our father won before Nor leaue our sonne a sword to conquer more Thus but in vaine we fondly do resist Where power can doe euen all things as it list And with vniust men to debate of lawes Is to giue power to hurt a rightfull cause Whilst Parlements must still redresse their wrongs And we must starue for what to vs belongs Our wealth but fuell to their fond excesse And we must fast to feast their wantonnesse Think'st thou our wrongs then insufficient are To moue our brother to religious warre And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquytaine And if not that yet hath he broke the truce Thus all accurre to put backe all excuse The sisters wrong ioynde with the brothers right Me thinks might vrge him in this cause to fight Be all those people sencelesse of our harmes Which 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-bonde Almaines and stowt Brabanders Their warlike Pikes and sharpe-edg'd Semiters Or do the Pickards let their Crosse-bowes lie Once like the Centaurs of old Thessalie Or if a valiant Leader be their lacke Where thou art present who should driue them back I doe coniure thee by what is most deere By that great name of famous Mortimer By antient Wigmors honourable crâ—st The tombes where all thy famous grand-sires rest Or if than these what more may thee approue Euen by those vowes of thy vnfained loue That thy great hopes may moue the Christian King By forraigne armes some comfort yet to bring To curbe the power of traitors that rebell Against the right of princely Isabell Vaine witlesle woman why should I desire To adde more heate to thy immortall fire To vrge thee by the violence of hate To shake the pillars of thine owne estate When whatsoeuer we intend to doe To our misfortune euer sorts vnto And nothing else remaines for vs beside But teares and coffins onely to prouide When still so long as Burrough beares that name Time shall not blot out our deserued shame And whilst cleere Trent her wonted course shall keep For our sad fall her christall drops shall weepe All see our ruine on our backes 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 dang'rous things dissembled seldome are Which many eyes attend with busie care What should I say My griefes do 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 shiue to goe As accents issue forth griefes enter in And where I end me thinks I but begin Till then faire time some greater good affords Take my loues paiment in these ayrie words ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie O how I feard that sleepte drinke I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent MOrtimer being in the Tower and ordaining a feast in honor of his birth-day as he pretended and inuiting there-vnto Sir Stephen Segraue Constable of the Tower with the rest of the officers belonging to the same he gaue them a sleepie drinke prouided him by the Queene by which meanes he got liberue for his escape I steale to Thames as though to take the aire And aske the gentle streame as it doth glide Mortimer being got out of the Tower swamme 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 yeares Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Niuarrâ— Edward Cà rnaruan the first Prince of Wales of the English blood married Isabell daughter of Philip the Faire at Bulloine in the presence of the Kings of Almaine Nauarre and Cicile with the chiefe Nobilitie of France 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 and luxurious wantonnesse of Gaueston the Kings Minion his behauiour and attire euer so womanlike to please the eye of his lasciuious Prince That a fowle Witches bastard should thereby It was vrged by the Queene the Nobility in the disgrace of Piers Gauestone that his mother was conuicted of witchcraft and burned for the same and that Piers had bewitched the King Albania Gascoine Cambria Ireland Albania Scotland so called of Albanact the second son of Brutus and Cambria Wales so called of Camber the third sonne the foure Realmes and Countries brought in subiection by Edward Longshanks When of our princely Iewells and our dowers We but enioy the least of what is ours A complaint of the prodigalitie of King Edward giuing vnto Gauestone the jewels and treasure which was left him by the ancient Kings of England and enriching him with the goodly Manor of Wallingford assigned as parcell of the dower to the Queenes of this famous â—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 marriage the daughtet of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester begot of the Kings sister lone of Acres married to the said Earle of Glocester Should giue away all that his father won To backe a stranger King Edward offered his right in France to Charles his brother in law and his right in Scotland to Robert Bruse to be aided against the Barrons in the quarrell of Piers Gaueston And did great Edward on his death-bed giue Edward Longshankes on his death-bed at Carlile commanded yong Edward his sonne on his blessing not to call backe Gaueston which for the mis-guiding 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 Warwicke and Henry Earle of Lincolne who had taken their oaths before the deceased King at his death to withstand his sonne Edward if he should call Gaueston froÌ„ exile being a thing which he much feared now seeing Edward to violate his fathers commandement rise in armes against the King which was the cause of the ciuill warre and the ruine of so many Princes And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That now a Spenser should succeede in all The two Hugh Spensers the father the son after the death of Gaueston became the great fauorites of the king the son being created by him lord Chamberlain the father Earl of Winchester And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquitaine Edward Longshankes 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 sease those Countries into his hands By antient Wigmors honourable Crest Wigmore in the marches of Wales was the antient
Palador Caer-Septon now called Shaftsburie at whose building it was said an â—â—agle prophecied or rather one named Aquila of the fame of that place and of the recouerie of the I le of the Brytaines bringing backe with them the bones of Cadwallader from Rome And from Eneons line the south-South-wales King From Theodor c. This Eneon was slaine by the Rebels of Gwentsland he was a noble and worthie Gentleman who in his life did many noble acts and was father to Theodor or Tudor Maur of whom discended the Princes of south-South-wales From her great Grandam faire Guenelliam Guenelliam the daughter of Rees ap Griffeth ap Theodor Prince of south-South-wales maried Edniuet Vahan auncestor to Owen Tudor By true descent from Liolin the great This is tho Lewhelin called Liolinus Magnus Prince of north-North-wales Nor that word Croggen nick-name of disgrace In the voyage that Henry the second made against the Welchmen as his Souldiers passed Offas ditch at Croggen Castel they were ouerthrowne by the Welchmen which word Croggen hath since beene vsed to the Welchmens disgrace which was at first begun with their honour And old Caer-Merdin Merlins famous towne Caer-Merdin or Merlins Towne so called of Merlius beeing found there This was Ambrose Merlin whose prophecies wee haue There was another of that name called Merlin Siluestris borne in Scotland surnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophecied And kept our natiue language now thus long The Welchmen bee those ancient Britaines which when the Picts Danes and Saxons inuaded heere were first driuen into those parts where they haue kept their language euer since the first without commixtion with any other language Finis To my worthy and deerly esteemed friend Maister Iames Huish SIR your own naturall inclination to vertue your loue to the Muses assure me of your kinde acceptance of my dedication It is seated by custome from which wee are now bolde to assume authoritie to beare the names of our friends vpon the fronts of our bookes as Gentlemen vse to set their Armes ouer their gates Some say this vse began by the Heroes braue spirits of the old world which were desirous to be thought to patronize learning and men in requitall honour the names of those braue Princes But I think some after put the names of great men in their bookes for that men should say there was some thing good only because indeed their names stood there But for mine owne part not to dissemble I find no such vertue in any of their great titles to do so much for any thing of mine and so let them passe Take knowledge by this I loue you and in good faith worthie of all loue I thinke you which I pray you may supply the place of further complement Yours euer M. Drayton Elinor Cobham to Duke Humfrey The Argument Elinor Cobham daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough and wife to Humfrey Plantaginet duke of Glocester the sonne of Henry the fourth King of England surnamed Bullingbrooke This noble Duke for his great wisdome and iustice called the good was by King Henry the fift brother to this Duke at his death appointed Protector of the land during the nonage of Henry the sixt this Elinor Duches of Glocester a prowd and ambicious woman knowing that if young Henry died without issue the Duke her husband was the neerest of the bloud conspired with one Bullingbrooke otherwise called Onely a great Magitian Hun a priest and Iourdane witch of Eye by sorcerie to make away the King and by coniuration to know who should succeed Of this being iustly conuicted shee was adiudged to do penance three seuerall times openly in London and then to perpetuall banishment in the I le of Man from whence she writeth this Epistle ME thinks not knowing who these lines should send Thou straight turn'st ouer to the latter end Where thou my name no sooner hast espi'd But in disdaine my letters cast aside Why if thou wilt I will my selfe denie Nay I 'le affirme and sweare I am not I Orifin that thy shame thou doost perceiue I le leaue that name that name my selfe shall leaue And yet me thinkes amazd thou shouldst not stand Nor seeme so much appauled at my hand For my misfortunes haue invrde thine eie Long before this to sights of misery No no reade on t is I the very same All thou canst reade is but to reade my shame Be not dismaide nor let my name affright The worst it can is but t' offend thy sight It cannot wound nor doe thee deadly harme It is no dreadfull spell nor magique charme If shee that sent it loue duke Humfrey so I st possible her name should be his foe Yes I am Elnor I am verie shee Who brought for dower a virgins hed to thee Though enuious Beuford slaunderd me before To be duke Humfreis wanton Paramore And though indeede I can it not denie To Magique once I did my selfe apply I wonne thee not as there be many thinke With poisning Philters and bewitching drinke Nor on thy person did I euer proue Those wicked portions so procuring loue I cannot boast to be rich Hollands heire Nor of the bloud and greatnes of Bauire Yet Elnor brought no forraine armies in To fetch her backe as did thy Iacomin Nor clamorous husbands followed me that fled Exclayming Humfrey to defile his bed Nor wast thou forcde the slaunder to suppresse To send me backe as an adulteresse Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force Nor su'd to Rome to hasten my deuorce Nor Belgias pompe defac'd with Belgias fire The iust reward of her vniust desire Nor Bedford spouse your noble sister Anne That princely-issued great Burgunnian Should stand with me to moue a womans strife To yeelde the place to the Protectors wife If Cobhams name my birth can dignifie Or Sterborough renowne my familie Where 's Greenewich now thy Elnors Court of late Where she with Humfrey held a princely state That pleasant Kent when I abroad should ride That to my pleasure laid forth all her pride The Thames by water when I tooke the ayre Danc'd with my Barge in lanching from the staire The ankoring ships that when I pass'd the road Were wont to hang their chequered tops abroad How could it be those that were wont to stand To see my pompe so goddesse-like on land Should after see me mayld vp in a sheete Doe shamefull penance three times in the streetâ— Rung with a bell a Taper in my hand Bare-foote to trudge before a Beedles wand That little babes not hauing vse of tongue Stood pointing at me as I came along Where 's Humfreys power where was his great command Wast thou not Lord-protector of the Land Or for thy iustice who can thee deny The title of the good Duke Humfrey Hast thou not at thy life and in thy looke The seale of Gaunt the hand of Bulling brooke What blood extract from famous Edwards line Can boast it selfe to be so pure as
dares And Vere so famous in the Irish warres Who though my selfe so great a Prince were borne The worst of these my equall neede not scorne But Henries rare perfections and his parts As conquering Kingdomes so he conquer'd hearts As chaste was I to him as Queene might bee But freed from him my chaste lone vow'd to thee Beautie doth fetch all fauour from thy face All perfect courtship resteth in thy grace If thou discourse thy lips such accents breake As loue a spirit forth of thee seemâ—d to speake The Brittish language which our vowels wants And iarres so much vpon harsh consonants Comes with such grace from thy mellifluous tongue As do the sweete notes of a well set song And runnes as smoothly from those lips of thine As the pure Tuskan from the Florentine Leauing such seasoned sweetenes in the eare As the voyce past yet still the sound is there In Nisus Tower as when Apollo lay And on his golden viall vsde to play Where sencelesse stones were with such musicke drownd As many yeares they did retaine the sound Let not the beames that greatnes doth reflect Amaze thy hopes with timerous respect Assure thee Tudor maiesty can be As kinde in loue as can the mean'st degree And the embraces of a Queene as true As theirs might iudge them much aduanc'd by you When in our greatnes our affections craue Those secret ioyes that other women haue So I a Queene be soueraigne in my choice Let others fawne vpon the publique voice 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 do belong Let old men speake of chances and euents And Lawyers talke of titles and discents Leaue fond reports to such as stories tell And couenants to those that buy and sâ—ll Loue my sweete Tudor that becomes thee best And to our good suceesse referre the rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie Great Henry sought to accomplish his desire Armed c. HEnry the fift making claime to the Crowne of France 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 sixion of Semele in Ouid which by the crafty 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 appointed place of parley betweene the two Kings of England and France to which place Isabell the Qucene of France and the Duke of Burgoyne brought the yong Princesse Katherine where King Henry first saw her And on my temples set a double Crowne Henry the fift and Queene Katherine were taken as King and Queene of France and during the life of Charles the French king Henry was called King of England and heire of France and after the death of Henry the fift Henry the sixt his sonne then being very yong was crowned at Paris as true and lawfull King of England and France At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy Troy in Champaine was the place where that victorious king Henry the fift married the Ptincesse Katherine in the presence of the chiefe nobilitie of the Realmes of England and France Nor these great tules vainely will I bring Wife daughter mother c. Few Queenes of England or France were euer more princely alied then this Queene as it hath beene noted by Historiographers Nor thinke so Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne c. Noting the discent of Henry her husband from Iohn Duke of Lancaster the fourth sonne of Edward the third which Duke Iohn was sirnamed Gaunt of the Cittie of Gaunt in Flanders where he was borne Nor stirre the English blood the Sunne and Moone Trepine c. Alluding the greatnes of the English line to Phoebus and Phoebe fained to be the children of Latona whose heauenly kind might seorne to be ioyned with any earthly progenie yet withall boasting the blood of France as not inferior 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 children of Niobe slaine for which the wofull mother became a rocke gushing forth continually a sountaine of teares And Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied Lheellin or Leolin ap Iorweth married Ioane daughter to king Iohn a most beautifull Lady Some Authors affirme that she was base borne Lhewellin ap Gryfith married Ellenor daughter to Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester and Cosin to Edward Long-shankes both which Lhewellins were Princes of Wales Of Camilot and all her Pentecosts A Nephewes roome c. Camilot the antient Pallace of King Arthur to which place all the Knightes of that famous order yeerely repaired at Penticost according to the law of the Table and most of the famous home-borne Knights were of that Country as to this day is perceiued by their antient monuments When bloody Rutus sought your vtter sacke Noting the ill successe which that William Rufus bad in two voyages he made into Wales in which a number of his chiefe Nobilitie were slaine And oft returnde with glorious victorie Noting the diuers sundry incursions that the Welchmen made into England in the time of Rufus Iohn Henry the second and Longshankes ⧠Owen Tudor to Queene Katherine WHen first mine eyes heheld your princely name And found from whence this friendly letter came As in excesse of ioy my selfe forgot Whether I saw it or I saw it not My panting heart 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 speak are dombe kist it And leaues the paper in my trembling hand When all my sences so amazed stand Euen as a mother comming to her childe Which from her presence hath been long exilde With tender armes his gentle necke doth straine Now kissing him now clipping him againe And yet excessiue ioy deludes her so As still she doubts if this be hers or no At length awak'ned from this pleasing dreame When passion somwhat leaues to be extreame My longing eyes with their faire obiect meete Where 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 Wales to England came For Christian Rhodes and our religious truth To great atchieuements first had wonne 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 Whose vncomprised wisedomes did fore-see That you in marriage should be linck'd to
long raine so carefully attends Granting his daies in peace securely ends 57 From him proceedes a Prince 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 Whose happy raigne recur'd the former rage By the large bounds he to his Empire wonne As the first Edward had the second beene O what a flow of glory had we seene 58 Turning the leafe as finding vnawares What day yong Edward Prince of Wales was borne Which letters seeme like Magique Characters 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 Lest in that place the sad displeased earth Doe loath it selfe as slaundered with my birth 59 From thence heereafter humane 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 lest O 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 Which like deluding monsters do affright And with their fowle shapes terrifie his sight 61 When on his saint bed falling downe at last His troubled spirit fore-telling danger nie When forth the doores a fearefull howling cast To let those in by whom a King should die Whereat he starts amazâ—d and agast These ruthlesse villaines all vpon him flie Sweete Prince alas in vaine thou call'st for aide By these accursed homicides betraide 62 O be not authors of so vile an act My blood on your posteritie to bring Which after times with horror shall distract When Fame euen hoarce with age your shame shall ring And by recounting of so vile a fact Mortalitie so much astonishing That they shal count their wickednesse scarce sinne To that which long before their time hath bin 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 froÌ„ 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 With many a short pant many a broken word Many a sore grone many a grieuous throw whilst yet his spirit could any strength affoord Though with much paine disburdning of his woe Till lastly gasping by their maistâ—ring strength His kingly heart subiects it selfe at length 65 When twixt two beds they close his wearied corse Basely vncou'ring of his secret part Without all humane pittie and remorce With burning yron thrust him to the hart O that my Muse had but sufficient force T' explaine the torment in the which thou art Which whilst with words we coldy do expresse Thy paine made greater that we make it lesse 66 When 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 do heare Euen pittying that miserable wight As twixt compassion and obedient feare Lift their sad eyes with heauy sleepe opprest Praying to heauen to giue the soule good rest 67 Still let the buildings sigh his bitter grones And euermore his sad complaints repeate And let the dull walls and the sencelesse stones By the impression of his torment sweate As wanting sounds wherewith to shew his mones With 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 When now the Genius of this wofull place Beeing the guide to his affrightfull ghost With haire disâ—eued 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 do trauell neere Neuer behold it but with heauy cheere The end of the fifth 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 wherin at Nottingham 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 faire showes of promised delight Somewhat to slacke this melancholie 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 cuuningly redeeming These fraudfull courses fitly to contriue How ill so e're to beare the fairest seeming For which they now must diligently striue Casting all waies to gaine the same esteeming That to the world it prosprously 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 their King To set all euen that had beene atods And into fashion their dissignes to bring And strongly now to settle their abodes That peace might after from their actions spring Firmely t' establish what was well begunne Vnder which colour mighty things were done 4 When Mortimer pursuing his desire Whilst eu'ry engine had his temperate heate To b'Earle of March doth suddainely aspire T' increase the honor of his antient seate That his command might be the more entire Who now but onely Mortimer is great Who knew a kingdome as her lot was throwne Which hauing all would neuer starue her owne 5 Now stand they firme as those celestiall Poles Twixt which the starres in all their course do moue Whose strength this frame of gouernement vpholds An argument their wisedomes to approue Which way soe're the time in motion roles So perfect is the vnion of their loue For right is still most absolute alone Where power and fortune kindely meete in one 6 Whilst Edwards non-age giues a further speede To th' antient foe-man to renew the warre Which to preuent they must haue speciall heede Matters so strangely manag'd as they are Which otherwise if their neglect should breede Nothing yet made it might not easily marre Which 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
so hie So soone transpersed with a womans eie He that a king at Poictiers battell tooke Himselfe led captiue with a wanton looke Twice as a Bride to church I haue bin led Twice haue two Lords enjoyd my Bridale bed How can that beauty yet be vndestroyd That yeeres haue wasted and two men enioyd Or should be thought fit for a Princes store Of which two subiects were possest before Let Spaine let France or Scotland so preferre Their infant Queenes for Englands dowager That bloud should be much more than halfe diuine That should be equall euery way with thine Yet princely Edward though I thus reproue you As mine owne life so deerely doe I loue you My noble husband which so loued you That gentle Lord that reuerend Mountague Nere mothers voyce 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 chaind mine eares vnto his pleasing tong My lips haue waited on your praises worth And snatcht his words ere he could get them forth When he hath spoke and something by the way Hath broke off that he was about to say I kept in minde where from his tale he fell Calling on him the residue to tell Oft he would say how sweet a Prince is he When I haue praisde him but for praising thee And to proceede I would intreate and wooe And yet to ease him help to praise thee too Must she be forcde 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 mildely quencht 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 reuerend yeeres When on his knee he beggd me with his teares By no perswasions possibly could winne To free himselfe as guiltlesse of my sinne The woe for me my mother did abide Whose sute but you there 's none would haue denide Your lust full rage your tyranny could stay Mine honours ruine further to delay Haue I ot lou'd you let the truth be showne That still preseru'd your honour with mine owne Had your fond will your foule desires preuailde When you by them my chastitie assailde Though this no way could haue excusde 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 laide And I haue gainde my libertie with shame To saue my life made ship wracke of my name Did Roxborough once vaile her towring fane To thy braue ensigue on the Northerne plaine And to thy trumpet sounding from thy tent Often replide as to my succor sent And did receiue thee as my souâ—raigne liege Comming to ayde thou shouldst againe besiege To raise a foâ— 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 won more than he could haue got That did ingirt me ready still to flie But thou laidst batt'ry to my chastitie O modestie didst thou me not restraine How I could chide you in this angry vaine A Princes name heauen knowes I doe not craue To haue those honours Edwardâ— spouse should haue Nor by ambitious lures will I be brought In my chaste breast 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 chaste 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 vnbrideled 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 makes mention obiecting bigamy against herselfe as being therefore not meet to be married with a batcheller-Prince were sir Thomas Holland knight sir Willlam Montague afterward made Earle of Salisbury That not my fathers graue and reuerend 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 singular 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 Protectoriship of Mortimer that dangerous aspirer And I haue gainde my libertie with shame Roxborough is a castle in the North mis-termed by Bandello Salisbury castle because the king had giuen it to the Earle of Salisbury in which her Lorde being absent the Countesse by the Scots was besieged who by the comming of the English Armie were remoued Here first the Prince saw her whose libertie had bin gained by her shame had shee bin drawne by dishonest loue to satisfie his appetite but by her most praise-worthy constancie she conuerted that humor in him to an honourable purpose and obtained the true reward of her admired vertues The rest vnto your princely thoughts I leaue Lest any thing be left out which were woorth the relation it shall not be impertinent to annex the opinions that are vttered concerning her whose name is said to haue bin Aclips but that being rejected as a name vnknowne among vs Froisard is rather beleeued who calleth her Alice Polidore contrariwise as before is declared names her Iane who by Prince Edward had issue Edward dying yong and Richard the second king of England thogh as he saith she was diuorced afterwards because within the degrees of consanguinitie prohibiting to many the trueth whereof I omit to discusse her husband the Lord Montague being sent ouer into Flaunders by king Edward was taken prisoner by the French and not returning left his Countesse a widow in whose bed succeeded Prince Edward to whose last and lawsull request the reioycesull Lady sends this louing answere Finis ¶ To the right Honourable and my very good Lord Edward Earle of Bedford THrice noble and my gratious 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 furst bequeathed by that learnd accomplisht gentleman sir Henry Goodere not long since deceased whose I was whilst hee was whose patience pleased to beare with the imperfections of my heedles and vnstaied youth That excellent and
answering tells me Woe is there And when mine armes would gladly thee enfold I clip the pillow and the place is cold Which when my waking eyes precisely view T is a true token that it is too true As many minutes as in the howres there be So many howres each minute seemes to me Each howre a day morne noone-tide and a set Each day a yeare with miseries complet A winter spring-time summer and a fall All seasons varying but vnseasoned all In endelesse woe my thrid of life thus weares By minutes howres daies months lingring yeares They praise the summer that enioy the South Pomfret is closed in the Norths cold mouth There pleasant summer dwelleth all the yeere Frost-starued-winter dooth inhabite heere A place wherein dispaire may fitly dwell Sorrow best suting with a cloudy Cell When Herford had his iudgement of exile Saw I the peoples murmuring the while Th' vncertaine Commons toucht 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 forcde t' abridge his banisht yeeres When they bedewd his footsteps with their teares Yet by example could not learne to know To what his greatnes by this loue might grow Whilst Henry boasts of our atchiuements done Bearing the trophies our great fathers wonne And all the storie of our famous warre Now grace the Annales of great Lancaster Seauen goodly siens in their spring did flourish Which one selfe root brought forth one stock did noâ—ish Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Nature in him her vtmost power did see Who from the bud still blossomed so faire As all might iudge what fruite 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 yongst of three Might Princely Wales beget an impe so base That to Gaunts issue should giue soueraigne place That leading Kings from France returned home As those great Caesars brought their spoiles to Rome Whose name obtained by his fatall hand Was euer fearefull to that conquered land His fame increasing purchasde in those warres Can scarcely now be bounded with the starres With him is valour quite to heauen fled Or else in me is it extinguished Who for his vertue and his conquests sake Posteritie a demy god shall make And iudge this vile abiect spirit of mine Could not proceede from temper so diuine What earthly humor or what vulgar eie Can looke so lowe as on our misery When Bullingbrooke is mounted to our throne And makes that his which we but calld our owne Into our counsells he himselfe intrudes And who but Henry with the multitudes His power disgrades his dreadfull frowne disgraceth He throwes them downe whome our aduancement placeth As my disable and vnworthy hand Neuer had power belonging to command He treades our sacred tables in the dust And proues our acts of Parlament vniust As though he hated that it should be saide That such a law by Richard once was made Whilst I deprest before his greatnes lie Vnder the weight of hate and infamie My backe a footstoole Bullingbrooke to raise My loosenes mockt 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 bidst me neither hope nor liue Succour that comes when ill hath done his worst But sharpens griefe 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 woefull mothers teares Thy curse on Percie angry heauens preuent Who haue not one curse left on him vnspent To scourge the world now borrowing 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 griefes be mortall and infectious Yet better fortunes thy faire youth may trie That follow thee which still from me doth flie ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Thiâ— tongue which first denounc'd my regall state RIchard the second at the resignation of the crowne to the duke of Herford in the Tower of London deliuering the same with his owne hand there confessed his disabilitie to gouerne vtterly denouncing all kingly authoritie And left'st great Burbon for thy love to me Before the Princesse Isabell was maried to the king Lewes duke of Burbon sued to have had her in marriage which was thought he had obtained if this motion had not fallen out in the meane time This Duke of Burbon sued againe to have received her at her comming into France after the imprisonment of king Richard but King Charles her Father then crost him as before and gave her to Charles sonne to the Duke of Orleans When Herford had his judgement of exile When the combate should have beene at Couentrie betwixt Henrie Duke of Herford and Thomas Duke of Norfolke where Herford was adiudged to banishment for ten yeares the commons exceedingly lamented so greatly was he ever favored of the people Then being forc'd t' abridge his banisht yeeres When the Duke came to take his leave of the King beeing then at Eltham the King to please the Commons rather then for any love he bare to Herford repleaded foure yeares of his banishment Whilest 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 Edmund of Langley Duke of York the fifth Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Gloster the sixth William of Winsore the seuenth Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Truly boasting himselfe to be the eldest Sonne of Edward the blacke Prince Yet after Edward Iohn the yongst of three As disabling Henry Bullingbrooke being but the son of the fourth brother William and Lionell being both before Iohn of Gaunt That leading Kings from France returned home Edward the blacke Prince taking Iohn king of France prisoner at the battel of Poicters brought him into England where at the Sauoy he died
the light whereof proceeded from my learned and verie 〈◊〉 friend Maister Francis Thinne Walter of Windsor the â—onne of Oterus had issue William of whom Henry now Lord Windsor is discended and Robert of Windsor of whom Robert the now Earle of Essex and Gerald of Windsor his third sonne who married the daughter of Râ—es the great Prince of Wales of whom came Nesta paraâ—our to Henry the first Which Gerald had issue Maurice Fitz-gerald auncestor to Thomas Fitz-maurice Iustice of Ireland buried at Trayly leauing issue Iohn his eldest sonne first Earle of Kildare ancestor to Geraldine and Maurice his second sonne first earle of Desâ—oond To raisethe 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 Norffolke vnder Ket inking Edward the 6. time was much defaced by that impure rabble Betvvixt the hil and the Citie as Alexander Neuill describes it the riuer of Yarmouth runs hauing West and South thereof a wood and a little Village called Thorpe and on the North the pastures of Mousholl which containes about sixe miles in length and breadth So that besides the stately greatnes of Mount-Surrey which was the houses name the prospect and site thereof was passing pleasant and commodious and no where else did that encreasing euill of the Norffolke furie enkâ—nnell it selfe but then there as it were for a manifest token of their intent to debase all high things and to prophaneall holy Like Arras worke or other imagerie Such was he whom â—â—uenall taxeth in this manner truncoque similimus Hermae Nullo quippe alâ—o vineis discrimine quamquod Illi marmoreum caput est tua vâ—â—it image Being to be borne for nothing else but apparell and the outward appearance intituled Complement with whom theridiculous fable of the Ape in Esope sorteth fitly who comming into a Caruers house and viewing many Marble workes tooke vp the head of a man very cunningly wrought who greatly in praysing did seeme to pittie it that hauing so comely an outside it had nothing within like emptie figures walke and talke in euery place at whom the noble Geraldine modestly glanceth Finis To the virtuous Lady the Lady Francis Goodere wife to sir Henry Goodere Knight MY very gratious and good Mistris the loue and duety I bare unto your father whilst he liued now after his decease is to your hereditarie to whome by the blessing of your birth he left his vertues Who bequeathed you those which were his gaue you whatsoeuer good is mine as deuoted to his he being gone whome I honoured so much whilest he liued which you may iustly challenge by all lawes of thankefulnesse My selfe hauing beene a witnesse of your excellent education and milde disposition as I may say euer from your Cradle dedicate this Epistle of this vertuous and godly Lady to your selfe so like her in all perfection both of wisedome and learning which I pray you accept till time shall enable me to leaue you some greater monument of my loue M. Drayton The Lady Jane Gray to the Lord Gilford Dudley The Argument After the death of that vertuous young Prince King Edward the sixt the sonne of that famous King Henry the eight Iane the daughter of Henry Gray Duke of Suffolke by the consent of Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland was proclaimed Queene of England being married to Gilford Dudley the fourth sonne of the fore-said Duke of Northumberland which match was concluded by their ambitious fathers who went about by this meanes to bring the Crowne vnto their children and to dispossesse the Princesse Mary eldest daughter to King Henry the eight heire to King Edward her brother Queene Mary rising in Armes to claime her rightfull Crowne taketh the saide Iane Gray and the Lord Gilford her husband being lodged in the Tower for their more safetie which place being lastly their Pallace by this meanes became their prison where being seuered in sundry prisons they write these Epistles one to another MIne own deere Lord sith thou art lockt froÌ„ mee In this disguise my loue must steale to thee Since to renue all loues all kindnesse past This refuge scarcely left yet this the last My Keeper comming I of thee enquire Who with thy greeting answers my desire Which my tongue willing to returne againe Griefe stops my words and I but striue in vaine Wherewith amazde away in haste he goes When throgh my lips my hart thrusts forth my woes Whenas the dores that make a dolefull sound Driue backe my words that in the noise are drownd Which somewhat hush'd the Eccho doth record And twice or thrice reiterates my word When like an aduerse winde in Isis course Against the tide bending his boistrous force But when the flood hath wrought it selfe about He following on doth head-long thrust it out Thus striue my fighes with teares e're they begin And breaking out againe sighes driue them in A thousand formes present my troubled thought Yet proue abortiue when they forth are brought The depth of woe with words wee hardely sound Sorrow is so insensibly profound As teares do fall and rise sighes come and goe So do these numbers ebbe so do they flow These briny teares do make my incke looke pale My incke clothes teares in this sad mourning vaile The letters mourners weepe with my dim eye The paper pale grieu'd at my misery Yet miserable our selues why should we deeme Sith none is so but in his owne esteeme Who in distresse from resolution flies Is rightly said to yeelde to miseries They which begot vs did beget this sin They first begun what did our griefe begin we tasted not t' was they which did rebell Not our offence but in their fall we fell They which a crowne would to my Lord haue linckt All hope of life and liberty extinct A subiect borne a Soueraigne to haue beene Hath made me now nor subiect nor a Queene Ah vile ambition how doost thou deceiue vs which shew'st vs heauen and yet in hell doost leaue vs Seldome vntouch'd doth innocence escape when error commeth in good counsailes shape A lawfull title countercheckes prowd might The weakest things become strong props to right Then my deere Lord although affliction grieue vs Yet let our spotlesse innocence relieue vs. Death but an acted passion doth appeare where truth giues courage and the conscience cleere And let thy comfort thus consist in mine That I beare part of whatsoe're is thine As when we liude vntouch'd with these disgraces whenas our kingdome was our deere embraces At Durham Pallace where sweete Hymen sang whose buildings with our nuptiall musicke rang when Prothalamions praisde that happy day wherein great Dudley match'd with noble Gray when they deuisde to lincke by wedlockes band The house of Suffolke to Northumberland Our fatall Dukedome to your Dukedome bound To frame this building on so weake a ground For what auailes a lawlesse vsurpation which giues a Scepter but
whence Fame carries thither she doth bring And which soeuer she doth lowdly ring Thither ah me vnhappily she brought Where I my barre vnfortunately caught There stood my beautie boldly for the prize Where the most cleere and perfectst iudgements be And of the same the most iudiciall eyes Did giue the gole impartially to me So did I stand vnparaleld and free And like a comet in the euenings skie Strooke with amazement euery wondring eye This t' was possest the breast of princely Iohn This on his hart-strings endlesse musicke made This wholy wonne him vnto it alone And fully did his faculties inuade From which not reason euer could disswade This taught his eyes their due attendance still Holding the reines which rulde his princely will When yet my father fortunate in Court And by his blood ranck'd equall with the best Hauing his quicke eare touch'd with this report Which yet the newes but hardly could digest And on my youth his onely care did rest Straitly pursues it by those secret spies As still in Courts attend on Princes eyes And he thus while who seemed but to sleepe Till he the Princes purposes could sound And to himselfe yet secretly did keepe What he but late had prouidently found So well that wise Lord could conceale his wound That well fore-saw how daugerous it would proue To crosse the course of his impatient loue When hauing found how violent a flame Vnbrideled will had kindled in the King If on the suddaine he should stop the same A greater inconuenience might bring Which being knowne so dangerous a thing Me doth bethinke him fittest to perswade E're for my safety further means he made Deare girle quoth he thou seest who doth await T' intrap that beautie bred to be thy foe Being so faire and delicate a bait Tempting all eyes themselues there to bestow Whose power the King is taught too soone to know Of his desire that what the end may bee Thy youth may feare my knowledge doth fore-see And for thou liuest publiquely in Court Whose priuiledge doth euery meane protect Where the ensample of the greatest sort Doth more then opportunitie effect None thriuing there that dwell vpon respect Being a lottery where but few do winne Falshood th' aduenture and the prize but sinne Subt'ly opposing to thy longing sight What may to pleasure possibly prouoke And fitly fashioned vnto thy delight That with the grauest strikes too great a stroke Hauing withall emperious power thy cloke With such strong reasons on her part propounded As may leaue vertue seemingly confounded Many the waies inducing to thy fall And to thy safety none is left to guide thee And when thy danger greatest is of all Euen then thy succour soonest is denide thee So sundry meanes from vertue to diuide thee Hauing with all mortalitie about thee Frailty with in temptation set without thee The leachers tongue is neuer voide of guile Nor wants he teares when he would winne his pray The subtilst tempter hath the smoothest stile Sirens sing sweetely when they would betray Lust of it selfe had neuer any stay Nor to containe it bounds could haue deuisde That when most fild is least of all suffisde With euery meane and maiestie is fraught That all things hath contained in his power And who wil conquer leaues no meane vnsaught Soft golden drops did pierce the brazen Tower Watching th' aduantage of each passing hower Time offering still each howre to doe amisse Thy banefull poison spiced with thy blisse And when this heady and vnseasned rage Which in his blood doth violently raigne Time that the heate shall peceably asswage Shall shew the more apparently thy staine Which vnto ages euer shall remaine Sinne in a chaine leades on her sister shame And both in gyues fast fettered to defame Kings vse their loues as garments they haue worne Or as the meate whereon they fully fed The Saint once gone who doth the shrine adorne Or what is Nectar carelesly if shed vvhat Princes vvealth redeemes thy maidenhead vvhich should be held as pretious as thy breath vvhose desolution consumates thy death The stately Eagle on his height dooth stand And from the maine the fearefull fowle doth smite Yet scornes to tuch it lying on the land When he hath felt the sweete of his delight But leaues the same a prey to euery kite With much we surffet plenty makes vs poore The vvretched Indian spurnes the golden ore When now he points the periode with a teare vvhich in my bosome made so great a breach As euery precept firmely fixed there And still his councel vnto me did preach A father so effectually should teach That then his words I after euer found Written on so immaculate a ground The youthfull king deluded but the while That in his breast did beare this quenchlesse fire Whilst flattring hope his sences doth beguile That with fresh life still quickned his desire And gone so farre now meant not to retire Thinkes if that aptly winning him but place By loue or power to purchase him my grace Which still deferring found he still did faile Nor to his minde aught kindely tooke effect Couragiously resoluing to assaile That other meanes doth vtterly neglect In spite what feare could any way obiect And finding time not booting to be mute Thus to me lastly did preferre his sute Deare maide quoth he when Nature had ordained Thee to the world her workemanship to bring All other creatures knowing she had stained By so diuine and excellent a thing Onely therefore to gratifie a King Seal'd thee the Charter dated at thy birth Mirrour of heauen the wonder of the earth Hoord not thy beautie heauen doth giue thee store Pittie such treasure should lie idely dead Which being imparted shall increase the more And by the interest euermore be fed To be mans comfort that was onelie bred vvhich of it selfe is of such povver and might As like the sunne ioyes all things with the sight From those bright stars such streams of lightning glide As through the eies doe wound the very hart Whose vertues may be sundrie waies applide Hurting and healing like Achilles dart Such bountie Nature did to them impart Those lampes two planets clearer then the seauen That with their splendor light the world to heauen Had Art such colours as could truly show Each rare perfection rightly in his kinde And on each one sufficiently bestowe Vnto the glory properly assignde Painting the beauties aptly to the minde But O alone thy excellence is such As words though many lessen worth so much He is thy king who is become thy subiect Sometimes thy Lord now seruant to thy loue Thy gracefull features be his onely obiect Who for thy sake a thousand deaths durst proue A Princes prayer should some compassion moue Let woolues and beares be cruell in their kindes But women meeke and haue relenting mindes Daine deare to looke vpon these brimfull eyes With tides of teares continually frequented Where hope without foode hunger-staruen lies which to
betray me trecherously consented That for the fact being lawfully conuented Iudgde in these waters still to haue their being For their presumption thy perfections seeing Sit thou commanding vnder mine estate Hauing thy tresses honored with my Crowne As not vnworthie of a meaner fate And make the prowd'st to tremble with a frowne Raise whom thou wilt cast whoÌ„ it please thee downe And be my loue renowned through this I le With all the titles fame may thee instile What if my Queene repining at our blisse Thee as did Iuno Ioues faire darling keepe Mine I 'le preserue as that great god did his Wise Mercury lulld Argus eies to sleepe Loue euer laughs when iealousie dooth weepe When most she stirs our power shal keep hir vnder She may raise stormes but we doe rule the thunder Thus hauing made the entrance to his loue Which he supposde assuredly in time Of better tidings messenger might proue By which he after to his ioyes might clime And of my youth now being in the prime Leaues me not knowing well which way to turne me warm'd with the fire which vnawares might burne me Vpon my weaknes that so strongly wrought Whilst in my breast a mutiny arose Feare and Desire a doubtfull combate fought As like two eager and ambitious foes This striues to winne the other feares to loose By this oft cleered and by that accused Flattred by that most most which me abused And in my selfe that well suspected treason Knowing who watcht to haue me for his pray And in so apt and dangerous a season vvhen youth and beauty bare so great a sway And where he battery still to me might lay vvho girt so strongly euery way about vvell might suspect I could not long holde out All doubts end feares cast vtterly aside Resolu'd at last away from Court to goe Whither it pleasde my happy starres to guide There I my selfe determinde to bestowe Vntill time might this passion ouer-blow Or if at least it wrought not the extrusion Might lend me power to help my resolution When he whose care this while me not forsooke That many a sweete sleepe for my safetie brake Much that was pleased with the course I tooke As one that truely suffred for my sake Did his abode at Baynards Castle make which since the Court so happly did leaue one To his protection kindely did receiue me Whence sorrow seemed vtterly exilde vvherein my life I long before did waste The present time that happily beguilde vvith thought of that which was alreadie past vvhere I was now so fortunately plac'd Euen as a bird escap'd the Fowlers snare vvhome former danger warneth to beware When now the King whose purposes were crossd vvhich this euasion subt'ly did preuent And that the meane to which he trusted most vvas that which most did frustrate his intent Seeing his sute preposterously went Another course bethinkes himselfe to runne Else now as farre off as when first begunne Thenceforth deuising to dissolue the masse That lay so full betwixt him and the light That in his sute so great a hindrance was And least exspected wrought him most dispite Finding the cause that all things went not right Casteth forth with my father to remoue To make the way more cleerer to his loue When scarcely cured of that sickely qual 〈…〉 And that my hart was happily at case But as a ship that in a gentle calme Floates vp and downe vpon the quiet seas By some rough gust some aduerse starre doth raise Driuen againe into the troubled maine vvh 〈…〉 well had hopde securely to haue laine The powrefull Prince whome I did thus reiect Heereon in Court doth first this Peere disgrace Thereby to giue the people to suspect T' offend in some thing sitting neere his place Them it by all meanes vrging to imbrace Which if he cleerely modeld out that path Should giue a passage freely to his wrath And giuing colour to his ran'ckrous hate By such false councell as to him he drew Cunning in all the stratagems of state My guiltlesse father ceaselesly pursue Whose kingly power too quickely ouerthrew Him which I hop'd me succour should haue giuen Till from all refuge absolutely driuen And not their cleere and intellectuall sight Into the quarrell that did throughly looke Nor our alies that to their vtmost might Gainst his proceeding that our partie tooke Vnto the end that neuer me forsooke Could the effect of his great power preuent To stay from Fraunce my banisht father sent Not all his seruice to his soueraigne done In warre as valiant as in councell sound Which from this Prince compassion might haue won To him that faithfull euermore was found How deepely thou ingratitude doost wound Sure first deuised to no other end But to grieue those whom nothing could offend Ay me forsaken left vnto my foe Thus by my fortune fro wardly betraide Neuer poore maiden was besieged so And all depressed that should lend me aide Such weight the heauens vpon my birth had laide Yet her due merite vertue neuer loseth Gainst her faire course though heauen it selfe opposeth Embarkt for France his sd deiected eies Filled with teares in plentifullest store His parting threatned by the lowring skies Then vnder saile from sight of any shore Feare him behinde and sorrow him before Wasting withall his sad laments in vaine To the rude waters only to complaine When like a deere before the hounds imboste vvhen him his strength beginneth to forsake Leaues the smoothe lawnes to which he trusted most And to the couert doth it selfe betake Doubling that creepes from brake againe to brake Thus still I shift me from the Princes face vvhich hath me novv continually in chase The coast now cleere suspition laide to rest And each thing fit to further his intent vvhich with much pleasure quieted his breast That euery thing so prosperously went And if the rest successefully consent Of former ayde that being quite forsaken He hopes the fort may easily be taken A Princes armes are stretcht from shore to shore Kings sleeping see with eies of other men Craft findes a key to open euery doore Little it bootes in walles my selfe to pen The lambe inclosed in the lions den vvhose watchfull eies too easily descride me And found me soonst where â—ur'st I thought to hide me My paths by spies are diligently noted O're me he holdes so vigilant a watch And on my beautie he so fondly doted That at my lookes he enuiously did catch Readie that stoode attending at my â—atch vvhere jealous loue continually did warde Treason my handmaide Falshoode on my guarde Wherefore since this so badly sorted out He to my shifts so narrowly me draue Another course must needesly cast about Where safer harbor happily to haue Since insufficient this was me to saue His power so spatious euery way did lie That still I stood in his ambitious eye And feare which taught me euery way to proue When I of many long time did debate Me at the last it pleasde the powers to
37 And in despight and mockery of a Crowne A wreathe of grasse they for his temples make Which when he felt as comming from a swoune And that his powers a little gan awake Fortune quoth he thou doost not alwaies frowne I see thou giu'st aswell as thou doost take That wanting naturall couert for my braine For that defect thou lend'st me this againe 38 To whom O heauen should I my griefes complaine Since thou art iust and prouident in all How should this body naturall strength retaine To suffer things so much innaturall My cogitations labour but in vaine Except thou be partaker in my fall And when at once so many mischiefes meete By change of sorrow mak'st my torment sweete 39 Wherefore my fate I should but fondly grutch T is vaine contention when with heauen we striue Which preordaines my miseries for such That by one woe another should suruiue To shew how it mortalitie can tutch My wretchednesse so strangely to contriue That all my comfort in mishaps should rest And else in nothing but misfortune blest 40 To Berckley thus they led this wretched King The place of horror that was long fore-thought What power should suffer so defilde a thing Or can behold this murther to be wrought That might the Nation into question bring But that your waies with iudgement still are fraught Thus art thou hap'd into thy earthly hell Now take thy leaue and bid the world farewell 41 Berekley whose faire seate hath beene famous long Let thy faire buildings shreeke a deadly sound And to the ayre complaine thy greeuous wrong Keeping the figure of King Edwards wound That as thou waxest old their shame still yong Their wretched foote-steps printed on the ground That when report shall lend their vile act breath All tongues may adde damnation to their death 42 The omenous Rauen with a dismall cheere Through his hoarse beake of following horror tells Begetting strange imaginarie feare With heauie ecchoes like to passing-bells The howling dogge a dolefull part doth beare As though they chimde his latest burying knells Vnder his caue the buzzing shreech-owle sings Beating his windowes with her fatall wings 43 And still affrighted in his fearefull dreames With raging fiends and goblins that he meetes Of falling downe from steepe Rockes into streames Of toombes of burialls and of winding-sheetes Of wandring helpelesse in far forraigne Realmes Of strong temptations by seducing sprites Wherewith awakde and calling out for aide His hollow voyce doth make himselfe afraide 44 Next comes the vision of his bloody raine Masking along with Lancasters sterne ghost Of Barrons twenty eight or hangd or slaine Attended with the ruefull mangled host That vnreuengde yet all this while remaine At Borough battell and at Burton lost Threatning with frownes and trembling eu'ry lim As though in peeces they would torture him 45 And if it chance that from the troubled skies The least small starre through any chincke giue light Straitwaies on heapes the thronging cloudes arise As though the heauen were angry with the night That it should lend that comfort to his eies Deformed shadowes glimpsing in his sight As darkenes for it would more darkened be Through those poore crannies forâ—de it selfe to see 46 When all th'affliction that they could impose Euen to the full and vtmost of their hate Aboue his torment yet his strength arose As Nature made a couenant with Fate When now his watchfull and two wary foes That cease not still his woes to aggrauate All further helps suspected to preuent To take his life to Berckley closely sent 47 And subtilly a letter fashioning Which in the wordes a double sence doth beare Which seemes to bid them not to touch the King Shewing withall how vile a thing it were But by false poynting is another thing And to dispatch him bids them not to feare which taught to find these murderers need no more For which they stood too ready long before 48 Whereas he haps a Chronicle to find Of former kings their raignes their deaths and deedes which some their lodgde forgotten had behind On which to passe the houres he falls to reede Thinking thereby to recreate his mind But in his breast this greater woe doth breede For when deepe sorrow on the fancie seaseth What ere we see our misery increaseth 49 First of great William Conquerour of this I le From whom hee 's tenth that in succession lies Whose power inforcde the Saxon to exile Planting new lawes and forraine subtilties Force and subiection so to reconcile The punishment of Harolds tyrannies which he applies with arguments so strong To the due course of his iust punisht wrong 50 Rufus his sonne duke Robert farre abroade Receiues the rule in weake infeebled state His fathers steps that euidently troade Depressing those who had beene conquerd late Wishing release of this their gricuous loade Vnder the guidance of their former fate The place for men that did to beasts intend A bestiall life had last a beastly end 51 Henry the yongst his brother William dead Taketh the Crowne from his vsurpfull hand Due to the eldest good duke Roberts head Bearing our Red Crosse in the Holy Land whose force farre off so much diminished That his returne disabled to withstand when those for whom th'unnaturall war was done The sea deuours he left without a sonne 52 To Mawd the Empresse he the Scepter leaues His onely daughter which by false pretext Stephen Earle of Bolloine forcibly bereaues Henries false nephew in succession next By which the Land a stranger warre receaues wherewith it grew so miserably vext Till Stephen failing and his issue reft T 'the heires of Mawd the regall Scepter left 53 The second Henry Mawd the Empresse sonne Of th' English line Plantagenet the first By Stephens death a glorious raigne begunne whose youth prolongd to make his age accurst By his sonne Henries coronation Which to his dayes much woe and sorrow nurst when those for whom he conquerd to make great Abroad his townes at home vsurpde his seate 54 Richard his sonne that after him succeedes Who not content with what was safely ours A man lift vp to great and glorious deedes Into the East transportes our valiant powres Where with his sworde whilst many a Pagan bleedes Relentlesse Fate hastes on vntimely howres And makes a period to this hopefull story Euen in the spring and blossome of his glory 55 When him succeedes his faithlesse brother Iohn Murthring yong Arthur by oppressefull might Climing by sorce to his vsurped throne Iustly with poyson was repayde his spight His life to all men is so hatefull growne Who grieues his wrongs that ne're did any right That on the Cleargie ryrannously fed Was by the Cleargie iustly punished 56 Henry his sonne now crowned very yong Who for the hate they to his father bare His state of raigning stoode in question long Or to be left vnto a strangers care With whom the Barrons insolent and strong For the old Charter in commotion are Which his