euen all things as it list And with vniust men to debate of lawes Is to giue power to hurt a rightfull cause vvhilst parlements must still redresse theyr wrongs And we must starue for what to vs belongs Our wealth but fuell to theyr fond excesse And we must fast to feast theyr wantonnesse Think'st thou our wrongs then insufficient are To moue our brother to religious war And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquytaine And if not that yet hath he broke the truce Thus all accur to put backe all excuse The sisters wrong ioynd with the brothers right Me thinks might vrge him in this cause to fight Be all those people sencelesse of our harmes vvhich for our country ought haue manag'd armes Is the braue Normans courage now forgot Or the bold Brittaines lost the vse of shot The big-bon'd Almaines and stout Brabanders Theyr warlike Pikes and sharp-edg'd Semiters Or doe the Pickards let theyr Crosbowes lie Once like the Centaurs of old Thessalie Or if a valiant Leader be theyr Lacke vvhere thou art present who should driue them backe I doe coniure thee by what is most deere By that great name of famous Mortimer By auncient VVigmors honourable Crest The Tombes where all thy famous Grandsires rest Or if then these what more may thee approue Euen by those vowes of thy vnfained loue That thy great hopes may moue the Christian King By forraine Armes some comfort yet to bring To curbe the power of traytors that rebell Against the right of princely Isabell. Vaine vvitlesse woman why should I desire To adde more heate to thy immortall fire To vrge thee by the violence of hate To shake the pillers of thine owne estate vvhen whatsoeuer we intend to doe To our misfortune euer sorts vnto And nothing els remaines for vs beside But teares and coffins onely to prouide VVhen still so long as Burrough beares that name Time shall not blot out our deserued shame And whilst cleere Trent her wonted course shall keepe For our sad fall her christall drops shall weepe All see our ruine on our backs is throwne And to our selues our sorrowes are our owne And Torlton now whose counsell should direct The first of all is slaundred with suspect For dangerous things dissembled sildome are vvhich many eyes attend with busie care VVhat should I say my griefes doe still renew And but begin when I should bid adiew Few be my words but manifold my woe And still I stay the more I striue to goe As accents issue forth griefes enter in And where I end mee thinks I but begin Till then fayre time some greater good affoords Take my loues payment in these ayrie words Notes of the Chronicle Historie O how I feard that sleepie drinke I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent MOrtimer beeing in the Tower and ordayning a feast in honour of his byrth-day as hee pretended and inuiting there-vnto sir Stephen Segraue Constable of the Tower with the â—est of the officers belonging to the same he gaue them a sleepie drinke prouided him by the Queene by which meanes he got libertie for his escape I steale to Thames as though to take the ayre And aske the gentle streame as it doth glide Mortimer being got out of the Tower swam the riuer of Thames into Kent whereof she hauing intelligence doubteth of his strength to escape by reason of his long imprisonment being almost the space of three yeeres Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Naeuarre Edward Carnaruan the first Prince of Wales of the English blood married Isabell daughter of Phillip the faire at Bulloyne in the presence of the Kings of Almaine Nauarre and Cicile with the chiefe Nobilitie of Fraunce and England which marriage was there solemnized with exceeding pompe and magnificence And in my place vpon his regall throne To set that girle-boy wanton Gaueston Noting the effeminacie luxurious wantonnesse of Gaueston the Kings Minion his behauiour and attire euer so womanlike to please the eye of his lasciuious Prince That a foule Witches bastard should thereby It was vrged by the Queene and the Nobilitie in the disgrace of Piers Gauestone that his mother was conuicted of witchcraft burned for the same and that Piers had bewitched the King Albania Gascoyne Cambria Ireland Albania Scotland so called of Albanact the second sonne of Brutus and Cambria Wales so called of Camber the third son the foure Realmes countries brought in subiection by Edward Longshankes When of our princely Iewels and our dowers We but enioy the least of what is ours A complaint of the prodigalitie of King Edward giuing vnto Gaueston the iewels treasure which was left him by the auncient Kings of England and enriching him with the goodly Manor of Wallingford assigned as parcel of the dower to the queens of this famous I le And ioyn'd with the braue issue of our blood Alie our kingdome to their crauand brood Edward the second gaue to Piers Gaueston in mariage the daughter of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester begot of the Kings sister Ione of Acres maried to the said Earle of Glocester Should giue away all that his Father won To backe a stranger King Edward offered his right in Fraunce to Charles his brother in law and his right in Scotland to Robert Bruse to be ayded against the Barrons in the quarrell of Piers Gaueston And did great Edward on his death-bed giue Edward Longshanks on his death-bed at Carlile commanded yong Edward his sonne on his blessing not to call backe Gaueston which for the misguiding of the Princes youth was before banished by the whole counsell of the Land That after all this fearefull massaker The fall of Beuchamp Lasy Lancaster Thomas Earle of Lancaster Guy Earle of Warwick Henry Eaâ—le of Lincolne who had taken their oaths before the deceased King at his death to withstand his sonne Edward if hee should call Gauestone from exile being a thing which he much feared now seeing Edward to violate his Fathers coÌ„maundement rise in Armes against the king which was the cause of the ciuill war the ruine of so many Princes And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That now a Spenser should succeed in all The two Hugh Spensers the Father the sonne after the death of Gaueston became the great fauourites of the King the sonne beeing created by him lord Chamberlaine the father Earle of Winchester And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homaage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquitaine Edward Longshanks did homage for those Citties and Territories to the French King which Edward the second neglecting moued the French King by the subornation of Mortimer to cease those Countries into his hands By auncient Wigmors honourable Crest Wigmore in the marches of Wales was the auncient house of the Mortimers that noble and couragious familie That still so long as Borrough beares that name The Queene remembreth the great
As many minutes as in the houres there be So many houres each minute seemes to me Each houre a day morne noone-tide and a set Each day a yeare with miseries complet A vvinter spring-time sommer and a fall All seasons varying but vnseasoned all In endlesse woe my thred of life thus weares By minutes houres dayes monthes and ling'ring yeares They praise the Sommer that enioy the South Pomfret is closed in the Norths cold mouth There pleasant Sommer dwelleth all the yeere Frost-starued-winter doth inhabite heere A place wherein dispaire may fitly dwell Sorrow best suting with a clowdie Cell VVhen Herford had his iudgement of exile Saw I the peoples murmuring the while Th' vncertaine Commons touch'd with inward care As though his sorrowes mutually they bare Fond women and scarse speaking children mourne Bewaile his parting wishing his returne Then being forc'd t' abridge his banish'd yeeres vvhen they bedew'd his footsteps with their teares Yet by example could not learne to know To what his greatnes by this loue might grow vvhilst Henry boasts of our atthieuements done Bearing the trophies our great fathers wone And all the storie of our famous warre Now grace the Annalls of great Lancaster Seuen goodly siens in their spring did flourish vvhich one selfe root brought forth one stocke did nourish Edward the top-braunch of that golden tree Nature in him her vtmost power did see vvho from the bud still blossomed so faire As all might iudge what fruit it meant to beare But I his graft of eu'ry weede ore-growne And from the kind as refuse forth am throwne From our braue Grandsire both in one degree Yet after Edward Iohn the young'st of three Might princely VVales beget an Impe so base That to Gaunts issue should giue soueraigne place That leading Kings from Fraunce returned home As those great Caesars brought their spoyles to Rome vvhose name obtayned by his fatall hand vvas euer fearefull to that conquered land His fame increasing purchasd in those warres Can scarcely now be bounded with the starres VVith him is valour quite to heauen fled Or else in me is it extinguished vvho for his vertue and his conquests sake Posteritie a demie God shall make And iudge this â—ile and abiect spirit of mine Could not proceed from temper so diuine VVhat earthly humor or what vulgar eye Can looke so low as on our miserie VVhen Bulling brook is mounted to our throne And makes that his which we but call'd our owne Into our Counsels he himselfe intrudes And who but Henry with the multitudes His power disgrad's his dreadfull frowne disgraceth He throwes them downe whom our aduancement placeth As my disable and vnworthie hand Neuer had power belonging to command He treads our sacred tables in the dust And proues our acts of Parlament vniust As thougâ— he hated that it should be said That such a law by Richard once was made VVhilst I depresd before his greatnes lie Vnder the waight of hate and infamie My back a foot-stoole Bulling brook to raise My loosenes mock'd and hatefull by his praise Out-liu'd mine honour buried my estate And nothing left me but the peoples hate Sweet Queene I le take all counsell thou canst giue So that thou bid'st me neither hope nor liue Succour that comes when ill hath done his worst But sharpens greefe to make vs more accurst Comfort is now vnpleasing to mine eare Past cure past care my bed become my Beere Since now misfortune humbleth vs so long Till heauen be growne vnmindfull of our wrong Yet they forbid my wrongs shall euer die But still remembred to posteritie And let the crowne be fatall that he weares And euer wet with wofull mothers teares Thy curse on Percie angry heauens preuent vvho haue not one cuise left on him vnspent To scourge the world now horrowing of my store As rich of woe as I a King am poore Then cease deere Queene my sorrowes to bewaile My wounds too great for pittie now to heale Age stealeth on whilst thou complainest thus My greefes be mortall and infectious Yet better fortunes thy fayre youth may trie That follow thee which still from me doth flie Notes of the Chronicle Historie This tongue which first denounc'd my regall flate RIchard the second at the resignation of the Crowne to the Duke of Herford in the Tower of London deliuering the lame with his owne hand there confessed his disabilitie to gouerne vtterly denouncing all kingly dignitie And left'st great Burbon for thy loue to me Before the Princesse Isabell was married to the King Lewes Duke of Burbon sued to haue had her in mariage which was thought hee had obtained if this motion had not fallen out in the meane time This Duke of Burbon sued againe to haue receiued her at her comming into Fraunce after the imprisonment of King Richard but King Charles her Father then crost him as before and gaue her to Charles sonne to the Duke of Orleance When Herford had his iudgement of exile When the combate should haue beene at Couentrie betwixt Henâ—ie Duke of Herford and Thomas Duke of Norfolke where Herâ—ord was adiudged to banishment for tenne yeares the Commons exceeding lamented so greatly was he euer fauoured of the people Then being forc'd t' abridge his banish'd yeeres When the Duke came to take his leaue of the King being then at Eltham the King to please the Commons rather then for any louâ— he beare to Herford repleaded foure yeeres of his banishment Whilst Henry boasts of our atchieuements done Henry the eldest Sonne to Iohn Duke of Lancaster at the first Earle of Darby then created Duke of Herford after the death of the Duke Iohn his Father was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford Earle of Darby Leicester and Lincolne and after he had obtained the Crowne was called by the name of Bullingbrooke which is a towne in Lincolneshire as vsually all the Kings of England bare the name of the places where they were borne Seauen goodly syens in their spring did flourish Edward the third had seuen Sonnes Edward Prince of Wales after called the blacke Prince William of Hatfield the second Lionell Duke of Clarence the third Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth Edmond of Langley Duke of Yorke the Fifth Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Gloster the sixth William of Windsore the seuenth Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Truly boasting himselfe to bee the eldest Sonne of Edward the blacke Prince Yet after Edward Iohn the young'st of three As disabling Henry Bullingbrooke being but the sonne of the fourth brother William and Lionell beeing both before Iohn of Gaunt That leading Kings from Fraunce returned home Edward the black Prince taking Iohn King of Fraunce prisoner at the battell of Poictâ—â—s brought him into England where at the Sauoy he died Whose name atchiued by his fatall hand Called the black Prince not so much of his complexion as of the famous battell hee fought as is shewed before in the Glosse vppon the Epistle of Edward
iust wise and sage In all things happy but in him his sonne For whom euen nature did herselfe engage More then in man in this Prince to haue done VVhose happy raigne recur'd the former rage By the large bounds he to his Empire wone As the first Edward had the second beene O what a flow of glory had we seene 58 Turning the leafe as finding vnawares vvhat day young Edward Prince of VVales was borne vvhich letters seeme like magique charracters Or to despight him they were made in scorne Marking the paper like dis-figuring stars O let that name quoth he from bookes be torne Least in that place the sad displeased earth Doe loathe it selfe as slandered with my birth 59 From thence heereafter humaine birth exil'd By th' earth deuour'd or swallowed by the sea And fame enquiring for that lucklesse child Say t was abortiue or else stolne away And least ô time thou be therewith defil'd In thy vnnumbred course deuoure that day Let all be done that power can bring to passe Onely forget that such there euer was 60 The troubled teares now standing in his eyes Through which as glasses he is forc'd to looke Make letters seeme as rondlets that arise By a stone cast into a standing brooke Appearing to him in such various wise And at one time such sundry fashions tooke vvhich like deluding Monsters doe affright And with their foule shapes teâ—rifie his sight 61 VVhen on his saint bed falling downe at last His troubled spirit foretelling danger nie vvhen forth the doores a fearefull howling cast To let those in by whom a King should die vvhereat he starts amazed and agast These ruthlesse villaines all vppon him flie Sweet Prince alas in vaine thou call'st for ayde By these accursed homecides betrayd 62 O be not authors of so vile an act My blood on your posteritie to bring which after times with horror shall distract vvhen fame euen hoarce with age your shame shall ring And by recounting of so vile a fact Mortalitie so much astonishing That they shall count theyr wickednes scarce sinne To that which long before their time hath beene 63 And if your hate be deadly let me liue For that aduantage angry heauen hath left That except life takes all that it could giue But for iust vengeance should not quite bereft Me yet with greater misery to grieue Reserue a while this remnant of their theft That that which spent from th' rest should interdict me Alone remaining doth withall afflict me 64 Thus spake this wofull and distressed Lord As yet his breath found passage to and fro vvith many a short pant many a broken word Many a sore grone many agrieuous throw vvhilst yet his spirit could any strength affoord Though with much paine disburd'ning of his woe Till lastly gasping by their maist'ring strength His kingly hart subiects it selfe at length 65 VVhen twixt two beds they close his wearied corse Basely vncou'ring of his secret part vvithout all humane pitty and remorce vvith burning yron thrust him to the hart O that my Muse had but sufficient force T'explane the torment in the which thou art vvhich whilst with words we coldly doe expresse Thy paine made greater that we make it lesse 66 VVhen those in dead and depth of all the night Good simple people that are dwelling neare From quiet sleepe whom care did now affright That his last shreeke and wofull cry doe heare Euen pittying that miserable wight As twixt compassion and obedient feare Lift theyr sad eyes with heauy sleepe opprest Praying to heauen to giue the soule good rest 67 Still let the buildings figh his bitter grones And euermore his sad complaints repeate And let the dull walls and the sencelesse stones By the impression of his torment sweat As wanting sounds where-with to shew his mones vvith all sharpe paine and agony repleate That all may thether come that shall be told it As in a mirror cleerely to behold it 68 VVhen now the Genius of this wofull place Beeing the guide to his affrightfull ghost vvith hayre disheueld and a gastly face Shall haunt the prison where his life was lost And as the denne of horror and disgrace Let it be fearefull vnto all the coast That those heereafter that doe trauell neere Neuer behold it but with heauy cheere The end of the fith Canto The sixth Booke of the Barrons warres The Argument Lord Mortimer made Earle of March when he And the faire Queene rule all things by their might The pompe wherein at Notting ham they be The cost wherewith their amorous court is dight Enuide by those their hatefull pride that see The King attempts the dreadfull Caue by night Entring the Castell taketh him from thence And March at London dies for the offence 1 INforc'd of other accidents to sing Bearing fayre showes of promised delite Somewhat to slacke this melancholy string That new occasions to our Muse excite To our conceit strange obiects fashioning Doth our free numbers liberally inuite Matter of moment much to be respected Must by our pen be seriously directed 2 And now the time more cunningly redeeming These fraudfull courses fitly to contriue How ill so ere to beare the fayrest seeming For which they now must diligently striue Casting all waies to gaine thesame esteeming That to the world it prosperously might thriue This farre gone on now with the hand of might Vpon this wrong to build a lasting right 3 The pompous synod of these earthly Gods At Salsbury selected by theyr King To set all euen that had beene at ods And into fashion their dissignes to bring And strongly now to settle their abodes That peace might after from their actions spring Firmly t' establish what was well begone Vnder which colour mighty things were done 4 VVhen Mortimer pursuing his desire VVhilst eu'ry engine had his temperate heate To b'Earle of March doth suddainly aspire T' increase the honour of his auncient seate That his commaund might be the more entire VVho now but onely Martimer is great vvho knew a kingdome as her lot was throwne vvhich hauing all would neuer starue her owne 5 Now stand they firme as those celestiall Poles Twixt which the starres in all their course doe moue vvhose strenght this frame of gouernment vpholds An argument their wisedomes to approue vvhich way so ere the time in motion roles So perfect is the vnion of their loue For might is still most absolute alone vvhere power and fortune kindly meete in one 6 VVhilst Edwards nonage giues a further speede To th' ancient foe-man to renew the warre vvhich to preuent they must haue speciall heede Matters so strangly manag'd as they are vvhich otherwise if their neglect should breede Nothing yet made it might not easily marre vvhich with the most reseruing their estate Inforc'd to purchase at the deerest rate 7 So much t'release the homage as suffic'd Mongst which that deed nam'd Ragman of renowne By which the Kings of Scotland had deuisd Their fealty vnto the English crowne
sencelesse stones were with such musick drownd As many yeeres they did retaine the sound Let not the beames that greatnes doth reflect Amaze thy hopes with timerous respect Assure thee Tudor maiestie can be As kinde in loue as can the mean'st degree And the embraces of a Queene as true As theyrs might iudge them much aduaunc'd by you vvhen in our greatnes our affections craue Those secret ioyes that other women haue So I a Queene be soueraigne in my choyse Let others fawne vpon the publique voyce Or what by this can euer hap to thee Light in respect to be belou'd of mee Let peeuish worldlings prate of right and wrong Leaue plaints and pleas to whom they doe belong Let old men speake of chaunces and euents And Lawyers talke of titles and discents Leaue fond reports to such as stories tell And couenaunts to those that buy and sell Loue my sweet Tudor that becomes thee best And to our good successe referre the rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie Great Henry sought to accomplish his desire Armed c. HEnry the fift making clayme vnto the Crowne of Fraunce first sought by Armes to subdue the French and after sought by marriage to confirme what he got by conquest the heate and furie of which inuasion is alluded to the fixtion of Semele in Ouid which by the craftie perswasion of Iuno requested Ioue to come vnto her as he was wont to come vnto his wife Iuno who at her request hee yeelding vnto destroyed her in a tempest Incamp'd at Melans in wars hote alarmes First c. Neere vnto Melans vpon the Riuer of Scyne was the appoynted place of parley betweene the two Kings of England and Fraunce to which place Isabell the Queene of Fraunce and the Duke of Burgoyne brought the young Princesse Katherine where King Henry first saw her And on my temples set a double Crowne Henry the fift and Queene Katherine vvere taken as King and Queene of Fraunce and during the life of Charles the French King Henry was called King of England and heire of Fraunce after the death of Henry the fift Henry the sixt his son then being very young was crowned at Paris as true and lawfull king of England Fraunce At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy Troy in Champayn was the place where that victorious king Henrie the fift maried the Princesse Katherine in the presence of the chiefe nobilitie of the Realmes of England and Fraunce Nor these great tytles vainely will I bring Wife daughter Mother c. Few Queenes of England or Fraunce were euer more princelie alied then this Queene as it hath been noted by Historiographers Nor thinke so Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne◠c. Noting the descent of Henry her husband frō Iohn Duke of Lancaster the fourth son of Edward the third which Duke Iohn was sirnamed Gaunt of the citty of Gaunt in Flaunders where he was borne Nor stir the English blood the sunne and Moone T'repine c. Alluding the greatnes of the English line to Phoebus Phoebe fained to be the children of Latona whose heauenly kind might scorne to be ioyned with any earthlie progenie yet withall boasting the blood of Fraunce as not inferiour to theirs And with this allusion followeth on the historie of the strife betwixt Iuno and the race of Cadmus whose issue was afflicted by the wrath of heauen The chyldren of Niobe slaine for which the wofull mother became a Rock gushing forth continually a fountaine of teares And Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied Lhewellin or Leolin ap Iorwerth married Ioane daughter to King Iohn a most beautifull Lady Some Authours affirme that shee was base borne Lhewellin ap Gryfith maried Ellenor daughter to Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester and Cosin to Edward Longshanks both which Lhewellins were Princes of Wales Of Camilot and all her Pentecosts A Nephewes roome c Camilot the auncient Pallace of King Arthur to which place all the Knights of that famous order yeerely repaired at Penticost according to the lawe of the Table and most of the famous home-borne Knights were of that Countrie as to this day is perceiued by theyr auncient monuments When bloody Rufus sought your vtter sacke Noting the ill successe which that William Rufus had in two voyages he made into Wales in which a number of his chiefe Nobilitie were slaine And oft return'd with glorious victorie Nothing the diuers sundry incursions that the Welchmen made into England in the time of Rufus Iohn Henry the second Longshankes Owen Tudor to Queene Katherine WHen first mine eyes beheld your princely name And found from whence this friendly letter came As in excesse of ioy my selfe forgot vvhether I saw it or I saw it not My panting hart doth bid mine eyes proceede My dazeled eye inuites my tongue to reede Mine eye should guide my tongue amazed mist it My lips which now should speake are dombe and kist it And leaues the paper in my trembling hand vvhen all my sences so amazed stand Euen as a mother comming to her child vvhich from her presence hath beene long exil'd vvith tender armes his gentle necke doth straine Now kissing him now clipping him againe And yet excessiue yoy deludes her so As still she doubts if this be hers or no At length awak'ned from this pleasing dreame vvhen passion som-what leaues to be extreame My longing eyes with their faire obiect meete vvhere euery letter 's pleasing each word sweete It was not Henries conquests nor his Court That had the power to win me by report Nor was his dreadfull terror-striking name The cause that I from VVales to England came For Christian Rhodes and our religious truth To great atchieuements first had wone my youth Before aduenture did my valour proue Before I yet knew what it was to loue Nor came I hether by some poore euent But by th' eternall Destinies consent vvhose vncomprised wisedomes did fore-see That you in marriage should be linck'd to mee By our great Merlin was it not fore-told Amongst his holy prophecies enrold vvhen first he did of Tudors fame diuine That Kings and Queenes should follow in our line And that the Helme the Tudors auncient Crest Should with the golden Flower-delice be drest And that the Leeke our Countries chiefe renowne Should grow with Roses in the English Crowne As Charles fayre daughter you the Lilly weare As Henries Queene the blushing Rose you beare By Fraunce's conquest and by Englands oth You are the true made dowager of both Both in your crowne both in your cheeke together Ioyne Tethers loue to yours and yours to Tether Then make no future doubts nor feare no hate vvhen it so long hath beene fore-told by Fate And by the all-disposing doome of heauen Before our births vnto one bed were giuen No Pallas heere nor Iuno is at all vvhen I to Venus giue the golden ball Nor when the Graecians wonder I enioy None in reuenge to kindle fire in
his princely birth To manage Empires and to sit on thrones Frighting coy fortune when she stern'st appeares vvhich else scornes sighes and ieereth at our teares 46 VVhen now report with her fleet murmuring wing Tuch'd the still entrance of his listning eare A fleete prepar'd this royall Queene to bring And her arriuall still awaited neare vvhen eu'ry sound a note of loue doth sing The ioyfull thoughts that in his bosome were The soule in doubt to make her function lesse Denies the vtterance fully to expresse 47 Quoth he slide billowes gently for her sake vvhose sight can make your aged Nereus yong For her fairâ— passage euen allyes make On the sleeke waters waâ—t her sayles along And whilst she glydes vpon the pleasant lake Let the sweet Syrens rocke her with a song Though not Loues mother that doth passe this wayâ— Fairer then she that 's borne vpon the sea 48 You Sea-bred creatures gaze vpon her eye And neuer after with your kind make war O steale the accents from her lip that flie vvhich like the musicks of the Angels are And them vnto your amorous thoughts apply Compar'd with which Aryons did but iarre vvrap them in ayre and when blacke tempests rage Vse them as charmes the rough seas to asswage 49 Fraunce send to fetch her with full sholes of oares vvith which her fleet may eu'ry way be plyde And beeing landed on thy happy shoares As the vast nauie doth at Anck or ride For her departure when the wild sea roares Ship mount to heauen there brightly stellifide Next Iasons Argo on the â—urnish'd throne Assume thee there a constellation 50 Her person hence conuay'd with that delight vvhich best the languish of her iournies easd That to her pleasure doth it selfe inuite vvhereon her mind and subtill fancie ceasd And that most deare her liking might excite vvhich then this Lord naught more her presence pleasd vvhere when with state she fitt'st her time could take Thus the faire Queene her Mortimer bespake 51 O Mortimer great Mortimer quoth shee vvhat angry power did first this meane deuise To seperate Queene Isabell and thee vvhom loues eternall vnion strongly ties But if supposd this fault began by me For a iust pennance to my longing eyes Though guiltlesse they this punishment assignd To gaze vpon thee till they leaue me blind 52 T is strange sweet friend how thou art altred thus Since first in Court thou didst our fauours weare vvhose shape seem'd then not mortall vnto vs vvhen in our eye thy brow was beauties spheare In all perfection so harmonious A thousand seuerall graces moouing there But what then could'st thou be not now thou art An alien first last home-borne in my hart 53 That powerfull fate thy safety did inforce And from the worst of danger did thee free Still regular and constant in one course vvrought me a firme and euen path to thee Of our affections as it tooke remorce Our birth-fix'd starres so happily agree vvhose reuolusion seriously directs Our like proceedings to the like effects 54 New forme of counsaile in the course of things To our dissignement finds a neerer way That by a cleere and perfect managing Is that firme prop whereon we onely stay vvhich in it selfe th' authority doth bring That weake opinion hath no power to sway Confuting such whose sightlesse iudgement sit In the thicke ranke with euery vulgar-wit 55 Then since pleasd time our wish'd content assures Imbrace the blessings of our mutuall rest And whilst the day of our good hap endures And we as fauorites leane on fortunes brest vvhich doth for vs this vacansie procure In choise make free election of the best Nere feare the storme before thou feele the shower My sonne a King an Empire is my dower 56 Of wanton Edward when I first was woo'd vvhy cam'st thou not into the Court of France Thy selfe alone then in my grace had'st stood Deere Mortimer how good had beene thy chaunce My loue attempted in that youthfull mood I might haue beene thine owne inheritance vvhere entring now by force thou hold'st by might And art deseisor of anothers right 57 Honour thou Idole women so adore How many plagues doo'st thou retaine to grieue vs vvhen still we finde there is remaining more Then that great word of maiestie can giue vs vvhich takes more from vs then it can restore And of that comfort often doth depriue vs That with our owne selues sets vs at debate And mak'st vs beggers vnder our estate 58 Those pleasing raptures from her graces rise Strongly inuading his impressiue breast That soone entranced all his faculties Of the proud fulnesse of their ioyes possest And hauing throughly wrought him in this wise Like tempting Syrens sing him to his rest vvhen eu'ry power is passiue of some good Felt by the spirits of his high-rauish'd blood 59 Like as a Lute that 's tuch'd with curious skill In musicks language sweetly speaking plaine vvhen eu'ry string his note with sound doth fill Taking the tones and giuing them againe And the eare bath's in harmony at will A diapason closing eu'ry straine So their affections set in keyes so like Still fall in consort as their humors strike 60 VVhen now the path to their desire appeares Of which before they had beene long debar'd By desolution of some threatning feares That for destruction seem'd to stand prepar'd vvhich the smooth face of better safety beares And now protected by a stronger guard Giues the large scope of leysure to fore-cast Euents to come by things already past 61 These great dissignements setting easly oâ—t By due proportion measuring eu'ry pace T' auoyd the cumbrance of each hindring doubt That might distort the comlines and grace Comming with eu'ry circumstance about Sâ—rictly obseruing person time and place All ornaments in faire discretions lawes Could giue attyre to beautifie the cause 62 The Embassy in tearmes of equall height As well their state and dignitie might fit Apparrelling a matter of that weight In ceremony well beseeming it To carry things so steddy and so right vvhere wisdome with cleere maiestie might sit All things still seeming strictly to effect That loue commaunds and greatnes should respect 63 VVhos 's expedition by this faire successe That doth againe this ancient league combine VVhen Edward should by couenant release And to the Prince the Prouinces resigne vvith whom King Câ—arles renewes the happy peace Receauing homage due to him for Guyne And lastly now to consumate their speed Edwards owne person to confirme the deede 64 VVho whilst he stands yet doubtfull what to doe The Spensers chiefely that his counsels guide Nor with their Soueraigne into Fraunce durst goe Nor in his absence durst at home abide Now whilst the weake King stands perplexed so His listning eares with such perswasion pli'de As he at last to stay in England's wonne And in his place to send the Prince his sonne 65 Thus is the King encompast by their skill A meane to worke what Herford doth deuise To thrust him
on to draw them vp the hill That by his strength they might get power to rise Thus they in all things are before him still This perfect steersman of their policies Hath cast to walke whilst Edward beares the light And take that ayme that must direct his sight 66 And by th'alowance of his liberall will Supposd his safety furthering their intent Stands as a rest to iustifie their ill Made sound and currant by this late euent And what yet wanting lastly to fulfill Things in theyr course to fall in true consent Giues full assurance of that happy end On which they now laboriously attend 67 Nor finding reason longer to protract Or in suspence their home-left friends to hold By beeing now so absolutely back'd And thereby waxing confident and bold By their proceedings publishing their act vvhen as their power was ripened as they would Now with an armed and erected hand To abet their faction absolutely stand 68 VVhen now the fearefull fainting Exceter A man experienc'd in their counsels long vvhether himselfe thought his way to prefer Or mou'd in conscience with King Edwards wrong Or t' was his frailty forc'd him thus to erre Or other fatall accident among The onely first that backe to England flew And knowing all discouered all he knew 69 The plot of treason lastly thus disclos'd And Torletons drift by circumstances found vvith what conueyance things had beene dispos'd The cunning vsd in casting of the ground The meanes and apt aduantages he chos'd vvhen better counsell coldly comes to sound Awakes the King to see his owne estate vvhen the preuention comes too vaine and late 70 And whilst the time she daily doth adiourne Charles as a brother by perswasions deales Edward with threats to hasten her returne And Iohn of Rome with papall curse assailes T is but in vaine against her will to spurne Perswasions threats nor curses ought preuailes Charles Edward Iohn doe th' vtmost of your worst The Queene fares best when she the most is curst 71 The subtile Spensers which French humors felt And with their Soueraigne had deuisd the draught vvith Prince and Peeres now vnderhand had delt vvith golden bayts that craftily were caught vvhose flexed temper soone begins to melt On which they now by flights so throughly wrought As with great summes now lastly ouer-way'd The wretched Queene is desperate of ayde 72 Nor can all this amaze this mighty Queene vvith all th'affliction neuer yet contrould Neuer such courage in her sexe was seene Nor was she cast in other womens mould Nor can rebate the edge of her hie spleene But can endure warre trauaile want and cold Strugling with fortune ne're with greefe opprest Most cheerfull still when she was most distrest 73 And thus resolu'd to leaue ingratefull Fraunce And in the world her fortune yet to try Changing the ayre hopes time may alter chance As one whose thoughts were eleuate more hie Her weakned state still seeking to aduaunce Her mighty mind so scorneth misery Yet ere she went her grieued hart to ease Thus to the King this grieued Lady saies 74 Is this a King and Brothers part quoth she And to this end did I my griefe vnfold Came I to heale my wounded hart to thee vvhere slaine outright I now the same behold Proue these thy vowes thy promises to me In all this heate thy faith become so cold To leaue me thus forsaken at the worst My state more wretched then it was at first 75 My frailty vrging what my want requires To thy deere mercy should my teares haue ty'd Our bloods maintained by the selfe-same fires And by our fortunes as our birth aly'd My sute supported by my iust desires All arguments I should not be deny'd The grieuous wrongs that in my bosome be Should be as neere thy care as I to thee 76 Nature that easly wrought vpon my sex To thy vile pleasure thus mine honour leaues And vnder colour of thy due respects My setled trust disâ—oially deceaues That me and mine thus carelesly neglects And of all comfort wholy me bereaues Twixt recreant basenes and disord'nate will To expose my fortunes to the worst of ill 77 But for my farwell this I prophecie That from my wombe thaâ— glorious fruit doth spring vvhich shall deiect thy neere posteritie And lead a captiue thy succeeding King That shall reuenge this wretched iniury To fatall Fraunce I as a Sybel sing Her Cittie 's sack'd the slaughter of her men vvhen of the English one shall conquer ten 78 Bewmount in Fraunce that had this shuffling seene vvhose soule by kindnes Isabell had wonne For Henault now perswades the greeued Queene By full assurance what might there be done Now in the anguish of this tumerous spleene Offring his faire Neece to the Prince her sonne The surest way to gaine his brothers might To back young Edward and vphold her right 79 This gallant Lord whose name euen fild report To whom the souldiers of that time did throng A man that fashion'd others of his sort As that knew all to honour did belong And in his youth traynd vp with her in Court And fully now confirmed in her wrong Crost by the faction of th'emperiall part In things that sat too neerly to his hart 80 Sufficient motiues to inuite destresse To apprehend the least and poorest meane Against those mischiefes that so strongly presse vvhereon their low deiected state to leane And at this season though it were the lesse That might awhile their sickly power sustaine Till prosperous times by mild and temperate dayes Their drooping hopes to former height might raise 81 VVhere finding cause to breathe their restlesse state vvhere welcome look'd with a more milder face From those dishonours she receau'd of late vvhere now she wants no due officious grace Vnder the guidance of a gentler fate vvhere bountious offers mutually embrace And to conclude all ceremonies past The Prince affies faire Pâ—illip at the last 82 All cou'nants sign'd with wedlocks sacred seale A lasting league eternally to bind And all proceeding of religious zeale And suting right with Henaults mighty mind That to his thoughts much honor doth reueale vvhat ease the Queene is like thereby to find The sweet contentment of the louely bride Young Edward pleasd and ioy on eu'ry side The end of the third Canto The fourth Booke of the Barrons warres The Argument The Queene in Henault mightie power doth wiâ—â— In Harwich hauen safely is arriu'd Great troubles now in England new begin The King of friends and safety is depriu'd Flieth to VVales at Neath receiued in Many strange acts and outrages contriu'd Edward betray'd deliu'red vp at Neath The Spensers and his friends are put to death 1 NOw seanen times Phoebus had his welked waine Vpon the top of all the Torpick set And seauen times discending downe againe His fiery wheeles had with the fishes wet In the accurrents of this haplesse raigne Since treason first these troubles did beget vvhich through more strange varieties hath runne Then
our renowned seate To raze the auncient Trophies of our race vvith our deserts theyr monuments to grace Nor shall he leade our valiant marchers forth To make the Spensers famous in the North Nor be the Gardants of the Brittish pales Defending England and preseruing VVales At first our troubles easily recul'd But now growne head-strong hardly to be rul'd vvith grauest counsell all must be directed vvhere plainest shewes are openly suspected For where mishap our error doth assault There doth it easiliest make vs see our fault Then sweet represse all fond and wilfull spleene Two things to be a woman and a Queene Keepe close the cyndars least the fire should burne It is not this which yet must serue our turne And if I doe not much mistake the thing The next supply shall greater comfort bring Till when I leaue my Princesse for a while Liue thou in rest though I liue in exile Notes of the Chronicle Historie Of one condemn'd and long lodg'd vp in death ROger Mortimer Lorde of Wigmore had stoode publiquely condemned for his insurrection with Thomas Earle of Lancaster and Bohun Eale of Herford by the space of three moneths and as the report went the day of his execution was determined to haue beene shortly after which he preuented by his escape Twice all was taken â—twice thou all didst giue At what time the two Mortimers this Roger Lord of Wigmore and his vncle Roger Mortimer the elder were apprehended in the West the Queene by meanes of Torlton Bishop of Hereford and Becke Bishop of Duresme and Patriarke of Ierusalem being then both mightie in the state vpon the submission of the Mortimers somewhat pacified the King and now secondly she wrought meanes for his escape Leauing the cords to tell where I had gone With strong ladders made of cords prouided him for the purpose he escaped out of the Tower which when the same were found fastened to the walls in such a desperate attempt they bred astonishment to the beholders Nor let the Spensers glory in my chance The two Hugh Spensers the Father and the Sonne then beeing so highly fauoured of the King knew that their greatest safety came by his exile vvhose high and turbulent spirit could neuer brooke any corriuall in greatnes My Grandsire was the first since Arthurs raigne That the round-table rectifi'd againe Roger Mortimer called the great Lorde Mortimer Grandfather to this Roger which was afterward the first Earle of March reerected againe the Round-table at Kenelwoorth after the auncient order of King Arthurs table with the retinue of a hundred Knights a hundred Ladyes in his house for the entertayning of such aduentures as came thether from all parts of Christendome Whilst famous Longshanks bones in Fortunes scorne Edward Longshanks willed at his death that his body should bee boyled the flesh from the bones and that the bones should be borne to the warres in Scotland which he was perswaded vnto by a prophecie which told that the English should still be fortunate in conquest so long as his bones were carried in the field The English blood that stained Banocksburne In the great voyage Edward the second made against the Scots at the battell at Stâ—iueling neere vnto the riuer of Banocksburne in Scotland where there was in the English campe such banquetting excesse such riot and misorder that the Scots who in the meane time laboured for aduantage gaue to the English a great ouerthrow And in the Dead-sea sincke our houses fame From whose c. Mortimer so called of Mare Mortuum and in French Mortâ—mer in English the Dead-sea which is said to be where Sodome Gomorra once were before they were destroyed by fire from heauen And for that hatefull sacriligious sin Which by the Pope he stands accursed in Gaeustelinus and Lucas two Cardinalls sent into England froÌ„ Pope Clement to appease the auncient hate betweene the King and Thomas Earle of Lancaster to whose Embassy the King seemed to yeeld but after theyr departure he went back from his promises for which hee was accursed at Rome Of those industrious Romaine Colonies A Colony is a sort or number of people that come to inhabite a place before not inhabited whereby hee seemeth heere to prophecie of the subuersion of the Land the Pope ioyning with the power of other Princes against Edward for the breach of his promise Charles by iâ—uasiue Armes againe shall take Charles the French King mooued by the wrong done vnto hys sister ceazeth the Prouinces which belonged to the King of England into his hands stirred the ratheâ— thereto by Mortimer who solicited her cause in Fraunce as is expressed before in the other Epistle in the glosse vpon this poynt And those great Lords now after theyr attaints Canonized among the English Saints After the death of Thomas Earle of Lancaster at Pomfret the people imagined great miracles to be doone by his reliques as they did of the body of Bohun Earle of Herford slaine at Borough bridge FINIS ¶ To my worthy and honoured friend Maister VValter Aston SIR though without suspition of flatterie I might in more ample and freer tearmes intymate my affection vnto you yet hauing so sensible a tast of your generous and noble disposition which without this habit of ceremony can estimate my loue I will rather affect breuitie though it shoulde seeme my fault then by my tedious complement to trouble mine owne opinion setled in your iudgement and discretion I make you the Patron of this Epistle of the Black-Prince which I pray you accept till more easier howers may offer vp from me some thing more worthy of your view and my trauell Yours truly deuoted Mich Drayton Edward the blacke Prince to Alice Countesse of Salisburie ¶ The Argument Alice Countesse of Salisburie remaining at Roxborough Castle in the North in the absence of the Earle her husband who was by the Kings commaund sent ouer into Flaunders and there deceased ere his returne This Lady being besieged in her Castle by the Scots Edward the blacke Prince being sent by the King his Father to relieue the North-parts with an Armie and to remoue the siege of Roxborough there fel in loue with the Countesse when after she returned to London hee sought by diuers and sundry means to winne her to his youthfull pleasures as by forcing the Earle of Kent her Father her Mother vnnaturally to become his Agents in his vaine desire where after a long and assured trial of her inuincible constancie hee taketh her to his wife to which end hee onelie frameth this Epistle REceiue these papers from thy wofull Lord vvith far more woes then they with words are stor'd vvhich if thine eye with rashnes doe reproue They 'le say they came from that imperious loue In euery Letter thou maist vnderstand vvhich Loue hath sign'd and sealed with his hand And where no farther processe he refers In blots set downe for other Characters This cannot blush although you doe refuse it Nor will reply
treason Th'vnlawfull meanes doth make his lawfull gaine Hee speakes most true when he the most doth faine Pardon the faults that haue escap'd by mee Against fayre vertue chastitie and thee If Gods can theyr owne excellence excell It is in pardoning mortalls that rebell VVhen all thy tryalls are enroul'd by fame And all thy sexe made glorious by thy name Then I a captiue shall be brought hereby To adorne the tryumph of thy chastitie I sue not now thy Paramore to be But as a husband to be linck'd to thee I am Englands heyre I thinke thou wilt confesse VVert thou a Prince I hope I am no lesse But that thy birth doth make thy stocke diuine Else durst I boast my blood as good as thine Disdaine me not nor take my loue in scorne vvhose brow a crowne heereafter may adorne But what I am I call mine owne no more Take what thou wilt and what thou wilt restore Onely I craue what ere I did intend In faithfull loue now happily may end Farewell sweet Lady so well maist thou fare To equall ioy with measure of my care Thy vertues more then mortall tongue can tell A thousand thousand times farewell farewell Notes of the Chronicle Historie Receaue these papers from thy wofull Lord. BAndello by whom this history was made famous being an Italian as it is the peoples custome in that climbeâ— rather to faile sometime in the truth of circumstance then toforgoe the grace of their 〈◊〉 in like manner as the Grecians of whom the Satyrist Et quicquid Graecia mendax Audet in historia Thinking it to be a greater tryall that a Countesse should be sude vnto by a King then by the sonne of a King and consequently that the honor of her chastitie should be the more hath causd it to be generally taken so but as by Polidore Fabian and Froisard appeares the contrarie is true Yet may Bandello be very well excused as beeing a stranger whose errors in the truth of our historie are not so materiall that they should neede an inuectiue least his wit should be defrauded of any part of his due which were not lesse were euery part a fiction Howbeit least a common errour should preuaile against a truth these Epistles are conceiued in those persons who were indeed the actors to wit Edward surnamed that Black Prince not so much of his complexion as of the dismall battels which he fought in Fraunce in like sence as we may say a black day for some tragicall euent though the sunne shine neuer so bright therein And Alice the Countesse of Salisbury who as it is certaine was beloued of Prince Edward so it is as certaine that many points now current in the receiued story can neuer hold together with likelihood of such enforcement had it not been shewed vnder the title of a King And when thou let'st downe that transparent lid Not that the lid is transparent for no part of the skin is transparent but for the gemme which that closure is sayd to containe is transparent for otherwise how could the mind vnderstand by the eye should not the images slide through the same and replenish the stage of the fantasie but this belongs to Opticks The Latines call the eye lid cilium I will not say of celande as the eye brow supercilium and the haire on the eye lyds palpebra perhaps quod palpitet all which haue their distinct and necessary vses Alice Countesse of Salisburie to the blacke Prince AS one would grant yet gladly would denie Twixt hope and feare I doubtfully reply A womans weakenes least I should discouer Answering a Prince and writing to a louer And some say loue with reason doth dispence And wrest our plaine words to another sence Thinke you not then poore women had not neede Be well aduis'd to write what men should reede vvhen being silent moouing but awry Giues cause of scandall and of obloquy vvhilst in our harts our secret thoughts abide Th'inuenom'd tongue of slaunder yet is tide But if once spoke deliuered vp to fame Hers the report but ours returnes the shame About to write yet newly entring in Me thinks I end ere I can well begin VVhen I would end then somthing makes me stay And then me thinks I should haue more to say And some one thing remaineth in my brest For want of words that cannot be exprest vvhat I would say and said to thee I faine Then in thy person I reply againe Then in thy cause vrge all I can obiect Then what againe mine honour must respect O Lord what sundry passions doe I try Striuing to hate you forcing contrarie Being a Prince I blame you not to proue The greater reason to obtaine your loue That greatnes which doth challenge no deniall The onely rest that doth allow my triall Edward so great the greater were his fall And my offence in this were capitall To men is granted priuiledge to tempt But in that charter women be exempt Men win vs not except we giue consent Against our selues except our selues are bent VVho doth impute it is a fault to you You proue not false except we be vntrue It is your vertue being men to trie And it is ours by vertue to denie Your fault it selfe serues for the faults excuse And makes it ours though yours be the abuse Beauty a begger fie it is too bad vvhen in it selfe sufficiencie is had Not made a lure t' intice the wandring eye But an attire t' adorne sweet modestie If modestie and women once doe seuer Farewell our fame farewell our name for euer Let Iohn and Henry Edwards instance be Matilda and faire Rosamond for me A like both woo'd alike â—u'd to be wonne Th' one by the Father th' other by the Sonne Henry obtaining did our weakenes wound And layes the fault on wanton Rosamond Matilda chaâ—t in life and death all one By her deniall layes the fault on Iohn By these we proue men accessarie still But women onely principals of ill VVhat prayse is ours but what our vertues get If they be lent so much we be in debt vvhilst our owne honours vertue doth defendâ— All force too weake what euer men pretend If all the world else should suborne our fame T is we our selues that ouerthrow the same And how so ere although by force you win Yet on our weakenes still returnes the sin You are a vertuous Prince so thought of all And shall I then be guiltie of your fall Now God forbid yet rather let me die Then such a sinne vpon my soule should lie VVhere is great Edward whether is he led At whose victorious name whole Armies fled Is that braue spirit that conquer'd so in France Thus ouercome and vanquish'd with a glance Is that great hart that did aspire so hie So soone transpersed with a womans eye He that a King at Poycters battell tooke Himselfe led captiue with a wanton looke Twice as a bride to Church I haue beene led Twice haue two Lords enioy'd
my Bridall bed How can that beauty yet be vndestroy'd That yeeres haue wasted and two men enioy'd Or should be thought fit for a Princes store Of which two subiects were possess'd before Let Spaine let Fraunce or Scotland so prefer Their infant Queenes for Englands dowager That blood should be much more then halfe diuineâ— That should be equall euery way with thine Yet Princely Edward though I thus reproue you As mine owne life so deerely do I loue you My noble husband which so loued you That gentle Lord that reuerend Mountague Nere mothers voice did please her babe so well As his did mine of you to heare him tell I haue made short the houres that time made long And chain'd mine eares vnto his pleasing tong My lips haue waited on your praises worth And snatch'd his words ere he could get them forth vvhen he hath spoke and somthing by the wayâ— Hath broke off that he was about to say I kept in mind where from his tale he fell Calling on him the residue to tell Oft he would say how sweet a Prince is hee vvhen I haue prais'd him but for praising thee And to proceed I would entreat and wooe And yet to ease him helpe and prayse thee too Must she be forc'd t'exclaime th'iniurious wrong Offred by him whom she hath lou'd so long Nay I will tell and I durst almost sweare Edward will blush when he his fault shall heare Iudge now that time doth youths desire asswage And reason mildly quench'd the fire of rage By vpright iustice let my cause be tride And be thou iudge if I not iustly chide That not my Fathers graue and reuerent yeeres His bending knee his cheeke-bedewing teares His prayers perswasions nor entreats could win To free himselfe as guiltlesse of my sin My mothers cries her shreeks her pittious mones Her deepe-fetch'd sighs her sad hart-breaking grones Thy lustfull rage thy tyranny could stay Mine honours ruine further to delay Haue I not lou'd you say can you say no That as mine owne preseru'd your honour so Had your â—ond will your foule desires preuail'd vvhen you by them my chastitie assail'd Though this no way could haue excus'd my fault True vertue neuer yeelded to assault Yet what a thing were this it should be said My parents sin should to your charge be laid And I haue gain'd my liberty with shame To saue my life made shipwrack of my name Did Roxborough once vaile her towring sane To thy braue ensigne on the Northerne plaine And to thy trumpet sounding from thy Tent Often replie with ioy and merriment And did receiue thee as my soueraigne liege Comming to ayde thou shouldst againe besiege To raise a foe but for my treasure came To plant a foe to take my honest name Vnder pretence to haue remou'd the Scot And wouldst haue wone more then he could haue got That did ingirt me readie still to flie But thou laid'st batterie to my chastitie O modestie didst thou me not restraine How I could chide you in this angrie vaine A Princes name heauen knowes I doe not craue To haue those honours Edwards spouse should haue Nor by ambitious lures will I be brought In my chast brest to harbour such a thought As to be worthy to be made a Bride An Empresse place by mighty Edwards side Of all the most vnworthy of that grace To waite on her that should enioy that place But if that loue Prince Edward doth require Equall his vertues and my chast desire If it be such as we may iustly vaunt A Prince may sue for and a Lady graunt If it be such as may suppresse my wrong That from your vaine vnbridled youth hath sprong That faith I send that I from you receaue The rest vnto your Princely thoughts I leaue Notes of the Chronicle Historie Twice as a Bride I haue to Church beene led THe two husbands of which she maketh mention obiecting Bigamay against her selfe as beeing therefore not meete to be maried with a Batcheler-Prince were Sir Thomas Holland Knight Sir William Mountague afterward made Earle of Salisburie That not my Fathers graue and reuerent yeeres A thing incredible that any Prince should be so vniust to vse the Fathers meanes for the corruption of the daughters chastitie though so the historie importeth her Father being so honourable and a man of so singuler desert though Polidore would haue her thought to be Iane the daughter to Edmund Earle of Kent Vncle to Edward the third beheaded in the Protectorship of Mortimer that daungerous aspirer And I haue gain'd my libertie with shame Roxborough is a Castle in the North mistermed by Bandello Salisburie Castle because the king had giuen it to the Earle of Salisburie in which her Lord being absent the Countesse by the Scots was besieged who by the coÌ„ming of the English Armie were remoued Heere first the Prince saw her whose liberty had been gained by her shame had she been drawne by dishonest loue to satisfie his appetite but by her most prayse-worthy constancie she conuerted that humor in him to an honourable purpose obtained the true reward of her admired vertues The rest vnto your princely thoughts I leaue Least any thing be left out which were worth the relation it shall not be impertinent to annex the opinions that are vttered concerning her whose name is said to haue been Aâ—lips but that beeing reiected as a name vnknowne among vs Froisard is rather belieued who calleth her Alice Polidore contrariwise as before is declared names her Iane who by Prince Edward had issue Edward dying young and Richard the second King of England though as he saith she was deuorced afterwards because within the degrees of consanguinitie prohibiting to marrie the truth whereof I omit to discusse her husband the Lord Montague being sent ouer with the Earle of Suffolke into Flaunders by King Edward was taken prisoner by the French not returning left his Countesse a widow in whose bed succeeded Prince Edward to whose last and lawfull request the reioycefull Ladie sends this louing aunswere FINIS To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord Edward Earle of Bedford THrice noble and my gracious Lord the loue I haue euer borne to the illustrious house of Bedford and to the honourable familie of the Harringtons to the which by marriage your Lordship is happily vnited hath long since deuoted my true and zealous affection to your honourable seruice and my Poems to the protection of my noble Ladie your Countesse to whose seruice I was first bequeathed by that learned and accomplished Gentleman Sir Henry Goodere not long since deceased whose I was whilst hee was whose patience pleased to beare with the imperfections of my heedlesse and vnstated youth That excellent and matchlesse Gentleman was the first cherrisher of my Muse which had beene by his death left a poore Orphan to the world had hee not before bequeathed it to that Lady whoÌ„â—e so deerly loued Vouchsafe then my deere Lord
to accept this Epistle which I dedicate as zealously as I hope you will patronize willingly vntill some more acceptable seruice may be witnesse of my loue to your honour Your Lordships euer Michaell Drayton Queene Isabell to Richard the second ¶ The Argument Queene Isabell the daughter of Charles King of Fraunce being the second wife of Richard the second the sonne of Edward the blacke Prince the eldest sonne of King Edward the third After the said Richard her husband was deâ—osed from his crowne and kingly dignitie by Henry Duke of Herford the eldest sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lankaster the fourth sonne of Edward the third this Lady beeing then very young was sent backe againe into Fraunce without dowre at what time the deposed King her husband was senâ— from the Tower of London as a prisoner vnto Pomfret Castle VVhether this poore Lady bewailing her husbands misfortunes writeth this Epistle from Fraunce AS doth the yeerely Auger of the spring In depth of woe thus I my sorrow sing vvords tun'd with sighs teares falling oft among A dolefull burâ—hen to a heauie song VVords issue forth to finde my griefe some way Teares ouertake them and doe bid them stay Thus whilst one striues to keepe the other back Both once too forward now are both too slack If fatall Pomfret hath in former time Nurrish'd the griefe of that vnnaturall Clime Thether I send my sorrowes to be fed But where first borne where fitter to be bred They vnto Fraunce be aliens and vnknowne England from her doth challenge these her own They say al mischiefe commeth from the North It is too true my fall doth set it forth But why should I thus limmit griefe a place vvhen all the world is fild with our disgrace And we in bounds thus striuing to containe it The more resists the more we doe restraine it Oh how euen yet I hate these wretched eyes And in my glasse oft call them faithlesse spies Prepard for Richard that vnwares did looke Vpon that traytor Henry Bollingbrooke But that excesse of ioy my sence bereau'd So much my sight had neuer been deceau'd Oh how vnlike to my lou'd Lord was hee vvhom rashly I sweet Richard tooke for thee I might haue seene the Coursers selfe did lack That princely rider should bestride his back Hee that since nature her great work began Shee made to be the mirrhor of a man That when she ment to forme som matchles lim Still for a patterne tooke some part of him And ielous of her cunning brake the mould In his proportion done the best she could Oh let that day be guiltie of all sin That is to come or heeretofore hath bin vvherein great Norfolkes forward course was staid To proue the treasons he to Herford layd vvhen with sterne furie both these Dukes enrag'd Theyr vvarlike gloues at Couentry engag'd vvhen first thou didst repeale thy former grant Seal'd to braue Mowbray as thy Combatant From his vnnumbred houres let time deuide it Least in his minutes he should hap to hide it Yet on his brow continually to beare it That when it comes all other dayes may feare it And all ill-boding Planets by consent That day may hold theyr dreadfull parlement Be it in heauens Decrees enroled thus Blacke dismall fatall inauspitious Proude Herford then in height of all his pride Vnder great Mowbrayes valiant hand had dy'de Nor should not thus from banishment retyre The fatall brand to set our Troy on fire O why did Charles relieue his needie state A vagabond and stragling runnagate And in his Court with grace did entertaine This vagrant exile this abiected Caine VVho with a thousand mothers curses went Mark'd with the brands of ten yeeres banishment VVhen thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell Millions of knees vpon the pauements fell And euery where th' applauding ecchoes ring The ioyfull shouts that did salute a King Thy parting hence what pompe did not adorne At thy returne who laugh'd thee not to scorne VVho to my Lord a looke vouchsaf'd to lend Then all too few on Herford to attend Princes like sunnes be euermore in sight All see the clowdes betwixt them and their light Yet they which lighten all downe from theyr skies See not the cloudes offending others eyes And â—eeme their noone-tide is desir'd of all VVhen all expect cleere changes by theyr fall VVhat colour seemes to shadow Herfords claime vvhen law and right his Fathers hopes doth maime Affirm'd by Church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegittimate vvhom his reputed Mothers tongue did spot By a base Flemish Boore to be begot vvhom Edwards Eglets mortally did shun Daring with them to gaze against the sun VVhere lawfull right and conquest doth allow A triple crowne on Richards princely brow Three kingly Lyons beares his bloody field No bastards marke doth blot his conquering shield Neuer durst hee attempt our haplesse shore Nor set his foote on fatall Rauenspore Nor durst his slugging Hulkes approch the strand Nor stoope a top as signall to the land Had not the Percyes promisd ayde to bring Against theyr oath vnto theyr lawfull King Against theyr faith vnto our Crownes true heyre Theyr valiant kinsman Edmond Mortimer VVhen I to England came a world of eyes Like starrs attended on my faire arise At my decline like angry Planets frowne And all are set before my going downe The smooth-fac'd aâ—re did on my comming smile But with rough stormes are driuen to exile But Bullingbrooke deuisd we thus should part Fearing two sorrowes should possesse one hart To make affliction stronger doth denie That one poore comfort left our misery He had before diuorc'd thy crowne and thee vvhich might suffice and not to widow mee But that to proue the vtmost of his hate To make our fall the greater by our state Oh would Aumeâ—le had sunck when he betraid The complâ—t which that holy Abbot layd vvhen he infring'd the oath which he first tooke For thy reuenge on periur'd Bullingbrooke And been the raunsome of our friends deere blood Vntimely lost and for the earth too good And we vntimely mourne our hard estate They gone too soone and we remaine too late And though with teares I from my Lord depart This curse on Herford fall to ease my hart If the foule breach of a chast nuptiall bed May bring a curse my curse light on his head If muâ—thers guilt with blood may deeply staine Greene Scroope and Bushie die his fault in graine If periurie may heauens pure gates debar Damn'd be the oath he made at Doncaster If the deposing of a lawfull King Thy curse condemne him if no other thing If these disioynd for vengeance cannot call Let them vnited strongly curse him all And for the Percyes heauen may heare my prayer That Bullingbrooke now plac'd in Richards chaire Such cause of woe vnto theyr wiues may be As those rebellious Lords haue beene to me And that proude Dame which now controlleth all And in her pompe
Troy And haue not strange euents diuin'd to vs That in our loue we should be prosperous VVhen in your presence I was call'd to daunce In lofty tricks whilst I my selfe aduaunce And in my turne my footing fail'd by hap vvas 't not my chaunce to light into your lap vvho would not iudge it fortunes greatest grace Sith he must fall to fall in such a place His birth from heauen your Tudor not deriues Nor stands on tip-toes in superlatiues Although the enuious English doe deuise A thousand iests of our hyperbolies Nor doe I claime that plot by auncient deedes where Phoebus pastures his fire-breathing steeds Nor do I boast my God-made Grandsires skars Nor Giants trophies in the Tytans wars Nor faine my birth your princely ears to please By three nights getting as was Hercules Nor doe I forge my long descent to runne From aged Neptune or the glorious Sunne And yet in VVales with them most famous bee Our learned Bards doe sing my pedigree And boast my birth from great Cadwallader From old Cair-septon in Mount Palador And from Eneons line the South-wales King By Theodor the Tudors name doe bring My royall mothers princely stock began From her great Grandam faire Gwenellian By true descent from Leolin the great As well from North-wales as faire Powslands seat Though for our princely Genealogie I doe not stand to make Apologie Yet who with iudgements true vnpartiall eyes Shall looke from whence our name at first did rise Shall find that Fortune is to vs in debt And why not Tudor as Plantaginet Nor that terme Croggen nick-name of disgrace Vs'd as a by-word now in euery place Shall blot our blood or wrong a VVelchmans name vvhich was at first begot with Englands shame Our valiant swords our right did still maintaine Against that cruell proud vsurping Dane And buckl'd in so many dangerous fights vvith Norwayes Swethens and with Muscouits And kept our natiue language now thus long And to this day yet neuer chang'd our tong vvhen they which now our Nation faine would tame Subdu'd haue lost their Country and their name Nor neuer could the Saxons swords prouoke Our Brittaine necks to beare their seruile yoke vvhere Cambrias pleasant Countries bounded bee vvith swelling Seuerne and the holy Dee And since great Brutus first arriu'd haue stood The onely remnant of the Troian blood To euery man is not allotted chaunce To boast with Henry to haue conquer'd Fraunce Yet if my fortunes thus may raised be This may presage a farther good to me And our S. Dauid in the Brittaines right May ioyne with George the sainted English Knight And old Caer-marden Merlins famous towne Not scorn'd by London though of such renowre Ah would to God that houre my hopes attend vvere with my wish brought to desired end Blame me not Madame though I thus desire vvhen eyes with enuie doe my hap admire Till now your beauty in nights bosome slept vvhat eye durst stir where awfull Henry keptâ— VVho durst attempt to saile but neere the bay vvhere that all-conquering great Alcides lay Thy beauty now is set a royall prize And Kings repaire to cheapen merchandize If thou but walke to take the breathing ayre Orithia makes me that I Boreas feare If to the fire Ioue once in lightning came And faire Egina make me feare the flame If in the sunne then sad suspition dreames Phoebus should spread Lucothoe in his beames If in a fountaine thou doo'st coole thy blood Neptune I feare which once came in a flood If with thy maides I dread Apollos rape vvho cusâ—ed Chion in an old wiues shape If thou doost banquet Bacchus makes me dread vvho in a grape Erigone did feede And if my selfe the chamber doore should kepe Yet feaâ—e I Hermes comming in a sleepe Pardon sweet Queene if I offend in this In these delayes loue most impatient is And youth wants power his hote spleene to suppresse vvhen hope alreadie banquets in excesse Though Henries fame in me you shall not find Yet that which better shall content your mind But onely in the title of a King vvas his aduantage in no other thing If in his loue more pleasure you did take Neuer let Queene trust Brittaine for my sake Yet iudge me not from modestie exempt That I another Phaetons charge attempt My mind that thus your fauours dare aspire Declare a temper of celestiall fire If loue a fault the more is beauties blame vvhen she her selfe is author of the same All men to some one quallitie incline Onely to loue is naturally mine Thou art by beauty famous as by birth Ordain'd by heauen to cheere the drouping earth Adde faithfull loue vnto your greater state And then a-like in all things fortunate A King might promise more I not denie But yet by heauen he lou'd not more then I. And thus I leaue till time my faith approue I cease to write but neuer cease to loue Notes of the Chronicle Historie And that the helme the Tudors ancient Crest THe Armes of Tudor was the Helmes of mens heads whereof hee speaketh as a thing prophetically fore told of Merlin When in thy presence I was call'd to daunce Owen Tudor being a courtly and actiue Gentleman commaunded once to daunce before the Queene in a turne not beeing able to recouer himselfe fell into her lappe as shee sate vppon a little stoole with many of her Ladies about her And yet with them in Wales most famous be Our learned Bards c. This Berdh as they call it in the Brittish tongue or as wee more properly say Bard or Bardus be their Poets which keepe the records of Petigrees and discents and sing in odes and measures to the Harps after the old manner of the Lirick Poets And boast my blood from great Cadwallader Cadwallader the last King of the Brittaines descended of the noble and auncient race of the Troyans to whom an Angell appeared commaunding him to goe to Rome to Pope Sergius where he ended his life Since faire Caer-Septon in mount Paladar Caer-Septon now called Shaftsbury at whose building it was said an Eagle prophecied or rather one named Aquila of the fame of that place and of the recouerie of the I le of the Brittaines bringing backe with them the bones of Cadwallader from Rome And from Eneons line the South-wales King From Theodor c. This Eneon was slaine by the Rebels of Gwentsland hee was a noble and worthy Gentleman who in his life did many noble acts and was Father to Theodor or Tudor Maur of whom descended the Princes of Southwales From her great Grandam faire Guenelliam Guenelliam the daughter of Rees ap Greffeth ap Theodor Prince of south-South-wales married Edniuet Vahan auncestor to Owen Tudor By true descent from Liolin the great This is the Lewhelin called Liolinus magnus Prince of north-Northwales Nor that word Croggen nick-name of disgrace In the voyage that Henry the second made against the VVelchmen as his Souldiours passed Offas ditch at Croggen Castle they were
doth make vs much desire them And beauties seldome seene makes vs admire them Nor is it fit a Citie shop should hide The worlds delight and natures onely pride But in a Princes sumptuous gallery Hung all with Tissue flor'd with Tapestrie VVhere thou shalt sit and from thy state shalt see The tylts and tryumphs that are done for thee Then know the difference if thou list to prooue Betwixt a vulgar and a kingly loue And when thou findst as now thou doubt'st the troth Be thou thy selfe vnpartiall Iudge of both VVhere harts be knit what helps if not enioy Delayes breeds doubts no cunning to be coy VVhilst lazie Time his turne by tariance serues Loue still growes sickly and hope daily starues Meane while receiue that warrant by these lines vvhich princely rule and soueraintie resignes Till when these papers by their Lords commaund By me shall kisse thy sweet and dainty hand Notes of the Chronicle Historie THis Epistle of Edward to Shores wife and of hers to him being of vnlawfull affection ministreth small occasion of historicall notes for had he mentioned the many battels betwixt the Lancastrian faction and him or other warlike daungers it had beene more like to Plautus boasting Souldier then a kingly Courtier Notwithstanding it shall not be amisse to annexe a line or two From English Edward to the fairest faire Edward the fourth was by nature very chiualrous very amorous applying his sweet and amiable aspect to attaine his wanton appetite the rather which was so well knowne to Lewes the French King who at their enteruiew inuited him to Paris that as Comineus reports being taken at his word he notwithstanding brake off the matter fearing the Parisian Dames with their wittie conuersation would detaine him longer then should be for his benefit by which meanes Edward was disappointed of his iourney and albeit Princes whilst they liue haue nothing in them but what is admirable yet wee need not mistrust the flattery of the Court in those times for certaine it is that his shape was excellent his haire drew neere to a black making his faces fauor see me more delectable Though the smalnes of his eyes full of a shinâ—ng moisture as it tooke away some comâ—â—nesse so it argued much sharpnes of vnderstanding and cruelty mingled therewith And indeede George Buchanan that imperious Scot chargeth him other Princes of those times with affectation of tiranny as Richard the third manifestly did When first attracted by thy heauenly eyes Edwards intemperate desires with which he was wholy ouercome how tragically they in his ofspring were punished is vniuersally known A mirrhor representing their ouersight that rather leaue their children what to possesse then what to imitate How silly is the Polander and Dane To bring vs Christall from the frozen maine Alluding to their opinions who imagine Christall to be a kind of Ice and therefore it is likely they who come from the frozen parts should bring great store of that transparent stone which is thought to be congealed with extreame cold Whether Christall be Ice or some other liquor I omit to dispute yet by the examples of Amber and Corall there may be such an induration for Sâ—lmus out of Plinie mentioneth that in the Northerly Region a yellow ielly is taken vp out of the Sea at low tides which he calls Succinum we Amber so likewise out of the Ligusticke deepe a part of the Meridian Sea a greenish stalke is gathered which hardned in the ayre becomes to be Corrall eyther white or red Amber notwithstanding is thought to drop out of trees as appeares by Martials Epigram Et latet et lucet Phaethontide gutta Vt videantur apis nectare clausa suo Dignum tantorum pretium tulit ille laborum Credibile est ipsam sic voluisse morâ— To behold a Bee inclosd in Electrum is not so rare as that a boyes throat should be cut with the fall of an Icesicle the which Epigram is excellent the 18. lib. 4. He calls it Paethontis gutta because of that fable which Ouid rehearseth concerning the Heliades or Phaetons sisters metamorphozed into those trees whose gum is Amber where flies alighting are oftentimes tralucently imprisoned The Epistle of Shores wife to King Edward the fourth AS the weak child that from the mothers wing Is taught the Lutes delicious fingering At euery strings soft touch is mou'd with feare Noting his maisters curious listning eare vvhose trembling hand at euery straine bewraies In what doubt he his new set lesson plaies As this poore child so sit I to indite At euery word still quaking as I write VVould I had led an humble shepheards life Nor knowne the name of Shores admired wife And liu'd with them in Country fields that range Nor seen the goldeÌ„ Cheap nor glittering Change To stand a Comet gaz'd at in the skies Subiect to all tongues obiect to all eyes Oft haue I heard my beauty praisd of many But neuer yet so much admir'd of any A Princes Eagle-eye to finde out that vvhich vulgar sights doe sildome wonder at Makes me to thinke affection flatters sight Or in the obiect some thing exquisite To housed beauty sildome stoop's report Fame must attend on that which liues in Court VVhat Swan of great Apollos brood doth sing To vulgar loue in courtly Sonetting Or what immortall Poets sugred pen Attends the glory of a Cittizen Oft haue I wondred what should blinde your eye Or what so far seduced Maiestie That hauing choyse of beauties so diuine Amongst the most to choose this least of mine More glorious sunnes adorne faire Londons pride Then all rich Englands continent beside VVho takes in hand to make account of this May number Rumneys flowers or Isis fish vvho doth frequent our Temples walkes and streets Noting the sundry beauties that he meets Thinks not that Nature left the wide world poore And made this place the Chequer of her store As heauen and earth were lately fallne at iarrs And growne to vying wonders dropping starrs That if but some one beautie should incite Some sacred Muse some rauisht spirit to write Heere might he fetch that true Promethian fire As after ages should his lines admire Gathering the honny from the choysest flowers Scorning the wither'd weedes in Country bowers Heere in this Garden onely springs the Rose In euery common hedge the Bramble growes Nor are wee so turn'd Neapolitan That might incite some foule-mouth Mantuan To all the worlde to lay out our defects And haue iust cause to raile vpon our sexe To pranck old wrinckles vp in new attire To alter natures course proue time a lyer Abusing fate and heauens iust doome reuerse On beauties graue to set a Crimson hearse vvith a deceitfull foyle to lay a ground To make a glasse to seeme a Diamond Nor cannot without hazard of our Name In fashion follow the Venetian Dame Nor the fantastick French to imitate Attir'd halfe Spanish halfe Italionate Nor wast not curle body nor brow adorne That is
Nor let the enuie of enuenom'd tongues vvhich still is grounded on poore Ladies wrongs Thy noble breast diasterly possesse By any doubt to make my loue the lesse My house from Florence I doe not pretend Nor from Giraldi claime I to descend Nor hold those honours insufficient are That I receiue from Desmond or Kyldare Nor adde I greater worth vnto my blood Than Irish milke to giue me Infant food Nor better ayre will euer boast to breathe Then that of Lenster Mounster or of Meathe Nor craue I other forraine farre alies Then VVindsor or Fitz-geralds families It is enough to leaue vnto my heires If they will but acknowledge me for theirs To what place euer did the Court remoue But that the house giues matter to my loue At VVindsor still I see thee sit and walke There mount thy courser there deuise there talk The roabes the garter and the state of Kings Into my thoughts thy hoped greatnes brings Nonsuch the name imports me thinks so much None such as thou nor as my Lord none such In Hamptons great magnificence I finde The liuely image of thy Princely minde Faire Richmonds towers like goodly pillers stand Rear'd by the power of thy victorious hand VVhitehalls tryumphing Galleries are yet Adorn'd with rich deuises of thy wit In Greenwich yet as in a glasse I view vvhere last thou badst thy Geraldine adiew vvith euerie little gentle breath that blowes How are my thoughts confus'd with ioyes and woes As through a gate so through my longing eares Passe to my hart whole multitude of feares O in a map that I might see thee show The place where now in daunger thou dost goe In sweet discourse to trauaile with our eye Romania Tuscaine and faire Lumbardy Or with thy penne exactly to set downe The modell of that Tempell or that Towne And to relate at large where thou hast beene And there there what thou there hast seen Or to describe by figure of thy hand There Naples lies and there doth Florence stand Or as the Grecians finger dip'd in wine Drawing a Riuer in a little line And with a drop a gulfe to figure out To modell Venice moted round about Then ading more to counterfet a Sea And draw the front of stately Genoa These from thy lips were like harmonious tones vvhich now doe sound like Mandrakes dreadfull grones Some trauell hence t' enrich their minds with skill Leaue heere their good and bring home others ill vvhich seeme to like all countries but their owne Affecting most where they the least are knowne Their leg their thigh their backe their necke their head There form'd there fetch'd there found there borrowed In their attire their iesture and their gate Fond in each one in all Italionate Italian French Dutch Spanish altogether Yet not all these nor one entirely neyther So well in all deformitie in fashion Borrowing a limme of euery seuerall Nation And nothing more then England hold in scorne So liue as strangers where as they were borne But thy returne in this I doe not reed Thou art a perfect Gentleman indeed O God forbid that Howards noble line From auncient vertue should so farre decline The Muses traine whereof your selfe are chiefe Onely with me participate their griefe To sooth their humours I doe lend them eares He giues a Poet that his verses heares Till thy returne by hope they onely liue Yet had they all they all away would giue The world and they so ill according bee That wealth and Poets neuer can agree Few liue in Court that of their good haue care The Muses friends are euery where so rare Some praise thy worth thy worth that neuer know Onely because the better sort doe so vvhose iudgement neuer further doth extend Then it doth please the greatest to commend So great an ill vpon desert doth chaunce vvhen it doth passe by beastly Ignorance VVhy art thou slacke whilst no man puts his hand To raise the Mount where Surreys Towers must stand Or who the groundsill of that worke doth lay vvhilst like a wandrer thou abroad doost stray Clip'd in the armes of some lasciuious Dame vvhen thou shouldst reare an Ilion to thy name VVhen shall the Muses by faire Norwich dwell To be the Citie of the learned VVell Or Phoebus Altars there with Incense heap'd As once in Cyrrha or in Thebae kept Or when shall that faire hoofe-plow'd spring distill From great Mount Surrey out of Leonards hill Till thou returne the Court I will exchaunge For some poore cottage or some countrey Grange vvhere to our distaues as we sit and spin My mayde and I will tell of things haue bin Our Lutes vnstrung shall hang vpon the wall Our lessons serue to wrap our Towe withall And passe the night whilst winter tales we tell Of many things that long agoe befell Or tune such homely Carrols as were song In Countrey sports when we our selues were yong In prittie Riddles to bewray our loues In questions purpose or in drawing gloues The noblest spirits to vertue most inclind These heere in Court thy greatest want doe find Other there be on which we feed our eye Like Arras worke or such like Imagerie Many of vs desire Queene Katheâ—ines state But very few her vertues imitate Then as Vlisses wife write I to thee Make no reply but come thy selfe to mee Notes of the Chronicle Historie Then Windsâ—re or Fitzgeralds families THE cost of many Kings which from time to time haue adorned the Castle at Windsor with their princely magnificence hath made it more noble then that it neede to be spoken of now as though obscure and I hold it more meet to refer you to our vulgar moniments for the founders and â—inishers thereof then to meddle with matter nothing neere to the purpose As for the family of the Fitz-geralds of whence this excellent Ladie was lineally descended the originall was English though the branches did spread themselues into distant places and names nothing consonant as in former times it was vsuall to denominate themselues of their manours or forenames as may pattly appeare in that which ensueth the light whereof proceeded from my learned and verie woorthy friend Maister Fraâ—cis Thynâ— Walter of Windsor the sonne of Oterus had issue William of whom Henry now Lord Windsor is descended and Robert of Windsor of whom Robert the now Earle of Essex and Gerald of Windsor his third sonne who married the daughter of Rees the great Prince of Wales of whom came Nesta paramour to Henry the first Which Gerald had issue Maurice Fitzgerald auncestor to Thomas Fitzmaurice Iustice of Iâ—eland buried at Trayly leauing issue Iohn his eldest sonne first Earle or Kildare ancestor to Geraldine and Maurice his second sonne first Earle of Desmond To rayse the mount where Surreys Towers must stand Alludeth to the sumptuous house which was afterward builded by him vpon Leonards hill right against Norwich which in the rebellion of Norfolke vnder Kett in King Edward the 6. time was