do me loue Which when they answered him they lou'd their father more Then they themselues did loue or any worldly wight He praised them and said he would therefore The louing kindnesse they deseru'd in fine requite So found my sisters fauour in his sight By flatterie faire they won their fathers heart Which after turned him and me to smart But not content with this he asked me likewise If I did not him loue and honor well No cause quoth I there is I should your grace despise For nature so doth bind and dutie me compell To loue you as I ought my father well Yet shortly I may chance if Fortune will To find in heart to beare another more good will Thus much I said of nuptiall loues that ment Not minding once of hatred vile or ire And partly taxing them for which intent They set my fathers heart on wrathfull fire Shee neuer shall to any part aspire Of this my Realme quoth he among'st you twaine But shall without all dowrie aie remaine Then to Maglaurus Prince with Albany he gaue My sister Gonerell the eldest of vs all And eke my sister Ragan height to Hinniue to haue And for her dowrie Camber and Cornwall These after him should haue his kingdome all Betweene them both he gaue it franke and free But nought at all he gaue of dowrie mee At last it chanst a Prince of France to heare my fame My beautie braue my wit was blaz'd abroad each where My noble vertues praisde me to my fathers blame Who for I could not flatter did lesse fauour beare Which when this worthie Prince I say did heare He sent ambassage lik'd me more then life And soone obtained me to be his wife Prince Aganippus reau'd me of my woe And that for vertues sake of dowries all the best So I contented was to France my father fro For to depart and hopt t' enioy some greater rest Where liuing well belou'd my ioyes encreast I gate more fauour in that Prince his sight Then euer Princesse of a Princely wight But while that I these ioyes so well enioy'd in France My father Leire in Britaine waxt vnwealdie old Whereon his daughters more themselues aloft t' aduance Desir'd the Realme to rule it as they wold Their former loue and friendship waxed cold Their husbands rebels void of reason quite Rose vp rebeld bereft his crowne and right Betwixt their husbands twaine they causde him to agree To part the Realme and promist him a gard Of sixtie Knights that on him should attendant bee But in sixe moneths such was his hap too hard That Gonerell of his retinue bard The halfe of them she and her husband reft And scarce allow'd the other halfe they left As thus in his distresse he lay lamenting sates When as my sister so sought all his vtter spoile The meaner vpstart courtiers thought themselues his mates His daughter him disdain'd and forced not his foile Then was he faine for succour his to toile With halfe his traine to Cornwall there to lie In greatest need his Ragans loue to trie So when he came to Cornwall she with ioy Receiued him and Prince Maglaurus did the like There he abode a yeare and liu'd without annoy But then they tooke all his retinue from him quite Saue only ten and shew'd him daily spite Which he bewail'd complaining durst not striue Though in disdaine they last allow'd but fiue What more despite could diuellish beasts deuise Then ioy their fathers wofull daies to see What vipers vile could so their King despise Or so vnkind so curst so cruell bee Fro thence againe he went to Albany Where they bereau'd his seruants all saue one Bad him content himselfe with that or none Eke at what time he ask'd of them to haue his gard To gard his noble grace where so he went They call'd him doting foole all his requests debard Demanding if with life he were not well content Then he too late his rigour did repent Gainst me my sisters fawning loue that knew Found flattery false that seem'd so faire in vew To make it short to France he came at last to mee And told me how my sisters ill their father vsde Then humblie I besought my noble King so free That he would aide my father thus by his abusde Who nought at all my humble hest refusde But sent to euery coast of France for aide Whereby King Leire might home be well conueide The souldiers gathered from each quarter of the land Came at the length to know the noble Princes will Who did commit them vnto captaines euery band And I like wise of loue and reuerent meere good will Desir'd my Lord he would not take it ill If I departed for a space withall To take a part or ease my fathers thrall He granted my request Thence we arriued here And of our Britaines came to aide likewise his right Full many subiects good and stout that were By martiall feats and force by subiects sword and might The British Kings were faine to yeeld our right Which wonne my father well this Realme did guide Three yeares in peace and after that he dide Then I was crowned Queene this Realme to hold Till fiue yeares past I did this Island guide I had the Britaines at what becke I would Till that my louing King mine Aganippus dide But then my seat it faltered on each side My sisters sonnes began with me to iarre And for my crowne wag'd with me mortall warre The one hight Morgan Prince of Albany And Conidagus King of Cornwall and of Wales Both which at once prouided their artillerie To worke me wofull woe and mine adherents bales What need I fill thine eares with longer tales They did preuaile by might and power so fast That I was taken prisoner at last In spitefull sort they vsed then my captiue corse No fauour shew'd to me extinct was mine estate Of kindred Princes blood or peere was no remorce But as an abiect vile and worse they did me hate To lie in darke some dungeon was my fate As t' were a thiefe mine answeres to abide Gainst right and iustice vnder Iailours guide For libertie at length I su'd to subiects were But they kept me in prison close deuoid of trust If I might once escape they were in dread and feare Their fawning friends with me would proue vntrue and iust They told me take it patiently I must And be contented that I had my life Sith with their mothers I began the strife Whereby I saw might nothing me preuaile to pray To plead or proue defend excuse or pardon craue They heard me not despisde my plaints sought my decay I might no law nor loue nor right nor iustice haue No friends no faith nor pitie could me saue But I was from all hope of freedome bard Condem'd my cause like neuer to be heard Was euer noble Queene so drencht in wrecks of woe Deposde from Princely power bereft of libertie Depriu'd of all these worldly pompes her
right may take his place without regard or meed Set apart all flatterie and vaine worldly dreed Set God before your eyes the most iust Iudge supreme Remember well your reckoning at the day extreme Abandon all affray be soothfast in your sawes Be constant and carelesse of mortals displeasure With eyes shut and hands close you should pronounce the lawes Esteeme not worldly goods thinke there is a treasure More worth then gold a thousand times in valure Reposed for all such as righteousnesse ensue Whereof you cannot faile the promise made is true If Iudges in our daies would ponder well in mind The fatall fall of vs for wresting Law and right Such statutes as touch life should not be thus defin'd By senses constrained against true meaning quite As well they might affirme the blacke for to be white Wherefore we wish they would our act and end compare And weighing well the case they will we trust beware G. Ferrers HOW SIR THOMAS OF WOODSTOCKE DVKE OF Glocester vncle to King Richard the second was vnlawfully murdered An. Dom. 1397. WHose state stablisht is in seeming most sure And so far from danger of Fortunes blasts As by the compasse of mans coniecture No brasen piller may be fixt more fast Yet wanting the stay of prudent forecast When froward Fortune list for to frowne May in a moment turne vpside downe In proofe whereof O Baldwine take paine To hearken a while to Thomas of Woodstocke Addresse in presence his fate to complaine In the forlorne hope of English flocke Extract by descent from the royall stocke Sonne to King Edward third of that name And second to none in glorie and fame This noble father to maintaine my state With Buckingham Earledome did me indow Both Nature and Fortune to me were great Denying me nought which they might allow Their sundrie graces in me did so flow As beautie strength high fauour and fame Who may of God more wish then the same Brothers we were to the number of seuen I being the sixt and yongest but one A more royall race was not vnder heauen More stout or more stately of stomacke and person Princes all peerelesse in each condition Namely Sir Edward call'd the blacke Prince When had England the like before or since But what of all this any man t' assure In state vncarefull of Fortunes variance Sith daily and hourely we see it in vre That where most cause is of affiance Euen there is found most weake assurance Let none trust Fortune but follow reason For often we see in trust is treason This prouerbe in proofe ouer true I tried Finding high treason in place of high trust And most fault of faith where I most affied Being by them that should haue been iust Trayterously entrapt ere I could mistrust Ah wretched world what it is to trust thee Let them that will learne now hearken to mee After King Edward the thirds decease Succeeded my nephew Richard to raigne Who for his glorie and honors encrease With princely wages did me entertaine Against the Frenchmen to be his Chieftaine So passing the seas with royall puissance With God and S. George I inuaded France Wasting the countrie with sword and with fire Ouerturning townes high castles and towers Like Mars god of warre enflamed with ire I forced the Frenchmen t' abandon their bowers Where euer we marcht I wan at all howers In such wise visiting both citie and village That alway my souldiers were laden with pillage With honor and triumph was my returne Was none more ioyous then yong King Richard Who minding more highly my state to adorne With Glocester Dukedome did me reward And after in mariage I was prefer'd To a daughter of Bohun an Earle honorable By whom I was of England high Constable Thus hoysed high on Fortunes wheele As one on a stage attending a play See'th not on which side the scaffold doth reele Till timber and poles and all flie away So fared it by me for day by day As honor encreased I looked still higher Not seeing the danger of my fond desier For Fortunes floud thus running with full streame And I a Duke descended of great Kings Constable of England chiefe officer of the Realme Abused with desperance in these vaine things I went without feete and flew without wings Presuming so far vpon my high state That dread set apart my Prince I would mate For whereas Kings haue counsell of their choice To whom they referre the rule of their Land With certaine familiars in whom to reioyce For pleasure or profit as the case shall stand I not bearing this would needs take in hand Maugre his will those persons to disgrace And for to settle others in their place But as an old booke saith who will assay About the Cats necke to hang on a bell Had first need to cut the Cats clawes away Lest if the Cat be curst and not tam'd well She with her nailes may claw him to the fell So putting the bell about the Cats necke I vnaduised caught a cruell checke Reade well the sentence of the Rat renown'd Which Pierce the plowman describes in his dreame And whoso hath wit the sense to expound Shall find that to curbe the Prince of a Reame Is euen as who saith to striue with the streame Note this all subiects and construe it well And busie not your braines 'bout the Cats bell But in that yee be Lieges learne t' obay Submitting your willes to your Princes Lawes It fits not a subiect t' haue his owne way Remember this prouerbe of the Cats clawes For Princes like Lions haue long large pawes That reach at randon and whom they once twitch They claw to the bone before the skin itch But to my purpose I being once bent Towards the atchieuing of my attemptate Foure bould Barons were of mine assent By oath and alliance fastly confederate First Henrie of Derby an Earle of estate Richard of Arundell and Thomas of Warwicke With Mowbray the Marshall a man most warlike At Ratecote Bridge assembled our band The Commons in clusters came to vs that day To dant Robert Veere then Duke of Ireland By whom King Richard was ruled alway We put him to flight and brake his array Then maugre the King his leaue or assent We by our power did call a Parlament Where not in Robes but with our Baslards bright We came to parle of the publique weale Confirming our quarell with maine and might With swords and no words we tried our appeale In stead of reason declaring out zeale And whom so we knew with the King in grace We plainly depriued of power and place Some with short processe were banisht the Land Some executed with capitall paine Whereof whoso list the whole t' vnderstand In the Parlament roll it appeareth plaine And further how stoutly we did the King straine The rule of his Realme wholly to resigne To the order of those whom we did assigne But note the sequele of such presumption After we had
I was a King who ruled all by lust Forcing but light of Iustice right or Law Putting alwaies flatterers false in trust Ensuing such as could my vices claw By faithfull counsell passing not an haw As pleasure prickt so needs obey I must Hauing delight to feed and serue the gust Which to maintaine my people were sore pol'd With Fines Fifteenes and loanes by way of prest Blanke Charters oaths and shifts not knowne of old For which the Commons did me sore detest I also sold the noble towne of Brest My fault wherein because mine vncle told I found the meanes that he to death was sold None aide I lackt in any wicked deed For gaping Gulles whom I promoted had Would further all in hope of higher meed There can no King imagine ought so bad But shall find some that will performe it glad For sicknesse seldome doth so swiftly breed As humours ill do grow the griefe to feed My life and death the truth of this hath tri'd For while I fought in Ireland with my foes Mine vncle Edmund whom I left to guide My Realme at home rebelliously arose Percies to helpe which plied my depose And call'd from France Earle Bolenbroke whom I Exiled had for ten yeares there to lie For comming backe this sudden stur to stay The Earle of Worster whom I trusted most Whiles I in Wales at Flint my castle lay Both to refresh and multiplie mine host There in my hall in sight of least and most His staffe did breake which was my houshold stay Bad each make shift and rode himselfe away My Steward false thus being fled and gone My seruants slie shranke off on euery side Then caught I was and led vnto my fone Who for their Prince no Palace did prouide But prison strong where Henrie puft with pride Causde me resigne my Kingly state and throne And so forsaken left and post alone Yet some conspir'd their new King to put downe And to that end a solemne oath they swore To render me my royall seate and Crowne Whereof themselues depriued me before But late medcines can helpe no sothbind sore When swelling flouds haue ouerflowen the towne Too late it is to saue them that shall drowne For though the Peeres set Henrie in his state Yet could they not displace him thence againe And where they soone depriued me of late They could restore me by no manner paine Things hardly mend but may be mar'd amaine And when a man is fallen in froward fate Still mischiefes light one on anothers pate For when the King did know that for my cause His Lords in maske would kill him on a night To dash all doubts he tooke no farther pause But Pierce of Exton a cruell murdering Knight To Pomfret castle sent him armed bright Who causelesse kill'd me there against all lawes Thus lawlesse life to lawlesse death aye drawes G. Ferrers HOW OWEN GLENDOVR SEDVCED BY FALSE PROPHESIES tooke vpon him to be Prince of Wales and was by Henrie Prince of England chased to the Mountaines where he miserablie died for lacke of food An. 1401. I Pray thee Baldwine sith thou doest entend To shew the fall of such as climbe too hie Remember me whose miserable end May teach a man his vicious life to flie Oh Fortune Fortune out on thee I crie My liuely corps thou hast made leane and slender For lacke of food whose name was Owen Glendour A Welchman borne and of the Troian blood But ill brought vp whereby full well I find That neither birth nor linage make vs good Though it be true that Cat will after kind Flesh gendreth flesh but not the soule or mind They gender not but foulely do degender When men to vice from vertue them surrender Each thing by nature tendeth to the same Whereof it came and is disposed like Downe sinkes the mould vp mounts the fierie flame With horne the Hart with hoofe the Horse doth strike The Wolfe doth spoile the suttle Foxe doth pike And to conclude no fish flesh fowle or plant Of their true dame the propertie doth want But as for men sith seuerally they haue A mind whose maners are by learning made Good bringing vp all only doth them saue In honest acts which with their parents fade So that true gentrie standeth in the trade Of vertuouslife not in the fleshly line For blood is brute but gentrie is diuine Experience doth cause me thus to say And that the rather for my countrimen Which vaunt and boast themselues aboue the day If they may straine their stocke from worthie men Which let be true are they the better then Nay farre the worse if so they be not good For why they staine the beautie of their blood How would we mocke the burden-bearing mule If he would brag he were an horses son To presse his pride might nothing else him rule His boasts to proue no more but bid him run The horse for swiftnesse hath his glorie won The braging mule could nere the more aspier Though he should proue that Pegas was his sier Each man may crake of that which was his owne Our parents good is theirs and no whit ours Who therefore will of noble birth be knowne Or shine in vertue like his ancestours Gentrie consisteth not in lands and towers He is a churle though all the world were his Yea Arthurs heire if that he liue amis For vertuous life a Gentleman doth make Of her possessour all be he poore as Iob Yea though no name of elders he can take For proofe take Merlin fathered by an Hob. But who so sets his mind to spoile and rob Although he come by due descent from Brute He is a churle vngentle vile and brute Well thus did I for want of better wit Because my parents naughtly brought me vp For Gentlemen they said was nought so fit As to attast by bold attempts the cup Of conquests wine whereof I thought to sup And therefore bent my selfe to rob and riue And whom I could of lands and goods depriue Henrie the fourth did then vsurpe the Crowne Despoil'd the King with Mortimer the heire For which his subiects sought to put him downe And I while Fortune offered me so faire Did what I might his honor to appaire And tooke on me to be the Prince of Wales Entiste thereto by Prophesies and tales For which such mates as wait vpon the spoile From euery part of Wales vnto me drew For loytering youth vntaught in any toile Are readie aye all mischiefe to ensue Through helpe of these so great my glorie grew That I defied my King through loftie heart And made sharpe warre on all that tooke his part See lucke I tooke Lord Raynold Gray of Rithen And him enforst my daughter to espouse And so perforce I held him still and sithen In Wigmore land through battell rigorous I caught the right heire of the crowned house The Earle of March Sir Edmund Mortimor And in a dungeon kept him prisoner Then all the Marches longing vnto
vnfolded wrapt in deadly smarts VVhen he the death of Clitus sorowed so VVhom erst he murdred with the deadly blow Raught in his rage vpon his friend so deare For which behold loe how his pangs appeare The launced speare he writhes out of the wound From which the purple bloud spins in his face His heinous guilt when he returned found He throwes himselfe vpon the corps alas And in his armes how oft doth he imbrace His murdred friend and kissing him in vaine Forth flow the flouds of salt repentant raine His friends amaz'd at such a murder done In fearefull flocks begin to shrinke away And he therat with heapes of grief fordone Hateth himselfe wishing his latter day Now he likewise perceiued in like stay As is the wilde beast in the desert bred Both dreading others and him selfe adred He calles for death and loathing longer life Bent to his bane refuseth kindly food And plung'd in depth of death and dolours strife Had queld himselfe had not his friends withstood Loe he that thus hath shed the guiltlesse bloud Though he were King and Kesar ouer all Yet chose he death to guerdon death withall This Prince whose Peere was neuer vnder sunne Whose glistening fame the earth did ouerglide Which with his power welny the world had wonne His bloudy hands himselfe could not abide But folly bent with famine to haue dide The worthy Prince deemed in his regard That death for death could be but iust reward Yet we that were so drowned in the depth Of deepe desire to drinke the guiltlesse bloud Like to the Wolfe with greedy lookes that lepth Into the snare to feed on deadly food So we delighted in the state we stood Blinded so far in all our blinded traine That blind we saw not our destruction plaine We spared none whose life could ought forlet Our wicked purpose to his passe to come Foure worthy Knights we headed at Pomfret Guiltelesse God wot withouten law or dome My heart euen bleedes to tell you all and some And how Lord Hastings when he feared least Dispiteously was murdred and opprest These rocks vpraught that threatned most our wreck We seemd to saile much surer in the streame And Fortune faring as she were at becke Laid in our lap the rule of all the Realme The Nephues straight deposde were by the Eame And we aduanst to that we bought full deere He crowned King and I his chiefest Peere Thus hauing won our long desired pray To make him King that he might make me chiefe Downe throw we straight his silly Nephues tway From Princes pompe to wofull prisoners life In hope that now stint was all further strife Sith he was King and I chiefe stroke did beare Who ioied but we yet who more cause to feare The guiltles bloud which we vniustly shed The roiall babes deuested from their throne And we like traytours raigning in their stead These heauy burdens passed vs vpon Tormenting vs so by our selues alone Much like the felon that pursu'd by night Starts at ech bush as his foe were in sight Now doubting state now dreading losse of life In feare of wrack at euery blast of winde Now start in dreames through dread of murders knife As though euen then reuengement were assinde With restles thought so is the guilty minde Turmoild and neuer feeleth ease or stay But liues in feare of that which followes aye Well gaue that Iudge his doome vpon the death Of Titus Celius that in bed was slaine When euery wight the cruell murder laieth To his two sonnes that in his chamber laine The Iudge that by the proofe perceiueth plaine That they were found fast sleeping in their bed Hath deemd them guiltles of this bloud yshed He thought it could not be that they which brake The lawes of God and man in such outrage Could so forth with themselues to sleepe betake He rather thought the horrour and the rage Of such an heinous guilt could neuer swage Nor neuer suffer them to sleepe or rest Or dreadles breath one breth out of their brest So gnawes the griefe of conscience euermore And in the heart it is so deepe ygraue That they may neither sleepe nor rest therefore Ne thinke one thought but on the dread they haue Still to the death foretossed with the waue Of restles woe in terrour and despeare They lead a life continually in feare Like to the Deere that stricken with the dart Withdrawes himselfe into some secret place And feeling greene the wound about his hart Startles with pangs till he falt on the grasse And in great feare lies gasping there a space Forth braying sighes as though ech pang had brought The present death which 〈…〉 dread so oft So we deepe wounded with the bloodie thought And gnawing worme that grieu'd our conscience so Neuer tooke ease but as our heart out brought The stayned sighes in witnes of our woe Such restlesse cares our fault did well beknow Wherewith of our deserued fall the feares In euery place rang death within our eares And as ill graine is neuer well ykept So fared it by vs within a while That which so long with such vnrest we reapt In dread and danger by all wit and wile Loe see the fine when once it felt the whele Of slipper Fortune stay it might no stowne The wheele whurles vp but straight it whurleth downe For hauing rule and riches in our hand Who durst gaine say the thing that we auer'd Will was wisdome our lust for law did stand In sort so strange that who was not afeard When he the sound but of King Richard heard So hatefull waxt the hearing of his name That you may deeme the residue of the same But what auail'd the terrour and the feare Wherewith he kept his lieges vnder awe It rather wan him hatred euery where And fained faces forc'd by feare of law That but while Fortune doth with fauour blaw Flatter through feare for in their heart lurkes aye A secret hate that hopeth for a day Recordeth Dionysius the King That with his rigour so his Realme opprest As that he thought by cruell feare to bring His subiects vnder as him liked best But loe the dread wherewith himselfe was strest And you shall see the fine of forced feare Most Mirrour like in this proud Prince appeare All were his head with crowne of gold yspread And in his hand the royall scepter set And he with princely purple richly clad Yet was his heart with wretched cares orefret And inwardly with deadly feare beset Of those whom he by rigour kept in awe And fore opprest with might of tyrants law Against whose feare no heapes of gold and glie No strength of guard nor all his hired powre Ne proud high towres that preased to the skie His cruell heart of safetie could assure But dreading them whom he should deeme most sure Himselfe his beard with burning brand would seare Of death deseru'd so vexed him the feare This might suffice to represent the fine Of
Additions the falles of such Princes as were before omitted and my Poem or Hymne of the late dead Queene of famous memorie In all which I require no other gratification for my paines but a gentle censure of my imperfections THE CONTENTS of the booke HOw King Albanact the yongest sonne of Brutus and first King of Albanie now called Scotland was slaine by King Humber Pag. 1. 2 How Humber the King of Huns minding to conquer Britain was drowned in the arme of sea now called Humber 18. 3 How King Locrinus the eldest son of Brutus liued viciously and was slaine in battell by his wife Queene Guendoline 22. 4 How Queene Elstride the Concubine of King Locrinus was miserablie drowned by Queene Guendoline 27. 5 How the Ladie Sabrine daughter of King Locrinus and Elstride was drowned by Queene Guendoline 38. 6 How King Madan for his euill life was slaine by wolues 44. 7 How King Malin was slaine by his brother King Mempricius 47. 8 How King Mempricius giuen all to lust was deuoured by wolues 50. 9 How King Bladud taking on him to flie fell vpon the Temple of Apollo and brake his necke 53. 10 How Queene Cordila in despaire slew her selfe 59. 11 How King Morgan of Albany was slaine at Glamorgan in Wales 69. 12 How King Iago died of the Lethargie 72. 13 How King Forrex was slaine by his brother King Porrex 74. 14 How King Porrex which slew his brother was slaine by his owne mother and her maidens 78. 15 How King Pinnar was slaine in battell by Mulmucius Donwallo 80. 16 How King Stater was slaine in battell by Mulmucius Donwallo 82. 17 How King Rudacke of Wales was slaine in battell by Mulmucius Donwallo 83. 18 How the noble King Brennus after many triumphant victories at the siege of Delphos in Greece slew himselfe 86. 19 How King Kimarus was deuoured by wilde beasts 103. 20 How King Morindus was deuoured by a monster 106. 21 How King Emerianus for his tyrannie was deposed 110. 22 How King Cherinnus giuen to drunkennesse raigned but one yeare 111. 23 How King Varianus gaue himself to the lusts of the flesh 112. 24 How the worthie Britaine Duke Nennius encountred with Iulius Caesar and was vnfortunately slaine 114. 25 How the Lord Irenglas cosin to King Cassibellane was slaine by the Lord Elenine cosin to Androgeus Earle of London 123. 26 How Caius Iulius Caesar which first made this Realme tributorie to the Romans was slaine in the Senate house 129. 27 How Claudius Tiberius Nero Emperour of Rome was poisoned by Caius Caligula 139. 28 How Caius Caesar Caligula Emperour of Rome was slaine by Cherea and others 145. 29 How Guiderius King of Britaine the elder sonne of Cimbaline was slaine in battell by a Roman 146. 30 How Lelius Hamo the Romane Captaine was slaine after the slaughter of Guiderius 148. 31 How Claudius Tiberius Drusus Emperour of Rome was poisoned by his wife Agrippina 149. 32 How the Emperour Domitius Nero liued wickedly and tyrannously and in the end miserablie slew himselfe 152. 33 How Sergius Galba the Emperour of Rome giuen to slaughter ambition gluttony was slaine by the souldiers 155. 34 How the vicious Siluius Otho Emperour of Rome slew himselfe 157. 35 How Aulus Vitellius Emperour of Rome came to an vnfortunate end 159. 36 How Londricus the Pict was slaine by King Marius of Britaine 161. 37 How Seuerus the Emperour of Rome and Gouernour of Britaine was slaine at Yorke fighting against the Picts 163. 38 How Fulgentius a Scythian or Pict was slaine at the siege of Yorke 167. 39 How Geta the yonger sonne of the Emperour Seuerus once Gouernour of Britaine was slaine in his mothers armes by his brother Anthonie Emperour of Rome 170. 40 How Aurelius Antonius Bassianus Caracalla Emperour of Rome was slaine by one of his owne seruants 174. 41 How Carrassus a Husbandmans son and after King of Britaine was slaine in battell by Alectus a Romane 185. 42 How Queene Helena of Britaine maried Constantius the Emperour and much aduanced the Christian faith through the whole world 289. 43 How Vortiger destroyed the yong King Constantine and how he obtained the crowne how after many miseries he was miserablie burnt in his Castle by the brethren of Constantine 203. 44 How Vter Pendragon was inamoured on the wife of Gorolus Duke of Cornewal whom he slew and after was poysoned by the Saxons 213. 45 How Cadwallader the last King of the Britaines was expelled by the Saxons went to Rome and there liued in a religious house 219. 46 How Sigebert for his wicked life was thrust from his throne and miserablie slaine by an heardsman 225. 47 How Ladie Ebbe did flea her nose and vpper lip away to saue her virginitie 235. 48 How King Egelred for his wickednes was diuersly distressed by the Danes and lastly died for sorrow 239. 49 How King Harrold had continuall warre with the Danes with the Norway King with his brother Tostius and was at last slaine in battell by William the Conquerour 245. From the Conquest 50 M. Sackuils Induction 255. 51 How the two Rogers surnamed Mortimers for their sundrie vices ended their liues vnfortunately 271. 52 The fall of Robert Tresillian Chiefe Iustice of England and other his fellowes for misconstruing the Lawes and expounding them to serue the Princes affections 276. 53 How Sir Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester vncle to King Richard the second was vnlawfully murthered 281. 54 How the Lord Mowbrey promoted by King Richard the second to the state of a Duke was by him banished the Realme and after died miserablie in exile 287. 55 How King Richard the second was for his euill gouernance deposed from his seat and murthered in prison 293. 56 How Owen Glendour seduced by false prophesies tooke vpon him to be Prince of Wales and was by Henrie Prince of England chased to the mountaines where he miserablie died for lacke of food 296. 57 How Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland was for his couetous and trayterous attempt put to death at Yorke 303. 58 How Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge intending the Kings destruction was put to death at Southhampton 307. 59 How Thomas Montague Earle of Salisburie in the middest of his glory was vnfortunately slaine at Oleance with a peece of Ordnance 309. 60 How Dame Eleanor Cobham Duchesse of Glocester for practising of Witchcraft and sorcerie Suffered open penance and afterward was banished the Realme into the I le of Man 317. 61 How Humfrey Plantagenet Duke of Glocester Protector of England during the minoritie of his nephew King Henrie the sixt commonly called the good Duke by practise of enemies was brought to confusion 327. 62 How Lord William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke was worthily banished for abusing his King and causing the destruction of the good Duke Humfrey 340. 63 How Iack Cade naming himselfe Mortimer trayterously rebelling against his King was for his treasons and cruell doings worthily punished 345. 64 The tragedie
refuse The rich and poore and eu'ry one may see Which way to loue and liue in due degree I wish them often well to reade it than And marke the causes why those Princes fell But let me end my tale that I began When I had read these Tragedies full well And past the winter euenings long to tell One night at last I thought to leaue this vse To take some ease before I chang'd my Muse Wherefore away from reading I me gate My heauie head waxt dull for want of rest I laid me downe the night was waxed late For lacke of sleepe mine eyes were sore opprest Yet fancie still of all their deaths encreast Me thought my mind from them I could not take So worthie wights as caused me to wake At last appeared clad in purple blacke Sweet Somnus rest which comforts each aliue By ease of mind that weares away all wracke That noysome night from wearie wits doth driue Of labours long the pleasures we atchieue Whereat I ioy'd sith after labours past I might enioy sweet Somnus sleepe at last But he by whom I thought my selfe at rest Reuiued all my fancies fond before I more desirous humblie did request Him shew th' vnhappie Albion Princes yore For well I wist that he could tell me more Sith vnto diuers Somnus erst had told What things were done in elder times of old Then straight he forth his seruant Morpheus call'd On Higins heere thou must quoth he attend The Britaine Peeres to bring whom Fortune thral'd From Lethean lake and th' ancient shapes them lend That they may shew why how they tooke their end I wil quoth Morpheus shew him what they were And so me thought I saw them straight appeare One after one they came in strange attire But some with wounds and blood were so disguis'd You scarcely could by reasons aid aspire To know what warre such sundrie deaths deuis'd And seuerally those Princes were surpris'd Of former state these States gaue ample show Which did relate their liues and ouerthrow Of some the faces bold and bodies were Distain'd with woad and Turkish beards they had On th' ouer lips mutchatoes long of haire And wilde they seem'd as men despairing mad Their lookes might make a constant heart full sad And yet I could not so forsake the view Nor presence ere their minds I likewise knew For Morpheus bad them each in order tell Their names and liues their haps and haplesse daies And by what meanes from Fortunes wheele they fell Which did them erst vnto such honors raise Wherewith the first not making moe delaies A noble Prince broad wounded brest that bare Drew neere to tell the cause of all his care Which when me thought to speak he might be bold Deepe from his brest he threw an vnquoth sound I was amaz'd his gestures to behold And blood that freshly trickled from his wound With echo so did halfe his words confound That scarce a while the sense might plaine appeare At last me thought he spake as you shall heare Faults escaped PAge 555. lin 17. browes reade bowes p. 566. l. 10. left r. let p. 579. l. 3. sh r. shore p. 583. l. 13. speele r. steele p. eadem l. 15 vaines flow r. vaines did flow p. 588. l. 3. nor r. not p. 599. l. 28. approth r. approch p. 600. l. 11. t' abate r. to abate p. 629. l. 23. this r. his p. 636. l. 5. foe r. woe p. 657. l. 16. soee r. loare p. 671. l 32. with Austrian r. with th' Austrian p. 682. l. 7. let r. le ts p. 683. l. 37. to obtaine r. t' obtaine p. 706. l. 15. I r. O. p. 728. l. 15. But r. Blunt in some copies p. 793. marg Anno Reg. 51. r. 15. p. 834. l. 13. recoil'd r. recoile p. 855. l. 30. throne r. chaire 866. l. 25. house tops r. houses tops HOW KING ALBANACT THE YOVNGEST SONNE OF BRVTVS AND FIRST KING OF Albany now called Scotland was slaine by king Humber the yeere before Christ 1085. SIth flattering Fortune slily could beguile Mee first of Britaine Princes in this land And yet at first on mee did sweetely smile Behold mee here that first in presence stand And when thou well my wounded corps hast scand Then shalt thou heare my hap to penne the same In stories called Albanactae by name Lay feare aside let nothing thee amaze Ne haue despaire ne scuse the want of time Leaue off on mee with fearefull lookes to gaze Thy pen may serue for such a tale as mine First I will tell thee of my fathers line Then why he flying from the Latin land Did saile the seas and found the Briton strand And last I minde to tell thee of my selfe My life and death a Tragedy so true As may approue your world is all but pelfe And pleasures sweete whom sorrowes aye ensue Hereafter eke in order comes a crue Which can declare of worldly pleasures vaine The price we all haue bought with pinching paine When Troy was sackt and brent and could not stand Aeneas fled from thence Anchises sonne And came at length to King Latinus land He Turnus slew Lauinia eke he wonne After whose death Ascanius next his sonne Was crowned King and Siluius then his heire Espoused to a Latine Lady faire By her had Siluius shortly issue eke A goodly Prince and Brutus was his name But what should I of his misfortune speake For hunting as he minded strike the game He strook his father that beyond it came The quarrell glaunst and through his tender fide It flew where through the noble Siluius dide Lo thus by chance though princely Brutus slew His father Siluius sore against his will Which came too soone as he his arrow drew Though he in chace the game did mind to kill Yet was he banisht from his countrey still Commanded thither to returne no more Except he would his life to lose therefore On this to Greece Lord Brutus tooke his way Where Troians were by Grecians captiues kept Helenus was by Pirrhus brought away From death of Troians whom their friends bewept Yet he in Greece this while no busines slept But by his facts and feates obtain'd such fame Seuen thousand captiue Troians to him came Assaracus a noble Grecian eke Who by his mother came of Troian race Because he saw himselfe in Greece too weake Came vnto him to aide him in this case For of his brother he could finde no grace Which was a Greeke by both his parents sides His Castles three the Troian Brutus guides While he to be their Captaine was content And as the Troians gathered to his band Ambassage to the Grecian King he sent For to entreate they might depart his land Which when King Pandrasus did vnderstand An armie straight he did therefore addresse On purpose all the Troians to suppresse So as King Pandrasus at Spartane towne Thought them in deserts by to circumuent The Troians with three thousand beate them downe Such fauour loe them Ladie Fortune
heart of vitall blood Then thus I liue with that they slackt my hold And drencht my mother in the waters cold For loue to aide her venter in would I That saw my mother striue aloft for wind To land shee lookt and said farewell I die O let me go quoth I like fate to find Said Guendoline come on likewise and bind This Sabrine heere likewise for so shall she At once receiue her whole request of me Eke as I wish to haue in mind her fame As Humbers is which should her father been So shall this floud of Sabrine haue the name That men thereby may say a righteous Queene Heere drown'd her husbands child of concubine Therefore leaue Sabrine heere thy name and life Let Sabrine waters end our mortall strife Dispatch quoth she with that they bound me fast My slender armes and feet with little need And sau's all mercie me in waters cast Which drew me downe and cast me vp with speed And downe me drencht the Sabrine fish to feed Where I abode till now from whence I came And there the waters hold as yet my name Lo thus this ielous Queene in raging sort With bloodie hate bereft her husbands health And eke my mother Elstrides life God wot Which neuer ment to hurt this Common-wealth And me Locrinus child be got by stealth Against all reason was it for to kill The child for that her parents erst did ill But heere you see what time our pompe doth bide Hereby you see th' vnsteadie trust in warre Hereby you see the stay of States etride Hereby you see our hope to make doth marre Hereby you see we fall from bench to barre From bench quoth I yea from the Princely seate You see how soone vs Fortune downe doth beate And heere you see how lawlesse loue doth thriue Hereby you see how ielous folkes doe fare Heere may you see with wisdome they that wiue Need neuer recke Cupidoes cursed snare Heere may you see diuorcement breedeth care Heere seldome thriue the children may you see Which in vnlawfull wedlocke gotten be Declare thou then our fall and great mishap Declare the hap and glory we were in Declare how soone we taken were in trap When we supposde we had most safest bin Declare what losse they haue that hope to win * When Fortune most doth sweetly seeme to smile Then will she frowne she laughes but euen a while HOW KING MADAN FOR HIS EVILL LIFE was slaine by Wolues the yeare before Christ 1009. AMong'st the rest that sate in hautie seat And felt the fall I pray thee pen for me A Tragedie may some such wisdome geat As they may learne and some what wiser be For in my glasse when as themselues they see They may beware my fall from Fortunes lap Shall teach them how t' eschew the like mishap I am that Madan once of Britaine King The third that euer raigned in this land Marke well therefore my death as strange a thing As some would deeme could scarce with reason stand Yet when thou hast my life well throughly scand Thou shalt perceiue not halfe so strange as true * Ill life worse death doth after still ensue For when my mother Guendoline had raign'd In my nonage full 15. yeares she dide And I but yong not well in vertues train'd Was left this noble Iland for to guide Whereby when once my mind was puft with pride I past for nought I vsde my lust for law Of right or iustiee reckt I not a straw No meane I kept but ruled all by rage No bounds of measure could me compasse in No counsell could my meekelesse mind asswage When once to fume I fiercely did begin And I exceld in nothing else but sin So that my subiects all did wish my end Saue such to whom for vice I was a friend And pleasures plung'd I tooke my whole repast My youth mee led deuoide of compasse quite And vices were so rooted in at last That to recure the ill it past my might For * who so doth with will and pleasure fight Though all his force doe striue them to withstand Without good grace they haue the vpper hand * What licour first the earthen pot doth take It keepeth still the sauour of that same Full hard it is a Cramocke straight to make Or crooked Logges with wainscot fine to frame T is hard to make the cruell Tiger tame And so it fares with those haue vices caught * Naught once they say and euer after naught I speake not this as though it past all cure From vices vile to vertue to retire But this I say if vice bee once in vre The more you shall to quite your selfe require The more you plunge your selfe in fulsome mire As hee that striues in soakte quicke sirts of sand Still sinkes scarce euer comes againe to land The gifts of grace may nature ouercome And God may graunt the time when we repent But I did still in laps of lewdnes runne At last my selfe to cruelty I bent But who so doth with bloudy acts content His minde shall sure at last finde like againe And feele for pleasures thousands pangs of paine For in the midst of those vntrusty toyles When as I nothing fearde but all was sure With all my traine I hunting rode for spoiles Of those who after did my death procure These lewd delights did boldly me allure To follow stil and to pursue the chase At last I came into a desert place Beset with hils and monstrous rockes of stone My company behinde mee lost or stayde The place was eke with hautie trees oregrowne So vast and wilde it made mee halfe afraid And straight I was with rauening wolues betraid Came out of caues and dens and rockes amaine There was Irent in peeces kilde and slaine Woe worth that youth in vayne so vily spent Should euer cause a King to feele such smart Woe worth that euer I should here lament Or shew the hurt of my poore Princely heart I thinke the clowne that driues the mixen cart Hath better hap then Princes such as I No storme of Fortune casts him downe so hie A man by grace and wit may shun the snare T is sayd * a wise-man all mishap withstands For though by starres we borne to mischieues are Yet grace and prudence bayles our carefull bands * Each man they say his fate hath in his hands And what he marres or makes to leese or saue Of good or euill is euen selfe doe selfe haue This thing is seene by me that led my daies In vitious sort for greedy wolues a pray I wish and will that Princes guide their wayes Lo here by this eschew like chance they may And vices such as worke their whole decay Which if they doe full well is spent the time To warne to write and eke to shun the crime HOW KING MALIN WAS SLAINE BY HIS BROther King Mempricius the yeare before Christ 1009. IF Fortune were so firme as shee is fraile Or glosing glorie
to me my Crowne Yet haue thou some respect of honor and renowne For thou by oath did'st sweare to yeeld to me my right When as I thee prefer'd and stal'd thee there by might Mine vncle Edward he thy fathers faithfull friend Gaue me his Crowne and thou thereto did'st condescend Yet now thou wouldest faine defeate me of my right And proue thy selfe forsworne of former promise plight Shall Harold haue his hest shall Godwines sonne be guide Shall William want his will and haue his right deni'd Well Harold if thou canst with warres determine so I am content if not prouide I am thy foe My sonnes and all my kinne shall neuer stint to striue To plucke thee from thy place whil'st one is left aliue But if thou wilt bewise to me my right resigne And thou shalt haue the place belonging to thy line If not with fire and sword I meane thy Realme to spoile I neuer thence will start till I haue forst thy foile And now thou know'st my will determine for the best Thou maist haue warres and if thou wilt thou maist haue rest WILLIAM Duke of Normandy THese letters were of little might to make My manly mind to grant him his request For which I did to Fortune me betake To wage new warres with him I deem'd it best So from his fist his threatning blade to wrest But see the force of Fortunes changing cheare Another cloud before me did appeare My brother Tostius who from me was fled Did now returne and brought the Norway King They did deuise to haue from me my head Which made me to indite another thing Vnto the Duke then plaine and true meaning I gaue him hope of that I neuer ment These were the lines which to the Duke I sent HAROLD THE ENGLISH KING TO THEE WILLIAM Duke of Normandy HArold the English King thee William Duke doth greete Thy letter being read I haue not thought it meete Without a Parlament to do so great a thing As of a forren Duke to make an English King But if my three estates will follow my aduice Thou shalt receiue the Crowne and beare away the price Therefore delay a time thou shortly shalt receiue With full consent the thing which now thou seek'st to haue HAROLD I Arm'd in haste all danger to auoid For why I heard my brother Tostius traine Two of my Earles had in the North destroy'd And many a thousand men he there had slaine But when we met his triumph was in vaine For I and mine the Norway King there kilte And I my selfe my brothers blood there spilte Now when the Duke my friendly lines had read And heard how I my men did muster new There lies a Snake within this greene grasse bed Quoth he therefore come forth my warlike crew We will not stay to see what shall ensue By long delayes from forren coasts he may Procure an aide to scourge vs with decay But when he heard with whom I had to deale Well done quoth he let him go beate the bush I and my men to the lurch line will steale And plucke the Net euen at the present push And one of them we with decay will crush For he who doth the victor there remaine Shall neuer rest till he hath dealt with twaine So I in vaine who had the victorie Within few daies was forst againe to fight My strength halfe spoil'd my wounded men were wearie His campe was comne vnwares within my sight There was no hope to flee by day nor night I Harold then a Harauld sent in haste To know the plot where he his campe had plaste He sent me word my ifs and ands were vaine And that he knew the drifts of my delay For which he said he would yet once againe Make triall who should beare the crowne away If I would yeeld he said his men should stay If not he then was present presently To trie the cause by Mars his crueltie Which when I heard and saw him march amaine His Trumpets did defie me to my face In haste I did appoint my very traine And souldier-like I all my men did place I neuer su'd nor pray'd nor gapte for grace For hauing plaste my men in battellray I with loude voice to them these words did say My mates in armes see heere the last assault Win now the field and be you euer blest This Bastard base borne Duke shall he exalt Himselfe so high giue eare vnto my hest This day no doubt we shall haue quiet rest For good successe shall set vs free from feare Or hatefull hap shall bring vs to our beare Euen heere at hand his power doth appeare March forth my men we must no longer stay Let euery man abandon fainting feare And I as guide will lead you on your way Euen I my selfe the formost in the fray Will teach you how you shall abate his pride Fight fight my men your King shall be your guide His Cros-bow men my Archers did assaile With three to one yet were they all too weake And when his forlorne hope could not preuaile Them to assist his Horsemen out did breake Three troopes I sent on them the wrath to wreake And by and by the battel 's both did ioyne With many a thrust and many a bloodie foine Of three maine battels he his armie made I had but one and one did deale with three Of which the first by me were quite dismaide The other two they did discomfort me Not yeelding but in yeelding blowes we be With losse of life constrain'd at last to yeeld The crowne the kingdome and the foughten field Note now the lot which on my limmes did light Nine monthes no more I wore the English Crowne In euery month I in the field did fight In euery fight I wonne a fresh renowne Yet at the last my strength was beaten downe And heere before you now I do protest I neuer had one day of quiet rest To the Reader HAuing hitherto continued the storie gentle Reader from the first entrance of Brute into this Iland with the falles of such Princes as were neuer before this time in one volume comprised I now proceed with the rest which take their beginning from the Conquest whose pen-men being many and diuers all diuerslie affected in the method of this their Mirror I purpose only to follow the intended scope of that most honorable personage who by how much he did surpasse the rest in the eminence of his noble condition by so much he hath exceeded them all in the excellencie of his heroicall stile which with a golden pen he hath limmed out to posteritie in that worthy obiect of his minde the Tragedie of the Duke of Buckingham and in his preface then intituled Master Sackuils induction This worthie President of learning intending to perfect all this storie himselfe from the Conquest being called to a more serious expence of his time in the great State-affaires of his most royall Ladie and Soueraigne left the dispose thereof to M.
these miracles wrought The King inflamed with in dignation That to such bondage he should be brought Suppressing the ire of his inward thought Studied nought else but how that he might Be highly reuenged of this high despite Aggreeu'd was also this latter offence With former matter his ire to renue For once at Windsore I brought to his presence The Maior of London with all his retinue To aske a reckoning of the Realmes reuenue And the souldiers of Brest by me were made bold Their wages to claime when the towne was sold These griefes remembred with all the remnant Hourded in his hart hate out of measure Yet openly in shew made he no femblant By word or by deed to beare displeasure But loue dayes dissembled do neuer indure And whoso trusteth a foe reconcild Is for the most part alwaies beguild For as fire ill quencht will vp at a start And sores not well salued doe breake out of new So hatred hidden in an irefull hart Where it hath had long season to brew Vpon euery occasion doth easily renew Not failing at last if it be not let To pay large vsury besides the due det Euen so it fared by this friendship fained Outwardly sound and inwardly rotten For when the Kings fauour in seeming was gained All old displeasures forgiuen and forgotten Euen then at a suddaine the shaft was shotten Which pierced my heart void of mistrust Alas that a Prince should be so vniust For lying at Plashey my selfe to repose By reason of sicknesse which held me full sore The King espying me apart from those With whom I confedered in band before Thought it not meete to tract the time more But glad to take me at such auantage Came to salute me with friendly visage Who hauing a band bound to his bent By colour of kindnesse to visite his Eame Tooke time to accomplish his cruell intent And in a small vessell downe by the streame Conueid me to Calis out of the Realme Where without processe or doome of my Peeres Not nature but murder abridged my yeeres This act was odious to God and to man Yet rigour to cloake in habit of reason By craftie compasse deuise they can Articles nine of right hainous treason But doome after death is sure out of season For who euer saw so strange a president As execution done before iudgement Thus hate harboured in depth of minde By sought occasion burst out of new And cruelty abused the law of kinde When that the Nephue the Vncle flew Alas King Richard sore mayst thou rue Which by this fact preparedst the way Of thy hard destiny to hasten the day For bloud axeth bloud as guerdon due And vengeance for vengeance is iust reward O righteous God thy iudgements are true For looke what measure we other award The same for vs againe is prepar'd Take heed ye Princes by examples past Bloud will haue bloud either first or last G. Ferrers HOW THE LORD MOWbrey promoted by King Richard the second to the state of a Duke was by him banished the Realme the yeare of Christ 1398. and after died miserablie in exile THough sorrow and shame abash me to rehearse My lothsome life and death of due deserued Yet that the paines thereof may other pearce To leaue the like lest they be likewise serued Ah Baldwine marke and see how that I swerued Dissembling enuy and flattery bane that bee Of all their hostes haue shew'd their power on mee I blame not Fortune though she did her part And true it is she can do little harme She guideth goods she hampreth not the heart A minde well bent is safe from euery charme Vice only vice with her stout strengthlesse arme Doth cause the heart from good to ill encline Which I alas doe finde too true by mine For where by birth I came of noble race The Mowbreys heire a famous house and old Fortune I thanke gaue me so good a grace That of my Prince I had what so I would Yet neither was to other greatly hold For I thought flattery wrong'd his want on youth And his fond trust augmented my vntruth He made me first the Earle of Notingham And Marshall of the Realme in which estate The Peeres and people iointly to me came With sore complaint against them that of late Bad officers had brought the King in hate By making sale of Iustice right and Lawe And liuing naught without all dread or awe I gaue them aid these euils to redresse And went to London with an army strong And caus'd the King against his will oppresse By cruell death all such as led him wrong The Lord chiefe Iustice suffered these among So did the Steward of his household head The Chancellor scapte for he afore had fled These wicked men thus from the King remou'd Who best vs pleas'd succeeded in their place For which both King and Commons much vs lou'd But chiefly I with all stood high in grace The King ensu'd my rede in euery case Whence selfe-loue bred for glory maketh prowd And pride aye seeks alone to be allow'd Wherefore to th' end I might alone inioy The Kings good will I made his lust my lawe And where of late I labour'd to destroy Such flattering folke as thereto stood in awe Now learned I among the rest to clawe For pride is such if it be kindly caught As stroyeth good and stirres vp euery naught Pride pricketh men to flatter for the pray Toppresse and poll for maint'nance of the same To malice such as match vneths it may And to be briefe pride doth the heart inflame To fire what mischiefe any fraud may frame And still at length the euils by it wrought Confound the worker and bring him to nought Behold in me due proofe of euery part For pride first forced me my Prince to flatter So much that whatsoeuer pleas'd his heart Were 't nere so ill I thought a lawfull matter Which causd the Lords afresh against him clatter Because he had his holds beyond sea sold And seene his souldiers of their wages pold Though vnto all these ils I were a frend Yet such was luck that each man deemed no The Duke of Glocester for me did send With other Lords whose hearts did bleede for woe To see the Realme so fast to ruine goe In fault whereof they said the two Dukes were The one of Yorke the other Lancaster On whose remoue from being about the King We all agreed and sware a solemne oth And whilst the rest prouided for this thing I flatterer I to win the praise of troth Wretch that I was brake faith and promise both For I bewraied to th' King their whole intent For which vnwares they all were tane and shent Thus was the warder of the Common weale The Duke of Gloster guiltlesse made away With other moe more wretch I so to deale Who through vntruth their trust did ill betray Yet by this meanes obtained I may pray Of King and Dukes I found for this such fauour As
Wales By Seuerne West I did inuade and burne Destroyed the townes in mountaines and in vales And rich in spoiles did home ward safe returne Was none so bold durst once against me spurne Thus prosperously doth Fortune forward call Those whom she minds to giue the sorest fall When same had brought these tidings to the King Although the Scots then vexed him right sore A mightie armie ' gainst me he did bring Where of the French King being warn'd afore Who mortall hate against King Henrie bore To grieue our foe he quickly to me sent Twelue thousand Frenchmen vnto the fight all bent A part of them led by the Earle of March Lord Iames of Burbon a renowned Knight Withheld by winds to Wales-ward forth to march Tooke land at Plimmouth priuily on night And when he had done all he durst or might After that many of his men were slaine He stole to ship and sailed home againe Twelue thousand moe in Milford did arriue And came to me then lying at Denbigh With armed Welchmen thousands double fiue With whom we went to Worcester well nigh And there encampt vs on a mount on high T' abide the King who shortly after came And pitched downe his field hard by the same There eight daies long our hosts lay face to face And neither others power durst assaile But they so stopt the passages the space That vitailes could not come to our auaile Where through constrain'd our hearts began to faile So that the Frenchmen shranke away by night And I with mine to 'th mountaines took our flight The King pursued greatly to his cost From hilles to woods from woods to valleyes plaine And by the way his men and stuffe he lost And when he saw he gained nought but paine He blew retreate and gate him home againe Then with my power I boldly came abroad Taken in my countrey for a very god Immediately there fell a iolly iarre Betweene the King and Percies worthie blouds Which grew at last vnto a deadly warre For like as drops engender mightie flouds And little seeds sprout forth great leaues and buds Euen so small strises if they be suffered run Breed wrath and warre and death or they be don The King would haue the ransome of such Scots As these the Percies tane had in the field But see how strongly Lucre knits her knots The King will haue the Percies will not yeeld Desire of goods some craues but granteth seeld Oh cursed goods desire of you hath wrought All wickednes that hath or can bee thought The Percies deemd it meeter for the King To haue redeemd their Cosin Mortimer Who in his quarell all his power did bring To fight with mee that tooke him prisoner Than of their pray to rob his souldier And therefore will'd him see some meane were found To quite forth him whom I kept vily bound Because the King misliked their request They came themselues and did accord with mee Complaining how the Kingdome was opprest By Henries rule wherefore wee did agree To plucke him downe and part the Realme in three The north part theirs Wales holy to be mine The rest to rest to th' Earle of Marches line And for to set vs hereon more agog A Prophet came a vengeance take them all Affirming Henry to be Gogmagog Whom Merline doth a Mould warpe euer call Accurst of God that must be brought in thrall By a Wolfe a Dragon and a Lion strong Which should diuide his Kingdome them among This crafty dreamer made vs three such beasts To thinke wee were the foresaid beastes indeed And for that cause our badges and our creasts Wee searched out which scarsly well agreed Howbeit the Herolds apt at such a need Drew downe such issues from old ancesters As prou'd these ensignes to bee surely ours Yee crafty Welehmen wherefore doe ye mocke The Noble men thus with your sained rimes Ye Noble men why flie yee not the flocke Of such as haue seduc'd so many times False Prophesies are plagues for diuers crimes Which God doth let the diuellish sort deuise To trouble such as are not godly wise And that appeard by vs three beasts indeed Through false perswasion highly borne in hand That in our feate we could not chuse but speed To kill the King and to enioy his Land For which exploit we bound our selues in band To stand contented ech man with his part So folly did assure our foolish hart But such they say as fish before the net Shall seldome surfet of the pray they take Of things to come the haps bee so vnset That none but fooles may warrant of them make The full assur'd successe doth oft forsake For Fortune findeth none so fit to flout As carelesse sots which cast no kinde of doubt How saist thou Henry Hotspur doe I lie For thou right manly gau'st the King a field And there wast slaine because thou wouldst not flie Thine vncle Thomas Percy forst to yeeld Did cast his head a wonder seene but seeld From Shrewsbury towne to 'th top of London Bridge Loe thus fond hope did both their liues abridge When Henry this great victory had wonne Destroid the Percies put their power to flight He did appoint Prince Henry his eldest sonne With all his power to meete me if he might But I discomfit through my partners fight Had not the heart to meete him face to face But fled away and he pursu'd the chase Now Baldwine marke for I cald Prince of Wales And made beleeue I should be he indeed Was made to fly among the hilles and dales Where all my men forsooke me at my need Who trusteth loiterers seeld hath luckly speed And when the Captaines courage doth him faile His souldiers harts a little thing may quaile And so Prince Henry chased me that loe I found no place wherein I might abide For as the dogges pursue the silly Doe The brache behinde the houndes on euery side So traste they me among the mountaines wide Whereby I found I was the hartles hare And not the beast the prophet did declare And at the last like as the little roach Must else be eat or leape vpon the shore When as the hungry picketell doth approach And there find death which it escapt before So double death assaulted me so sore That either I must vnto mine enmy yeeld Or starue for hunger in the barraine feeld Here shame and paine a while were at a strife Paine bad me yeeld shame bad me rather fast The one bad spare the other bad spend my life But shame shame haue it ouercame at last Then hunger gnew that doth the stone wall brast And made me eate both grauel durt and mud And last of all my dung my flesh and bloud This was mine end too horrible to heare Yet good enough for life that was so ill Where by O Baldwine warne all men to beare Their youth such loue to bring them vp in skill Bid Princes fly false prophets lying bill And not presume to climbe aboue
their army hote Assailed vs at Senocke where we lay From whence aliue they parted not away Which when the Kings retinue vnderstood They all affirm'd my quarell to be good Which caus'd the King and Queene whom all did hate To raise their campe and suddenly depart And that they might the peoples grudge abate T' imprison some full sore against their hart Lord Saye was one whom I made after smart For when the Staffords and their host was slaine To Black-heath field I marched backe againe And where the King would nothing heare before Now was he glad to send to know my mind And I thereby enflamed much the more Refus'd his grants so folly made me blind For this he flew and left Lord Scales behind To helpe the Towne and strenghten London Tower Towards which I marched forward with my power And found there all things at mine owne desire I entred London did there what I list The Treasurer Lord Saye I did conspire To haue condemned whereof when I mist For he by law my malice did resist By force I tooke him in Guildhall from th' heape And headed him before the crosse in Cheape His sonne in law Iames Cromer Shrief of Kent I caught at Mile-end where as then he lay Beheaded him and on a pole I sent His head to London where his fathers lay With these two heads I made a prety play For pight on poles I bare them through the street And for my sport made ech kisse other sweet Then brake I prisons let forth whom I wold And vs'd the City as it had been mine Tooke from the Merchants money ware and gold From some by force from other some by fine This at the length did cause them to repine So that Lord Scales consenting with the Maire For bad vs to their City to repaire For all this while mine host in Southwarke lay Who when they knew our passage was denied Came boldly to the bridge and made a fray For in we would the townesmen vs defied But when with strokes we had the matter tried We wan the bridge and set much part on fire This done to Southwarke backe we did retire The morow after came the Chancellour With generall pardon for my men halfe gone Which heard and read the rest within an houre Shranke all away each man to shift for one And when I saw they left me post alone I did disguise me like a Knight of the post And into Sussex rode all hope was lost And there I lurked till that cursed coyne That restlesse begle sought and found me out For straight the King by promise did enioyne A thousand marke to whomsoeuer mought Apprend my corps which made them seeke about Among the which one Alexander Iden Found out the hole wherein the Foxe was hidden But ere I fell I put him to his trumps For yeeld I would not while my hands would hold But hope of money made him stir his stumps And to assault me valiantly and bold Two houres and more our combat was not cold Till at the last he lent me such a stroke That downe I fell and neuer after spoke Then was my carcase caried like a hog To Southwarke borow where it lay a night The next day drawne to Newgate like a dog All men reioycing at the rufull sight Then were on poles my perboil'd quarters pight And set aloft for vermine to deuour Meete graue for rebels that resist the power Full little know we wretches what we do When we presume our Princes to resist We warre with God against his glorie to That placeth in his office whom he list Therefore was neuer traytour yet but mist The marke he shot and came to shamefull end Nor neuer shall till God be forst to bend God hath ordain'd the power all Princes be His Lieutenants or deputies in Realmes Against their foes therefore fighteth he And as his enmies driues them to extreames Their wise deuices proue but doltish dreames No subiect ought for any kind of cause To force the Prince but yeeld him to the lawes Wherefore O Baldwine warne men follow reason Subdue their willes and be not Fortunes slaues A shamefull end doth euer follow treason There is no trust in rebels rascall knaues In Fortune lesse which worketh as the waues From whose assaults who listeth to stand free Must follow skill and so contented bee W. Baldwine THE TRAGEDIE OF EDMVND DVKE OF SOMMERSET SLAINE IN THE FIRST battaile at Saint Albanes the 23. day of May in the 32. yeare of Henrie the sixt Anno Dom. 1454. SOme I suppose are borne vnfortunate Else good endeuours could not ill succeed What shall I call it ill fortune or fate That some mens attempts haue neuer good speed Their trauell thanklesse all bootlesse their heed Where other vnlike in working or skill Out wrestle the world and weald it at will Of the first number I count my selfe one To all mishap I weene predestinate Beleeue me Baldwine there be few or none To whom Fortune was euer more ingrate Make thou therefore my life a caueate That whose with force will worke against kind Saileth as who saith against the streame and winde For I of Sommerset Duke Edmund hight Extract by descent from Lancaster line Were it by follie or Fortunes despite Or by ill aspect of some crooked signe Of mine attempts could neuer see good fine What so I began did seldome well end God from such Fortune all good men defend Where I thought to saue most part I did spill For good hap with me was alway at warre The linage of Yorke whom I bare so ill By my spite became bright as the morning star Thus some whiles men make when faine they would mar The more ye lop trees the greater they grow The more ye stop streames the higher they flow Maugre my spite his same grew the more And mine as the Moone in the wane waxt lesse For hauing the place which he had before Gouernour of France needs I must confesse That lost was Normandie without redresse Yet wrought I alwaies that wit might contriue But what doth it boote with the streame to striue Borne was I neither to warre ne to peace For Mars was maligne to all my whole trade My birth I beleeue was in Ioues decrease When Cancer in his course being retrograde Declined from Sol to Saturnus shade Where aspects were good opposites did marre So grew mine vnhap both in peace and warre A strange natiuitie in calculation As all my liues course did after well declare Whereof in briefe to make relation That other by me may learne to beware Ouerlight credence was cause of my care And want of foresight in giuing assent To condemne Humfrey that Duke innocent Humfrey I meane that was the Protectour Duke of Glocester of the royall blood So long as he was Englands directour King Henries title to the Crowne was good This Prince as a piller most stedfastly stood Or like a prop set vnder a vine In state to vphold all Lancasters
is no more but pray for me all Thus say I Edward that late was your King And twentie two yeares ruled this Imperiall Some vnto pleasure and some to no liking Mercie I aske of my misdoing What auaileth it friends to be my foe Sith I cannot resist nor amend your complaining Quia ecce nunc in puluere dormio I sleepe now in mould as it is naturall As earth vnto earth hath his reuerture What ordained God to be terrestriall Without recourse to the earth by nature Who to liue euer may himselfe assure What is it to trust to mutabilitie Sith that in this world nothing may endure For now am I gone that was late in prosperitie To presume thereupon it is but vanitie Not certaine but as a cherie faire full of wo. Raigned not I of late in great prosperitie Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Where was in my life such an one as I While Lady Fortune had with me continuance Granted not she me to haue victorie In England to raigne and to contribute France She tooke me by the hand and led me a dance And with her sugred lips on me she smiled But what for dissembled countenance I could not beware till I was beguiled Now from this world she hath me exiled When I was lothest hence for to go And am in age who saith but a child Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio I had enough I held me not content Without remembrance that I should die And moreouer to encroch readie was I bent I knew not how long I should it occupie I made the Tower strong I wist not why I knew not to whom I purchased Tartersoll I mended Douer on the mountaine high And London I prouoked to fortifie the wall I made Notingham a place full royall Windsore Eltam and many other mo Yet at the last I went from them all Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Where is now my conquest and victorie Where is my riches and royall array Where be my coursers and my horses hie Where is my mirth my solace and my play As vanitie to nought all is withered away O Lady Bes long for me may you call For I am departed vntill domes day But loue you that Lord that is Soueraigne of all Where be my Castles and buildings royall But Windsore alone now haue I no moe And of Eton the prayers perpetuall Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Why should a man be proud or presume high Saint Bernard thereof nobly doth treate Saying a man is but a sacke of stercorie And shall returne vnto wormes meat Why what became of Alexander the great Or else of strong Sampson who can tell Were not wormes ordain'd their flesh to freat And of Salomon that was of wit the Well Absolon preferred his haire for to sell Yet for his beautie wormes eat him also And I but late in honors did excell Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio I haue played my pageant now am I past Ye wot well all I was of no great elde Thus all things concluded shall be at the last When death approcheth then lost is the field Then seeing the world me no longer vpheld For nought would conserue me heere in this place In manus tuas Domine my spirit vp I yeeld Humblie beseeching thee O God of thy grace O you courteous Commons your hearts embrace Benignely now to remember me also For right well you know your King I was Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio HOW SIR ANTHONY WODVILE Lord Riuers and Scales gouernour of Prince EDVVARD was with his Nephew Lord Richard Gray and other causelesse imprisoned and cruelly murdered Anno 1483. AS silly suiters letted by delayes To shew their Prince the meaning of their mind That long haue bought their brokers yeas and nayes And nere the nigher do daily wait to find The Princes grace from waightie affaires vntwind Which time attain'd by attending all the yeare The wearied Prince will then no suiters heare My case was such not many daies ago For after bruite had blazed all abroad That Baldwine through the aide of other mo Of fame or shame fall'n Princes would vnload Out from our graues we got without abode And preased forward with the rufull rout That sought to haue their doings boulted out But when I had long tended for my turne To tell my tale as diuers other did In hope I should no longer while soiourne But from my suits haue speedily been rid When course and place both orderly had bid Me shew my mind and I prepar'd to say The hearers paus'd arose and went their way These doubtfull doings draue me to my dumpes Vncertaine what should moue them so to do I feared lest affections lothly lumpes Or inward grudge had driuen them thereto Whose wicked stings all stories truth vndo Oft causing good to be reported ill Or drown'd in suds of Laethes muddie swill For hitherto slie writers wilie wits Which haue engrossed Princes chiefe affaires Haue been like horses snaffled with the bits Of fancie feare or doubts full deepe despaires Whose raines enchained to the chiefest chaires Haue so been strain'd of those that bare the stroke That truth was forst to chow or else to choke This caused such as lothed loud to lie To passe with silence sundrie Princes liues Lesse fault it is to leaue then leade awrie And better droun'd then euer bound in giues For fatall fraud this world so fondly driues That whatsoeuer writers braines may brue Be it neuer so false at length is tane for true What harme may hap by helpe of lying pens How written lies may leaudly be maintain'd The lothly rites the diuellish idoll dens With guiltlesse blood of vertuous men bestain'd Is such a proofe as all good hearts haue plain'd The taly grounds of stories throughly tries The death of Martyrs vengeance on it cries The freshest wits I know will soone be wearie In reading long what euer booke it bee Except it be vaine matter strange or merrie Well saust with lies and glared all with glee VVith which because no graue truth may agree The closest stile for stories is the meetest In rufull meanes the shortest forme is sweetest And seeth the plaints alreadie by thee pen'd Are briefe enough the number also small The tediousnesse I thinke doth none offend Saue such as haue no lust to learne at all Regard none such no matter what they brall Warne thou the warie lest they hap to stumble As for the carelesse care not what they mumble My life is such as if thou note it well May cause the wittie wealthie to beware For their sakes therefore plainly will I tell How false and cumbrous worldly honors are How cankred foes bring carelesse folke to care How tyrants suffered and not quell'd in time Do cut their throats that suffer them to clime Nor will I hide the chiefest point of all VVhich wisest Rulers least of all regard That was and will be cause of many a fall This cannot be too
Such his constraint that now that one with paine Command he might who late might many moe Then ghastly Greekes erst brought to Tenedo So nought is ours that we by hap may lose What nearest seemes is farthest off in woes As banished wights such ioyes we might haue made Eas'd of aye threatning death that late we drade But once our countries sight not care exempt No harbour shewing that might our feare relent No couert caue no shrub to shroud our liues No hollow wood no flight that oft depriues The mightie his prey no sanctuarie left For exil'd Prince that shrouds each slaue for theft In prison pent whose woodie walles to passe Of no lesse perill then the dying was With th' Ocean moated battred with the waues As chain'd at oares the wretched galley slaues At mercie sit of sea and enmies shot And shun with death that they with flight may not But greenish waues and heauie lowring skies All comfort else forclosed our exiled eies Lo lo from highest top the slauish boy Sent vp with sight of land our hearts to ioy Descries at hand a fleete of Easterlings As then hot enmies of the British Kings The Mouse may sometime helpe the Lion in need The bittle Bee once spilt the Aegles breed O Princes seeke no foes In your distresse The earth the seas conspire your heauinesse Our foe descried by flight we shun in hast And laid with canuas now the bending mast The ship was rackt to trie her sailing then As Squirels climbe the troupes of trustie men The steersman seekes a readier course to run The souldier stirs the Gunner hies to gun The Flemmings sweate the English ship disdaines To wait behind to beare the Flemmings traines Forth flieth the Barke as from the violent Goone The pellet breakes all staies and stops eftsoone And swift she swindg'th as oft in Sunnie day The Dolphin fleetes in seas in merrie May. As we for liues so th' easterlings for gaine Thwack on the sailes and after make amaine Though heauie they were and of burthen great A King to master yet what Swine nold sweat So mid the vale the Greyhound seeing start The fearefull Hare pursueth before she flert And where she turn'th he turn'th her there to beare The one prey pricketh th' other safeties feare So were we chas'd so fled we 'fore our foes Bet flight then fight in so vneuen close I end Some thinke perhaps too long he staieth In perill present shewing his fixed faith This ventred I this dread I did sustaine To trie my truth my life I did disdaine But loe like triall ' gainst his ciuill foe Faiths worst is triall which reserues to woe I passe our scape and sharpe returning home Where we were welcom'd by our wonted fone To battell maine descends the Empires right At Barnet ioyne the hosts in bloodie fight There ioyn'd three battels ranged in such array As might for terror Alexander fray What should I stay to tell the long discourse Who wan the Palme who bare away the worse Sufficeth say by my reserued band Our enemies fled we had the vpper hand My iron armie held her steadie place My Prince to shield his feared foe to chase The like successe befell in Tewkesbury field My furious force their force perforc'd to yeeld My Princes foe and render to my King Her only sonne lest he more bate might bring Thus hast a mirrour of a Subiects mind Such as perhaps is rare againe to find The caruing cuts that cleaue the trusty steele My faith and due allegeance could not feele But out alas what praise may I recount That is not stain'd with spot that doth surmount My greatest vaunt bloudy for VVarre to feete A Tiger was I all for peace vnmeete A souldiers hands must oft be died with goare Lest starke with rest they finewd waxe and hoare Peace could I win by VVarre but peace not vse Few daies liue he who VVarlike peace doth chuse VVhen Crofts a Knight presented Henries Heiro To this our Prince in furious moode enquere Of him he gan what folly or phrensy vaine With Arms forst him t' inuade his Realme againe Whom answering that he claim'd his fathers right With Gauntlet smit commanded from his sight Glocester Clarence I and Dorset slewe The guilt whereof we shortly all did rue Clarence as Cyrus drown'd in bloud like Wine Dorset I furthered to his speedy pine Of me my selfe am speaking president Nor easier fate the bristled Boare is lent Our blouds haue paid the vengeance of our guilt His bones shall broile for bloud which he hath spilt O deadly murther that attaint'th our fame O wicked Traytours wanting worthy name Who as mischieuously of men deserue As they merit well who doe mens liues preserue If those therefore we recken heauenly wights These may we well deeme Feendes and damned Sprits And while on earth they walke disguised deuils Sworne foes of vertue factours for all euils Whose bloudy hands torment their goared harts Through bloudsheds horrour in sound sleepe he starts O happy world were the Lions men All Lions should at least be spared then No suerty now no lasting league is bloud A meacocke is he who dreadth to see bloud shed Old is the Practise of such bloudy strife While ij weare Armies ij the Issues of first Wife With armed hart and hand the one bloudy brother With cruell chase pursueth and murdreth th' other Which who abhorreth not yet who ceaseth to sue The bloudy Caines their bloudy sire renue The horror yet is like in common fraies For in ech murther brother brother slaies Traytours to nature countrey kin and kinde Whom no band serueth in brothers loue to bind O simple age when slaunder slaughter was The tongues smal euil how doth this mischief passe Hopest thou to cloake thy couert mischiefe wrought Thy conscience Caitif shal proclaime thy thought A vision Chaucer sheweth difcloasd thy crime The Foxe descrie the crowes and chattring pien And shal thy fellow felons not bewray The guiltelesse death whom guiltie hands do slay Vnpunished scaped for hainous crime some one But vnaduenged in minde or body none Vengeance on minde the freating furies take The sinful corps like earth quake agues shake Their frowning lookes their troubled minds bewray In hast they runne and mids their race they staie As gidded Roe Amids their speech they whist At meate they muse No where they may persist But some feare netleth them Ay hang they so So neuer wanteth the wicked murtherer wo. An infant rent with Lions ramping pawes Why slaunder I Lions They feare the sacred lawes Of royall bloud Ay me more brute then beast With infants sides Lycaons pie to feast O tyrant Tigers O insaciate woolues O English courtesie monstrous mowes and gulfes Onely because our Prince displeas'd we saw With him we slue him straight before all law Before our Prince commanded once his death Our bloudie swords on him we did vnsheath Preuenting law and euen our Princes hest We hid our weapons in the young
at Lord Stanley whose braine he had surely cleft Had he not downe beneath the table crept But Ely Yorke and I were taken straight Imprisoned they I should no longer wait But charged was to shriue me and shift with hast My Lord must dine and now midday was past The Bores first dish not the bores head should be But Hastings head the borish beast would see VVhy stay I his dinner vnto the chappel ioineth A greenish hil that body and soule oft twineth There on a blocke my head was stricken off As Baptists head for Herod bloudy gnoffe Thus liu'd I Baldwine thus dide I thus I fel This is the summe which al at large to tel VVould volumes fil whence yet these lessons note Ye noble Lords to learne and ken by rote By filthie rising feare your names to staine If not for vertues loue for dread of paine VVhom so the mindes vnquiet state vpheaues Be it for loue or feare when fancie reaues Reason her right by mocking of the wit If once the cause of this affection flit Reason preuailing on the vubridled thought Downe falth he who by fancie climbe aloft So hath the riser foule no staie from fall No not of those that raisd him first of all His suretie stands in mainteining the cause That heau'd him first which rest by reasons sawes Not onely falth he to his former state But liueth for euer in his princes hate And marke my Lords God for adulterie sleath Though ye it thinke too sweete a sinne for death Serue trulie your Prince and feare not rebels might On Princes halues the mightie God doth fight O much more then forsweare a forrein foe Who seeketh your realme and country to vndo Murther detest haue hands vnstaind with bloud Aie with your succour do protect the good Chace treason where trust should be wed to your frend Your heart and power to your liues last end Flie tickle credit shun alike distrust Too true it is and credit it you must The iealous nature wanteth no stormie strife The simple soule aye leadeth a sower life Beware of flatterers friends in outward show Best is of such to make your open foe What all men seeke that all men seeke to saine Some such to be some such to seeme them paine Marke Gods iust iudgements punishing sin by sinne And slipperie state wherein aloft we swimme The prouerbe all day vp if we ne fall Agreeth well to vs high heaued worldlings all From common sort vprais'd in honors weed We shine while Fortune false whom none erst feed To stand with stay and forsweare ticklenesse Sowseth vs in mire of durtie brittlenesse And learne ye Princes by my wronged sprite Not to misconster what is meant aright The winged words too oft preuent the wit When silence ceaseth afore the lips to sit Alas what may the words yeeld worthie death The words worst is the speakers stinking breath Words are but winde why cost they then so much The guiltie kicke when they too smartly touch Forth irreturnable flieth the spoken word Be it in scoffe in earnest or in bourd Without returne and vnreceiu'd it hangs And at the takers mercie or rigour stands Which if he sowerly wrest with wrathfull cheare The shiuering word turnes to the speakers feare If friendly courtefie do the word expound To the speakers comfort sweetly it doth redound Euen as the vapour which the fire repels Turnes not to earth but in mid aire dwels Where while it hangeth if Boreas frostie flawes With rigour rattle it not to raine it thawes But thunder lightnings ratling haile or snow Sends downe to earth whence first it rose below But if faire Phoebus with his countenance sweete Resolue it downe the dew or Manna sleete The Manna dew that in the Easterne lands Excell'th the labour of the bees small hands Else for her Memnon gray Auroras teares On the earth it stilleth the partener of her feares Or sendeth sweet showers to glad their mother earth Whence first they tooke their first inconstant birth To so great griefes ill taken words do grow Of words well taken such delights do flow This learned thus be heere at length an end What since ensued to thee I will commend Now farewell Baldwine shield my torne name From slanderous trumpe of blasting blacke defame But ere I part hereof thou record beare I claime no part of vertues reckoned heere My vice my selfe but God my vertues take So hence depart I as I entred nak'd Thus ended Hastings both his life and tale Containing all his worldly blisse and bale Happie he liued too happie but for sinne Happie he died whom right his death did bring Thus euer happie For there is no meane Twixt blissefull liues and mortall deaths extreame Yet feared not his foes to staine his name And by these slanders to procure his shame In rustie armour as in extreame shift They clad themselues to cloake their diuellish drift And forth with for substantiall citizens sent Declaring to them Hastings forged intent Was to haue slaine the Duke and to haue seised The Kings yong person slaying whom he had pleas'd But God of Iustice had withturn'd that fate Which where it ought light on his proper pate Then practised they by proclamation spread Nought to forget that mought defame him dead Which was so curious and so clerkely pend So long withall that when some did attend His death so yong they saw that long before The shroud was shaped then babe to die was bore So wonteth God to blind the worldly wise That not to see that all the world espies One hearing it cried out A goodly cast And well contriued foule cast away for hast Whereto another gan in scoffe replie First pend it was by enspiring prophecie So can God rip vp secret mischiefes wrought To the confusion of the workers thought My Lords the tub that dround the Clarence Duke Dround not his death not yet his deaths rebuke Your politique secrets gard with trustie loyaltie So shall they lurke in most assured secrecie By Hastings death and after fame ye learne The earth for murder crieth out vengeance sterne Flie from his faults and spare to hurt his fame The eager hounds forbeare their slaine game Dead dead auaunt Curs from the conquered chase Ill might he liue who loueth the dead to race Thus liued this Lord thus died he thus he slept Mids forward race when first to rest he stept Enuious death that bounceth as well with mace At Kesars courts as at the poorest gates When nature seem'd too slow by this sloape meane Conueighed him sooner to his liues extreame Happie in preuenting woes that after happ'd In slumber sweete his liuing lights he lapp'd Whose hastie death if it do any grieue Know he he liu'd to die and dide to liue Vntimely neuer comes the liues last met In cradle death may rightly claime his det Straight after birth due is the fatall beere By deaths permission the aged linger heere Euen in the swathbands out commission goeth To
That of mishap no feare was in my breast But false Fortune whom I suspected least Did turne the wheele and with a dolefull fall Hath me bereft of honor life and all Loe what auailes in riches flouds that flowes Though she so smil'd as all the world were his Euen Kings and Kesars bidden Fortunes throwes And simple sort must beare it as it is Take heed by me that blith'd in balefull blisse My rule my riches royall blood and all When Fortune frown'd the feller made my fall For hard mishaps that happens vnto such Whose wretched state erst neuer fell no change Agreeue them not in any part so much As their distresse to whom it is so strange That all their liues nay passed pleasures range Their sudden woe that aye weild wealth at will Algates their he arts more piercingly must thrill For of my birth my blood was of the best First borne an Earle then Duke by due descent To swing the sway in Court among the rest Dame fortune me her rule most largely lent And kind with courage so my corps had blent That loe on whom but me did she most smile And whom but me loe did she most beguile Now hast thou heard the whole of my vnhap My chance my change the cause of all my care In wealth and woe how Fortune did me wrap With world at will to win me to her snare Bid Kings bid Kesars bid all states beware And tell them this from me that tri'd it true Who recklesse rules right soone may hap to rue FINIS T. Saxuist HOW COLLINGBOVRNE WAS CRVELLY EXECVTED FOR making a Rime BEware take heed take heed I say beware You Poets you that purpose to rehearce By any art what tyrants doings are Erynnis rage is growne so fell and fearce That vitious acts may not be toucht in verse The Muses freedome granted them of eld Is bar'd slie reasons treasons hie are held Be rough in rime and then they say you raile As Iuuenal was but that doth make no matter With Ieremie you shall be had to iaile Or forc'd with Martial Caesars faults to flatter Clerkes must be taught to claw and not to clatter Free Helicon and franke Parnassus hilles Are hellie haunts and ranke pernicious illes Touch couertly in termes and then you taunt Though praised Poets alway did the like Controll vs not else traytour vile auaunt What passe we what the learned do mislike Our sinnes we see wherein to swarme we seeke We passe not what the people say or thinke Their shittle hate makes none but cowards shrinke We know say they the course of Fortunes wheele How constantly it whitleth still about Arrearing now while elder headlong reele How all the riders alway hang in doubt But what for that we count him but a lout That stickes to mount and basely like a beast Liues temperatly for feare of blockam feast Indeed we would of all be deemed gods What ere we do and therefore partly hate Rude Preachers that dare threaten plagues and rods And blase the blots whereby we staine our state But nought we passe what any such do prate Of course and office they must say their pleasure And we of course must heare and mend at leasure But when these pelting Poets in their rimes Shall taunt or iest or paint our wicked workes And cause the people know and curse our crimes This vgly fault no tyrant liues but irkes Wherfore we loath such taunters worse then Turkes Whose meaning is to make vs know our misse And so to mend but they but dote in this We know our faults as well as any other We also doubt the dangers from them due Yet still we trust so right to rule the rother That scape we shall the scourges that ensue We thinke we know more shifts then other knew In vaine therefore for vs are counsels writ We know our faults and will not mend a whit These are the feats of the vnhappie sort That prease for honors wealth and pleasures vaine Cease therefore Baldwine cease I thee exhort Withdraw thy pen for nothing shalt thou gaine Saue hate with losse of paper inke and paine Few hate their faults all hate of them to heare And faultiest from fault would seeme most cleare Th' intent I know is honest plaine and good To warne the wise to fray the fond from ill But wicked worldlings are so witlesse wood That to the worst they all things construe still With rigour oft they recompence good will They racke the words till time their sinewes burst In dolefull senses strayning still the worst A painfull proofe taught me the truth of this Through tyrants rage and Fortunes cruell tourne They murdred me for meetring things amisse For wot'st thou what I am that Collingbourne Which made the rime whereof I may well mourne The Cat the Rat and Louell our Dog Do rule all England vnder a Hog Whereof the meaning was so plaine and true That euery foole peceiued it at furst Most liked it for most that most things knew In hugger mugger muttred what they durst The tyrant Prince of most was held accurst Both for his owne and for his counsels faults Of whom were three the naughtiest of all naughts Catesby was one whom I did call a Cat A craftie Lawyer catching all he could The second Ratcliffe whom I nam'd a Rat A cruell beast to gnaw on whom he should Lord Louell barkt and bit whom Richard would Whom I therefore did rightly tearme our Dog Wherewith to rime I call'd the King a Hog Till he the Crowne had caught he gaue the Bore In which estate would God he had deceased Then had the Realme not ruined so sore His nephewes raigne should not so soone haue ceased The noble blood had not been so decreased His Rat his Cat and Blood hound had not noied Such liegemen true as after they destroyed Their lawlesse acts good subiects did lament And so did I and therefore made the rimes To shew my wit how well I could inuent To warne withall the carelesse of their crimes I thought the freedome of the ancient times Stood still in force Ridentem dicere verum Quis vetat Nay nay Veritas est pessuma rerum Belike no tyrants were in Horace daies And therefore Poets freely blamed vice Witnesse their Satyrs sharpe and tragicke plaies With chiefest Princes chiefely had in price They name no man they mixe their gall with spice No more do I I name no man outright But riddle wise I meane them as I might When bruite had brought this to their guiltie eares Whose right surnames were noted in the rime They all conspired like most greedie Beares To charge me straight with this most grieuous crime And damned me the gallow tree to clime And strangled then in quarters to be cut Which should on high ore London gates be put This iudgement giuen so vehement and sore Made me exclame against their tyranny Wherewith incenst to make my paine the more They practised a shamefull villanie They cut
grace and credit grew So that the King in hearing of this newes Deuised how he might my seruice vse He made me then his Chaplaine to say Masse Before his grace yea twice or thrice a weeke Now had I time to trim my selfe by glasse Now found I meane some liuing for to seeke Now I became both humble milde and meeke Now I appli'd my wits and senses throw To reape some corne if God would speed the plow Whom most I saw in fauour with the King I follow'd fast to get some hap thereby But I obseru'd another finer thing That was to keepe me still in Princes eye As vnder wing the hawke in winde doth lie So for a prey I prowled heere and there And tried friends and fortune euery where The King at length sent me beyond the seas Embastour then with message good and great And in that time I did the King so pleas By short dispatch and wrought so fine a feat That did aduance my selfe to higher seat The Deanrie then of Lincolne he me gaue And bountie shew'd before I gan to craue His Amner too he made me all in haste And threefold gifts he threw vpon me still His counsler straight likewaies was Wolsey plaste Thus in short time I had the world at will VVhich passed far mans reason wit and skill O hap thou hast great secrets in thy might VVhich long lie hid from wily worldlings sight As shewres of raine fall quickly on the grasse That fading flowres are soone refresht thereby Or as with Sun the morning dew doth passe And quiet calme makes cleare a troubled skie So Princes powre at twinkling of an eye Sets vp aloft a fau'ret on the wheele When giddy braines about the streets doe reele They are but blind that wake where Fortune sleepes They work in vaine that striue with streame and tide In double gard they dwell that destny keepes In simple sort they liue that lacke a guide They misse the marke that shoot their arrowes wide They hit the pricke that make their flight to glance So neere the white that shaft may light on chance Such was my lucke I shot no shaft in vaine My bow stood bent and brased all the yeere I waited hard but neuer lost my paine Such wealth came in to beare the charges cleere And in the end I was the greatest peere Among them all for I so rulde the land By Kings consent that all was in my hand Within on yeare three Bishoprickes I had And in small space a Cardnall I was made With long red robes rich Wolsey then was clad I walkt in Sun when others sate in shade I went abroad with such a traine and trade With crosses borne before me where I past That man was thought to be some God at last With sonnes of Earles and Lords I serued was An hundred chaines at least were in my traine I daile dranke in gold but not in glas My bread mas made of finest flowre and graine My dainty mouth did common meates disdaine I fed like Prince on fowles most deare and strange And bankets made of fine conceits for change My hall was full of Knights and Squires of name And gentlemen two hundred told by pole Tale yeomen too did hourely serue the same Whose names each weeke I saw within check role All went to church when seruice bell did knole All dinde and supt and slept at Cardnals charge And all would wait when Wolsey tooke his barge My household stuffe my wealth and siluer plate Might well suffice a Monarke at this day I neuer fed but vnder cloth of state Nor walkt abroad till Vshars cleard the way In house I had musitions for to play In open streete my trumpets loud did sound Which pearst the skies and seem'd to shake the ground My men most braue marcht two and two in ranke Who held in length much more then halfe a mile Not one of these but gaue his master thanke For some good turne or pleasure got some while I did not feed my seruants with a smile Or glosing words that neuer bring forth fruite But gaue them gold or els preferd their suite In surety so whiles God was pleasd I stood I knew I must leaue all my wealth behinde I saw they lou'd me not for birth or blood But seru'd a space to try my noble minde The more men giue the more indeed they finde Of loue and troth and seruice euery way The more they spare the more doth loue decay Iioide to see my seruants thriue so well And go so gay with little that they got For as I did in honour still excell So would I oft the want of seruants note Which made my men on master so to dote That when I said let such a thing be done They would indeed through fire and water ronne I had in house so many off'cers still Which were obaid and honourd for their place That carelesse I might sleepe or walke at will Saue that sometime I weigh'd a poore mans case And salu'd such sores whose griefe might breed disgrace Thus men did wait and wicked world did gaze On me and them that brought vs all in maze For world was whist and durst not speake a word Of that they saw my credit curbd them so I waded far and passed ore the foord And minded not for to returne I troe The world was wise yet scarce it selfe did knoe When wonder made of men that rose by hap For Fortune rare fals not in each mans lap I clim'd the clouds by knowledge and good wit My men sought chance by seruice or good lucke The world walkt low when I aboue did sit Or downe did come to trample on this mucke And I did swim as dainty as a ducke When water serues to keepe the body braue And to enioy the gifts that Fortune gaue And though my pompe surpast all Prelates now And like a Prince I liu'd and pleasure tooke That was not fure so great a blur in brow If on my workes indiffrent eyes doe looke I thought great scorne such â—â—uings heere to brooke Except I built some houses for the poore And order tooke to giue great almes at doore A Colledge faire in Oxford I did make A sumptuous house a stately work indeede I gaue great lands to that for learning sake To bring vp youth and succour scholers neede That charge of mine full many a mouth did feede When I in Court was seeking some good turne To mend my torch or make my candell burne More houses gay I built then thousands do That haue enough yet will no goodnes shoe And where I built I did maintaine it to With such great cost as few bestowes I troe Of buildings large I could rehearse a roe That by mischance this day haue lost my name Whereof I do deserue the only fame And as for sutes about the King was none So apt as I to speake and purchase grace Though long before some say Shores wife was one That oft kneeld downe before the
Princes face For poore mens sutes and holpe their woefull case Yet she had not such credit as I gate Although a King would heare the parret prate My words were graue and bore an equall poies In ballance iust for many a weightie cause She pleasd a Prince with pretty merry toies And had no sight in state nor course of lawes I could perswade and make a Prince to pawes And take a breath before he drew the sword And spie the time to rule him with a word I will not say but fancy may do much Yet world will grant that wisdome may do more To wanton girls affection is not such That Princes wise wil be abusde therfore One sute of mine was surely worth a score Of hers indeed for she her time must watch And at all howres I durst go draw the latch My voice but heard the dore was open streight She might not come till she were cald or brought I rul'd the King by custome art and sleight And knew full well the secrets of his thought Without my mind all that was done was nought In wars or peace my counsell swaied all For still the King would for the Cardnall call I kept a court my selfe as great as his I not compare vnto my master here But looke my Lords what liuely world was this That one poore man became so great a peere Yet though this tale be very strange to here Wit wins a world and who hath hap and wit With triumph long in princely throne may sit What man like me bare rule in any age I shone like Sun more cleare then morning star Was neuer part so plaid in open stage As mine nor fame of man flew halfe so far I sate on bench when thowsands at the bar Did plead for right for I in publique weale Lord Chancelor was and had the great broad seale Now haue I told how I did rise aloft And sate with pride and pomp in golden hall And set my feete on costly carpets soft And plaid at goale with goodly golden ball But after Lord I must rehearse my fall O trembling heart thou canst not now for teares Present that tale vnto the hearers eares Best weepe it out and sudden silence keepe Till priuy pangs make pinched heart complaine Or cast thy selfe into some slumbring sleepe Till wakened wits remembrance bring againe When heauy teares do hollow cheekes distaine The world will thinke thy sprits are growne so weake The feeble tongue hath sure no power to speake A tale by signes with sighes and sobs set out Moues peoples mindes to pity plagued men With howling voice do rather crie and shout And so by arte shew forth thy sorrow then For if thou speake some man will note with pen What Wolsey said and what threw Wolsey downe And vnder foote flings Wolseis great renowne What force of that my fall must needs be herd Before I fell I had a time to rise As fatall chance and Fortune me preferd So mischiefe came and did my state despise If I might plead my case among the wise I could excuse right much of mine offence But leaue a while such matter in suspence The Pope or pride or peeuish parts of mine Made King to frowne and take the seale from me Now seru'd no words nor pleasant speeches fine Now Wolsey lo must needes disgraced be Yet had I leaue as dolefull prisner free To keepe a house God wot with heauy cheere Where that I found no wine ne bread nor beere My time was come I could no longer liue What should I make my sorrow further knowne Vpon some cause that King that all did giue Tooke all againe and so possest his owne My goods my plate and all was ouerthrowne And looke what I had gathred many a day Within one houre was cleanly swept away But harken now how that my Fortune fell To Yorke I must where I the Bishop was Where I by right in grace a while did dwell And was in stawle with honour great to passe The Priors then and Abbots gan to smell How Cardnall must be honourd as he ought And for that day was great prouision brought At Cawood then where I great buildings made And did through cause expect my stawling day The King deuisde a secret vnder shade How Cardnall should bee rest and brought away One Wealsh a Knight came downe in good aray And seasned sure because from Court hee came On Wolsey wolfe that spoiled many a lambe Then was I led toward Court like dog in string And brought as biefe that Butcher-row must see But still I hopte to come before the King And that repaire was not denide to me But he that kept the Towre my guide must be Ah there I saw what King thereby did meane And so I searcht if conscience now were cleane Some spots I found of pride and popish parts That might accuse a better man then I Now Oxford came to minde with all their arts And Cambridge too but all not worth a flie For schoolemen can no foule defects supplie My sauce was sowre though meate before was sweete Now Wolsey lackt both cunning wit and spreete A deepe conceit of that possest my head So fell I sicke consum'd as some did thinke So tooke in haste my chamber and my bed On which deuice perhaps the world might winke But in the heart sharpe sorrow so did sinke That gladnes sweete forsooke my senses all In those extremes did yeeld vnto my fall O let me curse the popish Cardnall hat Those miters big beset with pearle and stones And all the rest of trash I know not what The saints in shrine their flesh and rotten bones The maske of Monkes deuised for the nones And all the flocke of Freers what ere they are That brought me vp and left me there so bare O cursed priests that prate for profits sake And follow floud and tide where ere it floes O merchants fine that do aduantage take Of euery graine how euer market goes O fie on wolues that march in masking cloes For to deuoure the lambs when shepherd sleepes And woe to you that promise neuer keepes You said I should be reskude if I need And you would curse with candell booke and bell But when ye should now serue my turne indeed Yee haue no house I know not where ye dwell O Freers and Monkes your harbour is in hell For in this world ye haue no rightfull place Nor dare not once in heauen shew your face Your fault not halfe so great as was my pride For which offence fell Lucifer from skies Although I would that wilfull folly hide The thing lies plaine before the peoples eies On which hie heart a hatefull name doth ries It hath been said of old and daily will Pride goes before and shame comes after still Pride is a thing that God and man abores A swelling tode that poisons euery place A stinking wound that breedeth many sores A priuie plague found out in stately face A painted bird that