ΔΑΦÎΙΣ ΠΟΛΥΣΤΕΦΑÎΟΣ An Eclog treating Of Crownes and of Garlandes and to whom of right they appertaine Addressed and consecrated to the Kings Maiestie By G. B. Knight Quod maximum optimum esse dicitur oportet esse Vnum ex Arist. Top. li. 7. AT LONDON Printed by G. Eld for Thomas Adams 1605. QVOD DEVS CONIVNXIT HOMO NON SEPARET Math. 19. Quatuor hasce cruces clypeo coniunxit in vno Quas ergò nemo separet ipse Deus INVICTO PACIF FOEL AVG. CHRISTIANISS FIDEI DEFENSORI IACOBO D. G. MAGNAE BRITANNIAE GALLIAE HIBERNIAE REGI DOMINO SVO CLEMENTISS HAEC STEMMATA DIADEMATA I. HAS GENEALOGIAE AVG. ET IMPERII BRITANNICI LEVES ADVMBRATIONES GEORGIVS BVCVS E Q. R. S P. C. L. M. D. D. MOST SACRED SOVERAIGN I haue aduentured to present your Maiestie not with a faire pourtrait but with a slight shadow of your imperiall greatnesse Which I began long since but then the end was in nubibus or in abeiance as our Lawyers say for I could not finish it according to my proiect vntill such time as he which should be sent Expectatio gentium BritannicatuÌ„ should come who was ordained from aboue to weare all these crownes and garlands and to reduce this whole Isle with the hereditary Kingdomes and Prouinces thereof to one monarchie and entire Empire as they had been in the times of diuers ancient British Saxon and some English kings of the Norman or Danish race as it shall hereafter appeare The foundation of this great worke hath bin layd by many Kings your Maiesties ancestors I meane by alliance not by armes for those plots were frustrate but as lately by King Henry the eight when he mediated the mariage of his sonne the Prince of England with the Princesse of Scotland your Maiesties mother as also in this maner many ages before the good king Malcolm Cammoir proiected this worke and that with happy successe by the mariage of Margaret daughter of the Saxon Prince Edward Exul heire of the great Edgar out of which royall bride-bed your Maiestie is issued Likewise Alexander the first maried Sibilla eldest daughter of William Duke of Normandy king of England The first Dauid also king of Scotland maried Matilda daughter of the Earle Waldeof and of Iudith neece to the said King William King Alexander the second maried Ioan Plantagenet daughter of King Iohn King Alexander the third maried Margaret Plantagenet daughter of King Henry the third King Dauid the second maried Ioan Plantagenet daughter of King Edward the second King Iames the first maried Ioane daughter of the Duke of Somerset Grandchild to King Edward the third King Iames the fourth your Maiesties great Grandfather maried Margaret eldest daughter of King Henry the seauenth and of Queene Elizabeth Plantagenet daughter and heire of King Edward the fourth But these Princes maried onely but daughters of England but You most sacred Prince the great IACOB enthronized vpon the Patriarke Iacobs fatall stone and vpon Saint Iacobs Festiuall espoused solemnely faire England her selfe And all the former matches were but preparatiues as I said foundations of this great worke which your Maiesty whom I may now call an English man as well for being descended from so many English Princes as also for that your Maiesties Father was an English man and your mother Princesse and heire of England hath by diuine preordinance now finished and accomplished in plenitudine temporum and that by iust right for in your sacred person are iointly met and coalesced the royall blouds interests and titles not onely of all Great Britaine but also of France and Ireland Which to prooue will not require much search nor study for they are euident and I will for breuities sake but thus point at them For some of them namely Scotland the Crowne and Scepter whereof missa per innumeros auos your Maiestie hath borne from your infancy all men know and acknowledge your ancient royall right and estate therein And your Maiesties title to Ireland will be manifest in your Genealogie herein deduced from that great Plantagenet King Henry the second the first English Prince Lord of Ireland from his heroycall posteritie as well Marches as others who haue been continually seysed thereof vntill this day So likewise your Maiesties tytle to the Crowne of France sheweth it selfe clearly in the ancient possessions of these royall Plantagenets here presented your Maiesties Progenitors first Dukes of Normandy then of Aquitaine Earles of Poictow of Aniow of Maine of Touraine and of Britaine and after of Angolesme And lastly Kinges of all France in the right of Isabell or Elizabeth sole daughter and heyre of Philip le bel King of France mother of King Edward the third who made a most renowned and happy entry vpon that his royall inheritance hee his great heires were not onely titulare Lords but also actuall possessors of France many yeares and yet to this day in token of that ancient right haue seysine of a part of that kingdome notwithstanding that counterfeit hethenish law Salica maintained by all the power of France many ages against them Your Maiesties tytle and descent from the ancient kings of great Britaine and which is least knowne may thus redily be deriued The Welsh Bardes as also our best heralds record that Rhese ap-Gruffith surnamed Atgluid prince of Southwales about the yeere of our Lord 1196. and issued from Cadwallader the last British King had a daughter named Gwenlhian maried to Edneuet Vachan Lord of Bransencle and chiefe Iustice of Wales and bare to him a sonne called Grono this Grono had Tedor Tedor had Grono Grono had Tedor Tedor had Meredith Meredith had Owen Which Owen maried Catherine widow of king Henry the fift and daughter of the French king Charles the sixt by whom hee had Edmond creaeted Earle of Richmond by King Henry the sixt his brother vterine And this Edmond was father of King Henry the seauenth who was father of Queene Margaret your Maiesties great granmother c. But some deriue your Maiesties British race from a namelesse a good namelesse daughter of Gruffith ap Leolhin a Prince â—f Wales about the yeere 1051 vpon whom as they pretend Fleanchus thane or Steward of Abria flying into Wales for sucâ—our begat vnlawfully a sonne who should be ancester to all the â—hiefe Stewards to this day But this being not acknowledged by â—he best Scotish Historiographers the thing not honourable I may well pretermit it Lastly to finish all these your Maiesties natiue titles to these many Diadems mentioned in this Poësy I haue inserted a Genealogy of the Saxon Kings drawne from the first vniter of the heptarchye and the Godfather of Anglia King Egbert vnto Matilda the Empresse daughter and heyre of King Henry the first and mother of this great Plantagenet King Henry the second ancester of all the
of Edmond Ironside King of England Anno Dom. 1016. This Edmond was sonne and heyre to King Etheldred who in ancient charters is written Totius Britanniae rex quod nota because a late Anonymus in a little booke dedicated to his Maiesty affirmeth that neuer any Prince was king of this whole Isle vntill now But he is deceiued for besides Constantius Chlorus and his sonne our countriman Constantine the great Constans Aurelius Ambrosius Vter others which were Lords of all great Britaine Edgar also the father of this King Etheldred was absolute Monarke of this Isleland and so puissant in forces both by land and sea as hee was surnamed the Great and was stiled Totius Albionis basileus Anglici orbis basileus as G. Malmesburiensis Florentius Wigorniensis witnesse Whereupon to note also by the way some thinke that the word Anglia was sometimes vsed for the whole Isle and which Ion Lidgate disertly asseuereth in King Arthurs complaint in these words Great Britain now called England so likewise doth Geffrey Chaucer in the Franklins tale viz. In England that Clepid was Britain And Ranulfus Cestrensis a grauer Authour peremptorily affirmeth that King Egbert after his conquests ordained and commaunded that the Saxons and Iutes should bee called Angles and that Britain should bee called England But I leaue this to be discussed by antiquaryes And to returne to the ancient Saxon Kings progenitors of this Henry and also possessors of this whole Isle as I will shew for the better confirmation of that which I haue said against the opinion of this Anonymus In diuers ancient records and charters of donations of these kings to Monasteries and to Cathedrall Churches and in other ancient monuments I haue obserued these seuerall stiles Ego Athelstanus rex Anglorum anno Dominicae incarnationis D. CCCCXXX râ—gni verò mihi gratis commissi VI. Indictione III. Epactae xviii Concurrente iiii Nonis mensis Aprilis iii. Lunae rotigerae vaga tionis i. per eiusdem omnipatrantis dextram totius BRITANNIAE regium solio sublimatus c. Ego Eadmundus rex Anglorum ceterarumque gentium in circuitu persistentium Gubernator et rector An. Dom. 945. Ego Edredus rex terrenus sub imperiali potentiaregu seculorum aeternique principis magnae Britanniae temporale gerens imperium c. An. Dom. 948. Ego Edgarus totius Albronis monarcha c. An. Dom. 966. And in another Ego Edgarus totius Albionis finitimorumque regum basileus An. Dom. 974. These three last stiles I finde in the history of Ingulfus Abbot of Croyland transcribed by him from the Charters of that Monastery And the other two before going are copyed out of the records of the Cathedrall Church of Chicester as also these three next following Ego Eadwis basileon totius Albionis c. An. Dom. D. CCCC.LVI imperii autem 1. An in another Ego Eadwin rex gentium Albionis c. And in the date of a charter of Bishop Brighthelmus Anno 2. imperii Eadwin totius Albionis insulae imperantis I finde also in Asser Meneuensis Aelured or Aelfred a more ancient Saxon King then these written Omnium BritaÌ„n insulae Christianorum rector An. Dom. 872. And Edward surnamed Pius and Confessor was from the yeare of our Lord 1050. King of this whole Isle if there be any credite to be giuen to our stories and was stiled rex Albionis as Ion Twine auoweth out of his charters giuen to the Abby of Abingdon And that same King Etheldred before cited was stiled in the charters of Glastonbury Aetheldred Anglicae nationis caeterarumque gentium triniatim intra ambitum BritaÌ„n insulae degentium c. basileus and another K. in old inscription Britanniae Anax and many such more which were too long to recite And some kings of the Norman race which is more rare haue been so stiled For the Lord Bishop of Bristow voucheth a coine of King Ion wherein is stamped IoaÌ„nes rex Britonum but that coine which his Lordship shewed to me had the armes of little Britain vpon the reuerse but his grandchild King Edward the firsty after him king Edward the third were greater monarkes here then he But this great Henry Plantagenets Empire extended beyond the bounds of the Britannish world and his greatnes so farre exceeded all other kings his ancesters that he was stiled Maximus Britanniae regum as I will shew by and by and by good right for besides this his great Britain and Ireland he was possessed of a great part of France and by these titles He was Duke of Normandy by right of inheritance from his granfather King Henry the first Duke of Normandy c. He was Duke of Aquitain that is Gascoin and Guien sometimes a kingdome and Earle of Poictow by the mariage of Queene Elianor daughter heire of William Duke of Aquitain and Earle of Poictow whose wife Ieanne was daughter of Dauid king of Scots he was Earle of Aniow seminary of kings of Touraine and of Maine his natiue country by right of enheritance from his father Geoffrey Le Bel Earle of them all He swayed all in litle Britain which authority he acquired partly by the mariage of Constance daughter and heire of Conan Earle of Britain with his third sonne Geffrey Earle of Richmont but chiefly by his swoord as it appeareth by Gu Neuburgensis who then liued and thus writeth Cum a potentioribus in Britannia inferiores premerentur regis Anglorum auxilium expetentes eius seditioni spontaneè subdiderunt c. ipsosque potentes viribus subegit sicque in breni tota Britannia potitus est He also conquered Auuergne and thus much for his possessions in France and now to Ireland He twise inuaded that kingdome and by armes seconded with the letters of fauour of his good friend Pope Adrian an Englishman hee brought the discording Princes there to submit theyr differents and their tytles to him and so obtained the possession of the Isle And as for those parts partyes in this our great Britain viz of Engl. Scotl. and Wales which did not acknowledge his souerainty hee reduced them in good time to the ancient subiection and obedience which they owed to the British Saxon kings his progenitors The WelshmeÌ„ in their stories acknowledge this in their loyalty dueties as the English liuely expresse it euery day But for the other if any doubt be made G. Neuburgensis veridicus autor as Polidore Vergill obserueth him will thus satisfie him speaking of this K. Henry of Dauid K. of Scots his prisoner being then both at Yorke Occurrit eirex Scotorum cum vniuersis regni nobilibus qui omnes in ecclesia beatissimi apostolorum principis regi Angliae tanquam principali domino hominium cum ligeantia id est solemni cautione standi cum eo et pro eo contra omnes homines rege
proprio praecipiente fecerunt Ipse quoque rex Scotorum coram vniuersa multitudine nobilium vtriusque regni regem Anglorum modis solemnibus dominum suum seque hominem et fidelem eius declarauit eique tria praecipua regni sui munimina scilicet Rokesburk Berwik et Castellum puellarum loco obsidum tradidit c. But Ion Bishop of Chartres maketh his Empyre yet much greater for hee boundeth it to the Southward with Spaine and to the Northward with the Isles of Orkney and mought as well if it had pleased him with the North pole as Giraldus Cambrensis did and then styleth him Maximum Britanniae regum 1. the greatest of the Kings of great Britaine vt supra And Giraldus goeth further for he compareth him with the great Alexander and ascribeth as some interpret the first discouery of the West Indies which was made by Madok a yonger son of Owin Gwineth Prince of north-Northwales An. Dom. 1170. to this King because it was done by his auspices as we may as well also attribute to him the redeeming of our great Artur from the iniurious imputation of a fabulous Heros because he caused his monument to be sought out which was sunk deep within the ground in the Isle of Aualon by the occasion of a Bardes song which he heard in PeÌ„broke But I will set downe Giraldus his owne words written in maner of a Panegyrick to this king and in my conceit elegant enough for those times Certant cum orbe terrarum victoriae vestrae a Pyrenaeis enim montibus vsque in occiduos et extremos Borealis Oceani fines Alexander noster occidentalis brachium extendisti Quantum igitur his in partibus natura terras tantum et victorias extulisti si excursuum tuorum metae quaerantur prius deerit orbis quam aderit finis Animoso enim pectori cessare possunt terrae cessare nesciunt victoriae non deesse poterunt triumphi sed materia triumphandi Qualiter titulis vestris et triumphis Hibernicus accesserit orbis Quanta et quà m laudabili virtute Occani secreta et occulta naturae deposita transpentraueris c Qualiter fulguranti aduentus vestri lumine attoniti occidentales reguli tanquam ad lucubrum auiculae ad vestrum statim imperium conuolauerunt And much more which for breuity I omit That which the Bishop of Chartres writeth of him before mentioned and promised is thys Rex illustris Anglorum Henricus secundus regum Britanniae maximus c. circa Garumnam fulminat et Tolosam falici cingens obsidione non modò prouinciales vsque ad Rhodanum et Alpes territat sed munitionibus dirutis populisque subaâ—lis quasi vniuersis praesens immineat timore principes coÌ„cussit Hispanos et Gallos And to these I will adde onely Will. of Neuboroughs elogie for a Corollarie Regis supra omnes qui vnquam hactenus in Anglia regnasse noscebantur latius dominantis hoc est ab vltimis Scotiae finibus ad montesvsque Pyrenaeos nomen in cunctis regionibus celebre habebatur c. Hunc finem habuit inclytus ille rex Henricus â— inter reges terrarum nominatissimus et nulli eoruÌ„vel amplitudine opuÌ„ vel faelicitate successuuÌ„ secundus And thus much for the testimony of the greatnes of his conquests of his Empire as for his other greatnesses viz of his wisedome of his iustice of his magnanimity of his bounty and other heroycall vertues I shall not need to produce any proofe for his wise and politik administration of his great affayres and estate his victoryes and hygh acheeuements secretly intimate them at the full He was also well learned as Giraldus affirmeth and which was his best prayse he was very charytable and pious incomparabilis Eleemosynarum largitor et praecipuus terrae Palestinae sustentator And Radulph de Diceto writeth that in the time of an extreame dearth in Aniow and Maine hee releeued with bread ten thousand people dayly from Aprill till haruest And William of Newborough addeth that he receiued with great deuotion the character of the sacred Militia for the recouery of the holy land And afterward because he was not able to goe by reason of infirmities and for the great daungers wherein his estate should stand in his absence which Giraldus sheweth hee gaue toward this expedition the summe of 47. M. li. or there abouts Iean de la Haye also writeth that hee built S. Andrews Church in Bourdeaux and S. Peters in Poitiers and founded a Bishops sea there and enlarged the towne by the one halfe Hee reedified the Abby at Waltham in Essex and the Charterhouse of Witham in Wiltshire He repaired and much beautified the Monastery of font Euerard or Fronteuaux neere Egle in Normandy and founded the Priories of Staneley and of Douer He also began the stone-worke of London bridge which was finished by his Sonne King Ion or caused to be finished for it is all one to a common wealth And he instituted the circuits of the Iudges and not to be tedious in the enumeration of such particulars in a word he was as Ion Carnotensis who knew him well testifieth rex optimus apud BritaÌ„nias Normanorum et Aquitanorum dux faelicissimus et primus tam amplitudine rerum quam splendore VIRTVTVM Quam strenuus quam magnificus quam prudens et modestus quam pius ab ipsa vt ita dicam infantia fuerit nec ipse liuor silere nec dissimulare potest cum opera recentia et manifesta sint c. And after those his great workes and all his high achiuements his victoryes his trophees of his heroycall and christian vertues and a long and happy raigne he departed at Chinon in Touraine in the 35. yeere of his raigne and in the 61. yeere of his age An. Do. 1189. and was with all due funerall pompe enterred at Fronteuaulx and vpon his tombe had this inscription engrauen Sufficit hic tumulus cui non suffecerat orbis Res breuis ampla satis cui fuit ampla breuis Rex inuictus eram mihi plurima regnasubegi Multiplicique modo duxque comesque fui Cui satis advotum fuerant haud omnia terrae Climata terra modo sufficit octo pedum Qui legis haec pensa discrimina mortis et in me Humanae speculum conditionis habe Quod potes instanter operare bonum quia mundus Transit et incautos mors inopina rapit Thus this great Henry left his great name and his glory to the world and his Kingdomes and his dominions to his posterity the Princes aranged and enrouled in this following Poesy Vnto which his Empire I dare affirme vpon the present allegata et probata conclude that neuer any Prince heyre generall of this kingdome had so many so ancient so lawfull titles as Hee to whose happy inauguration this humble verse is consecrated AN ECLOG Entituled
greater by thy wisdome and thy witt Thy minde inuict thy bounteé pieteé And all the vertues for a Caesar fit Wherfore on thee all happines attend Whom heav'ns to vs so happily did send Gran cose in picciol fasce stringo F. Petrarc Dij boni quid hoc est quòd semper ex supremo fine mundi nova deûm numina vniuerso orbi colenda descendunt Orator Belga in Panegirico Constantino D. πολυχÏονιον The Hymne inauguratory for his Maiestie mentioned in the Epistle D.D. O God of gods O King of Kings Aeternall Father of all things In heav'n and earth and euery where By whom all Kings their Scepters beare Great God of Iames our blessed King Who peace and ioy to vs did bring Whom thou a cheef a royall guide Didst for thy herdlesse troupes prouide Now we beseech the mighty Lord To vs such fauour to afford That this triumphall festiuall This holy-day imperiall To his inauguring consecrated May bee so often celebrated That finally it bee not doone Till the great comming of thy sonne And that his health his ioyes his peace May as his yeeres and raigne encrease AMEN Epigrammatis S. Regi Iacobo Iampridem Hantoniae regiae oblati exemplar cuius mentio est Stanza 49. Anglice Dauid aue rex scilicet optime vates Optime quos mundi secula sera vident Vir caelestis aue nam non industria talem Te fecit tun sed gratia summa DEI. Tu pius et fortis tu prudens ordine stirpe Fortuna meritis prime Iacobe vale Aliud de symbolo nummi noui Vos Henrice Rosas vnisti Regna Iacobe Dat Deus vt fiet haec Vnio perpetua FINIS Faults escaped in the Printing In the Epistle DD. in the marg Vite for Vitae Arbit for Arbiter fol. B. In the PrÄ™face Britania for Britannia fol. B. 2 in the Marg. Conquestorre for Conquestore fol. B. 3. in the Marg. Seditioni for se ditioni fol. C. In the Eclog Datus for datur stanz 5. in the Marg. Cars for Carrs stanz 32. Hertford for Hereford stanz 32. in the Marg. Abollished for abolished stanz 40. for stanz 42. and eke for rarenes read and for hir rarenes stanz 42. chardone for chardons stanz 56. Vide Râ— Ascamâ—in Toxophil of the Iustnes of this vnion (1) Capito vt BuchanaÌ„ Buchanan reruÌ„ Scotie lib. 7. An Do. 1603. Iul 25. ap Westminster His Maiesties title to Scotland to Ireland G. Buchan Lionel Plantag Du. of Clarence third sonne of king Ed. 3. maried Eliz. daugh heire of VVil. Murc-Burk Erle of Vlster L. of Connacht from whom the Dukes of York are descended Camden in Hiber * His Maiesties title to France see it more aâ— large in the ArgumeÌ„t Vide 1. Froissar à Tom â— (1) Gersey Garnesey Aldernâ—y c. are parcels of Normandy and so consequently of France yet possessed by the K. of Eng. * His Maiesties title froÌ„ the British Kings (1) Russin (2) Faire Iulian. (3) Edmund (4) Gerion or Ieronim (5) Theodore (6) Veridik D. Povvel in Historie of the Princes of Wales His Maiesties title from the Saxon kings Vite neele gentibus arbit Seneca Quicquid dominatur vim Dei habet Artemidorus Ouid. (i) Britania or Albion rather Vide stanz 17. and it is taken out of Orpheus in his Argonaut where Ma. Camden rather readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Albion or Alba rather then Pinaria and iudiciously He was also surnamed Courtmantel Vide lib. S. Stephani Cadomensis de Gulielmo conquâ—storre editum an 1603. Philosalicus In Summaire des ducs et contes d' Aniov K. Henry the second the greatest king c King Malcolm knighted this K. H. the secoÌ„d at fifteene yeeres of age Novbrig who writeth much in the honour of this king Malcolm lib. 2. cap. 20. Britannia ab aduentu Saxonum in insulam appellatur Anglia IoaÌ„n Salisbur in Policratico Ranulfus Higeden in Polichronic * Ex archiuis Ciscestreasis Ecclesiae by the fauour of the reuerend D. Hen. Blaxtoa Châ—unceâ—lor * Epochâ— K Edred was vncle to Edgar Ingulf a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sub rex This Eadvvis or Edvvin was elder brother to the great Edgar Io. Asser in histor de Gestis Ealfredi Io. Tvvinus in Albionicis I haue seene this charter in the hands of Ma. of Holland a learned Gentleman a good antiquary Sigillo V. Ion B. of Bristow in his first treatise about the vnion Vide Tho. VValshingham in K. Edvv. 1. in Ed. 3. Io. Praesul Carnotensis in Polycratico K. Edw. 3. erected Aquitain into a Princedome for his eldest sonne Edw. Ican de la Hay Gyr. du Hailian en la sommaire des contes d' Aniovv c. Lib. 11. cap. 18. Giraldus Cambrens in Hiber expugnata G. Cà mden G. Neuburg lib. 2. cap. 38. Io. bish Carnotensis in Polycratico D. Povvell D. Powel in the history of the Princes of Wales Sil. Giraldus in Topographia Hiberniae cap. 47. 48. Distinct. 3. Ioan. Saresbur in Policratico lib. 8. cap. 24. * Profligatis G. Neuburg lib. 11. Gyral Cambr. An Dom. 1176. Vide S. Giraldum in Topograp Hibern Distinct. 3. cap. 48. in Hiber expugnala lib. 1. cap. 45. Io. Sto. in Annaâ— Fabian â—â—du Haillan es contes D. d' Aniov He loued Hunting and hauking exceedingly Girald He first kept Lyons made of the armes of Normandy viz the two Leopards and of the single Lyon of Aquitain one coate of armes for Engl. as it is yet borne Nic. Vpton Io. Carnotensis lib. 16. cap. 18. And much more and much and in his honour writeth Giraldus in Hiberna pugnata lib. 1. G. Nevbrig lib. â— cap. 25. Wherunto for breuity I recommend the Reader The ancient wisemen of Britain were calleÌ„d Bardi Diodor. Sic. Humilitas scala caeli Bernard Flexit pinum ferox astris minantem de nube media vocat Seâ—â—ca Genuum doloribus modetur hinc Genista ditta fuâ—â—sius Vide stanz 54. * Apollo praeses luminis Gal. †Sup. Daplmis quod nomen in hac celoga datus S.R. Iacobo sicut Iulin Caesari olim in Ecloga 5. Virgilii a pastoribus SILENVS Capitis niues sic Horatius The Italians French and Spaniards write the first syllable of Garland with an i. that is neerest to the Etyemologie of Guir dalen 1 greene leaues in British Hinc vates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 olim olim dicti Lycophron ap Caelium Rodig The Laurel Garland Plin lib. 15. The Palme garland A. Gell. lib. 3. The Oken Garland Gel lib. 5. The Oliue Garland Gell. Textor The Mirtile Garland Virg. Ouid. The Willow garland authorized by Homer and Virgil Homer calleth this tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. frugiperdam Odyss K. And Virgil placeth the Forlorne louer inter salices eclog. 10. The Grasse Garland Plin. lib. 22. Daphne versa in laurum Ouid. Met. 1. and heereupon Lucian saith Apollo was infortunate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
English Kings vntill this day And from him this poesy is a continued pedegree vnto Queene Elizabeth the first and from Her to your Maiesty and to your Maiesties most excellent Sonne Henry The Prince of Great Britaine Now it resteth that I answere or excuse some faults found in this Poesy for some note that I am too long in my induction notwithstanding I propound in the first stanze Others reproue me because I began no higher Others charge me that I haue concealed and coloured the faultes of bad Princes ANGLIAE REGVM PROSAPIA A TEMPORE QVO ANGLIA APPELLARI CAEPIT NIMIRVM AB EGBERTO REGE PRIMO EIVSDEM MONARCHA VSQVE AD HENRICVM 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. W. S. delineauit But to conclude shortly whatsoeuer be the faults of the booke or of the Buc I most humbly submit them to your Maiesties most gracious censure who next to the omnipotent Lord of Lords are vitae necis Arbiter and not onely the supreme and highest iudge but which is best the best iudge i. the most wise the most learned and the most clement iudge And so therefore eftsoones prostrating my selfe my small talent or rather mites and all at your sacred feete not seeking either praise or thankes nor so much as one branch or leafe of any of these your many Garlands but with the old Poet Veniam pro laude peto laudatus abundé Si fastiditus non tibi Daphnis ero And with the new inauguratorie hymne still pray to the Almighty that Your happy dayes may not be done Till the great comming of his Sonne And that your health your ioyes your peace May as your raigne and yeres increase AMEN THE PREFACE OR Argument of this Poësy DAmaetas hauing long bin a woodman had obserued the natures propertyes of many trees and apprehended there was some mistery and some peculiar maiesticall matter in the Genest more then he could discipher Whereupon hee went to Silenus a man of great learning and authoritie for he was held a Proâ—het and exposeth to him his conceit and prayeth earnestly his ayde Silenus entertaineth him curteously and is very willing and by the meanes of a late accident well able to reseâ—ue him for saith he there was a complaint madâ—â—ately to our great God Apollo against certaine vnworthy fellowes which presumptuously tooke garlands of his ancient tree the Laurell without leaue Whereat he hauing indignation determined to take order for that and such like abuses And foorthwith calling the Muses to counsell in Helicon established ordinances for the due wearing of that of al other Ghirlands And because the ancient Ghirlands were abused prophaned with common and vnworthy vse hee made choice of a new tree viz the Genest and instituted Ghirlands thereof and gaue to them praerogatiues aboue the rest appropriated them to one imperial family seated in Leuceessa with expresse defence that none else should weare them And that not all the Princes of this family should haue Garlands hereof but to some of them better deseruing should be permitted a chappelet and to the rest but a branch or Plante of the Genest But the chiefe Garland of Genest complete and adorned with diuers sacred flowers should be reserued for his fauorite Daphnis the most puissant and the most vertuous and in briefe the most true heroycall Prince of that imperiall race ordained long-since by the highest aeternall wisedome to reconcile the olde and vnnaturall fewd betweene Locrine and Albanact to reduce all the Britannik Isles into one entyre monarchy to restore the ancient vnity of religion lawes and language in this great Iland and finally to extend the limit of his Empyre as farre as they were in the times of Albion of Brutus of Artur of Edgar or of any other our monarkes whose dominions were largest Thus farre Apollo's decree After this Silenus declareth more particularly who and what these royall Worthyes were which should beare or weare Chappelets or GarlaÌ„ds of the Genest tree and lastly the Garland complete Beginning with that great Henry sonne of the Empresse Matilda the first King of this Iland surnamed Plantagenet and so deducing a genealogy from him through his royall posterity to our present sacred Soueraign IAMES his now next heire and nephew whom the Prophet herein styleth the true Polystephanus the Peace-maker King Arturs successor great Aedgars heire high Seneschall of Albion the great Briton c. And crowneth his head with this imperiall Polyanthine Ghirland and his raigne with all the blessings of peace victory long life a rare fayre wife hopefull Princely issue and a perpetuall succession of their posterity in the Empire of great Britain And now to that obiection touched in the dedicatory and made because I deriue not this title and genealogy from some of the ancient monarkes of this Isle Britons or Saxons or at the least from King William the Conquerour I must answere that to haue chosen any of the most ancient Kings I must haue looked so farre backe as I should not onely haue made this Eclog ouer-long and tedious but also haue lost my selfe in the cloudes of obscurity by soring too high amongst them as they know which know what our ancient storyes bee But as for William the Conquerour there be many reasons why I should not begin with him although I goe as neere him as his sonnes daughter for firstly he was a bastard and yet not that of the blood royall of England hauing no title to the Crowne but violence and his sword as he confessed and thereof had remorse of conscience at his death Secondly he was neuer possessed of the one halfe of Britain for hee had neither Scotland nor Wales and in Ireland he not one foote Furthermore Girard Du-Haillan and other French antiquaries according to their Salike heraldry say that his lyne ended in his sonne King Henry the first for all they holde as a maxime La famille se continué es masles et se finist aux filles And yet Du-Haillan notwithstaÌ„ding or forgetting this affirmeth in an other place that the race of the Kings of England issued out of the house of Aniow viz from our great Henry and his ancesters continueth vntill this day From whom there be many reasons on the other side why I should deduce the genealogy of our Kings passed and of our present Soueraigne Lord King IAMES for this great Henry was not onely rightfull heire and King of England but also the greatest King of whom there is any credible story extant which hath been in this Isle of Britain since the time of the Romaine Emperous who were reputed Lords of all the world and which thus I demonstrate and briefly He was King of England in the right of his mother Matilda the Empresse daughter and heire to King Henry the first by Matilda Bona daughter of King Malcolm Canmoir and of Margaret his wife who was the daughter of Edward Exul the Saxon Prince the sonne
To weare a wreath of ech tree in the wood Wise valiant iust in briefe indued with all Vertues Christian and heroicall 20. To him his neighbour potentat's shall bend The Polare princes shall his vassalls bee Afrik and Iude to him shall pręsents send Aesteeming those the happiest wights alone Which league contract with him or amitee Fortunes dearling Pieties champion Successor and heire in all by right To great King Artur Iesu's faithfull knight 21. Thus said the King the Prophet and the God Which I must credit as my blest beleefe And here he made his parting Period But that thou may'st the better bear away This Oracle I will declare in briefe What worthies haue bene graç'd vnto this day By bearing branches of this happy tree As diuers haue and hearken now to mee 22. You see Damaetas that the Gods decree Admitts but one to weare the complet ghirland But some whose fame hath scal'd a high degree May beare a branch and some a chappelet Th' Empress Matilda's sonne who conquerd Irland The greatest Britanne King which hath beene yet Must by good right now lead this royall band Of the triumphant worthies of this land 23. A prince form'd of the true imperiall mould Hee was as valorous as politike Hee could well win what he wan could hould And fortune follows such men in their traine Westria was his he rul'd in Armorike And raignd in Albion and in Aquitaine In breef a soueraign hee did raigne and rule From Pyren mountaines to the frozen Thule 24. With slipps of Broome he decked next his cap Whose valiant zeale whose chiualry diuine Made in the pagan kingdomes such a gapp As all the Christian hosts mought enter in He tooke Acon and Ioppe in Palaestine And did besides the realme of Cyprus win He warr'd with men and slew the Austriak Lyon And made a peace with GOD and went to Zion 25. Next rides king Ion to whom stout Caledoun Solemly vow'd to be loyall leege-man To him the King and heyrs of his Crowne And by his auspices the Brabant Knight From rebell Lords their ile of refuge wan By him great Themses bridge so exquisite Which did before in woodden modells lurke Became of Europe the most stately woorke 26. Then comes his sonne with other architects Not to build Babels and Castles in the ayre But hee a holy house for GOD proiects The which he doth at Westminster performe A temple high magnificent and faire A princely pile as well for vse as forme And shall remaine to all posterity A glorious tropheè of his piety 27. Now add the foremost two which bore his name Who of the saint desguis'd a ring receaued To th' one some giue a Hammer for surname Bycause he bruis'd Gaiothel in his wroth And him of Iacobs stone and chaire bereaued But Iacob soone shall repossesse them both Th' other Edward the templars did expell Of whom I can no more say to say well 28. Behold him next who in a doome supreme Pouuoir aboue an Estre did aduance For he was offred Coesars diademe But follow'd boons forbod and downe anon Cuts with his mothers sword the flowrs of France and plants them in his fields of Albion And puts them in his royall Lions guard For so quoth he Dieu mon droit award 29. Right gentile too was that conceit of his When hee the Garters order did ordaine A noble pledge of princely grace it is Happy are they which therewith gird their knee Thrise happy hee and ay so may remaine Who doth protect both that and them and hee Which saith not so ill come to him and worse Then Hōni soit qui mal y pense's curse 30. Philipp the famous Macedonian Had not a sonne of higher worth then hee For where the prince black Edward went hee wann This honors comete first did faire appeare At Crecy field which Nauaret did see After more bright then Mauors in his sphere But Poitiers cheifely where hee tooke King Ioan For there a double victory he wann 31. Two Richards more succeed the one a Prince Whose goodly presence men to woonder moued And was as bountifull as any since Fame hath been sharp to th' other yet bicause All accusations of him are not proued And hee built Churches and made good law's And all men held him wise and valiant Who may deny him then his Genest plante 32. But Henry Bolinbrook me thinks dooth frowne That Glo'ster here should next to Burdeaux come Bycause he from his cousin tooke the crowne Mistake not Henry for by right for neither Of yee in these triumphall car's is roome But best of all ye may be match'd together Yet doo I grant thou wert a princely Knight And patrone of the bloody rose by right 33. But to thy sonne the Dolphins strange repeyre Swimming in post vp to the royall port Foretold that hee was born the Lillies heire This signe was soon by sequels verified Dolphin hee was by right or swords effort And he in France victorious liu'd and died Whom Azincourt so nobly did receaue At Vincienne parke of all he takes his leaue 34. Henry his sonne surnamed of Windlesore Who was in London and in Paris crowned Most worthily a Plant of Genest bore But not by scepters sole his praise began His christian vertues made him most renowned For he was deem'd a very holy man And had been made a Saint and long since shrin'd But that the vice-saint maker was vnkind 35. I must omitt that proud Plantagenet Who in high parlament the king defi'de But I may not his gallant sonne forget Who twice did winne the royall gole by armes And was the father of the happiest bride That euer Camber compassd in his armes She made the losse the lighter of that sonne Whose raigne then ended as it was begonne 36. She and her Richmont on'd by sacrament Refus'd the golden offer of Colône Foreseeing that the riches and the rent Would hardly counteruaile the keepers care And had besid's a secret reed that one Who should hereafter set in Arturs chaire Should fetch the fleece when he occasion saw And hold the golden monark in his awe 37. This Richmont was a very prudent prince And therefore was surnamed Solomon The world hath seen great works accōplish'd since Which were proiected by this Theodore This man of GOD did happily atone The ciuil feud which long had been before Betwixt the Rose which first grew in the wood And that which Venus colour'd in hir blood 38. These happy Plants haue ouerspreed this I le By Henry and more fruitfull Margaret But Henry's branches florish'd but a while She is the roote of the immortall seed Whence Iames the wise a new Plantagenet did spring and was hir father who did breed The great Polystephane as shall appeere When they are past which come
〈◊〉 In dial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cypresse-garland Cato apud Plin. lib. 16. The Veruain garland Vergil Plin. Iuy Garl Plin. lib. 16. The Garlands of Lillies Roses Thistles de his vide Pierium in Hieroglyph The Pine Garland Propertius lib. aeleg 1. The GENEST garland (1) Orpheus calleth Britain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Argonantic (2) Gentile hath diuers significations sometime it signifieth supremo grado de perfectione per natura percostumi per valor c. I. Ruscelli sometime it signifieth of or belonging to the same stock or nation as Gentilis clyteus gentile sacrum Gentilhuomo in Italian and as it is vsed here Sometime also it betokeneth mild or pliant as it is vsed stanz 3 and sometime a Hethen or Pagan as it is vsually taken in the holy scriptures and stanza The Garland of Genest Roses Chardons Lilies reserued for Daphnis Apollo's fauorite c. viz. K. IAMES * The oracle giuen to Augustus me puer Hebraeus c. recorded by Nicephorus and that reported by Eugubius Heutripodes lugete perit praesagus Apollo shevvs that these Hethen gods knevv Christ quod notet B. I. K Hen 2. vide praeface 1) Normandie not Neustria Pitheus 2) Litle Britain 3) Terrarum vlâ—ima Thule Seneca Island or Thylen sell that is Shetland secundum Gasp Peucerum ap G. Camd num K Rich 1. surnamed Coeur-de Lion maried Borengaria daughter of Garcia King of Navarre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Richard demeura en Asic la ou il fist plusieurs belles choses After the departure of the French K. Louys Du-Haillan li. 1. K. Ion brother to Ric. 1. surnamed SaÌ„s-terre he got Angolosme by marrying with Isabell daughter and heyre of Almery Earle of Angolesme and the I le of Man by conquest * VValter Buc brought 700 men out of Braband wan Ely and diuers Castles for this K. Ion. vide Camdenum in Ottadini Holinsh. K. Hen. 3. surnamed de VVinchester maried Elianor daughter of Raimond Erle of Prouence K. Edvvard 1. surnamed Longshank maried first Elianor daughter of the King of Castile she was heir of Ponthieu mother of K. Edvv. 2. by his second wife Margaret daughter of the French King he had Tho. of Brotherton from whom by Segraue and Moubray the Hovvards are discended (2) vide Tho. VValsingham in Edvvard 1. K. Edvvard 2. surnamed of Carmarvon maried Isabell daughter and heire of Philip le Bel K. of France K. Edvvard 3. surnamed de VVind sore maried Philip daughter of VVilliam Erle of Henalt c. hee tooke Calais wonn many victories of the French as at Crecy Slays c. Refused to be Emperour Paralipom ad Abb. Vrspergens The order of the Knights of the Garter instituted Edvv. de VVoodstock Pr. of Wales and of Aquitain maried Ioan daughter and heire of Edm. Plantagenet Erle of Kent Vn tel prince estoit digne de gouerner tout le monde Froisard 1) Hee ouerthrevv 60000. Spaniards and French in Spain betwixt Navaret Naiara Idem 2) Le ieune prince doublement victorieux aiant vaincuson enemi par valeur et par courtoisie laissant vne venerable trophè de son humanitè prudence c. Ie. de Serres * K. Ric. 2. his sonne surnamed de Bourdeaux maried Anne of Luxembourg daughter of the Emperour VVenceslaus § K. Ric. 3. surnamed de Fotheringay duke of Glocester c. maried Anne Nevill daughter of Rich. the great Earle of VVarvvik K. Hen. 4. surnamed de Bolingbrook maried Mary daughter heyr of Humfrey Bohun Erle of Hertford c. He vvas Duke of Lancaster in the right of his mother Blanch daughter of Henry Duke of Lancaster c. § Of this Dolphin vide Tho. VValsingham in An. Do. 1392. Hee conquered France for the most part K. Hen. 5. surnamed de Monmouth maried Katharine daughter to Char. the 6. the French King * Hee died at Bois de Vinciennes nere Paris K. Hen. 6. surnamed the Saint built a college at Eaton and the Kings college in Cambridge maried Marg. daughter of Renè K. of Sicil Duke of Aniovv K. H. 7. sollicited the Pope to canonize K. H. 6. vvho refused Rich. duke of Yorke heire generall of the crovvne Regent of France maried Cecily Nevil daughter of Rafe Erle of VVestmerland K. Edvv. 4. maried Eliz. VVidevile daughter of Ant. Erle Riuers extinguished Lancaster Q. Elizab 1. K. Edvv. 5. K. Hen. 7. Erle of Richmont maried Elizab. Plantag daughter heire of K. Edvv. 4. For them Christopher Colonus offered to discouer the Indies R. Hakluit to 3. Hen. Erle of Richm. vvanne both the field and the crowne at Bosvvorth Margaret his mother vvas an heyre of the house of Somerset hee extinguished the male line of Yorke Vide Ouid in Metam these Roses were the devises of Yorke Lancaster Margaret their daughter was maried to Ia. 4 K. of Scotland by whoÌ„ she had K. Iames 5. who maried Mary daughter to Claud duke of Cuise who bare to him Mary Queene of Scotland and of France heyr apparent of England and mother of our Souerain Lord King Iames. K. Hen. 8 maried Katarine daughter of Ferdinand King of Castle by whom he had Q. Mary he had Q. Elizabeth by Anne Bolein daughter of the Erle of VViltshire Hee had K. Edvv. by Iane sister of the Duke of Somerset Doctor Cooper B. of Lincolne in Chronicis K. Edvv. 6. Quem dij diligunt moritur Iuvenis Menander Q. Mary maried to Philip 2. King of Spaine Q. Elizabeth 2. shee added Virginia to hir Empire c. Ric. Erle of Cornvvall brother to K. Hen. 3. elected K. of Almayin or Romanes Ion of Gant Duke of Lancaster K. of Castile Lion by Q ConstaÌ„ce his wife K. Hen. 4 vt supra Ion Duke of Bedford 3. sonne of K. Hen. 4. regeÌ„t of FraÌ„ce where he tooke the great Champion of France Ieane la pucelle ouerthrew the vicont of Narbone at sea wann the bataile at Vernueil which as Serres saith Faisoit porter le dueil a toute la France * K. Charl. 7. was called in scorne Le petit roy de Bourges Artur Plantag Erle of Britain sonne of Geffrey 3. sonne of K H. 2. heir apparent proclaimed by K. R. the first Mary daughter and heire of Iam. 5. King of Scotland by Mary de Loraine daughter of the Duke of Guise vt supra 38. S. Peter calleth the crowne of immortall glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. epist. ca. 5. DAPHNIS K. Iames is high Seneschall of England Scotland and France by private heritages viz. by Leicester Ab. Aniovv Vide Epigramma Latinum in calce libelli Sic Minerua dicta Olivisera ab Ovidio Tria iuncta in vno It is the mott of his Maiesties devise for the Knights of the Bath Anne Queene of great Britain daughter of Frederick 2. King of Denmarke Henry Prince of great Britain Prince Henry K. Henry the 2. buried in Frontenaulx in France DAMAETAS In Stanz 4.