Which of the king at home had gouernaunce Whose roume the earle of Warwike then supplied And I tooke his and sped me into Fraunce And hauing a zeale to conquer Orlyaunce With much a do I gat the regentes ayde And marched thither and siege about it layde But in the way I tooke the towne of Yayn Wher murdred wer for stoutnes many a man But Baugency I tooke with litle payne For which to shew them fauour I began This caused the townes of Mewne and Iargeman That stoode on Loyer to profer me the keyes Ere I came nere them welny by two dayes See here how Fortune forward can allure What baytes she layeth to bring men to their endes Who having hap like this but would hope sure To bring to bale what euer he entendes But soone is sowre the sweete that Fortune sendes Whan hope and hap whan helth and welth is hyest Than wo and wracke desease and nede be nyest For while I suing this so good successe Layd siege to Orlyaunce on the river syde The Bastard Cuckold Cawnyes sonne I gesse Tho thought the dukes who had the towne in gide Came fearcely forth when he his time espide To raise the siege but was beat backe agayne And hard pursued both to his losse and payne For there we wan the bulwarke on the bridge With a mighty tower standing fast therby Ah cursed tower that didst my dayes abridge Would god thou hadst bene furder eyther I. For in this tower a chamber standes on hie From which a man may view through al the towne By certayne windowes yron grated downe Where on a day now Baldwin note mine ende I stoode in vewing where the towne was weake And as I busily talked with my frend Shot fro the towne which al the grate did breake A pellet came and drove a mighty fleake Agaynst my face and tare away my checke For payne wherof I dyed within a wecke See Baldwin see the vncertaynty of glory How sodayne mischief dasheth all to dust And warne all princes by my broken story The happiest Fortune chiefly to mistrust Was neuer man that alway had his lust Than such be fooles in fancy more then mad Which hope to haue that neuer any had THis straunge aduenture of the good erle drave vs al into a dumpne inwardly lamenting his wofull destynye out of which we wer awaked after this sort To what ende ê™ one muse we so much on this matter This Earle is neyther the first nor the last whom Fortune hath foundered in the heyth of their prosperitye For all through the raine of this vnfortunate king Henry we shall find many whych haue bene likewise serued whose chaunces sith they be marâ—â—â—l and therfore honorable may the better be omitted And therfore we wil let go the lordes Mâ—rlmes and Poyninges slayne both at the siege of Orleans shortly after the death of this earle Also the valiaunt earle of Arundle destroyed with a bowlet at the assault of Gerbory whose storyes nevertheles are wurth the hearyng And to quicken vp your spirites I wil take vpon me a tragicall person in deede I meane kyng Iamy slayne by his seruauntes in his pryvy chamber who although he be a Skot yet seing he was brought vp in Englande where he learned the language hys example also so notable it were not meete he shoulde be forgotten And therfore marke Baldwin what I thinke he may say Hovv king Iames the first for breaking his othes and bondes vvas by gods suffrauns miserably murdred of his ovvne subiectes IF for examples sake thou write thy booke I charge the Baldwin thou forget me not Whom Fortune alwayes frowardly forsooke Such waâ— my lucke my merite or my lot I am that Iames king Roberts sonne the Skot That was in England prisoner all his youth Through mine vncle Walters trayterous vntruth For whan my father through disease and age Unwieldy was to gouerne well his land Because his brother Walter semed sage He put the rule therof into his hand Than had my father you shall vnderstand Of lawfull barnes me and one only other Nempt Dauy Rothsay who was mine elder brother This Dauy was prince of Scotland and so take Till his aduoutry caused men complayne Which that he might by monyshment forsake My father prayed mine vncle take the payne To threaten him his vices to refrayne But be false traytour butcherly murdring wretch To get the crowne began to fetch a fetch And finding now a proffer to his pray Deuised meanes my brother to deuower And for that cause convayed him day by day â–ª From place to place from castell vnto tower To Faulkland fort where like a tormentour He starmd him and put to death a wife Whom through a reede he sukt to saue his life O wretched death â–ª fye cruel tiranny A prince in prison lost for fault of foode Was â—â—nce enmy wrought such villany A trusted brother stroye his brothers blood Wo wurth foe frendly fye on double hood Ah wretched father see thy sonne is lost Sterved by thy brother whom thou trustedst most Of whom whan sum began to find the fraud And yet the traytor made him selfe so clere That he should seeme to haue deserued laud So wofull did he for his death appeare My doubtful father louing me ful deere To auoyde all daunger that might after chaunce Sent me away but nine yeres olde to Fraunce But windes and wether wer so contrary That we wer driuen to the English coast Which realme with Skotland at that time did vary So that they tooke me prisoner not as oste For which my father fearing I wer lost Conceiued shortly such an inward thought As to the graue immediatly him brought Than had mine vncle all the regiment At home and I in England prisoner lay For to him selfe he thought it detryment For my releace any raunsum for to pay For as he thought he had possest his pray And therfore wisht I might in durauns dure Till I had dyed so should his rayne be sure But good king Henry seing I was a child And heyre by ryght vnto a realme and crowne Dyd bring me vp not lyke my brother wylde But vertuously in feates of high renowne In libeâ—all artes in instrumentall sowne By meane wherof whan I was after king I did my realme to ciuil order bring For ere I had been prisoner eyghtene yere In which short space two noble princes dyed Wherof the first in prudence had no peere The other in warre most valyant throwly tryed Whose rowme his sonne babe Henry eke supplyed The pyers of England which did gouerne all Did of their goodnes helpe me out of thrall They maried me to a cosin of their king The Duke of Somersets daughter rich fayre Releast my raunsome saue a trifling thing And after I had done homage to the hayer And sworne my frendship neuer should appayre They brought me kingly furnisht to my lande Which I recâ—yued at mine vncles hand Wherof my lordes and commons wer ful glad So was
mine vncle chiefly as he sayed Who in his mouth no other matter had Saue punish such as had my brother trayed The faut wherof epparantly he layed To good duke Murdo his elder brothers sonne Whose father dyed long ere this dede was doen. My cursed vncle â—lyer than the snake Which would by craft vnto the crowne aspier Because he sawe this Murdo was a stake That stayed vp the stop of his desier For his elder brother was Duke Murdoes fier He thought it best to haue him made away So was he suer I goen to haue his pray And by his craftes the traytour brought to passe That I destroyed Duke Murdo and his kin Poore innocentes my louing frendes alas O kinges and Princes what plight stand we in A trusted traytour shal you quickely winne To put to death your kin and frendes most iust Take hede therfore take hede whose rede ye trust And at the last to bring me hole in hate With god and man at home and eke abrode He counsayled me for surance of my state To helpe the Frenchmen then nye overtrode By Englishmen and more to lay on lode With power and force al England to invade Against the othe and homage that I made And though at first my conscience did grudge To breake the bondes of frendship knit by oth Yet after profe see mâ—schiefe I did iudge It madnes for a king to kepe his troth And semblably with all the world it goth Sinnes ofte assayed are thought to be no sinne So sinne doth soyle the soule it sinketh in But as diseases common cause of death Bring daunger most whan least they pricke smart Which is a signe they haue expulst the breth Of liuely heat which doth defende the hart Euen so such sinnes as felt are on no part Haue conquered grace and by their wicked vre So kild the soule that it can haue no cure And grace agate vice stil suceedeth vice And all to haste the vengeaunce for the furst I arede therfore all people to be wise And stoppe the bracke whan it begins to burst At taste no poyson vice is venim wurst It mates the mind beware eke of to much All kil through muchnes sum with only touche Whan I had learned to set my othe at nought And through much vse the sence of sinne exyled Agaynst king Henry what I could I wrought My fayth my othe vniustly foule defiled And while sly Fortune at my doinges smiled The wrath of God which I had wel deserued Fell on my necke for thus loe was I serued Ere I had raygned fully fiftene yere While time I laye at Pertho at my place With the Quene my wife children me to chere My murdring vncle with the double face That longed for my kingdome and my mace To sâ—ay me there suborned Robert Gram With whom his nephew Robert Stuart cam And whan they time fit for their purpose found Into my priuy chaumber they aâ—â—art Where with their sweardes they gave me many a wound And slue al such as stucke vnto my parte There loe my wife dyd shewe her louing harte Who to defende me felled one or twayne And was sore wounded ere I coulde be slayne See Baldwin Baldwin the vnhappy endes Of suche as passe not for theyr lawfull oth Of those that causâ—les leaue theyr fayth or frendes And murdre kynsfolke through their foes vntroth Warne warne all princes all lyke sinnes to loth And chiefely suche as in my Realme be borne For God hates hyghly suche as are forsworne WHan this was sayd let King Iamy go ê™ mayster Ferrers returne we to our owne story se what broyls wer amoÌ„g the nobility in y e kinges minority How y e cardinal Bewford maligneth the estate of good duke HuÌ„frey the kinges vncle protector of y e realme by what driftes he first banisheth his wife froÌ„ him And lastly howe the good duke is murderously made away through conspiracy of Quene Margaret and other both whose tragedies I entend at leasure to declare for they be notable Do so I pray you ê™ another But take hede ye demurre not vpon them And I to be occupied the meane time will shewe what I haue noted in the duke of Suffolkes doinges one of the chiefest of duke Humfreyes destroyers who by the prouidens of God came shortly after in such hatred of the people that the King him selfe could not saue hym from astraunge and notable death which he may lament after this maner Hovv Lorde VVilliam Delapole Duke of Suffolke vvas vvorthily punyshed for abusing his Kyng and causing the destruction of good Duke Humfrey HEauy is the hap wherto all men be bound I meane the death which no estate may flye But to be banisht headed so and drownd In sinke of shame from top of honors hye Was never man so served I thinke but I And therfore Baldwin fro thy grave of griefe Reiect me not of wretched princes chiefe My only life in all poyntes may suffise To shewe howe base all baytes of Fortune be Which thaw like yse through heate of enuies eyes Or vicious dedes which much possessed me Good hap with vices can not long agree Which bring best fortunes to the basest fall And happiest hap to enuy to be thrall I am the prince duke William De la Poole That was so famous in Quene Margets dayes That found the meane Duke Humfreyes blud to coole whose vertuous paynes deserve eternal prayse Wherby I note that Fortune can not raise Any one aloft without sum others wracke Fluds drowne no fieldes before they find a bracke But as the waters which do breake their walles Do loose the course they had within the shore And dayly rotting stinke within their stalles For fault of moouing which they found before Euen so the state that over high is bore Doth loose the lyfe of peoples love it had And rots it selfe vntil it fall to bad For while I was but Erle eche man was glad To say and do the best by me they might And Fortune ever since I was a lad Did smile vpon me with a chereful sight For whan my Kyng had doubed me a Knight And sent me furth to serve at warre in Fraunce My lucky spede mine honor dyd enhaunce Where to omit the many feitâ—s I wrought Under others gyde I do remember one Which with my souldyers valiantly was fought None other captayne save my selfe alone I meane not now the apprinze of Pucel Ione In which attempte my travayle was not smal Though the Duke of Burgoyn had the prayse of al. But the siege of Awmarle is the â—eate I prayse A strong built towne with castes walles vaultes With men and weapon armed at al assayes To which I gave nâ—â— five times five assaultes Tyl at the last they yelded it for naughtes Yet Lord Rambures like a valiaunt Knight Defended it as long as euer he might But what prevayled it these townes to winne Which shortly after must be lost againe Wherby I see there is
foolish false and crafty lies Deuised by gesse or Guiles vntrue diuines For whan they sawe that many of many lines Gave armes alike they wist not which was he Whom Merline meant the noted beast to be For all the broode of Warwickes geve the Bear The Buckinghames do likewise geve the swan But which Bear bearer shoulde the lyon teare They wer as wise as Goose the â—ery man Yet in their skil they ceased not to skan And to be demed of the people wise Set furth their gloses vpon prophecies And whom they doubted openly to name They darkly termed or by sum letter meant For so they mought how ever the world did frame Preserve them selves from shame or being shent For howsoever contrary it went They might expound their meaning otherwise As haps in thinges should newly stil arise And thus there grew of a mistaken truth An arte so false as made the true suspect Wherof hath cum much mischiefe more the ruth That errours should our mindes so much infect True prophecies have fowly been reiect The false which brede both murder warre strife Belyved to the losse of many a goodmans life And therfore Baldwin teach men to discerne Which prophecies be false and which be true And for a ground this lesson let them learne That all be false which are deuised newe The age of thinges is iudged by the hue All Riddels made by letters names or armes Are yong and false for wurse than witches charmes I know thou musest at this lorâ— of mine How I no student should have learned it And doest impure it to the fume of wine That styrs the tounge and sharpeneth vp the wit But harke a frende did teache me every whit A man of mine in al good knowledge rife For which he giltles lost his learned life This man abode my servaunt many a day And stil in study set his hole delite Which taught me more than I could beare away Of every arte and by his searching sight Of thinges to cum he could forshew as right As I rehearce the pageantes that wer past Such perfectnes god gaue him at the last He knew my brother Richard was the Bore Whose tuskes should tears my brothers boyes me And gave me warning therof long before But wit nor warning can in no degree Let thinges to hap which are ordaynde to bee Witnes the paynted Lionesse which slue A prince imprisoned Lions to eschuâ— He tolde me to my youkefelow should dye Wherin would God he had bene no diuine And after her death I should woe earnestly A spouse wher at my brother should repine And finde the meanes she should be none of mine For which such malice should among vs rise As save my death no treaty should decise And as he sayd so all thinges came to passe For whan King Henry and his sonne wer slayne And every broyle so throughly quenched was That the King my brother quietly did rayne I reconsiled to his love agayne In prosperous health did leade a quiet life For five yeares space with honors laden rise And to augment the fulnes of my blisse Two lovely children by my wife I had But froward hap whose maner ever is In chiefest ioy to make the happy sad Bemixt my swete with bitternes to bad For while I swam in ioyes on every side My louing wife my chiefest iewel died Who sâ— lacks whan fâ—lâ— I had bewaylde a yeare The Duke of Burgoyues wise dame Margarete My louing sister willing me to chearâ— To mary againe did kindly 〈◊〉 intreat And wisht me matched with a mayden nete A stepdaughter of hers duke Charles his hapee A noble damesell yong discrete and fayer To whose desper because I did encline The King my brother doubting my degree Through prophecies against vs did repine And at no hande would to our willes agree For which such rancor pearst both him and me That face to face we fell to flat defiaunce But were appeased by frendes of our aliaunce Howbeit my mariage vtterly was dasht Wherein because my servaunt sayd his minde A meane was sought wherby he might be lasht And for they could no crime agaynst him finde They forged a fault the peoples lyts to blinde And tolde he should by sorceries pretende To bring the King vnto a spedy ende Of all which poyntes he was as innocent As is the babe that lacketh kindely breth And yet condemned by the Kinges assent Most cruelly put to a shamefull death This fierd my hart as soulder doth the heath So that I could not but exclame and crye Against so great and open an iniury For this I was commaunded to the tower The king my brother was so cruel harted And whan my brother Richard saw the hower Was cum for which his hart so sore had smarted He thought best take the time before it parted For he endeuoured to attayne the crowne FroÌ„ which my life must nedes have held him downe For though the king within a while had died As nedes he must he surfayted so oft I must have had his children in my gyde So Richard should beside the crowne have cost This made him plye the while the waxe was sofâ— â–ª To find a meane to bring me to an ende For realme rape spareth neither kin nor frend And whan he sawe how reason can asswage Through length of time my brother Edwardes yreâ— With forged tales he set him new in rage Til at the last they did my death conspire And though my truth sore troubled their desire For all the world did know mine innocence Yet they agreed to charge me with offence And covertly within the tower they called A quest to geve such verdite as they should Who what with fear and what with fauour thraide Durst nought pronounce but as my brethern would And though my false accusers never could Prove ought they sayd I giltles was condemned Such verdites passe where iustice is contemned This seat atchieved yet could they not for shame Cause me be kilde by any common way But like a wulfe the tirant Richard came My brother nay my butcher I may say Unto the tower when all men wer away Save such as wer provided for the â—eate Who in this wise did straungely me entreate His purpose was with a prepared string To strangle me but I bestird me so That by no force they could me therto bring Which caused him that purpose to forge Howbeit they bound me whether I would or no. And in a buâ—â—e of Malmesey standing by Newe Christned me because I should not crie Thus drounde I was yet for no due desert Except the zeale of Iustice be a crime False prophecies bewitched king Edwardes hert My brother Richard to the crowne wold clime Note these thre causes in thy ruful ryme And boldly say they did procure my fal And death of deathes most straunge and hard of al. And warne all princes prophecies to eschue That are to darke or doubtful to be knowen What God hath sayd that can not but ensue Though
Beholde his woundes howe blew they be about Whych whyle he lived thought neuer to decay Me thinke I heare the people thus deuise And therfore Baldwin sith thou wilt declare How princes fell to make the liuing wise My vicious story in no poynt see thou spare But paynt it out that rulers may beware Good counsayle lawe or vertue to despyse For realmes haue rules and rulers haue a syse Which if they kepe not doubtles say I dare That eythers gryefes the other shall agrise Till the one be lost the other brought to care I am a Kyng that ruled all by lust That forced not of vertue ryght or lawe But alway put false Flatterers most in trust Ensuing such as could my vices clawe By faythful counsayle passing not a strawe What pleasure pryckt that thought I to be iust I set my minde to feede to spoyle to iust Three meales a day could skarce content my mawe And all to augment my lecherous minde that must To Uenus pleasures alway be in awe For mayntenannce wherof my realme I polde Through Subsidies sore fines loanes many a prest Blanke charters othes shiftes not knowen of olde For whych my Subiectes did me sore detest I also made away the towne of Brest My fault wherin because mine vncle tolde For Prynces vyces may not be controlde I found the meanes his bowels to vnbrest The Piers and Lordes that did his cause vphold With death exile or greuous sines opprest Neyther lakt I ayde in any wicked dede For gaping Gulles whom I promoted had Woulde furder all in hope of higher mede A king can neuer imagine ought so bad But most about him will perfourme it glad For sickenes seldome doth so swiftely brede As vicious humors growe the griefe to feede Thus kinges estates of all be wurst bastad Abusde in welth abandoned at nede And nerest harme whan they be least adrad My life and death the truth of this can trye For while I fought in Ireland with my foes Mine vncle Edmunde whom I left to gide My realme at heme right trayteously arose To helpe the Percies plying my depose And cald fro Fraunce Erle Bolenbroke whom I Condemned ten yeres in eryle to lye Who cruelly did put to death all those That in myne ayde durst looke but once awry Whose number was but slender I suppose For whan I was cum back this stur to stay The Erle of Worcester whom I trusted moste Whiles we in Wales at Flint our castell lay Both to refresh and multiply mine oste Did in my hall in â—ight of least and moste Be breake his staffe my houshold office stay Bad eche man shiâ—te and rode him selfe away See princes see the power wherof we boste Whome most we trust at nede do vs betray Through whose false faith my land and life I lost For whan my trayterous Stuard thus was goen My seruauntes shranke away on euery side That caught I was and caryed to my foen Who for theyr prince a prison dyd provide And therin kept me til duke Henryes pride Dyd cause me yeld him vp my crowne and throne Whych shortly made my frendly foes to grene For Henry seing in me their falshode tryde Abhorde them all and would be rulde by none For whych they sought to stoppe him strayt a tyde The chiefe conspirde by death to drive him down For which exployte a solemne othe they swore To render me my libertie and crown Wherof them selues deprived me before But salues helpe seeld an overlong suffred sore To stoppe the brech no boote to runne or rowne When swelling fluds have overflowen the town Til sailes be spred the ship may kepe the shore The Ankers wayed though al the frayte do frowne With streame and steere perforce it shalbe bore For though the piers set Henry in his state Yet could they not displace him thence agayne And where they easily put me downe of late They could restore me by no maner payne Thinges hardly mende but may be mard amayne And whan a man is falne in froward fate Still mischeves light one in anothers pate And wel meant meanes his mishaps to restraine Ware wretched moues wherby his ioyes abate Due proofe wherof in me appereth playne For whan king Henry knew that for my cause His lordes in maske would kil him if they might To dash all dowtes he tooke no farther pause But sent sir Pierce of Erton a traytrous knight To Pomfret Castell with other armed light Who causeles kild me there agaynst all lawes Thus lawles life to lawles deth ey drawes Wherfore byd Kynges be rulde and rule by right Who wurketh his wil shunneth wisedomes sawes In flateries clawes shames foule pawes shal light WHan he had ended this so wofull a tragedy and to all Princes a ryght wurthy instruction we paused hauing passed through a miserable time full of piteous tragedyes And seing the reyne of Henry the fourth ensued a man more ware prosperous in hys doynges although not vntroubled with warres both of outforth and inward enemies we began to serch what Piers were fallen therin wherof the number was not small and yet because their examples were not much to be noted for our purpose we passed ouer all the Maskers of whom King Richardes brother was chiefe which were all slayne and put to death for theyr trayterous attempt And finding Owen Glendour next one of fortunes owne whelpes and the Percyes his confederates I thought them vnmete to be over passed and therfore sayde thus to the silent cumpany what my maysters is euery man at once in a browne study hath no man affeccion to any of these storyes you minde so much sum other belyke that these do not move you And to say the troth there is no speciall cause why they should Howbeit Owen Glendour because he was one of fortunes darlinges rather than he should be forgotten I wil tel his tale for him vnder the priuilege of Martine Hundred whych Owen cumming out of the wilde mountaynes like the Image of death in all poyntes his dart onely excepted so sore hath famine and hunger consumed hym may lament his folly after thys maner Hovve Ovven Glendour seduced by false prophesies tooke vpon him to be prince of VVales and vvas by Henry then prince therof chased to the mountaynes vvhere he miserably dyed for lacke of foode I Pray the Baldwin sith thou doest entend To shewe the fall of such as clymbe to hye Remember me whose miserable ende May teache a man his vicious life to flye Oh Fortune Fortune out on her I crye My body and fame she hath made leane and slender For I poore wretch am steruen Owen Glendour A Welshman borne and of a gentle blud But ill brought vp wherby full wel I find That neither birth nor linage make vs good Though it be true that Cat wil after kinde Fleshe gendreth fleshe so doeth not soule or minde They gender not but fowly do degender When men to vice from vertue them do surrender Ech thing by nature
tendeth to the same Wherof it came and is disposed like Downe sinkes the mold by mountes the fiery flame With horne the hart with hoofe the horse doth strike The Wulfe doth spoyle the suttle For doth pyke And generally no fish flesh fowle or plant Doth any property that their dame had want But as for men sith seuerally they haue A mind whose maners are by learning made Good bringing vp alonly doth them save In vertuous dedes which with their parentes fade So that true gentry standeth in the trade Of vertuous life not in the fleshly line For blud is Brute but Gentry is diuine Experience doth cause me thus to say And that the rather for my countreymen Which vaunt and boast their selues aboue the day If they may strayne their stocke for wurthy men Which let be true are they the better than Nay farre the wurse if so they be not good For why they steyne the bewty of theyr blood How would we mocke the burden bearing mule If he would brag he wer an horses sunne To presse his pride might nothing els him rule His boast to proue no more but byd him runne The horse for swiftenes hath his glory wunne To which the mule could neuer the more aspier Though he should prove that Pegas was his sier Ech man may crake of that which is his own Our parentes vertues theirs are and not oures Who therfore wil of noble kind be knowen Ought shine in vertue like his auncestors Gentry consisteth not in landes and towers He is a Churle though all the world be his He Arthurs heyre if that he liue amys For vertuous lyfe doth make a gentleman Of her possessour all be he poore as Iob Yea though no name of elders shewe he can For proofe take Merlyn fathered by an Hob. But who so settes his mind to spoyle and rob Although he cum by due discent fro Brute He is a Chorle vngentle vile and brute Well thus dyd I for want of better wyt Because my parentes noughtly brought me vp For gentle men they sayd was nought so sy As to attaste by bolde attemptes the cup Of conquestes wyne wherof I thought to sup And therfore bent my selfe to rob and ryue And whome I could of landes and goodes depryue For Henry the fourth did then vsurpe the crowne Despoyled the kyng with Mortimer the heyre For whych his subiectes sought to put him downe And I whyle Fortune offred me so fayre Dyd what I myght his honour to appeyre And toke on me to be the prynce of Wales Entiste therto by many of Merlines tales For whych such Idle as wayte vpon the spoyle From euery parte of Wales vnto me drew For loytring youth vntaught in any toyle Are redy aye all mischiefe to ensue Through help of these so great my glory grew That I defyed my Kyng through lofty hart And made sharp warre on all that tooke his part See lucke I tooke lord Reynolde Grey of Rythen And him enforst my doughter to espouse And so vnraunsomed held him still and sithen In Wygmore land through battayle rygorous I caught the ryght heyre of the crowned house The Erle of March syr Edmund Mortymer And in a dungeon kept hym prysoner Then al the marches longyng vnto Wales By Syverne west I did inuade and burne Destroyed the townes in mountaynes and in vales And riche in spoyles did homward safe retourne Was none so bold durst once agaynst me spurne Thus prosperously doth Fortune forward call Those whom she mindes to geue the forest fall Whan fame had brought these tidinges to the king Although the Skots than vexed him ryght sore A myghty army agaynst me he dyd bryng Wherof the French Kyng beyng warned afore Who mortall hate agaynst kyng Henry bore To greve our foe he quyckely to me sent Twelve thousand Frenchmen armed to war bent A part of them led by the Erle of Marche Lord Iames of Burbon a valiaunt tryed knyght Withheld by winds to Wales ward sorth to marche Tooke lande at Plymmouth pryuily on a nyght And when he had done al he durst or myght After that a mayny of his men were slayne He stole to shyp and sayled home agayne Twelve thousand moe in Mylford dyd aryue And came to me then lying at Denbygh With armed Welshmen thousandes double fiue With whom we went to wurcester well nigh And there encampte vs on a mount on high To abide the kyng who shortly after came And pitched his feild on a Hyll hard by the same Ther eyght dayes long our hostes lay face to face And neyther durst the others power assayle But they so stopt the passages the space That vitayles coulde not cum to our auayle Wherthrough constrayned our hartes began to fayle So that the Frenchmen shrancke away by night And I with mine to the mountaynes toke our flight The king pursued vs greatly to his cost From Hyls to wuds fro wuds to valeyes playne And by the way his men and stuf he lost And whan he see he gayned nought saue payne He blewe retreat and got him home agayne Then with my power I boldly came abrode Taken in my cuntrey for a very God Immediatly after fell a Ioly Iarre Betwene the king and Percies worthy bluds Which grew at last vnto a deadly warre For like as drops engendre mighty fluds And litle seedes sprut furth great leaves and buds Euen so small strifes if they be suffred â—un Brede wrath and war and death or they be don The kyng would haue the raunsum of such Scots As these the Percyes had â—ane in the feeld But see how strongly Luker knits her knottes The king will haue the Percies wil not yeeld Desire of goodes soone craves but graunteth seeld Oh cursed goodes desire of you hath wrought All wyckednes that hath or can be thought The Percies deemed it meter for the king To haue redeemed theyr cosin Mortymer Who in his quarel all his power did bryng To fight with me that tooke him prisoner Than of their pray to rob his Souldier And therfore willed him see sum mean wer found To quit furth him whom I kept vily bound Because the king misliked their request They came them selves and did accord with me Complayning how the kyngdome was opprest By Henries rule wherfore we dyd agre To put him downe and part the realme in three The North part theirs Wales wholy to be mine The rest to rest to therle of Marches line And for to set vs hereon more agog A prophet came a vengeaunce take them all Affirming Henry to be Gogmagog Whom Merlyn doth a Mouldwarp euer call Accurst of god that must be brought in thrall By a wulf a Dragon and a Lyon strong Which should deuide his kingdome them among This crafty dreamer made vs thre such beastes To thinke we were these foresayd beastes in deede And for that cause our badges and our creastes We searched out whych scarcely wel agreed Howbeit the Haroldes redy at such a neede Drew downe such issues
from olde auncestours As proued these ensignes to be surely oures Ye crafty Welshemen wherfore do you mocke The noble men thus with your fayned rymes Ye noble men why flye you not the flocke Of such as haue seduced so many times False Prophesies are plages for divers crymes Whych god doth let the divilish sorte devise To trouble such as are not godly wyse And that appered by vs thre beastes in dede Through false perswasion highly borne in hand That in our feat we could not chuse but spede To kyll the kyng and to enioye his land For which exployt we bound our selues in band To stand contented ech man with his part So fully folly assured our folysh hart But such they say as fysh before the net Shal seldome surfyt of the pray they take Of thinges to cum the haps be so vnset That none but fooles may warraÌ„t of them make The full assured succes doth oft forsake For Fortune findeth none so fyt to flout As suresby sots whych cast no kinde of doute How sayest thou Henry Hotspur do I lye For thou right manly gauest the king a feeld And there was slayn because thou wouldest not â—y Sir Thomas Percie thine vncle forst to yeeld Did cast his head a wunder seen but â—eâ—ld From Shrewsbury town to the top of LondoÌ„ bridge Lo thus fond hope did theyr both liues abridge Whan Henry king this victory had wunne Destroyed the Percies put their power to flyght He did appoynt prince Henry his eldest sunne With all his power to meete me if he might But I discumfit through my partners fight Had not the hart to mete him face to face But fled away and he pursued the chase Now Baldwin marke for I cald prince of Wales And made beleve I should be he in dede Was made to flye among the hilles and dales Where al my men forsooke me at my nede Who trusteth loyterers seeld hath lucky spede And whan the captaynes corage doth him fayle His souldiers hartes a litle thing may quayle And so Prince Henry chased me that loe I found no place wherin I might abide For as the dogges pursue the selly doâ— The brach behind the houndes on euery side So traste they me among the mountaynes wide Wherby I found I was the hartles hare And not the beast Colprophete did declare And at the last like as the litle roche Must eyther be eat or leape vpon the shore Whan as the hungry pickrel doth approch And there find death which it eskapte before So double death assaulted me so sore That eyther I must vnto my enmy yeeld Or statue for hunger in the baraynâ— feeld Here shame and payne a whyle were at a strife Payne prayed me yeeld shame bad me rather fast The one had spare the other spend my life But shame shame haue it ouercam at last Than hunger gnew that doth the stone wall brast And made me eat both gravell durt and mud And last of all my dung my fleshe and blud This was mine ende to horrible to heare Yet good ynough for a life that was so yll Wherby O Baldwin warne all men to beare Theyr youth such loue to bring them vp in skill Byd Princes flye Colprophetes lying byll And not presume to clime aboue their states For they be faultes that foyle men not their fates WHan starued Owen had ended his hungry exhortacion it was well inough liked Howbeit one found a dout wurth the mouing that concerning this title erle of March for as it appereth there wer .iii. men of .iii diuers nacions together in one time entitled by that honour Fyrst sir Edmund Mortimer whom Owen kept in prison an EnglishmaÌ„ the second the lord George of Dunbar a valiante Scot. banished out of his countrey well estemed of Henry the fowerth the third lord Iames of Burbon a frenchman sent by the french king to helpe Owen Glendour These thre men had this title all at once which caused him to aske how it was true that euery one of these could be Earle of Marche Wherto was aunswered that euery countrey hath Marches belonging vnto them and those so large that they were Earledomes the lordes therof intituled therby so that Lord Edmund Mortimer was Earle of Marche in Englande lord Iames of Burbon of the marches of Fraunce and Lord George of Dunbar erle of the marches in Scotland For otherwise nether could haue interest in others title Thys doubt thus dissolued mayster Ferrers sayde If no man haue affeccion to the Percies let vs pas the times both of Henry the fowerth the fifte and cum to Henrye the syxte in whose time fortune as she doth in the minoritie of princes bare a great stroke among the nobles And yet in HeÌ„ry the fourths time are exaÌ„ples which I would wish Baldvvin that you should not forget as the conspiracie made by the bishop of Yorke and the lorde Mowbray â–ª sonne of him whom you late treated of prycked forward by the earle of Northumberland father to sir Henry Hotspur who fled himselfe but his partners were apprehended and put to death with Baynton and Blinkinsops which could not see theyr duty to theyr King but tooke part with Percy that banished Rebell As he was proceding he was desired to stay by one whych had pondered the story of the Percies who briefly sayd To thende Baldvvin that you may know what to say of the Percyes whose story is not all out of my memory and it is a notable story I wyll take vpon me the person of lord Henry earle of Northumberland father of Henrye Hotspur in whose behalfe thys may be sayd Hovv Henry Percy Earle of Northhumberland vvas for his couetous and trayterous attempt put to death at Yorke O Morall Senec true find I thy saying That neyther kinsfolke ryches strength or fauour Are free from Fortune but are ay decaying No worldly welth is ought save doubtful labour Mans life in earth is like vnto a tabour Which now to mirth doth mildly men provoke And strayt to war with a more sturdy stroke All this full true I Percy find by proofe Which whilom was erle of Northumberland And therfore Baldwin for my Piers behoof To note mens falles sith thou hast tane in hand I would thou shouldest my state well vnderstand For fewe kinges were more then I redouted Through double Fortune lyfted vp and louted As for my kinne their noblenes is knowen My valiauntise were folly for to prayse Wherthrough the Scortes so oft were ouerthrowen That who but I was doubted in my dayes And that kyng Rychard found at all assayes For neuer Scottes rebelled in his rayne But through my force were eyther caught or slayne A brother I had was Erle of Worcester Alwayes in fauour and office with the king And by my wife Dame Elinor Mortimer I had a son which so the Scottes did sting That being yong and but a very spring Syr Henry Hotspur they gaue him to name And though I say it he did deserue the
Southhampton whose commocion made in Kent was cause of sely Henries destruccion And seing king Henrye him selfe was cause of the destruccion of many noble princes being of all other most vnfortunate him selfe I will declare what I have noted in his vnlucky lyfe who wounded in prison with a dagger maye lament his wretchedues in maner falowing Hovv king Henry the syxt a vertuous prince vvas after many other miseries cruelly murdered in the Tovver of London IF ever woful wight had cause to rue his state Or by his rufull plight to move men moane his fate My piteous playnt may preace my mishaps to rehearce wherof the least most lightly heard the hardest hart may pearce What hart so hard can heare of innocens opprest By fraude in worldly goodes but melteth in the brest Whan giltles men be spoylde imprisoned for theyr owne who wayleth not their wretched case to whoÌ„ the cause is knoweÌ„ The Lyon licketh the sores of selly wounded shepe The deadmans corse may cause the Crocodile to wepe The waves that waste the rockes refresh the rotten redes Such ruth the wracke of innocens in cruel creature bredes What hart is than so hard but wyl for pitye blede To heare so cruell lucke so cleare a life succede To see a silly soule with woe and sorowe souste A king deprived in prison pente to death with daggars doust Woulde god the day of birth had brought me to my beere Than had I never felt the chaunge of Fortunes cheere Would god the grave had gript me in her gredy woumbe Whan crowne in cradle made mâ—king w t 〈…〉 Would god the rufull toumbe had bene my royall trone So should no kingly charge have made me make my mone O that my soule had flowen to heaven with the ioy When one sort cryed God save the king another Vive le roy So had I not been washt in waves of worldly woe My mynde to quyet bent had not bene tossed so My frendes had bene alyve my subiectes vnopprest But death or cruell destiny denyed me this rest Alas what should we count the cause of wretches cares The starres do styrre them vp Astronomy declares Or humours sayth the leache the double true divines To the will of god or yll of man the doubtfull cause assignes Such doltish heades as dreame that all thinges drive by haps Count lack of former care for cause of afterclaps Astributing to man a power fro God bereft Abusing vs and robbing him through their most wicked theft But god doth gide the world and every hap by skyll Our wit and willing power are paysed by his will What wyt most wisely wardes and wil most deadly vrkes Though al our power would presse it downe doth dash our warest wurkes Than destiny our sinne Gods wil or els his wreake Do wurke our wrethed woes for humours bâ— to weake Except we take them so as they prouoke to sinne For through our lust by humours fed al vicious dedes beginne So sinne and they be one both wurking like effect And cause the wrath of God to wreake the soule infect Thus wrath and wreake divine mans sinnes and humours yll Concur in one though in a sort ech doth a course fulfill If likewise such as say the welken fortune warkes Take Fortune for our fate and sterres therof the markes Then destiny with fate and Gods wil al be one But if they meane it otherwise skath causers skyes be none Thus of our heavy happes chiefe causes be but twayne Wheron the rest depende and vnderput remayne The chiefe the wil diuine called destiny and fate The other sinne through humours holpe which god doth highly hate The first appoynteth payne for good mens exercise The second doth deserve due punishment for vice This witnesseth the wrath and that the love of God The good for love the bad for sinne God beateth with his rod. Although my sundry sinnes do place me with the wurst My happes yet cause me hope to be among the furst The eye that searcheth all and seeth every thought Doth know how sore I hated sinne and after vertue sought The solace of the soule my chiefest pleasure was Of wordly pompe of fame or game I did not pas My kingdomes nor my crowne I prised not a crum In heaven wer my rytches heapt to which I sought to cum Yet wer my sorowes such as never man had like So divers stormes at once so often did me strike But why God knowes not I except it wer for this To shew by patarne of a prince how britle honour is Our kingdomes are but cares our state deuoyde of stay Our riches redy snares to hasten our decay Our pleasures priuy prickes our vices to prouoke Our poÌ„pe a pumpe our fame a flame our power a smouldring smoke I speake not but by proofe and that may many rue My life doth crie it out my death doth trye it true Wherof I will in briefe rehearce my heavy hap That Baldwin in his woful warpe my wretche dues may wrap In Windsore borne I was â–ª and bare my fathers name Who wanne by war all Fraunce to his eternall fame And left to me the crowne to be receyued in peace Through mariage made with Charles his haire vpon his lifes decease Which shortly did ensue yet died my father furst And both their realmes were mine ere I a yere were nurst Which as they fell to soone so faded they as fast For Charles and Edward got them both or fortye yeres were past Thiâ— Charles was eldest sonne of Charles my father in law To whom as heire of Fraunce the Frenchmen did them draw But Edward was the heire of Richard duke of Yorke The hayer of Roger Mortimer slayne by the kerne of Korke Before I came to age Charles had recovered Fraunce And kilde my men of warre so lucky was his chaunce And through a mad contract I made with Rayners daughter I gave and lost all Normandy the cause of many a slaughter First of mine vncle Humfrey abhorring sore this acte Because I therby brake a better precontracte ThaÌ„ of the flattring duke that first the mariage made The iust rewarde of such as dare their princes yll perswade And I poore sely wretche abode the brunt of all My mariage iust so swete was 〈…〉 My wife was wise and good had 〈…〉 Wherfore warne men beware how they iust promise breake Least proofe of paynful plagues do cause them waile the wreke Aduise wel ere they graunt but what they graunt perfourme For god wil plage all doublenes although we feele no wourme I falsly borne in hand beleved I did wel But al thinges be not true that learned men do tell My cleargy sayd a prince was to no promis bounde Whose wordes to be no gospel tho I to my griefe haue found For after mariage ioynde Quene Margarete and me For one mishap afore I dayly met with three Of Normandy and Fraunce Charles got away my crowne The Duke of Yorke other sought at home to put me
downe Bellona rang the bell at home and all abrode With whose mishaps amayne fel Fortune did me lode In Fraunce I lost my fortes at home the soughten fielde My kindred slaine my frendes opprest my selfe enforste to yelde Duke Richard tooke me twise and forst me to resigne My crowne and titles due vnto my fathers ligne And kept me as a warde did all thinges as him list Til time my wife through bluddy sword had â—ane me from his fyst But though she slew the duke my sorowes did not slake But like to hiders head stil more and more awake For Edward through the ayde of Warwick and his brother From one field drave me to the Skots and toke me in another Then went my freÌ„des to wracke for Edward ware the crowne For which for nine yeres space his prison held me downe Yet thence through Warwikes wurke I was againe releast And Edward driven fro the realme to seke his frendes by East But what prevayleth payn or prouidens of man To helpe him to good hap whom destiny doth ban Who moyleth to remove the rocke out of the mud Shall myer him selfe hardly skape the swelling of the flud This al my frendes have found and I have felt it so Ordayned to be the touche of wretchednes and woe For ere I had a yeare possest my seat agayne I lost both it and liberty my helpers all were slayne For Edward first by stelth and sith by gadered strength Arrived and got to Yorke and London at the length Tooke me and tyed me vp yet Warwike was so stout He came with power to Barnet fyelde in hope to helpe me out And there alas was slayne with many a wurthy knight O Lord that ever such luck should hap in helping right Last came my wife and sonne that long lay in exyle Defyed the King and fought a fyelde I may bewalle the whsle For there mine only sonne not thirtene yere of age Was tane and murdered strayte by Edward in his rage And shortly I my selfe to stynt al furder strife Stabbed with his brothers bluddy blade in prison lost my life Loe here the heauy happes which happened me by heape See here the pleasaunt fruytes that many princes reape The payneful plagues of those that breake their lawful bandes Their mede which may wil not save their frendes fro bluddy handes God graunt my woful haps to greuous to rehearce May teache all states to know how depely daungers pearce How frayle al honours are how brittle worldly blisse That warned through my feareful fate they feare to do amys THis tragedy ended an other said eyther you or king Henry are a good philosopher so narowly to argue the causes of misfortunes but ther is nothing to experience which taught or might teach y e king this lesson but to procede in our matter I finde mencion here shortly after y e death of this king of a duke of Excester found dead in the sea betwene Dover and Calays but what he was or by what adventure he died master Fabian hath not shewed and master Hall hath overskipped him so that excepte we bee frendlier vnto him he is like to be double drowned both in the sea and in the gulfe of forgetfulnes About this matter was much talke but because one tooke vppon him to seeke out that story that charge was coÌ„mitted to him And to be occupied the meane while I found the storye of one drowned likewise and that so notably though priuily that al the world knew of it wherfore I sayd because night approcheth and that we wil lose no time ye shall heare what I have noted concerning the duke of Clarens king Edwardes brother who al to be washed in wine may bewayle his infortune after this maner Hovv George Plantagenet third sonne of the Duke of Yorke vvas by his brother King Edvvard vvrongfully imprisoned and by his brother Richard miserably murdered THe foule is fowle men say that files the nest which maketh me loath to speak now might I chuse But seing time vnburdened hath her brest And fame blowen vp the blast of all abuse My silence rather might my life accuse Than shroud our shame though fayne I would it so For truth wil out though all the world say no. And therfore Baldwin hartely I the beseche To pause awhile vpon my heauy playnt And though vnneth I vtter spedy spech No fault of wit or folly maketh me saynt No heady drinkes have geven my tounge attaynâ—e Through quaffing craft yet wine my wits confouÌ„d Not which I dranke of but wherin I dround What prince I am although I nede not shewe Because my wine bewrayes me by the smell For never was creature sowst in Bacchus dewâ— To death but I through Fortunes rigour fel Yet that thou mayst my story better tell I will declare as briefly as I may My welth my woe and causers of decay The famous house sournamed Plantagenet Wherat dame Fortune frowardly did frowne White Bolenbroke vniustly sought to set His lord king Richard quite beside the crowne Though many a day it wanted due renowne God so preserved by prouidens and grace That lawful heires did never faile the race For Lionell king Edwardes elder childe Both vncle and haire to Richard yssulesse Begot a doughter Philip whom vnfilde The earle of March espousde and god did blesse With fruyte assinde the kingdome to possesse I mean sir Roger Mortimer whose hayer The earle of Cambridge maried Anne the fayer This earle of Cambridge Richard clept by name Was sonne to Edmund Langley duke of Yorke Which Edmund was fift brother to the same Duke Lyonel that al this line doth korke Of which two houses ioyned in a forke My father Richard prince Plantagenet True duke of Yorke was lawful heire beget Who tooke to wife as you shal vnderstand A mayden of a noble house and olde Raulfe Nebels daughter Earle of Westmerland Whose sonne Earle Richard was a baron bolde Aâ—d had the right of Salysbury in bolde Through mariage made with good Earle Thomas hayer Whose earned prayses never shal appaire The duke my father had by this his wife Fower sonnes of whom the eldest Edward hight The second Iohn who lost in youth his life At wakefield slayne by Clifford cruell knight I George am third of Clarence duke by right The fowerth borne to the mischiefe of vs all Was duke of Glocester whom men Richard call Whan as our syer in sute of right was slayne Whose life and death him selfe declared curst My brother Edward plyed his cause amayne And got the crowne as Warwick hath rehearst The pride wherof so depe his stomacke pearst That he forgot his frendes dispisde his kin Of oth or office passing not a pinne Which made the earle of Warwike to maligne My brothers state and to attempt a waye To bring from prison Henry selly king To helpe him to the kingdome if he may And knowing me to be the chiefest staye My brother had he did me vndermine To cause me to
all the world would have it overthrowen When men suppose by fetches of their owne To flye theyr fate they further on the same Like quenching blastes which oft reuive the flame Will princes therfore not to thinke by murder They may auoide what prophecies behight But by their meanes theyr mischiefes they may furder And cause gods vengeaunce heauier to alight Wo wurth the wretch y t strives with gods forsights They are not wise but wickedly do arâ—e Which thinke yll dedes due destinies may barre For if we thinke that prophecies be true We must beleve it can not but beride Which God in them forsheweth shall ensue For his decrees vnchaunged do abide Which to be true my bretherne both have tried Whose wicked warkes warne princes to detest That others harmes may kepe them better blest BY that this tragedy was ended nyghte was so nere cum that we could not conveniently tary together any longer and therfore sayd mayster Ferrers It is best my masters to staye here For we be cum now to the ende of Edwarde the fowerth his raygne For the last whom we finde vnfortunate therein was this Duke of Clarens In whose behalfe I commende much that which hath be noted Let vs therfore for thiâ—â—ime leave with him And this daye seuen nightes hence if your busines will so suffer let vs all mete here together agayne And you shal se that in the mean season I will not only deuise vppon this my selfe but but cause divers other of my acquayntauns which can do very well to helpe vs forwarde with the rest To this every man gladly agreed howbeit ê™ an other seing we shall end at Edward the fowerthes ende let him selfe make an ende of our daies labour with the same â—racion which mayster Skelton made in his name the tenour wherof so farre as I remember is this Hovv king Edvvard through his surfeting and vntemperate life sodainly died in the mids of his prosperity MIseremini mei ye that be my frendes This world hath formed me downe to fall How may I endure whan that every thing endes What creature is borne to be eternall Now there is no more but pray for me all Thus say I Edward that late was your King And .xxiii. yeares ruled this imperiall Sum vnto pleasure and sum to no liking Mercy I aske of my misdoing What auayleth it frendes to be my foe Sith I can not resist nor amend your complayning Quia ecce nunc in pulvere dormio I slepe now in molde as it is naturall As earth vnto earth hath his reverture What ordeyned God to be terrestriall Without recourse to the earth by nature Who to live ever may him selfe assure What is it to trust on mutability Sith that in this world nothing may endure For now am I gone that was late in prosperity To presume therupon it is but a vanitye Not certayne but as a chery fayre ful of wo. Rayned not I of late in great prosperitye Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio Where was in my life such an one as I. While Lady Fortune with me had continuaunce Graunted not she me to have victory In England to rayne and to contribute Fraunce She toke me by the hand and led me a daunce And with her sugred lyppes on me she smyled But what for her dissembled countenaunce I could not be ware tyl I was begiled Now from this worlde she hath me exiled Whan I was lothest hence for to goe And am in age as who saieth but a childe Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio I had ynough I helde me not contente Without remembraunce that I should dye And moreover to encroch ready was I bent I knew not how long I should it occupy I made the tower strong I wist not why I knew not to whom I purchased Tattersall I amended Dover on the mountayne hye And London I prouoked to fortify 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 pulvere dormio Where is now my conquest and victory Where is my ritches and royall array Where be my coursers and my horses hyeâ— Where is my mirth my solas and playe As vanity to nought all is wyddred away O Lady Bes â–ª long for me may you call For I am departed vntill doomes day But love you that lord that is soveraine of all Where be my castels and buyldinges royall â–ª But Windsore alone now have I no moe And of Eton the prayers perpetuall Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio Why should a man be proude or presume hye Saynt Barnard therof nobly doth treat Saying a man is but a sacke of sterâ—ory And shall returne vnto wurmes meal Why what became of Alexander the great Or els of strong Sampson who can tell Wer not wurmes ordayned their flesh to freate And of Salomon that was of wit the well Absolon profered his hâ—â—re for to sell Yet for all his beauty wurmes eat him also And I but late in honour did excell Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio I have playd my pageaunt now am I past Ye wore well all I was of no great elde This all thing concluded shall be at the last Whan death approcheth than lost is the felde Than seing this world me no longer vphelde For nought would conserve me here in my place In manus tuas domine my spirite vp I yelde Humby beseching the o God of thy grace O you curteous commons your hartes enbrace Beningly now to pray for me also For right well you know your king I was Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio WHan this was sayde every man tooke his leave of other and departed And I the better to acquyte my charge recorded and noted all such matters as they had wylled me FINIS The Contentes and Table of the booke The Epistle dedicatory ¶ A prose to the Reader continued betwene the tragedies from the beginning of the booke to the ende Tragedies beginning ¶ Tresilian and his felowes hanged folio i. ¶ Mortimer slayne folio iiii ¶ Thomas of Wodstocke murdered fol. viii ¶ Mowbray lord Marshall banished fol. xii ¶ King Richard the second murdered fol. xvi ¶ Owen Glendour starved fol. xix ¶ Percy earle of Northumberland beheaded fo xxv ¶ Richard earle of Cambridge beheaded fo xxviii Thomas Montague earle of Salisbury slaine fo xxx ¶ King Iames the fyrst murdered fo xxxvi ¶ Good duke Humfrey murdered and Elianor Cobham his wife banished fol. xl ¶ William de la Poole duke of Southfolke banished and beheaded ¶ Iacke Cade calling him selfe Mortimer slaine and beheaded ¶ Richard Plantagence duke of Yorke slaine fo lix ¶ Lord Clifford slayne fol. lxii Iohn Tiptoft earle of Wurcester beheaded fol. lxiiii ¶ Richard Nevell erle of Warwike slaine fol. lxix ¶ King Henry the sixt murdered fol. lxxii ¶ George duke of Clarence drowned fol. lxxv ¶ King Edward the fowerth surfeted fol. lxxxiii Finis ¶ Fautes escaped in the printing Leafe 1. lyne 20. reade hath be seen Leafe 8. lyne 5. reade whoss state is stablisht Seconde syde lyne 21. reade hearken to me Leafe 9. lyne 4. reade frenchmen to abandon Leafe 19. B. lyne 13. reade am sterved Owen Leafe 69. lyne 7 reade vpon her strailesse stage Leafe 82. B. lyne 15. reade attributing to man Leafe 84. lyne 26. reade fro whiche for c. Leafe 81. lyne 1. reade whose lacke The same leafe lyne 26. reade as foulder doth B. Signyfieth the seconde syde of the Leafe â–ª ¶ Imprinted at London in Fletestrete nere to Saynct Dunstones Church by Thomas Marshe
the charter â—â—lled Râ—gman That of the Skots he bribed pryuy gayne That through his meanes syr Edward of Carnaruan In Barkley castell trayterously was slayne That with his princes mother he had layne And fynally with pollyng at his pleasure Had robde the kyng and commons of theyr treasure For these thynges loe whiche erst were out of minde He was condemned and hanged at the last In whom dame Fortune fully shewed her kynde For whom she heaves she hurleth downe as fast If men to cum would learne by other past This cosen of myne myght cause them set asyde High clymyng brybyng murdring lust and pryde The fynall cause why I this processe tell Is that I may be knowen from this other My lyke in name vnlyke me though he fell Whiche was I thinke my graund sier or his brother To counte my kyn dame Philip was my mother Deare doughter and heyre of douty Lyonell The seconde sonne of a kyng that dyd excell My father hyght syr Edmunde Mortimer True erle of Marche whence I was after erle By iust discent these two my parentes wer Of whiche the one of knighthoode bare the ferle Of womanhoode the other was the perle Throughe theyr deserte so called of euery wight Tyll death them tooke and left in me theyr ryght For why the attaynder of my elder Roger whose shamefull death I tolde you but of late was founde to be vniust and passed ouer Agaynst the lawe by those that bare hym hate For where by lawe the lowest of free estate Should personally be heard ere iudgement passe They barred hym this where through distroyed he was wherfore by doome of courte in parlyament whan we had proued our cosen ordred thus The Kyng the Lordes and Commens of assent His lawles death vnlawfull dyd discus And both to blood and good restored vs. A Presydent most worthy shewed and left Lordes lyues to saue that lawles might be rest whyle Fortune thus dyd furder me amayne Kyng Rychardes grace the seconde of the name whose dissolute lyfe dyd soone abridge his rayne Made me his mate in earnest and in game The Lordes them selues so well allowed the same That throwe my tytles duely cummyng downe I was made heyre apparaunt to the crowne who then but I was euery where estemed well was the man that myght with me acquaynte whom I allowed as Lordes the people demed To what so euer folly had me bente To lyke it well the people dyd assente To me as prince attended great and small In hope a daye would cum to paye for all But seldome ioye continueth trouble voyde In greatest charge cares greatest do ensue The most possest are ever most anoyed In largest seas sore tempestes lyghtly brue The fresshest colours soonest fade the hue In thyckest place is made the depest wounde True proofe wherof my selfe to soone haue founde For whyles that Fortune lulde me in her lap And gaue me gyftes mo than I dyd requyre The subâ—yll qucan behynde me set a trap whereby to dashe and laye all in the myre The Iryshe men against me dyd conspyre My landes of Ulster fro me to haue reft whiche herytage my mother had me left And whyles I there to set all thinges in stay Omyt my toyles and troubles thitherwarde Among myne owne with my retinue lay The wylder men whom lytell I dyd regarde And had therefore the recheles mans rewarde When least I thought set on me in suche number That fro my corps my lyfe they rent a sunder Nought myght auayle my courage nor my force Nor strength of men whiche were alas to sewe The cruell folke assaulted so my horse That all my helpes in pieces they to hewe Our blood distayned the grounde as drops of dewe Nought myght preuayle to flee nor yet to yelde For whom they take they murdre in the fyelde They know no lawe of armes nor none wil lerne They make not warre as other do a playe The lorde the boye the Calloglas the kerne Yelde or not yelde whom so they take they slay They save no prysoners for raunsom nor for pay Theyr chiefest boote they counte theyr bodohs heade Theyr ende of warre to see theyr enmye deade Amongest these men or rather savage beastes I lost my lyfe by cruell murder slame And therfore Baldwin note thou well my geastes And warne all princes rashnes to refraine Bid them beware their enmies when they saine Nor yet presume vnequally to strive Had I thus done I had ben man alive But I dispysed the naked Iryshmen And for they flewe I feared them the lesse I thought one man ynough to matche with ten And through this careles vnadvisednesse I was destroyed and all my men I gesse At vnawares assaulted by our foen Whiche were in numbre fourty to vs one Se here the staye of fortunate estate The vayne assuraunce of this britell lyfe For I but yong proclaymed prince of late Right fortunate in children and in wife Lost all at once by stroke of bloody knife Wherby assurde let men them selues assure That welth and lyfe are doubtfull to endure AFter that this Tragedy was ended mayster Ferrers sayde seyng it is best to place eche person in his ordre Baldvvin take you the Chronicles and marke them as they cum for there are many wurthy to be noted though not to be treated of First the lord Morif a Scotishman who tooke his deathes wounde through a stroke lent him by the erle of Notingham whom he chalenged at the tilte But to omit him also the fatte Prior of Tiptre preaced to death with throng of people vpon London bridge at the Quenes entry I wil cum to the duke of Glocestre the kinges vncle a man muche mynding the common weale yet at length miserably made away In whose person yf ye wyll gyue eare ye shall heare what I thinke mete to be sayd Hovve syr Thomas of VVudstocke Duke of Glocester vncle to king Richarde the seconde vvas vnlavvfully murdred WHose state is stalysht in semyng most sure And so far from daunger of Fortunes blast As by the compas of mans coniecture No brasen pyller maye be fyxte more fast Yet wantyng the staye of prudent forecast Whan frowarde Fortune lyst for to frowne Maye in a moment tourne vpsyde downe In proofe whereof O Baldwin take payne To hearken awhyle to Thomas of Wudstocke Addrest in presence his fate to complayne In the forlorne hope of the Englysh flocke Extracte by discent from the royall stocke Sonne to kyng Edward third of that name And seconde to none in glory and fame This noble father to maynteyne my state With Buckyngham Erldom dyd me indowe Both Nature and Fortune to me were grate Denyeng nothing which they myght allowe Theyr sundry graces in me did so flowe As bewty strength high fauour and fame Who may of God more wysh than the same Brothers we were to the numbre of seuen I beyng the syxt and yongest but oneâ— A more royall race was not vnder heauen More stowte or more stately
of stomacke and person Princes all pereles in eche condicion Namely syr Edwarde called the blacke prince Whan had Englande the lyke before eyther since But what of all this any man to assure In state vncarefull of Fortunes varyaunce Syth dayly and hourely we see it in vre That where most cause is of affyaunce Euen there is founde moste weake assuraunce â–ª Let none trust Fortune but folowe Reason For often we see in trust is treason This prouerbe in proofe ouer true I tryed Finding high treason in place of high trust And most faulte of fayth where I most affyed Beyng by them that should haue been iust Trayterously entrapt ere I coulde mystrust Ah wretched worlde what it is to trust thee Let them that wyll learne nowe hearken vnto mee After king Edwarde the thyrdes decease Succeded my Nephewe Rycharde to reyne Who for his glory and honors encrease With princely wagies dyd me enterteyne Agaynst the Frenchmen to be his Chyefreyne So passyng the seas with royall puissaunce With God and S. George I inuaded Fraunce Wasting the countrey with swurde and with fyer Ouerturning townes high castels and towers Lyke Mars God of warre enflamed with yre I forced the Frenchmen tabaddon theyr bowers Where euer we matcht I wan at all howers In suche wyse visyting both Cytie and village That alway my soldiers were laden with pillage With honoure and triumph was my retourne Was none more ioyous than yong king Richarde Who minding more highly my state to adourne with Glocester Dukedome dyd me rewarde And after in mariage I was prefarde To a daughter of Bohan an earle honorable By whome I was of Englande high Constable Thus hoysted so high on Fortunes wheele As one on a stage attendyng a playe Seeth not on whiche syde the scaffolde doth reele Tyll tymber and poales and all flee awaye So fared it by mee for day by daye As honour encreased I loked styll hyer Not seyng the daunger of my fonde desyer For whan Fortunes slud ran with full streame I beyng a Duke descended of Kinges Constable of Englande chiefe officer in the realme Abused with esperaunce in these vaine thinges I went without feete and flewe without winges Presumyng so far vpon my high state That dread set aparte my prince I would mate For where as al kings haue counsel of their choyse To whom they refer the rule of theyr lande With certayne famyliers in whom to reioyce For pleasure or profyt as the case shall stande I not bearyng this would nedes take in hande Maulgree his wyll those persons to dysgrace And such as I thought fyt to appoynt in their place But as an olde booke sayth who so wyll assaye Aboute the Cats necke to hang on a bell Had fyrst nede to cut the Cats clawes awaye Least yf the Cat be curst or not tamed well She haply with her nayles may clawe him to the fell For doyng on the bell about the cats necke By beyng to busy I caught a sore checke Reade well the sentence of the Rat of renoune Which Pierce the plowman discribes in his dreame And who so hath wyt the sense to expoune Shall fynde that to bridle the prince of a realme Is euen as who sayeth to striue with the streame Note this all subiectes and construe it well And busy not your braine about the cats bell But in that ye be Lyeges learne to obaye Submytting your wylles to your princes lawes It sytteth not a subiecte to haue his owne waye Remember this bywurde of the Cats clawes For princes lyke Lyons haue long and large pawes That reache at raundon and whom they once twitch They clawe to the bone before the skyn itch But to my purpose I beyng once bent Towardes the atchiuyng of my attemptate Fower bolde Barrons were of myne assent By oth and allyaunce fastly confederate Fyrst Henry of Derby an Earle of estate Richarde of Arundell and Thomas of Warwicke With Mowbray erle Marshall a man most warlicke At Ratcote brydge assembled our bande The Commons in clusters cam to vs that day To daunce Robert Uere then Duke of Irelande By whom king Rycharde was ruled alway We put hym to flyght and brake his array Then maulgree the kyng his leaue or assent By Constables power we called a parlyament Where not in roabes but with bastardes bright We cam for to parle of the Publyke weale Confyrming our quarell with maine and with might With swurdes and no wurdes we tryed our appeale In stede of Reason declaryng our Zeale And whom so we knewe with the kyng in good grace Playnely we depriued him of power and of place Sum with shorte proces were banyshe the lande Sum executed with capytall payne Wherof who so lyst the whole to vnderstande In the parlyament roll it appeareth playne And furder howe stoutly we dyd the king strayne The Rule of his realme wholy to resygne To the order of those whom we dyd assygne But note the sequele of suche presumption After we had these myracles wrought The king enflamed with indignacion That to suche bondage he should be brought Suppressyng the yre of his inwarde thought Studyed nought els but howe that he myght Be highly reuenged of his high dispight Aggreued was also this latter offence with former matter his yre to renue For once at wyndsore I brought to his presence The Mayor of London with all his retinue To are a reckening of the Realmes reuenue And the soldiers of Brest were by me made bolde To clayme entertainment the towne being solde These griefes remembred with all the remnaunt Of hate in his hert hourded a treasure Yet openly in shewe made he no semblaunt By wurde nor by deede to beare displeasure But loue dayes dissembled do neuer endure And who so trusteth a foe reconcylde Is for the most parte alwayes begilde For as fyer yll quencht will vp at a starte And sores not well salued do breake out of newe So hatred hydden in an yrefull harte Where it hath had long season to brewe Upon euery occasion doth easely renewe Not fayling at last yf it be not let To paye large vsury besides the due det Euin so it fared by this frendship fained Outwardly sounde and inwardly rotten For whan the kinges fauour in semyng was gained All olde dyspleasures forgyuen and forgotten Euin than at a sodayne the shaft was shotten Whiche pearced my harte voyde of mistrust Alas that a prince should be so vniust For lying at Plasshey my selfe to repose By reason of syckenes whiche helde me full sore The king espying me aparte from those with whom I confedered in bande before Thought it not meete to tract the tyme more But glad to take me at suche auauntage Came to salute me with friendly vysage Who hauyng a bande bounde to his bent By coulour of kyndenes to byset his Eame Tooke tyme to accomplysh his cruell intent And in a small vessell downe by the streame Conueyed me to Calays out of the realme where without proces or doome of my
AMong the he any heape of happy knyghtes Whom Fortune stalde vpon her stayles stage Oft hoyst on hye oft pight in wretched plightes Behold me Baldwin a per se of my age Lord Richard Nevell Earle by mariage Of Warwike duchy of Sarum by discent Which erst my father through his mariage hent Wouldest thou beholde false Fortune in her kind Note well my life so shalt thou see her naked Ful fayre before but toto foule behind Most drowsy still whan most she semes awaked My fame and shame her shift full oft hath shaked By enterchaunge alowe and vp alofte The Luysard like that chaungeth hewe ful oft For while the Duke of Yorke in life remayned Mine vncle deare I was his happy hand In all attemptes my purpose I attayned Though King and Quene most Lordes of the land With all their power did often me withstand For god gaue Fortune and my good behaviour Did from their prince steale me the peoples fauour So that through me in feldes right manly fought By force mine vncle tooke king Harry twise And for my cosin Edward so I wrought When both our syers were slayne through rashe aduice That he atchieved his fathers enterprise For into Scotland King and Quene we chased By meane wherof the kingdome he embraced Which after he had enioyde in quiet peace For shortly after was king Henry take And put in prison his power to encreace I went to Fraunce and matched him with a make The French kinges doughter whom he did forsake For while with payne I brought his sute to passe He to a widowe rashly wedded was This made the French king shrewdly to suspecte That all my treaties had but yll pretence And whan I sawe my king so bent to lust That with his fayth he past not to dispence Which is a princes honors chiefe defence I could not rest 〈◊〉 I had found a meane To mend his misse or els to marre him cleane Wherfore I allyed me with his brother George Encensing him his brother to maligne Through many a tale I did agaynst him forge So that through power we did from Calays bring And found at home we frayed so the king That he to go to Freseland ward amayne Wherby king Henry had the crowne agayne Then put we the earle of Wurcester to death King Edwardes frend a man to fowle defamed And in the while came Edward into breath For with the duke of Burgoyne so he framed That with the power that he to him had named Unlooked for he came to England strayt And got to Yorke and tooke the towne by sleyte And after through the sufferans of my brother Which like a beast occasion fowly lost He came to London safe with many other And tooke the towne to good king Harries cost Which was through him from post to piller tost Til therle of Oxeford I and other more Assembled power his fredome to restore Wherof king Edward warned came with spede And camped with his oste at Barnet towne Where we right fierce encountred him in dede On Easter day right early on the downe There many a man was slayne and striken downe On eyther side and neyther part did gayne Til I and my brother both at length were slayne For we to harten our overmatched men Forsooke our stedes and in the thickest throng Ran preacing furth on foote and fought so then That down we drave them wer they never so stroÌ„g But ere this inche had lasted very long With numbre and force we wer so fowlye cloyed And rescue fayled that quite we wer destroyed Now tell me Baldwin hast thou heard or read Of any man that did as I have done That in his time so many armies led And victory at every vyage wunne Hast thou ever heard of subiect vnder sonne That plaaste and baaste his soveraynes so oft By enterchaunge now low and than alost Perchaunce thou thinkest my doinges were not such As I and other do affirme they were And in thy minde I see thou musest much What meanes I vsed that should me so prefer Wherin because I wil thou shalt not erre The truth of all I wil at large recite The short is this I was no hippocrite I never did nor sayd save what I mente The common weale was still my chiefest care To priuate gayne or glory I was not bent I never passed vpon delicious fare Of nedeful foode my bourde was never bare No creditour did curs me day by day I vsed playnnes ever pitch and pay I heard olde soldiers and poore wurkemen whine Because their dutyes wer not duly payd Agayne I sawe howe people did repine At those through whom their paimentes wer delayd And proofe 〈◊〉 oft assure as scripture sayd That god doth wreke the wretched peoples griefes I sawe the polles cut of fro polling thevâ—s This made me alway iustly for to deale Which whan the people playnly vnderstoode Bycause they sawe me mind the common weale They still endeuoured how to do me good Ready to spend their substaunce life and blud In any cause wherto I did them move For suer they wer it was for their behove And so it was For whan the realme decayde By such as good king Henry sore abused To mende the state I gave his enmies ayde But whan king Edward sinful pranlâ—es stil vsed And would not mend I lâ—kewise him refused And holpe vp Henry the better of the twayne And in his quarel iust I thinke was slayne And therfore Baldwin teach by proofe of me That such as covet peoples love to get Must see their wurkes and wurdes in all agree Live liberally and kepe them out of det On common weale let al their care be set For vpright dealing dets payd poore sustayned Is meane wherby all hartes are throwly gayned ASsoone as the Erle had ended his admonicion sure ê™ one I thinke the Erle of Warwike although he wer a glorious man hath sayd no more of him selfe than what is true For if he had not had notable good vertues or vertuous qualities and vsed lawdable meanes in his trade of lyfe the people woulde never have loved him as they did But god be with him and send his soule rest for sure his bodye never had any And although he dyed yet ciuil warres ceased not For immediatlye after his death came Quene Margarete with a power out of Fraunce bringing with her her yoÌ„g sonne prince Edwarde and with such frendes as she found here gave king Edward a battel at Tewrbury where both she her sonne wer takeÌ„ prisoners with Edmund duke of Somerset her chiefe captayne whose sonne lord Iohn and the earle of Deuonshire were slayne in the fight and the duke him selfe with divers other immediatlye beheaded whose infortunes are wurthy to be remembred chiefely Prince Edwardes whom the king for speaking truth cruelly stroke with his gauntlet and his bretherne tirannously murdered But seinge the time so farre spente I will passe them over and with them Fawconbridge that ioly rover beheaded at