To helpe to bring him to his Requiem masse Which sith it could for no crime come to passe His life and doings were so right and clere Through priuy murder we brought him to his bere Thus righteousnesse brought Humfrey to rebuke Because he would no wickednesse allow But for my doings I was made a Duke So Fortune can both bend and smooth her brow On whom she list not passing why or how O Lord how high how soone she did me raise How fast she fill'd me both with prayes and praise The Lords and Commons both of like assent Besought my soueraigne kneeling on their knees For to record my deeds in the Parlament As deeds deseruing euerlasting fees In which attempt they did no labour leese For they set not my praise so fast in flame As he was readie to reward the same But note the end my deeds so worthie deemed Of King of Lords and Commons all together Were shortly after treasons false esteemed And all men curst Queene Margets comming lither For Charles the French King in his feats not lither When we had rendred Rayner Maunts and Maine Found meane to win all Normandie againe This made the people curse the mariage Esteeming it the cause of euery losse Wherefore at me with open mouth they rage Affirming me t' haue brought the Realme to mosse When King and Queene saw things thus go acrosse To quiet all a Parlament they called And caused me in prison to be thralled And shortly after brought me forth abrode Which made the Commons more then double wood And some with weapons would haue laid on lode If their grand Captaine Blewberd in his mood Had not in time with wisdome been withstood But though that he and more were executed The people still their worst against me bruted And so applied the Parliament with billes Of hainous wrongs and open traiterous crimes That King and Queene were forst against their willes From place to place t'adiourne it diuers times For Princes power is like the sandie slimes Which must perforce giue place vnto the waue Or sue the windie sourges when they raue Their life was not more deare to them then I Which made them search all shifts to saue me still But aye my foes such faults did on me trie That to preserue me from a worser ill The King was faine full sore against his will For fiue yeares space to send me in exile In hope to haue restor'd me in a while But marke how vengeance waiteth vpon vice To shun this storme in sayling towards France A Pirats Barke that was of little price Encountred me vpon the feas by chance Whose Captaine there tooke me as in a trance Let passe my ships with all their frait and load And led me backe againe to Douer road Where vnto me recounting all my faults As murthering of Duke Humfrey in his bed And how I had brought all the Realme to naughts Causing the King vnlawfully to wed There was no grace but I must lose my head Wherefore he made me shriue me in his bote And on the brinke my necke in two he smote This was mine end which was by reason due To me and such as others deaths procure Therefore be bold to write for it is true That whoso doth such practise put in vre Of due reward at last shall be most sure For God is iust whose stroke delayed long Doth light at last with paine more sharpe and strong W. Baldwine HOW IACK CADE NAMING HIMSELFE MORTIMER TRAYTEROVSLY rebelling against his King in Iune Anno 1450. was for his treasons and cruell doings worthilie punished SHall I it Fortune call or my froward folly That rais'd me vp and laid me downe below Or was it courage that made me so iolly Which of the starres and bodies greement grow What ere it were this one point sure I know Which shall be meete for euery man to marke Our lust and willes our euils chiefely warke It may be well that Planets doe encline And our complexions moue our mindes to ill But such is reason that they bring to fine No worke vnayded of our lust and will For heauen and earth are subiect both to skill The will of God rul'th all it is so strong Man may by skill guide things that to him long Though lust be stout and will enclin'd to nought This forst by mixture that by heauens course Yet through the grace God hath in reason rought And giuen man no lust nor will to course But may be staied or swaged of the sourse So that it shall in nothing force the minde To worke our woe or leaue the proper kind But though this grace be giuen to some man To rule the will and keepe the mind aloft Yet few there be'mongst men that vse it can These worldly pleasures tickle vs so oft The spirit weake and will strong flesh is soft And yeeldes it selfe to pleasure that it loueth And hales the mind to that it most reproueth Now if this hap whereby we yeeld our mind To lust and will be Fortune as we name her Then is she iustly called false and blind And no reproch can be too much to blame her Yet is the shame our owne when so we shame her For sure this hap if it be rightly knowne Comes of our selues and so the blame our owne For whoso liueth in the schoole of skill And medleth not with any worlds affaires Forsaketh pomps and honors that doe spill The minds recourse to Graces quiet staires His state no Fortune by no meane appaires For Fortune is the only foe of those Which to the world their wretched willes dispose Among which fooles marke Baldwine I am one That would not stay my selfe in mine estate I thought to rule but to obay to none And therefore fell I with my King at bate And to the end I might him better mate Iohn Mortimer I caus'd my selfe be called Whose kingly bloud the Henries nigh had thrall'd This shift I vs'd the people to perswade To leaue their Prince on my side more to sticke Whereas indeed my fathers name was Cade Whose noble stocke was neuer worth a sticke But touching wit I was both ripe and quicke Had strength of limmes large stature comely face Which made men weene my linage were not base And seeing stoutnes stucke by men in Kent Whose valiant hearts refuse none enterprise With false perswasions straight to them I went And said they suffered too great iniuries By meane whereof I caused them to rise And battaile-wise to come to Blacke Heath plaine And thence their griefes vnto the King complaine Who being deafe as men say on that eare For we desired release of subsidies Refused roughly our requests to heare And came against vs as his enemies But we to stay him sought out subtilties Remou'd our Campe and backe to Senock went After whom the Staffords with their power were sent See here how Fortune setting vs a flote Brought to our nets a portion of our pray For why the Staffords with
warres the dance And wan the palme the praise renowne and fame Leaue in thy booke a place to put my name I will be briefe and truly tell thee all The cause why I from graue do now appeare I will recite to thee my sudden fall And what in life mine exercises were To which since I do see thee set thine eare Marke now my tale and beare it well away Marke what me brought so sudden in decay Let who so stands trust to a stedfast hold If stedfast hold he thinke that he may find Presume not on thy strength nay yet be bold On Fortunes gifts nay let her guide thy mind In hope of hap for she is counted blind To praise her prankes occasion giues no cause Do wisely or you praise her take the pause Some loue to boast what fortune they haue had Some other blame misfortune theirs as fast Some tell of fortunes there be good and bad Some fooles of fortune make themselues agast Some shew of fortune comming present past And say there is a fate that ruleth all But sure it seemes their wisdome is but small No fortune is so bad but we it frame There is no chaunce at all hath vs preseru'd There is no fate whom we haue need to blame There is no destiny but is deseru'd No lucke that leaues vs safe or vnpreseru'd Let vs not then complaine of Fortunes skill For all our good descends from Gods good will If so a man might stay on Fortunes holde Or else on Prince as pillar of defence Then might my selfe t' haue done the same be bolde In euery perill purpose or pretence Cassibellane as much as any Prince Lou'd me his Cosin Irenglas by name For feates in armes for fauour and for fame I came by parents of his regall race Liu'd happie daies if happy mortall be Had as I said his fauour bare the grace I was his loyall seruant franke and free But what of this at all preuailed mee Yet furthermore the feates of armes I knew I fought in field when mighty Caesar flew Shall I for this praise Fortune ought at all Did Fortune ought in this no whit be sure Or shall I blame her after for my fall That neuer could me any hurt procure T' was glory vaine did sweetely me allure Wherefore giue eare and then with pen disclose How seeming friends did prooue my chiefest foes Full happy were our Countrey men that dide As noble Nennius in the field that sought When first both Britaines and the Romanes tride With dint of sword if titles theirs were ought They dide in their defence no pompe they sought They liu'd to see their Countrey conquer still They dide before they felt of priuate ill When Caesar so with shamefull flight recoil'd And left our Britaine land vnconquer'd first Which only thought our Realme and vs t' haue spoil'd We came to see of all our field the worst Our souldiers slaine O cruell Caesar curst Quoth we by thee did all these Britaines die That durst not bide but like a dastard flie But then to see them in array to lie And for to see them wounded all before Not one but in his place his life did trie To see the Romans bloodie backes that bore Their wounds in flight all scattered on the shore What thousand tongues our ioy to light could bring This made our hearts reuiue this pleasde our King With trompets mourning tune and wayling cries And drums and fluits and shawmes we sound adieu And for our friends we watred all our eyes As loth to lose the liues of such a crew To th' earth we bare them all in order dew According vnto each mans noble name And as their birth requir'd and worthie fame Of noble triumphes after was no spare We Britaines erst were neuer halfe so glad That so we made the Romans hence to fare No tongue can tell the heartie ioyes we had We were therewith for battaile bent as mad Our fingers tickled still which came from fight We had before our eyes our foes foule flight So fares it when the meaner giue the spoile And make the mightie all their force reuoke So fares it when great victours feele the foile And men lesse deem'd do giue the conquering stroke That pierceth euen the hardest heart of oke For where the weaker win the wage of fame The victours hearts a thousand ioyes enflame A solemne Iusts proclaimed was for those Who would to win renowne their valour trie Where th' Earle of Londons cosin did expose Himselfe to purchase praise against whom I To win the prize did all my powers applie But fatall was the scope I did intend Th' effects bewray'd my folly in the end For why when glorie vaine stirres men to strife When hope of praise prouokes them once to ire Then they at all regard no goods nor life From faithfull friendship rudely they retire They are so set with glories glose on fire That quite they rule and reason wrest awrie They turne away their former friendly eie O God that workest all the wonder wrought And hast the power to turne the hearts aliue Grant grace to those that labour so for nought But flitting fame and titles hautie striue Let not ambition so the earth depriue Of worthie wights giue them some better grace That they may run for countries weale their race Let them not breake the bond of friendly loue In broiles of bate but friendly faults redresse Let not them so their manhood seeke to proue By priuate hate to worke their owne distresse So shall they need their foes to feare the lesse Friends worse then forren foes themselues do make That fall at oddes for fond vaine glories sake But what need I on those aliue to stay They haue examples good before their eyes By which if they haue grace beware they may * The happiest men by others harmes are wise Let them not then our warning words despise Do will them wisely of these things debate For why the foolish aye the warning hate We spent the day in iusting as I said Appointed erst among our selues before And all the feats of armes in field we plaid Aenaeas taught our ancestors of yore What need I fill thine eares with talking more My men and I had put those feats in vre And he likewise but nothing yet so sure For as with fortune still I gaue the foile To him that thought the glorie all to haue When he perceiu'd he could not keepe the coile Nor yet with equall match himselfe to saue Occasion of dissension great he gaue In stead of iest he offered earnest play In lieu of sport he spite did still display The traytour vile the tyrant so he prou'd With coward canker'd hatefull hastie ire And caytife dealing shew'd how me he lou'd When as he could not to his hope aspire To win the praise of triumph his desire He challeng'd me and heere began the broile He thought with banding braue to keep the coile And that because mens iudgement favour'd me
their army hote Assailed vs at Senocke where we lay From whence aliue they parted not away Which when the Kings retinue vnderstood They all affirm'd my quarell to be good Which caus'd the King and Queene whom all did hate To raise their campe and suddenly depart And that they might the peoples grudge abate T' imprison some full sore against their hart Lord Saye was one whom I made after smart For when the Staffords and their host was slaine To Black-heath field I marched backe againe And where the King would nothing heare before Now was he glad to send to know my mind And I thereby enflamed much the more Refus'd his grants so folly made me blind For this he flew and left Lord Scales behind To helpe the Towne and strenghten London Tower Towards which I marched forward with my power And found there all things at mine owne desire I entred London did there what I list The Treasurer Lord Saye I did conspire To haue condemned whereof when I mist For he by law my malice did resist By force I tooke him in Guildhall from th' heape And headed him before the crosse in Cheape His sonne in law Iames Cromer Shrief of Kent I caught at Mile-end where as then he lay Beheaded him and on a pole I sent His head to London where his fathers lay With these two heads I made a prety play For pight on poles I bare them through the street And for my sport made ech kisse other sweet Then brake I prisons let forth whom I wold And vs'd the City as it had been mine Tooke from the Merchants money ware and gold From some by force from other some by fine This at the length did cause them to repine So that Lord Scales consenting with the Maire For bad vs to their City to repaire For all this while mine host in Southwarke lay Who when they knew our passage was denied Came boldly to the bridge and made a fray For in we would the townesmen vs defied But when with strokes we had the matter tried We wan the bridge and set much part on fire This done to Southwarke backe we did retire The morow after came the Chancellour With generall pardon for my men halfe gone Which heard and read the rest within an houre Shranke all away each man to shift for one And when I saw they left me post alone I did disguise me like a Knight of the post And into Sussex rode all hope was lost And there I lurked till that cursed coyne That restlesse begle sought and found me out For straight the King by promise did enioyne A thousand marke to whomsoeuer mought Apprend my corps which made them seeke about Among the which one Alexander Iden Found out the hole wherein the Foxe was hidden But ere I fell I put him to his trumps For yeeld I would not while my hands would hold But hope of money made him stir his stumps And to assault me valiantly and bold Two houres and more our combat was not cold Till at the last he lent me such a stroke That downe I fell and neuer after spoke Then was my carcase caried like a hog To Southwarke borow where it lay a night The next day drawne to Newgate like a dog All men reioycing at the rufull sight Then were on poles my perboil'd quarters pight And set aloft for vermine to deuour Meete graue for rebels that resist the power Full little know we wretches what we do When we presume our Princes to resist We warre with God against his glorie to That placeth in his office whom he list Therefore was neuer traytour yet but mist The marke he shot and came to shamefull end Nor neuer shall till God be forst to bend God hath ordain'd the power all Princes be His Lieutenants or deputies in Realmes Against their foes therefore fighteth he And as his enmies driues them to extreames Their wise deuices proue but doltish dreames No subiect ought for any kind of cause To force the Prince but yeeld him to the lawes Wherefore O Baldwine warne men follow reason Subdue their willes and be not Fortunes slaues A shamefull end doth euer follow treason There is no trust in rebels rascall knaues In Fortune lesse which worketh as the waues From whose assaults who listeth to stand free Must follow skill and so contented bee W. Baldwine THE TRAGEDIE OF EDMVND DVKE OF SOMMERSET SLAINE IN THE FIRST battaile at Saint Albanes the 23. day of May in the 32. yeare of Henrie the sixt Anno Dom. 1454. SOme I suppose are borne vnfortunate Else good endeuours could not ill succeed What shall I call it ill fortune or fate That some mens attempts haue neuer good speed Their trauell thanklesse all bootlesse their heed Where other vnlike in working or skill Out wrestle the world and weald it at will Of the first number I count my selfe one To all mishap I weene predestinate Beleeue me Baldwine there be few or none To whom Fortune was euer more ingrate Make thou therefore my life a caueate That whose with force will worke against kind Saileth as who saith against the streame and winde For I of Sommerset Duke Edmund hight Extract by descent from Lancaster line Were it by follie or Fortunes despite Or by ill aspect of some crooked signe Of mine attempts could neuer see good fine What so I began did seldome well end God from such Fortune all good men defend Where I thought to saue most part I did spill For good hap with me was alway at warre The linage of Yorke whom I bare so ill By my spite became bright as the morning star Thus some whiles men make when faine they would mar The more ye lop trees the greater they grow The more ye stop streames the higher they flow Maugre my spite his same grew the more And mine as the Moone in the wane waxt lesse For hauing the place which he had before Gouernour of France needs I must confesse That lost was Normandie without redresse Yet wrought I alwaies that wit might contriue But what doth it boote with the streame to striue Borne was I neither to warre ne to peace For Mars was maligne to all my whole trade My birth I beleeue was in Ioues decrease When Cancer in his course being retrograde Declined from Sol to Saturnus shade Where aspects were good opposites did marre So grew mine vnhap both in peace and warre A strange natiuitie in calculation As all my liues course did after well declare Whereof in briefe to make relation That other by me may learne to beware Ouerlight credence was cause of my care And want of foresight in giuing assent To condemne Humfrey that Duke innocent Humfrey I meane that was the Protectour Duke of Glocester of the royall blood So long as he was Englands directour King Henries title to the Crowne was good This Prince as a piller most stedfastly stood Or like a prop set vnder a vine In state to vphold all Lancasters
do me loue Which when they answered him they lou'd their father more Then they themselues did loue or any worldly wight He praised them and said he would therefore The louing kindnesse they deseru'd in fine requite So found my sisters fauour in his sight By flatterie faire they won their fathers heart Which after turned him and me to smart But not content with this he asked me likewise If I did not him loue and honor well No cause quoth I there is I should your grace despise For nature so doth bind and dutie me compell To loue you as I ought my father well Yet shortly I may chance if Fortune will To find in heart to beare another more good will Thus much I said of nuptiall loues that ment Not minding once of hatred vile or ire And partly taxing them for which intent They set my fathers heart on wrathfull fire Shee neuer shall to any part aspire Of this my Realme quoth he among'st you twaine But shall without all dowrie aie remaine Then to Maglaurus Prince with Albany he gaue My sister Gonerell the eldest of vs all And eke my sister Ragan height to Hinniue to haue And for her dowrie Camber and Cornwall These after him should haue his kingdome all Betweene them both he gaue it franke and free But nought at all he gaue of dowrie mee At last it chanst a Prince of France to heare my fame My beautie braue my wit was blaz'd abroad each where My noble vertues praisde me to my fathers blame Who for I could not flatter did lesse fauour beare Which when this worthie Prince I say did heare He sent ambassage lik'd me more then life And soone obtained me to be his wife Prince Aganippus reau'd me of my woe And that for vertues sake of dowries all the best So I contented was to France my father fro For to depart and hopt t' enioy some greater rest Where liuing well belou'd my ioyes encreast I gate more fauour in that Prince his sight Then euer Princesse of a Princely wight But while that I these ioyes so well enioy'd in France My father Leire in Britaine waxt vnwealdie old Whereon his daughters more themselues aloft t' aduance Desir'd the Realme to rule it as they wold Their former loue and friendship waxed cold Their husbands rebels void of reason quite Rose vp rebeld bereft his crowne and right Betwixt their husbands twaine they causde him to agree To part the Realme and promist him a gard Of sixtie Knights that on him should attendant bee But in sixe moneths such was his hap too hard That Gonerell of his retinue bard The halfe of them she and her husband reft And scarce allow'd the other halfe they left As thus in his distresse he lay lamenting sates When as my sister so sought all his vtter spoile The meaner vpstart courtiers thought themselues his mates His daughter him disdain'd and forced not his foile Then was he faine for succour his to toile With halfe his traine to Cornwall there to lie In greatest need his Ragans loue to trie So when he came to Cornwall she with ioy Receiued him and Prince Maglaurus did the like There he abode a yeare and liu'd without annoy But then they tooke all his retinue from him quite Saue only ten and shew'd him daily spite Which he bewail'd complaining durst not striue Though in disdaine they last allow'd but fiue What more despite could diuellish beasts deuise Then ioy their fathers wofull daies to see What vipers vile could so their King despise Or so vnkind so curst so cruell bee Fro thence againe he went to Albany Where they bereau'd his seruants all saue one Bad him content himselfe with that or none Eke at what time he ask'd of them to haue his gard To gard his noble grace where so he went They call'd him doting foole all his requests debard Demanding if with life he were not well content Then he too late his rigour did repent Gainst me my sisters fawning loue that knew Found flattery false that seem'd so faire in vew To make it short to France he came at last to mee And told me how my sisters ill their father vsde Then humblie I besought my noble King so free That he would aide my father thus by his abusde Who nought at all my humble hest refusde But sent to euery coast of France for aide Whereby King Leire might home be well conueide The souldiers gathered from each quarter of the land Came at the length to know the noble Princes will Who did commit them vnto captaines euery band And I like wise of loue and reuerent meere good will Desir'd my Lord he would not take it ill If I departed for a space withall To take a part or ease my fathers thrall He granted my request Thence we arriued here And of our Britaines came to aide likewise his right Full many subiects good and stout that were By martiall feats and force by subiects sword and might The British Kings were faine to yeeld our right Which wonne my father well this Realme did guide Three yeares in peace and after that he dide Then I was crowned Queene this Realme to hold Till fiue yeares past I did this Island guide I had the Britaines at what becke I would Till that my louing King mine Aganippus dide But then my seat it faltered on each side My sisters sonnes began with me to iarre And for my crowne wag'd with me mortall warre The one hight Morgan Prince of Albany And Conidagus King of Cornwall and of Wales Both which at once prouided their artillerie To worke me wofull woe and mine adherents bales What need I fill thine eares with longer tales They did preuaile by might and power so fast That I was taken prisoner at last In spitefull sort they vsed then my captiue corse No fauour shew'd to me extinct was mine estate Of kindred Princes blood or peere was no remorce But as an abiect vile and worse they did me hate To lie in darke some dungeon was my fate As t' were a thiefe mine answeres to abide Gainst right and iustice vnder Iailours guide For libertie at length I su'd to subiects were But they kept me in prison close deuoid of trust If I might once escape they were in dread and feare Their fawning friends with me would proue vntrue and iust They told me take it patiently I must And be contented that I had my life Sith with their mothers I began the strife Whereby I saw might nothing me preuaile to pray To plead or proue defend excuse or pardon craue They heard me not despisde my plaints sought my decay I might no law nor loue nor right nor iustice haue No friends no faith nor pitie could me saue But I was from all hope of freedome bard Condem'd my cause like neuer to be heard Was euer noble Queene so drencht in wrecks of woe Deposde from Princely power bereft of libertie Depriu'd of all these worldly pompes her
woundes to smart I ioyed to feele the mighty monster start That roard and belcht and groande and plungde and cride And tost me vp and downe from side to side Long so in pangs hee plungde and panting lay And drew his winde so fast with such a powere That quite and cleane he drew my breath away Wee both were dead well nigh within an houre Lo thus one beastly monster did deuoure Another monster moodles to vs paine At once the realme was rid of monsters twaine Here maist thou see of fortitude the hap Where prudence iustice temperance hath no place How suddenly we taken are in trap When we despise good vertues to embrace Intemperance doth all our deeds deface And lets vs heedles headlong run so fast We seeke our owne destruction at the last For he that hath of fortitude and might And thereto hath a kingdome ioind withall Except he also guide himselfe aright His powre and strength prewaileth him but small He can not scape at length an haples fall You may perceiue a myrrour plaine by me Which may with wisdome well sufficient be HOW KING EMERIANVS FOR HIS TYRANNIE WAS DEPOSED ABOVT THE yeare before Christ 225. THe wofull wight that fell from throne to thrall The wretch that woue the web wherin he goes A dolefull blacke bad weede still weare hee shall In woefull sort and nothing blame his foes What neede such one at all his name disclose Except the rest of Britaine princes should Not here for shame resite his name he would I am Emeriane King that raign'd a space Scarce all one yeare in Britaine Isle long sence But for I was in maners voide of grace Fierce tyrannous and full of negligence Bloud thirsty cruell vaine deuoide of sence The Britaines me deposed from seate and crowne And reau'd me quite of riches and renowne I was despisde and banisht from my blisle Discountnanst faine to hide my selfe for shame What neede I longer stand to tell thee this My selfe was for my woefull fall too blame My raigne was short in few my fall I frame My life was lothsome soone like death that found Let this suffice a warning blast to sound HOW KING CHRINNVS GIVEN TO DRVNKENNES raigned but one yeare He died about the yeare before Christ 137. THough I my surfets haue not yet out slept Nor scarce with quiet browes begin my tale Let not my drowsy talke bee ouer leapt For though my belching sent of wine or ale Although my face be fallo puft and pale And legs with dropsy swell and panch resound Yet let me tell what vice did me confound Perhaps thou thinkst so grosse a blockhead blunt A sleepy swinish head can nothing say The greatest heads and smallest eke were wont To beare in them the finest wits away This thing is true thou canst it not denay And Bacchus eke ensharps the wits of some Foecundi calices quem non fecere desertum Yet sith long since both braines and all were spent And this in place amongst my mates I speake I trust thou wilt be herewithall content Although indeed my wits of talke are weake So old a vessell cannot chuse but leake A drunken sot whose faltering feete do slip Must pardon craue his tongue in talke will trip Chirinnus was my name a Britaine King But rulde short time Sir Bacchus was my let Erinnus eke my senses so did swing That reason could no seat amongst them get Wherefore the truth I pray thee plainely set I gaue my selfe to surfets swilling wine And led my life much like a dronken swine Diseases grew distemprance made me swell My parched liuer lusted still for baste My timpane sounded like a taber well And nought but wine did like my greedie taste This vice and moe my life and me defaste My face was blowne and blubd with dropsie wan And legs more like a monster then a man So not in shape I onely altered was My dispositions chang'd in me likewise For vices make a man a goate an asse A swine or horse as Poets can comprise Transforming into beasts by sundry wise Such men as keepe not onely shape of men But them mishapeth also now and then Wherefore let who so loues to liue long daies Without diseases strong in youthfull state Beware of Bacchus booth which all betraies The vaile of vices vaine the hauen of hate The well of weake delights the brand of bate By which I lost my health life Realme and fame And onely wonne the shrouding sheete of shame HOW KING VARIANVS GAVE HIMSELFE TO THE lustes of the flesh and dyed about the yeare before Christ 136. WHere no good gifts haue place nor beare the sway What are the men but wilful castaway Where gifts of grace doe garnish well the King There is no want the land can lacke nothing The Court is still well stor'd with noble men In Townes and Cities Gouernours are graue The common wealth doth also prosper then And wealth at will the Prince and people haue Perhaps you aske what Prince is this appeares What meanes his talke in these our golden yeares A Britaine Prince that Varianus hight I held sometime the Scepter here by right And though no need there be in these your daies Of states to tell or vertues good discriue Good counsaile yet doth stand in stead alwaies When time againe may vices olde reuiue If not yet giue me leaue amongst the rest Which felt their fall or had their deaths addrest My cause of fall let me likewise declare For * falles the deaths of vicious Princes are They fall when all good men reioice or see That they short time enioide their places hie For Princes which for vertues praised be By death arise extold they scale the skie I will be short because it may suffice That soone is said to warne the sage and wise Or if that they no warning need to haue This may perchance somewhat their labour saue With those that will not heare their faults them told By such as would admonish them for loue When they my words and warnings here behold They may regard and see their owne behoue About my time the Princes liu'd not long For all were giuen almost to vice and wrong My selfe voluptuous was abandond quite To take in fleshly lust my whole delite A pleasure vile that drawes a man from thrift and grace Doth iust desires and heauenly thoughts expell Doth spoile the corps defiles the soule and fame deface And brings him downe to Plutoes paines of hell For this my sinne my subiects hated mee Repining still my stained life to see As when the Prince is wholly giuen to vice And holdes the lewder sort in greatest price The land decaies disorder springs abroad The worser sort doe robbe pill pole and spoile The weaker force to beare the greatest loade And leese the goods for which they earst did toile How can Iehoua iust abide the wrong He will not suffer such haue scepter long As he did strike for sinfull life my seate And did
he all his force doth bend For to defend his Diadem and Crowne But froward Fate vpon the Prince did frowne For why his men were scattered euery where In Tyber he did drowne himselfe for feare To Rome then we and all our host did hie The Romans they with ioy did vs receiue To Constantine they gaue the Emperie But he of them most earnestly did craue That I the rule of all the world might haue It is quoth he my mothers right to raigne Till dreadfull death hath shred her twist in twaine I grant my sonne the Monarchie is mine For at his death thy father gaue it me For terme of life but let it now be thine I aged must go pay the earth her fee I am content to liue with lesse degree O louing sonne giue eare vnto my hest I will not rule that charge for thee is best And when he might not rule his mothers mind Against his will he willing did assent That all should be as I had then assign'd To rule the world he grieued was content And whil'st that there my happie daies I spent Reioycing much to see my sonnes successe I di'd and had a heauenly happinesse Thrice happie I who ran this royall race And in the end my wished Goale did get For by my meanes all people did embrace The faith of Christ the orders I did set They were obey'd with ioy which made me ier Euen in this blisse a better blisse befell I di'd and now my soule in heauen doth dwell So now you see the happie hap I had Learne then thereby to do as I haue done To praise Gods name let euery Prince be glad To persecute the truth let all men shunne By vertuous waies great honor may be wonne But he who doth to vices vile incline May be compar'd vnto a filthie swine Who doth not loue the plaine nor pleasant way He cannot feare to sleepe amidst the greene But in the mire he doth delight to lay So Princes such as vile and vidious beene Do tumble aye amidsta sinke of sinne Whose names on earth whose soules in hel remaine In infamie the other pincht with paine Let them that seeke for euerlasting fame Tread in the steps that I before haue trod And he who would auoid reprochfull shame And flee the smart of Plutoes ruthfull rod Let him not cease to learne the law of God Which only law mans stumbling steps doth guide Who walkes therein his feete can neuer slide HOW VORTIGER DESTROYED THE YONG KING CONSTANTINE and how hee obtained the Crowne and how after many miseries he was miserablie burnt in his Castle by the brethren of Constantine Anno Dom. 446. BY quiet peace of Ianus iollitie Their happie hauens some with forewinds haue By wrackfull warre of Mars his crueltie With much adoe some get the Goale they craue But subtill sleights and fetches bolstred braue My haplesse hand did hit with leuelled line The aimed marke the more mishap was mine By gifts of grace some men haue happy hap By blessed birth to Kingdomes borne some be Succession sets some men in Fortunes lap By wisedome wit and prudent policie Some clime aloft by trustlesse treacherie And courage doth a multitude aduance Drifts finely filde they did my state inhance I Vortiger by birth was borne a Lord King Constantine his Cosin did me call I cride amaine and clapt his crowne abord And for a time til Fortune forst my fall With restlesse blisse I sate in stately stall But men of warre of much more might then I For my desert my carefull corps did fry As furions force of fiery flashing fame With Cinders brought my body to decay So smuldering smokes of euerlasting shame Choakt my renowne and wipte my fflame away What may I more of my misfortune say I sigh to see I silent ccase to tell What me destroid and drownd my soule in hel Here to repeat the parts that I haue plaid Were to vnrippe a trusse of trumpery For me to shew how I aloft was staid Were to erect a schoole of Trechery Silence is best let no man learne by me Nor by my meanes how they by wicked waies From low estate aloft themselues may raise As good men can by wicked workes beware So wicked men by wicked workes be wise If ill men read my deedes which wicked were They by my meanes will compasse their surmise For wicked workers daily doe deuise To make examples vile and vitious To stand in stead to serue their lawlesse lust The Serpent thence his venim vile doth draw From whence the Bee her hony sweet doth get Leaud liuers learne to breake the written law By that whereby good men do learne much wit For wicked men each fetch is thought most fit To serue their turne therefore I count it best To leaue my faults and follies vnconfest Giue leaue therefore good Memory I may Not heere repeate my tedious Tragedie Inquirie let me now depart away My Commonweale subuerted was by me I leaudly liu'd and di'd in miserie And for my faults I felt disdainfull smart Let this suffice and let me now depart With that he seem'd as one that would away But Memory stay stay thy steps quoth she Let wicked men procure their owne decay We recke it not if warned once they be Let that suffice and let thy miserie Make iust report how vaine and vile a thing It is to liue as a vsurping King Sith needs I must repented faults forerunne Repeat and tell the fall and foile I felt Patience perforce to speake shame bids me shunne To thinke thereof doth make my heart to melt But sith I needs must shew how heere I delt I am content to tell the truth of all Let wise men learne to stand which reade my fall For first I causde the yong King Constantine Of faithlesse Scots and Picts to make his guard They by my meanes did kill their King in fine For which with speed I sent them all to ward And hang'd them all their cause was neuer heard So I who first did cause them kill their King To stop their mouthes the mall to death did bring Where Rancor rules where hatreds heate is hot The hurtlesse men with trouble be turmoil'd Where malice may send forth her Cannon shot There might is right there reasons rules are foil'd For ruthfull Rancor euermore hath boyl'd With griping griefe her smuldring smokes of spite Would gladly choke all iustice law and right So might not right did thrust me to the Throne I sixteene yeares did weare the royall Crowne In all which time with griefe I aye did grone As one who felt the fall from high renowne My Noble men deuisde to thrust me downe In all this time and many did protest I laid the King in his vntimely chest At last my foes my friends were made and I Had quiet peace and liu'd a happie King Yea God who rules the haughtie heauen a high Inricht my Realme with foyson of each thing Abundant store did make my people
friends can faine Not Synon sly whose fraud best fame rebukes VVas halfe so suttle as these double Dukes First to mine Inne commeth in my brother false Embraceth me well met good brother Scales And weepes withall the other me enhalse With welcome cosin now welcome out of Wales O happie day for now all stormie gales Of strife and rancour vtterly are swaged And we our owne to liue or die vnwaged This proferd seruice saust with salutations Immoderate might cause me to suspect For commonly in all dissimulations Th' excesse of glauering doth the guile detect Reason refuseth falsehood to direct The will therefore for feare of being spide Exceedeth meane because it wanteth guide This is the cause why such as faine to weepe Do houle outright or wailing crie ah ah Tearing themselues and straining sighes most deepe Why such dissemblers as would seeme to laugh Breath not tihhee but bray out hah hah hah Why beggers faining brauery are the proud'st Why cowards bragging boldnesse wrangle loud'st For commonly all that do counterfeat In any thing exceed the naturall meane And that for feare of failing in their feat But these conspirers couched all so cleane Through close demeanour that their wiles did weane My heart from doubts so many a false deuice They forged fresh to hide their enterprise They supt with me propounding friendly talke Of our affaires still giuing me the prayse And euer among the cups to me ward walke I drinke to you good Cuz each traytour sayes Our banquet done when they should go their waies They took their leaue oft wishing me good night As heartily as any creature might A noble heart they say is Lion like It cannot couch dissemble crouch nor faine How villanous were these and how vnlike Of noble stocke the most ignoble staine Their woluish hearts their trayterous foxly braine Or proue them base of rascall race engendred Or from hault linage bastard like degendred Such polling heads as praise for prudent policie False practises I wish were pact on poles I meane the bastard law-brood which can mollifie All kind of causes in their craftie noles These vndermine all vertue blind as Moles They bolster wrong they racke and straine the right And prayse for law both malice fraud and might These quench the worthie flames of noble kind Prouoking best borne to the basest vices Through crafts they make the boldest courage blind Disliking highly valiant enterprices And praysing vilely villanous deuices These make the Bore a Hog the Bull an Oxe The Swan a Goose the Lion a Wolfe or Foxe The Lawyer Catesby and his craftie feeres A rout that nere did good in any reame Are they that had transform'd these noble peeres They turn'd their blood to melancholike fleumes Their courage hault to cowardife extreame Their force and manhood into fraud and malice Their wit to wiles stout Hector into Paris These glauerers gone my selfe to rest I laid And doubting nothing soundly fell a sleepe But suddenly my seruants sore afraid Awaked me and drawing sighes full deepe Alas quoth one my Lord we are betrai'd How so quoth I the Dukes are gone their waies Th' haue bar'd the gates and borne away the kaies While he thus spake there came into my mind This fearefull dreame whereout I waked was I saw a riuer stopt with stormes of winde Where through a Swan a Bull and Bore did passe Franching the fish and frie with teeth of brasse The riuer dri'd vp saue a little streame Which at the last did water all the Reame Me thought this streame did drowne the cruell Bore In little space it grew so deepe and brode But he had kill'd the Bull and Swan before Besides all this I saw an vglie Tode Crale toward me on which me thought I trode But what became of her or what of mee My sudden waking would not let me see These dreames considered with this sudden newes So diuers from their doings ouer night Did cause me not a little for to muse I blest me rose in all the hast I might By this Aurora spred abroad the light Which from the ends of Phoebus beames he tooke Who then the Bulles chiefe gallery forsooke When I had open'd the window to looke out There might I see the streets each where beset My Inne on each side compassed about With armed watchmen all escapes to let Thus had these Neroes caught me in their net But to what end I could not throughly ghesse Such was my plainnes such their doublenesse My conscience was so cleare I could not doubt Their deadly drift which lesse apparant lay Because they caus'd their men returne the rout That rode toward Stonystratford as they say Because the Dukes will first be there to day For this thought I they hinder me in iest For guiltlesse minds do easely deeme the best By this the Dukes were come into mine Inne For they were lodged in another by I got me to them thinking it a sinne Within my chamber cowardly to lye And merrily I ask'd my brother why He vs'd me so he sterne in euill sadnes Cried out I arrest thee traytour for thy badnes How so quoth I whence riseth your suspicion Thou art a traytour quoth he I thee arrest Arrest quoth I why where is your commission He drew his weapon so did all the rest Crying yeeld thee traytour I so sore distrest Made no resistande but was sent to ward None saue their seruants signed to my gard This done they sped him to the King in post And after humble reuerence to him done They trayterously began to rule the rost They pickt a quarell to my sisters son Lord Richard Gray the King would not be won T' agree to them yet they against all reason Arrested him they said for hainous treason Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hault Two worthie Knights were likewise apprehended These all were guiltie in one kind of fault They would not like the practise then pretended And seeing the King was herewith sore offended Backe to Northampton they brought him againe And thence discharged most part of his traine There loe Duke Richard made himselfe Protector Of King and Realme by open proclamation Though neither King nor Queene were his elector Thus he presum'd by lawlesse vsurpation But will you see his deepe dissimulation He sent me a dish of dainties from his bord That day and with it this false friendly word Commend me to him all things shall be weil I am his friend bid him be of good cheere These newes I prayed the messenger go tell My Nephew Richard whom I lou'd full deere But what he ment by well now shall you heere He thought it well to haue vs quickly murdred Which not long after thorowly he furdred For straight from thence we closely were conueied From iayle to iayle Northward we wist not whither Where after a while we had in sunder staied At last we met at Pomfret all together Sir Richard Ratcliffe bade vs welcome thither Who openly all law and right contemned
me downe aliue and cruellie Ript vp my panch and bulke to make me smart And lingred long ere they tooke out my hart Heere tyrant Richard plai'd the eager Hog His grashing tuskes my tender gristles shore His blood hound Louell plai'd the hungrie Dog His woluish teeth my guiltlesse carkasse tore His Rat and Cat did what they might and more Cat Catesby claw'd my guts to make me smart The Rat Ratcliffe gnawed me to the hart If Iewes had kill'd the iustest King aliue If Turkes had burnt vp Churches gods and all What greater paine could cruell hearts contriue Then that I suffred for this trespasse small I was no Prince nor Peere but yet my fall Is worthie to be thought vpon for this To see how cankard tyrants malice is To teach also all subiects to take heed They meddle not with Magistrates affaires But pray to God to mend them if it need To warne also all Poets that be strayers To keepe them close in compasse of their chayers And when they touch that they would wish amended To sauce them so that few need be offended And so to mixe their sharpe rebukes with mirth That they may pierce not causing any paine Saue such as followeth euery kindly birth Requited straight with gladnesse of the gaine A Poet must be pleasant not too plaine Faults to controule ne yet to flatter vice But sound and sweet in all things ware and wise The Greekes do paint a Poets office whole In Pegasus their fained horse with wings Whom shaped so Medusaes blood did foale Who with his feet strake out the Muses springs From flintie rockes to Helicon that clings And then flue vp into the starrie skie And there abides among the gods on hie For he that shall a perfect Poet be Must first be bred out of Medusaes bloud He must be chast and vertuous as was she Who to her powre the Ocean God withstood To th' end also his doome be iust and good He must as she looke rightly with one eye Truth to regard and write nothing awrie In courage eke he must be like a horse He may not feare to register the right What though some frowne there of he may not force No bit nor reine his tender iawes may twight He must be armde with strength of wit and sprite To dash the rocks darke causes and obscure Till he attaine the springs of truth most pure His hooues also must pliant be and strong To rieue the rocks of lust and errors blind In brainlesse heads that alway wander wrong These must he bruse with reasons plaine and kind Till springs of grace doe gush out of the mind For till affections from the fond be driuen In vaine is truth told or good counsell giuen Like Pegasus a Poet must haue wings To flie to heauen or where him liketh best He must haue knowledge of eternall things Almightie Ioue must harbour in his brest With worldly cares he may not be opprest The wings of wit and skill must heaue him hier With great delight to satisfie desier He must also be lusty free and swift To trauaile far to view the trades of men Great knowledge oft is gotten by this shift Things that import he must be quicke to pen Reprouing vices sharply now and then He must be swift when touched tyrants chafe To gallop thence to keepe his carkas safe If I had well these qualities considered Especially that which I touched last With speedie flight my feet should haue deliuered My feeble bodie from most boistrous blast They should haue caught me ere I had bin cast But too much trusting to a tyrants grace I neuer shrunke nor changed port or place I thought the Poets ancient liberties For pleas had been allowed at the bar I had forgot how new found tyrannies With truth and freedome were at open war That lust was law that might did make and mar That among tyrants t' is and euer was Sic volo sic iubeo stet pro ratione voluntas Where lust is law it booteth not to pleade No priuiledge nor liberties auaile But with the learn'd whom law and wisdome leade Although through rashnesse Poets hap to raile A plea of dotage may all quarels quaile Their old licence their writings to expound Doth quit them cleare from faults by Momus sound This freedome old ought not to be debard From any wight that speaketh ought or writeth The Authors meaning should of right be heard He knoweth best to what end he enditeth Words sometime beare more then the heart behiteth Admit therefore the Authors exposition If plaine for truth if forc'd for his submission In case of slander lawes require no more Saue to amend that seemed not well said Or to vnsay the slanders said afore And aske forgiuenesse for the hastie braid To Heretikes no greater paine is laid Then to recant their errours or retract And worse then these can be no writers act Yes quoth the Cat thy railing words be treason And treason is far worse then heresie Then must it follow by this awkeward reason That Kings be more then God in maiestie And soules be lesse then bodies in degree For heretikes both soules and God offend Traytours but seeke to bring mans life to end I speake not this t' abase the hainous fault Of trayterous acts abhor'd by God and man But to make plaine their iudgement to be naught That heresie for lesser sinne do ban I curse them both as deepe as any can And alway did yet through my foolish rime They stayned me with that most hatefull crime I neuer meant the King or Counsell harme Vnlesse to wish them safetie were offence Against their power I neuer lifted arme Nor pen nor tongue for any ill pretence The rime I made though rude was sound in sence For they therein whom I so fondly named So ruled all that they were foule defamed This was no treason but the very troth They ruled all none could deny the same What was the cause then why they were so wroth What is it treason in a riming frame To clip to stretch to adde or change a name And this reseru'd there is no rime nor reason That any craft can clout to seeme a treason For where I meant the King by name of Hog I only alluded to his badge the Bore To Louels name I added more our Dog Because most dogs haue borne that name of yere These metaphors I vs'd with other more As Cat and Rat the halfe names of the rest To hide the sense that they so wrongly wrest I pray you now what treason find you heere Enough you rub'd the guiltie on the gaule Both sense and names do note them very neere I grant that was the chiefe cause of my faule Yet can you find therein no treason at all There is no word against the Prince or State No harme to them whom all the Realme did hate But sith the guiltie alwaies are suspicions And dread the ruine that must sue by reason They cannot chuse but