vnquiet And hauing all to be of all be guild And yet still longing like a little child VVhen Marques Dorset and the valiant Grayes To purchase farme first crost the narrow Seas vvith all the Knights that my associates went In honour of thy riuptiall turnament Thinkst thou I ioy'd not in thy Beauties pride vvhen thou in tryumph didst through Paris ride VVhere all the streets as thou didst pace along vvith Arras Bisse and Tapestry were hong Ten thousand gallant Cittizens prepar'd In ritch attire thy Princely selfe to guard Next them three thousand choise religeous men In golden vestments followed them agen And in precession as they came along vvith 〈◊〉 sang thy marriage song Then fiue 〈◊〉 Dukes as did their places fall To each 〈◊〉 a Princely Cardinall Then thou on thy imperiall Chariot set Crown'd with a rich imperled Coronet vvhilst the Parisian Dames