She was sole hayer by due discent of line Wherby her rightes and titles al wer mine But marke me now I pray thee Baldwin marke And see how force oft overbeareth right Waye how vsurpers tyrannously warke To kepe by murder that they get by might And note what troublous daungers do alight On such as seke to reposses their owne And how through rigour right is overthrowen The earle of Herford Henry Bolenbrooke Of whom duke Mowbray tolde thee now of late Whan voyde of cause he had king Richard tooke He murdred him vsurped his estate Without all right or title sauing hate Of others rule or love to rule alone These two excepted title had he none The realme and crowne was Edmund Mortimers Whose father Roger was king Richardes hayre Which caused Henry and the Lancasters To seeke all shiftes our housholdes to appayre For sure he was to sit beside the chayre Wer we of power to clayme our lawfull right Wherfore to stroye vs he did all he might His cursed sunne ensued his cruel path And kept my giltles cosin strayt in duraunce For whom my father hard intreated hath But liuing hopeles of his liues assuraunce He thought it best by politik procuraunce To prive the king and so restore his frend Which brought him selfe to an infamous ende For whan king Henry of that name the fift Had tane my father in this conspiracy He from Sir Edmund all the blame to shift Was fayne to say the French king his ally Had hyred him this trayterous act to trye For which condemned shortly he was slayne In helping right this was my fathers gayne Thus whan the linage of the Mortimers Were made away by this vsurping line Sum hanged sum slayne sum pined prisoners Because the crowne by right of law was mine They gan as fast agaynst me to repine In feare alwayes least I should sturre them strife For gilty hartes have never quiet life Yet at the last in Henryes dayes the sixt I was restored to my fathers landes Made duke of Yorke wherthrough my minde I firt To get the crowne and kingdome in my handes For ayde wherin I knit assured bandes With Nevels stocke whose doughter was my make Who for no wo would ever me forsake O lord what happe had I through mariage Fower goodly boyes in youth my wife she boore Right valiaunt men and prudent for their age Such bretherne she had and nephewes stil in store As none had erst nor any shal haue more The erle of Salisbury and his sonne of Warwike Wer matchles men from Barbary to Barwike Through helpe of whom and Fortunes lovely looke I vndertooke to clayme my lawful right And to abash such as agaynst me tooke I raysed power at all poyntes prest to fight Of whom the chiefe that chiefly bare me spite Was Somerset the Duke whom to annoy I alway sought through spite spite to vistroy And maugre him so choyse loe was my chaunce Yea though the quene that all rulde tooke his part I twise bare stroke in Normandy and Fraunce And last liuetenant in Ireland where my hart Found remedy for euery kind of smart For through the love my doinges there did brede I had their helpe at all times in my nede This spiteful duke his silly king and quene With armed hostes I thrise met in the â—ield The first vnfought through treaty made betwene The second ioynde wherin the king did yeeld The duke was slayne the quene enforst to shylde Her selfe by flight The third the quene did fight Where I was slaine being overmacht by might Before this last were other battayles three The first the erle of Salisbury led alone And fought on Bloreheth and got the victory In the next was I and my kinsfolke euerythone But seing our souldiers stale vnto our foen We warely brake our cumpany on a night Dissolved our hoaste and tooke our selues to flight This boye and I in Ireland did vs save Mine eldest sonne with Warwicke and his father To Caleys got whence by the reade I gave They came againe to London and did gather An other hoast wherof I spake not rather And met our foes slew many a lord and knight And tooke the King and drave the Queene to flight This done came I to England all in haste To make my claime vnto the realme and crowne And in the house while parliament did last I in the kinges seat boldly sat me downe And claymed it wherat the lordes did frowne But what for that I did so wel procede That al at last confest it mine in dede But sith the king had rayned now so long They would he should continue til he died And to the ende that than none did me wrong Protectâ—ur and heire apparant they me cryed But sith the Quene and others this denied I sped me toward the North where than she lay In minde by force to cause her to obey Wherof she warnde prepared a mighty power And ere that mine were altogether ready Came bold to Boswurth and besieged my bower Where like a beast I was so rashe and heady That out I would there could be no remedy With skant fiue thousand souldiers to assayle Fower times so many encampt to most avayle And so was slayne at first and while my childe Skarce twelve yere olde sought secretly to part That cruell Clifford lord nay Lorell wilde While the infant wept and praied him rue his smart Knowing what he was w t his dagger claâ—e his hart This doen he came â—o the campe where I lay dead Dispoylde my corps and cut away my head And whan he had put a paper crowne theron As a gawring stocke he sent it to the Queen And she for spite commaunded it anon To be had to Yorke where that it might be seen They placed it where other traytours been This mischiefe Fortune did me after death Such was my life and such my losse of breath Wherfore see Baldwin that thou set it furth To the ende the fraude of Fortune may be knowen That eke all princes well may way the wurth Of thinges for which the sedes of warre be sowen No state so sure but soone is overthrowen No worldly good can counterpeyze the prise Of halfe the paynes that may therof arise Farre better it wer to loose a piece of right Than limmes and life in sousing for the same It is not force of frendship nor of might But god that causeth thinges to fro or frame Not wit but lucke doth wield the winners game Wherfore if we our follies would refrayne Time would redres all wronges we voyd of payne Wherfore warue princes not to wade in warre For any cause except the realmes defence Their troublous titles are vnwurthy farre The blud the life the spoyle of innocence Of frendes and foes behold my foule expence And never the nere best therfore tary time So right shall raigne and quiet calme ech crime WIth this mayster Ferrers shooke me by the sleve saying why how now man do you forget your selfe
downe Bellona rang the bell at home and all abrode With whose mishaps amayne fel Fortune did me lode In Fraunce I lost my fortes at home the soughten fielde My kindred slaine my frendes opprest my selfe enforste to yelde Duke Richard tooke me twise and forst me to resigne My crowne and titles due vnto my fathers ligne And kept me as a warde did all thinges as him list Til time my wife through bluddy sword had â—ane me from his fyst But though she slew the duke my sorowes did not slake But like to hiders head stil more and more awake For Edward through the ayde of Warwick and his brother From one field drave me to the Skots and toke me in another Then went my freÌ„des to wracke for Edward ware the crowne For which for nine yeres space his prison held me downe Yet thence through Warwikes wurke I was againe releast And Edward driven fro the realme to seke his frendes by East But what prevayleth payn or prouidens of man To helpe him to good hap whom destiny doth ban Who moyleth to remove the rocke out of the mud Shall myer him selfe hardly skape the swelling of the flud This al my frendes have found and I have felt it so Ordayned to be the touche of wretchednes and woe For ere I had a yeare possest my seat agayne I lost both it and liberty my helpers all were slayne For Edward first by stelth and sith by gadered strength Arrived and got to Yorke and London at the length Tooke me and tyed me vp yet Warwike was so stout He came with power to Barnet fyelde in hope to helpe me out And there alas was slayne with many a wurthy knight O Lord that ever such luck should hap in helping right Last came my wife and sonne that long lay in exyle Defyed the King and fought a fyelde I may bewalle the whsle For there mine only sonne not thirtene yere of age Was tane and murdered strayte by Edward in his rage And shortly I my selfe to stynt al furder strife Stabbed with his brothers bluddy blade in prison lost my life Loe here the heauy happes which happened me by heape See here the pleasaunt fruytes that many princes reape The payneful plagues of those that breake their lawful bandes Their mede which may wil not save their frendes fro bluddy handes God graunt my woful haps to greuous to rehearce May teache all states to know how depely daungers pearce How frayle al honours are how brittle worldly blisse That warned through my feareful fate they feare to do amys THis tragedy ended an other said eyther you or king Henry are a good philosopher so narowly to argue the causes of misfortunes but ther is nothing to experience which taught or might teach y e king this lesson but to procede in our matter I finde mencion here shortly after y e death of this king of a duke of Excester found dead in the sea betwene Dover and Calays but what he was or by what adventure he died master Fabian hath not shewed and master Hall hath overskipped him so that excepte we bee frendlier vnto him he is like to be double drowned both in the sea and in the gulfe of forgetfulnes About this matter was much talke but because one tooke vppon him to seeke out that story that charge was coÌ„mitted to him And to be occupied the meane while I found the storye of one drowned likewise and that so notably though priuily that al the world knew of it wherfore I sayd because night approcheth and that we wil lose no time ye shall heare what I have noted concerning the duke of Clarens king Edwardes brother who al to be washed in wine may bewayle his infortune after this maner Hovv George Plantagenet third sonne of the Duke of Yorke vvas by his brother King Edvvard vvrongfully imprisoned and by his brother Richard miserably murdered THe foule is fowle men say that files the nest which maketh me loath to speak now might I chuse But seing time vnburdened hath her brest And fame blowen vp the blast of all abuse My silence rather might my life accuse Than shroud our shame though fayne I would it so For truth wil out though all the world say no. And therfore Baldwin hartely I the beseche To pause awhile vpon my heauy playnt And though vnneth I vtter spedy spech No fault of wit or folly maketh me saynt No heady drinkes have geven my tounge attaynâ—e Through quaffing craft yet wine my wits confouÌ„d Not which I dranke of but wherin I dround What prince I am although I nede not shewe Because my wine bewrayes me by the smell For never was creature sowst in Bacchus dewâ— To death but I through Fortunes rigour fel Yet that thou mayst my story better tell I will declare as briefly as I may My welth my woe and causers of decay The famous house sournamed Plantagenet Wherat dame Fortune frowardly did frowne White Bolenbroke vniustly sought to set His lord king Richard quite beside the crowne Though many a day it wanted due renowne God so preserved by prouidens and grace That lawful heires did never faile the race For Lionell king Edwardes elder childe Both vncle and haire to Richard yssulesse Begot a doughter Philip whom vnfilde The earle of March espousde and god did blesse With fruyte assinde the kingdome to possesse I mean sir Roger Mortimer whose hayer The earle of Cambridge maried Anne the fayer This earle of Cambridge Richard clept by name Was sonne to Edmund Langley duke of Yorke Which Edmund was fift brother to the same Duke Lyonel that al this line doth korke Of which two houses ioyned in a forke My father Richard prince Plantagenet True duke of Yorke was lawful heire beget Who tooke to wife as you shal vnderstand A mayden of a noble house and olde Raulfe Nebels daughter Earle of Westmerland Whose sonne Earle Richard was a baron bolde Aâ—d had the right of Salysbury in bolde Through mariage made with good Earle Thomas hayer Whose earned prayses never shal appaire The duke my father had by this his wife Fower sonnes of whom the eldest Edward hight The second Iohn who lost in youth his life At wakefield slayne by Clifford cruell knight I George am third of Clarence duke by right The fowerth borne to the mischiefe of vs all Was duke of Glocester whom men Richard call Whan as our syer in sute of right was slayne Whose life and death him selfe declared curst My brother Edward plyed his cause amayne And got the crowne as Warwick hath rehearst The pride wherof so depe his stomacke pearst That he forgot his frendes dispisde his kin Of oth or office passing not a pinne Which made the earle of Warwike to maligne My brothers state and to attempt a waye To bring from prison Henry selly king To helpe him to the kingdome if he may And knowing me to be the chiefest staye My brother had he did me vndermine To cause me to
the charter â—â—lled Râ—gman That of the Skots he bribed pryuy gayne That through his meanes syr Edward of Carnaruan In Barkley castell trayterously was slayne That with his princes mother he had layne And fynally with pollyng at his pleasure Had robde the kyng and commons of theyr treasure For these thynges loe whiche erst were out of minde He was condemned and hanged at the last In whom dame Fortune fully shewed her kynde For whom she heaves she hurleth downe as fast If men to cum would learne by other past This cosen of myne myght cause them set asyde High clymyng brybyng murdring lust and pryde The fynall cause why I this processe tell Is that I may be knowen from this other My lyke in name vnlyke me though he fell Whiche was I thinke my graund sier or his brother To counte my kyn dame Philip was my mother Deare doughter and heyre of douty Lyonell The seconde sonne of a kyng that dyd excell My father hyght syr Edmunde Mortimer True erle of Marche whence I was after erle By iust discent these two my parentes wer Of whiche the one of knighthoode bare the ferle Of womanhoode the other was the perle Throughe theyr deserte so called of euery wight Tyll death them tooke and left in me theyr ryght For why the attaynder of my elder Roger whose shamefull death I tolde you but of late was founde to be vniust and passed ouer Agaynst the lawe by those that bare hym hate For where by lawe the lowest of free estate Should personally be heard ere iudgement passe They barred hym this where through distroyed he was wherfore by doome of courte in parlyament whan we had proued our cosen ordred thus The Kyng the Lordes and Commens of assent His lawles death vnlawfull dyd discus And both to blood and good restored vs. A Presydent most worthy shewed and left Lordes lyues to saue that lawles might be rest whyle Fortune thus dyd furder me amayne Kyng Rychardes grace the seconde of the name whose dissolute lyfe dyd soone abridge his rayne Made me his mate in earnest and in game The Lordes them selues so well allowed the same That throwe my tytles duely cummyng downe I was made heyre apparaunt to the crowne who then but I was euery where estemed well was the man that myght with me acquaynte whom I allowed as Lordes the people demed To what so euer folly had me bente To lyke it well the people dyd assente To me as prince attended great and small In hope a daye would cum to paye for all But seldome ioye continueth trouble voyde In greatest charge cares greatest do ensue The most possest are ever most anoyed In largest seas sore tempestes lyghtly brue The fresshest colours soonest fade the hue In thyckest place is made the depest wounde True proofe wherof my selfe to soone haue founde For whyles that Fortune lulde me in her lap And gaue me gyftes mo than I dyd requyre The subâ—yll qucan behynde me set a trap whereby to dashe and laye all in the myre The Iryshe men against me dyd conspyre My landes of Ulster fro me to haue reft whiche herytage my mother had me left And whyles I there to set all thinges in stay Omyt my toyles and troubles thitherwarde Among myne owne with my retinue lay The wylder men whom lytell I dyd regarde And had therefore the recheles mans rewarde When least I thought set on me in suche number That fro my corps my lyfe they rent a sunder Nought myght auayle my courage nor my force Nor strength of men whiche were alas to sewe The cruell folke assaulted so my horse That all my helpes in pieces they to hewe Our blood distayned the grounde as drops of dewe Nought myght preuayle to flee nor yet to yelde For whom they take they murdre in the fyelde They know no lawe of armes nor none wil lerne They make not warre as other do a playe The lorde the boye the Calloglas the kerne Yelde or not yelde whom so they take they slay They save no prysoners for raunsom nor for pay Theyr chiefest boote they counte theyr bodohs heade Theyr ende of warre to see theyr enmye deade Amongest these men or rather savage beastes I lost my lyfe by cruell murder slame And therfore Baldwin note thou well my geastes And warne all princes rashnes to refraine Bid them beware their enmies when they saine Nor yet presume vnequally to strive Had I thus done I had ben man alive But I dispysed the naked Iryshmen And for they flewe I feared them the lesse I thought one man ynough to matche with ten And through this careles vnadvisednesse I was destroyed and all my men I gesse At vnawares assaulted by our foen Whiche were in numbre fourty to vs one Se here the staye of fortunate estate The vayne assuraunce of this britell lyfe For I but yong proclaymed prince of late Right fortunate in children and in wife Lost all at once by stroke of bloody knife Wherby assurde let men them selues assure That welth and lyfe are doubtfull to endure AFter that this Tragedy was ended mayster Ferrers sayde seyng it is best to place eche person in his ordre Baldvvin take you the Chronicles and marke them as they cum for there are many wurthy to be noted though not to be treated of First the lord Morif a Scotishman who tooke his deathes wounde through a stroke lent him by the erle of Notingham whom he chalenged at the tilte But to omit him also the fatte Prior of Tiptre preaced to death with throng of people vpon London bridge at the Quenes entry I wil cum to the duke of Glocestre the kinges vncle a man muche mynding the common weale yet at length miserably made away In whose person yf ye wyll gyue eare ye shall heare what I thinke mete to be sayd Hovve syr Thomas of VVudstocke Duke of Glocester vncle to king Richarde the seconde vvas vnlavvfully murdred WHose state is stalysht in semyng most sure And so far from daunger of Fortunes blast As by the compas of mans coniecture No brasen pyller maye be fyxte more fast Yet wantyng the staye of prudent forecast Whan frowarde Fortune lyst for to frowne Maye in a moment tourne vpsyde downe In proofe whereof O Baldwin take payne To hearken awhyle to Thomas of Wudstocke Addrest in presence his fate to complayne In the forlorne hope of the Englysh flocke Extracte by discent from the royall stocke Sonne to kyng Edward third of that name And seconde to none in glory and fame This noble father to maynteyne my state With Buckyngham Erldom dyd me indowe Both Nature and Fortune to me were grate Denyeng nothing which they myght allowe Theyr sundry graces in me did so flowe As bewty strength high fauour and fame Who may of God more wysh than the same Brothers we were to the numbre of seuen I beyng the syxt and yongest but oneâ— A more royall race was not vnder heauen More stowte or more stately
from olde auncestours As proued these ensignes to be surely oures Ye crafty Welshemen wherfore do you mocke The noble men thus with your fayned rymes Ye noble men why flye you not the flocke Of such as haue seduced so many times False Prophesies are plages for divers crymes Whych god doth let the divilish sorte devise To trouble such as are not godly wyse And that appered by vs thre beastes in dede Through false perswasion highly borne in hand That in our feat we could not chuse but spede To kyll the kyng and to enioye his land For which exployt we bound our selues in band To stand contented ech man with his part So fully folly assured our folysh hart But such they say as fysh before the net Shal seldome surfyt of the pray they take Of thinges to cum the haps be so vnset That none but fooles may warraÌ„t of them make The full assured succes doth oft forsake For Fortune findeth none so fyt to flout As suresby sots whych cast no kinde of doute How sayest thou Henry Hotspur do I lye For thou right manly gauest the king a feeld And there was slayn because thou wouldest not â—y Sir Thomas Percie thine vncle forst to yeeld Did cast his head a wunder seen but â—eâ—ld From Shrewsbury town to the top of LondoÌ„ bridge Lo thus fond hope did theyr both liues abridge Whan Henry king this victory had wunne Destroyed the Percies put their power to flyght He did appoynt prince Henry his eldest sunne With all his power to meete me if he might But I discumfit through my partners fight Had not the hart to mete him face to face But fled away and he pursued the chase Now Baldwin marke for I cald prince of Wales And made beleve I should be he in dede Was made to flye among the hilles and dales Where al my men forsooke me at my nede Who trusteth loyterers seeld hath lucky spede And whan the captaynes corage doth him fayle His souldiers hartes a litle thing may quayle And so Prince Henry chased me that loe I found no place wherin I might abide For as the dogges pursue the selly doâ— The brach behind the houndes on euery side So traste they me among the mountaynes wide Wherby I found I was the hartles hare And not the beast Colprophete did declare And at the last like as the litle roche Must eyther be eat or leape vpon the shore Whan as the hungry pickrel doth approch And there find death which it eskapte before So double death assaulted me so sore That eyther I must vnto my enmy yeeld Or statue for hunger in the baraynâ— feeld Here shame and payne a whyle were at a strife Payne prayed me yeeld shame bad me rather fast The one had spare the other spend my life But shame shame haue it ouercam at last Than hunger gnew that doth the stone wall brast And made me eat both gravell durt and mud And last of all my dung my fleshe and blud This was mine ende to horrible to heare Yet good ynough for a life that was so yll Wherby O Baldwin warne all men to beare Theyr youth such loue to bring them vp in skill Byd Princes flye Colprophetes lying byll And not presume to clime aboue their states For they be faultes that foyle men not their fates WHan starued Owen had ended his hungry exhortacion it was well inough liked Howbeit one found a dout wurth the mouing that concerning this title erle of March for as it appereth there wer .iii. men of .iii diuers nacions together in one time entitled by that honour Fyrst sir Edmund Mortimer whom Owen kept in prison an EnglishmaÌ„ the second the lord George of Dunbar a valiante Scot. banished out of his countrey well estemed of Henry the fowerth the third lord Iames of Burbon a frenchman sent by the french king to helpe Owen Glendour These thre men had this title all at once which caused him to aske how it was true that euery one of these could be Earle of Marche Wherto was aunswered that euery countrey hath Marches belonging vnto them and those so large that they were Earledomes the lordes therof intituled therby so that Lord Edmund Mortimer was Earle of Marche in Englande lord Iames of Burbon of the marches of Fraunce and Lord George of Dunbar erle of the marches in Scotland For otherwise nether could haue interest in others title Thys doubt thus dissolued mayster Ferrers sayde If no man haue affeccion to the Percies let vs pas the times both of Henry the fowerth the fifte and cum to Henrye the syxte in whose time fortune as she doth in the minoritie of princes bare a great stroke among the nobles And yet in HeÌ„ry the fourths time are exaÌ„ples which I would wish Baldvvin that you should not forget as the conspiracie made by the bishop of Yorke and the lorde Mowbray â–ª sonne of him whom you late treated of prycked forward by the earle of Northumberland father to sir Henry Hotspur who fled himselfe but his partners were apprehended and put to death with Baynton and Blinkinsops which could not see theyr duty to theyr King but tooke part with Percy that banished Rebell As he was proceding he was desired to stay by one whych had pondered the story of the Percies who briefly sayd To thende Baldvvin that you may know what to say of the Percyes whose story is not all out of my memory and it is a notable story I wyll take vpon me the person of lord Henry earle of Northumberland father of Henrye Hotspur in whose behalfe thys may be sayd Hovv Henry Percy Earle of Northhumberland vvas for his couetous and trayterous attempt put to death at Yorke O Morall Senec true find I thy saying That neyther kinsfolke ryches strength or fauour Are free from Fortune but are ay decaying No worldly welth is ought save doubtful labour Mans life in earth is like vnto a tabour Which now to mirth doth mildly men provoke And strayt to war with a more sturdy stroke All this full true I Percy find by proofe Which whilom was erle of Northumberland And therfore Baldwin for my Piers behoof To note mens falles sith thou hast tane in hand I would thou shouldest my state well vnderstand For fewe kinges were more then I redouted Through double Fortune lyfted vp and louted As for my kinne their noblenes is knowen My valiauntise were folly for to prayse Wherthrough the Scortes so oft were ouerthrowen That who but I was doubted in my dayes And that kyng Rychard found at all assayes For neuer Scottes rebelled in his rayne But through my force were eyther caught or slayne A brother I had was Erle of Worcester Alwayes in fauour and office with the king And by my wife Dame Elinor Mortimer I had a son which so the Scottes did sting That being yong and but a very spring Syr Henry Hotspur they gaue him to name And though I say it he did deserue the
same We thre tryumphed in king Richards time Til Fortune ought both him and vs a spite But chiefly me whom clere from any crime My king did banish from his favour quite And openly proclaymed trayterous knight Wherethrough false slaunder forced me to be That which before I did most deadly flee Let men beware how they true folke defame Or threaten on them the blame of vices nought For infamy bredeth wrath wreke foloweth shames Eke open slaunder oftentimes hath brought That to effect that erst was neuer thought To be misdemed men suffer in a sort But none can beare the griefe of misreport Because my king did shame me wrongfully I hated him and in dede became his foe And while he did at war in Ireland lye I did conspire to turne his weale to woe And through the duke of Yorke and other moe All royall power from him we quickely tooke And gaue the same to Henry Boleynbroke Neyther dyd we this alonely for this cause But to say truth force drave vs to the same For he dispising god and all good lawes Slew whom he would made sinne a very game And seing neither age nor counsayle could him tame We thought it wel done for the kingdomes sake To leaue his rule that did al rule forsake But whan sir Henry had attaynde his place He strayt becam in all poyntes wurse than he Destroyed the piers slewe kyng Rychards grace Agaynst his othe made to the lordes and me And seking quarelles how to disagre He shamelesly required me and my sonne To yeld him Scottes which we in field had wun My Nephew also Edmund Mortymer The very heyre apparaunt to the Crowne Whom Owen Glendour held as prisoner Uilely bound in dungeon depe cast downe He would not raunsum but did felly frowne Agaynst my brother and me that for him spake And him proclaymed traytour for our sake This sowle despite did cause vs to conspire To put him downe as we did Richard erst And that we might this matter set on fyre From Owens â—ayle our cosin we remerst And vnto Glendour all our griefes reherst Who made a bonde with Mortymer and me To pryue the king and part the realme in thre But whan king Henry heard of this devise Toward Owen Gleudour he sped him very quyck Mynding by force to stop our enterprise And as the deuell would then fell I sick Howbeit my brother sonne more politike Than prosperous with an oast fro ScotlaÌ„d brought Encountred him at Shrewsbury wher they fought The one was tane and kild the other slayne And shortly after was Owen put to flight By meanes wherof I forced was to fayne That I knew nothing of the former fight Fraude oft avayles more than doth sturdy might For by my fayning I brought him in belief I knew not that wherin my part was chief And while the king thus tooke me for his frend I sought all meanes my former wrong to wreake Which that I might bring to the sooner ende To the bishop of Yorke I did the matter breake And to Therle Marshall likewise did I speake Whose father was through Henries cause exyled The bishops brother with trayterous death defiled These strayt assented to do what they could So did lorde Hastinges and lord Fauconbridge Which altogether promised â—hey would Set all their power the kinges dayes to abridge But se the spite before the byrdes wer flidge The king had woord and seysoned on the nest Wherby alas my frendes wer al opprest The bluddy tyrant â—â—ought them all to ende Excepted me which into Scotland skapte To George of Dunbar therle of March my frend Who in my cause al that he could ey skrapte And when I had for greater succour gapte Both at the Frenchman and the Flemminges hand And could get none I toke such as I sand And with the helpe of George my very frend I did invade Northumberlande ful bold Whereas the folke drew to me stil vnend Bent to the death my party to vphold Through helpe of these ful many a fort and hold The which the king right manfully had manâ— I easely wunne and seysed in my hand Not so content for vengeaunce drave me on I entred Yorkeshire there to waste and spoyle But ere I had far in the countrey gon The shirif therof Rafe Rekesby did assoyle My troubled hoost of much part of our toyle For he assauting freshly tooke through power Me and lord Bardolph both at Bramham more And thence conueyed vs to the towne of Yorke Until he knew what was the kinges entent There loe Lord Bardolf kinder than the Storke Did lose his head which was to London sent With whom for frendshippe urine in like case went This was my hap my forâ—une or my fawte This life I led and thus I came to naught Wherfore good Baldwin wil the pyers take hede Of slaunder malyce and conspiracy Of couetise whence al the rest procede For couetise ioynt with contumacy Doth cause all mischief in mens hartes to brede Ad therfore this to Esperance my wurd Who causeth bludshed shall not skape the swurd BY that this was ended I had found out the storie of Richard earle of Cambridge and because it conteyned matter in it though not very notable yet for the better vnderstanding of the rest I thought it mete to touche it and therfore sayd as foloweth You haue sayd wel of the Percies and favourably For in dede as it should appere the chyefe cause of theyr conspiracie agaynst kyng Henry was for Edmund Mortimer theyr cosins sake whom the king very maliciously proclaymed to haue yelded hym selfe to Owen colourably whan as in deede he was takeÌ„ forcibly against his wil very cruelly ordered in prison And seing we are in haÌ„d with Mortimers matter I wyll take vppon me the person of Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge who for his sake likewise died And therfore I let passe Edmund Holland erle of Kent whom Henry the fowerth made Admirall to skoure the Seas because the Buttons were abrode whiche Earle as many thynges happen in warre was slayne with an arrowe at the assaulte of Briake shortly after whose death thys king dyed and his sonne Henry the fyft of that name succeded in his place In the beginning of this Henry the fyfts rayne dyed this Rychard and with him Henry the lord Scrope others in whose behalfe this may be sayd Hovv Richard erle of Cambridge entending the kinges destruction vvas put to death at Southhampton HAst maketh wast hath commonly ben sayd And secrete mischiefe seeld hath lucky spede A murdering mind with proper pryze is wayd Al this is true I find it in my Crede And therfore Baldwin warne all states take hede How they conspire any other to betrappe Least mischiefe meant light in the miners lappe For I lord Richard heyre Planâ—agenet Was Erle of Cambridge and right fortunate If I had had the grace my wit to set To have content me with mine owne estate But o false honours broders of
Which of the king at home had gouernaunce Whose roume the earle of Warwike then supplied And I tooke his and sped me into Fraunce And hauing a zeale to conquer Orlyaunce With much a do I gat the regentes ayde And marched thither and siege about it layde But in the way I tooke the towne of Yayn Wher murdred wer for stoutnes many a man But Baugency I tooke with litle payne For which to shew them fauour I began This caused the townes of Mewne and Iargeman That stoode on Loyer to profer me the keyes Ere I came nere them welny by two dayes See here how Fortune forward can allure What baytes she layeth to bring men to their endes Who having hap like this but would hope sure To bring to bale what euer he entendes But soone is sowre the sweete that Fortune sendes Whan hope and hap whan helth and welth is hyest Than wo and wracke desease and nede be nyest For while I suing this so good successe Layd siege to Orlyaunce on the river syde The Bastard Cuckold Cawnyes sonne I gesse Tho thought the dukes who had the towne in gide Came fearcely forth when he his time espide To raise the siege but was beat backe agayne And hard pursued both to his losse and payne For there we wan the bulwarke on the bridge With a mighty tower standing fast therby Ah cursed tower that didst my dayes abridge Would god thou hadst bene furder eyther I. For in this tower a chamber standes on hie From which a man may view through al the towne By certayne windowes yron grated downe Where on a day now Baldwin note mine ende I stoode in vewing where the towne was weake And as I busily talked with my frend Shot fro the towne which al the grate did breake A pellet came and drove a mighty fleake Agaynst my face and tare away my checke For payne wherof I dyed within a wecke See Baldwin see the vncertaynty of glory How sodayne mischief dasheth all to dust And warne all princes by my broken story The happiest Fortune chiefly to mistrust Was neuer man that alway had his lust Than such be fooles in fancy more then mad Which hope to haue that neuer any had THis straunge aduenture of the good erle drave vs al into a dumpne inwardly lamenting his wofull destynye out of which we wer awaked after this sort To what ende ê™ one muse we so much on this matter This Earle is neyther the first nor the last whom Fortune hath foundered in the heyth of their prosperitye For all through the raine of this vnfortunate king Henry we shall find many whych haue bene likewise serued whose chaunces sith they be marâ—â—â—l and therfore honorable may the better be omitted And therfore we wil let go the lordes Mâ—rlmes and Poyninges slayne both at the siege of Orleans shortly after the death of this earle Also the valiaunt earle of Arundle destroyed with a bowlet at the assault of Gerbory whose storyes nevertheles are wurth the hearyng And to quicken vp your spirites I wil take vpon me a tragicall person in deede I meane kyng Iamy slayne by his seruauntes in his pryvy chamber who although he be a Skot yet seing he was brought vp in Englande where he learned the language hys example also so notable it were not meete he shoulde be forgotten And therfore marke Baldwin what I thinke he may say Hovv king Iames the first for breaking his othes and bondes vvas by gods suffrauns miserably murdred of his ovvne subiectes IF for examples sake thou write thy booke I charge the Baldwin thou forget me not Whom Fortune alwayes frowardly forsooke Such waâ— my lucke my merite or my lot I am that Iames king Roberts sonne the Skot That was in England prisoner all his youth Through mine vncle Walters trayterous vntruth For whan my father through disease and age Unwieldy was to gouerne well his land Because his brother Walter semed sage He put the rule therof into his hand Than had my father you shall vnderstand Of lawfull barnes me and one only other Nempt Dauy Rothsay who was mine elder brother This Dauy was prince of Scotland and so take Till his aduoutry caused men complayne Which that he might by monyshment forsake My father prayed mine vncle take the payne To threaten him his vices to refrayne But be false traytour butcherly murdring wretch To get the crowne began to fetch a fetch And finding now a proffer to his pray Deuised meanes my brother to deuower And for that cause convayed him day by day â–ª From place to place from castell vnto tower To Faulkland fort where like a tormentour He starmd him and put to death a wife Whom through a reede he sukt to saue his life O wretched death â–ª fye cruel tiranny A prince in prison lost for fault of foode Was â—â—nce enmy wrought such villany A trusted brother stroye his brothers blood Wo wurth foe frendly fye on double hood Ah wretched father see thy sonne is lost Sterved by thy brother whom thou trustedst most Of whom whan sum began to find the fraud And yet the traytor made him selfe so clere That he should seeme to haue deserued laud So wofull did he for his death appeare My doubtful father louing me ful deere To auoyde all daunger that might after chaunce Sent me away but nine yeres olde to Fraunce But windes and wether wer so contrary That we wer driuen to the English coast Which realme with Skotland at that time did vary So that they tooke me prisoner not as oste For which my father fearing I wer lost Conceiued shortly such an inward thought As to the graue immediatly him brought Than had mine vncle all the regiment At home and I in England prisoner lay For to him selfe he thought it detryment For my releace any raunsum for to pay For as he thought he had possest his pray And therfore wisht I might in durauns dure Till I had dyed so should his rayne be sure But good king Henry seing I was a child And heyre by ryght vnto a realme and crowne Dyd bring me vp not lyke my brother wylde But vertuously in feates of high renowne In libeâ—all artes in instrumentall sowne By meane wherof whan I was after king I did my realme to ciuil order bring For ere I had been prisoner eyghtene yere In which short space two noble princes dyed Wherof the first in prudence had no peere The other in warre most valyant throwly tryed Whose rowme his sonne babe Henry eke supplyed The pyers of England which did gouerne all Did of their goodnes helpe me out of thrall They maried me to a cosin of their king The Duke of Somersets daughter rich fayre Releast my raunsome saue a trifling thing And after I had done homage to the hayer And sworne my frendship neuer should appayre They brought me kingly furnisht to my lande Which I recâ—yued at mine vncles hand Wherof my lordes and commons wer ful glad So was
mine vncle chiefly as he sayed Who in his mouth no other matter had Saue punish such as had my brother trayed The faut wherof epparantly he layed To good duke Murdo his elder brothers sonne Whose father dyed long ere this dede was doen. My cursed vncle â—lyer than the snake Which would by craft vnto the crowne aspier Because he sawe this Murdo was a stake That stayed vp the stop of his desier For his elder brother was Duke Murdoes fier He thought it best to haue him made away So was he suer I goen to haue his pray And by his craftes the traytour brought to passe That I destroyed Duke Murdo and his kin Poore innocentes my louing frendes alas O kinges and Princes what plight stand we in A trusted traytour shal you quickely winne To put to death your kin and frendes most iust Take hede therfore take hede whose rede ye trust And at the last to bring me hole in hate With god and man at home and eke abrode He counsayled me for surance of my state To helpe the Frenchmen then nye overtrode By Englishmen and more to lay on lode With power and force al England to invade Against the othe and homage that I made And though at first my conscience did grudge To breake the bondes of frendship knit by oth Yet after profe see mâ—schiefe I did iudge It madnes for a king to kepe his troth And semblably with all the world it goth Sinnes ofte assayed are thought to be no sinne So sinne doth soyle the soule it sinketh in But as diseases common cause of death Bring daunger most whan least they pricke smart Which is a signe they haue expulst the breth Of liuely heat which doth defende the hart Euen so such sinnes as felt are on no part Haue conquered grace and by their wicked vre So kild the soule that it can haue no cure And grace agate vice stil suceedeth vice And all to haste the vengeaunce for the furst I arede therfore all people to be wise And stoppe the bracke whan it begins to burst At taste no poyson vice is venim wurst It mates the mind beware eke of to much All kil through muchnes sum with only touche Whan I had learned to set my othe at nought And through much vse the sence of sinne exyled Agaynst king Henry what I could I wrought My fayth my othe vniustly foule defiled And while sly Fortune at my doinges smiled The wrath of God which I had wel deserued Fell on my necke for thus loe was I serued Ere I had raygned fully fiftene yere While time I laye at Pertho at my place With the Quene my wife children me to chere My murdring vncle with the double face That longed for my kingdome and my mace To sâ—ay me there suborned Robert Gram With whom his nephew Robert Stuart cam And whan they time fit for their purpose found Into my priuy chaumber they aâ—â—art Where with their sweardes they gave me many a wound And slue al such as stucke vnto my parte There loe my wife dyd shewe her louing harte Who to defende me felled one or twayne And was sore wounded ere I coulde be slayne See Baldwin Baldwin the vnhappy endes Of suche as passe not for theyr lawfull oth Of those that causâ—les leaue theyr fayth or frendes And murdre kynsfolke through their foes vntroth Warne warne all princes all lyke sinnes to loth And chiefely suche as in my Realme be borne For God hates hyghly suche as are forsworne WHan this was sayd let King Iamy go ê™ mayster Ferrers returne we to our owne story se what broyls wer amoÌ„g the nobility in y e kinges minority How y e cardinal Bewford maligneth the estate of good duke HuÌ„frey the kinges vncle protector of y e realme by what driftes he first banisheth his wife froÌ„ him And lastly howe the good duke is murderously made away through conspiracy of Quene Margaret and other both whose tragedies I entend at leasure to declare for they be notable Do so I pray you ê™ another But take hede ye demurre not vpon them And I to be occupied the meane time will shewe what I haue noted in the duke of Suffolkes doinges one of the chiefest of duke Humfreyes destroyers who by the prouidens of God came shortly after in such hatred of the people that the King him selfe could not saue hym from astraunge and notable death which he may lament after this maner Hovv Lorde VVilliam Delapole Duke of Suffolke vvas vvorthily punyshed for abusing his Kyng and causing the destruction of good Duke Humfrey HEauy is the hap wherto all men be bound I meane the death which no estate may flye But to be banisht headed so and drownd In sinke of shame from top of honors hye Was never man so served I thinke but I And therfore Baldwin fro thy grave of griefe Reiect me not of wretched princes chiefe My only life in all poyntes may suffise To shewe howe base all baytes of Fortune be Which thaw like yse through heate of enuies eyes Or vicious dedes which much possessed me Good hap with vices can not long agree Which bring best fortunes to the basest fall And happiest hap to enuy to be thrall I am the prince duke William De la Poole That was so famous in Quene Margets dayes That found the meane Duke Humfreyes blud to coole whose vertuous paynes deserve eternal prayse Wherby I note that Fortune can not raise Any one aloft without sum others wracke Fluds drowne no fieldes before they find a bracke But as the waters which do breake their walles Do loose the course they had within the shore And dayly rotting stinke within their stalles For fault of moouing which they found before Euen so the state that over high is bore Doth loose the lyfe of peoples love it had And rots it selfe vntil it fall to bad For while I was but Erle eche man was glad To say and do the best by me they might And Fortune ever since I was a lad Did smile vpon me with a chereful sight For whan my Kyng had doubed me a Knight And sent me furth to serve at warre in Fraunce My lucky spede mine honor dyd enhaunce Where to omit the many feitâ—s I wrought Under others gyde I do remember one Which with my souldyers valiantly was fought None other captayne save my selfe alone I meane not now the apprinze of Pucel Ione In which attempte my travayle was not smal Though the Duke of Burgoyn had the prayse of al. But the siege of Awmarle is the â—eate I prayse A strong built towne with castes walles vaultes With men and weapon armed at al assayes To which I gave nâ—â— five times five assaultes Tyl at the last they yelded it for naughtes Yet Lord Rambures like a valiaunt Knight Defended it as long as euer he might But what prevayled it these townes to winne Which shortly after must be lost againe Wherby I see there is
As from the realme and crowne the king did pourge And me both from mine office frendes and wife From good report from honest death and life For Therle of Warwick through a cancard grudge Which to king Edward causeles he did beare Out of his realme by force did make him trudge And set king Henry agayne vpon his chaire And then all such as Edwardes louers were As traytours tane were greuously opprest But chiefly I because I loved him best And for my goodes and livinges wer not small The gapers for them bare the world in hand For ten yeres space that I was cause of all The exeenâ—ions done within the land For thys did such as did not vnderstand My enmies drift thinke all reportes wer true And so to hate me wurse than any Iewe. For seeldome shall a ruler lose his life Before false rumours openly be spred Wherby this proverbe is as true as rise That rulers rumours hunt about a head Frowne Fortune once all good report is fled For present shew doth make the mayny blind And such as see dare not disclose their mind Through this was I king Edwardes butcher named And bare the shame of all his cruell dedes I cleare me not I wurthely was blamed Though force was such I must obey him nedes With hyest rulers seldome wel it spedes For they ve ever nearest to the nip And fault who shall for all fele they the whip For whan I was by parliament attaynted King Edwardes evilles all wer counted mine No truth avaylde so lyes wer faste and paynted Which made the people at my life repine Crying Crucifige kill that butchers line That whan I should have gone to Blockaut feast I could not passe so sore they on me preast And had not bene the officers so strong I thinke they would have eaten me aliue Howbeit hardly haled from the throng I was in the Fleete fast shrowded by the shrive Thes one dayes life their malice did me give Which whan they knew for spite the next day after They kept them calme so suffeed I the slaughter Now tel me Baldwin what fault doest thou find In me that lustly should such death deserve None sure except desire of honour blind Which made me seke in offices to serve What minde so good that honors make not swerve So mayst thou see it only was my state That caused my death and brought me so in hate Warne therfore all men wisely to beware What offices they enterprise to beare The hyest alway most maligned are Of peoples grudge and princes hate in feare For princes faultes his faultors all men teare Which to auoyde let none such office take Save he that can for right his prince forsake THis Earles tragedy was not so soone finished but one of the cumpany had prouided for an other of a notable person lord Tiptoftes chiefe enemy concerning whom he sayd Lord god what trust is there in worldly chauÌ„ces what stay in any prosperity for see the Earle of Warwicke which caused the earle of Wurcester to be apprehended attaynted and put to death triumphing with his olde imprisoned and newe vnprisoned prince king Henry was by and by after and his brother with him flayne at Barnet field by kyng Edward whoÌ„ he had before time damaged divers wayes As first by his frendes at Banbury field where to revenge the death of his Cosin Harry Nevel Sir Iohn Conyers and Iohn Clappain his seruauntes slewe five thousand Welshemen and beheaded theyr captaynes the earle of Pen broke and syr Rychard Harbert his brother after they wer yelded prisoners of whom syr Rychard Harbert was â—he tallest gentleman both of his person and handes that ever I reade or heard of At which time also Robyn of Ridsdale a rebell of the earle of Warwyks raysing tooke the earle Rivers king Edwardes wifes father and his sonne Iohn at his manour of Grafion and caryed them to Northhampton there without cause or proces beheaded them Whych spites to requite king Edward caused the lord Stafford of Southwike one of Warwikes chyefe frendes to be taken at Brent march and headed at Budgewater This caused the Earle shortly after to raise his power to encounter the king which came agaynst him with an army beside Warwike at Wouluey wher he wan the field tooke the king prisoner and kept him a while at Yorkeshire in Middleham castel whence as sum say he released him agayne but other thinke he corrupted his kepers and so escaped Then through the lordes the matter was taken vp betwene them they brought to talk together but because they could not agree the earle raysed a new army wherof he made captayne the lord Welles sonne which broyle kinge Edward minding to appeace by pollicy fowly distayned his honor committing peruiry For he sent for the lord Welles his brother sir Thomas Dunocke vnder safeconduyte promising theÌ„ vpon his fayth to kepe theÌ„ harmles But after because the Lord Walles sonne would not dissolve his army beheded theÌ„ both and weÌ„t with his power downe into Lincolnshire there fought with sir Robert Welless slewe ten thousand of his souldiers yet ran they away so fast that the casting of of their clothes for the more spede caused it to be called loose-coate fyeld tooke sir Robert other and put them to deth in the same place This misfortune forced the earle of Warwike to saile into FrauÌ„ce wher he was wel entertained of y t king a while and at last with such poore helpe as he procured ther of duke Rayner other he came unto England againe increased such a power in Kyng Henries name y t as the lord Tiptoft sayd in his tragedy king Edwarde vnable to abide him was faine to flye over the washes in Lincolnshire to get a ship to saile out of his kingdome to â—is brother in lawe the duke of Burgoyne So was king HeÌ„ry restored again to the kingdome Al these despites troubles the Earle wâ—ought agaynst king Edward but Henry was so â—nfortunate that ere halfe a yeare was expâ—red king Edwarde came backe agayne and imprisoned him and gave the erle a sielde wherein 〈◊〉 sâ—w both him and his brother I have recounted thus much before hande for the better opeâ—ing of the story which if it should have bene spoken in his tragedâ— would rather have madâ— a volume thaâ— a Pamphlete For I enteâ—de onelye to say in the tragedy what I have 〈…〉 the Earle of Warwycke person 〈…〉 other noble mâ—n wham I have by the waye touched should not be forgotten And therfore imagine that you see this Earle lying with his brother in Paules church in his coat armure with such a face countenaunce as he beareth in portrayture ouer the dore in Poules at the going downe to Iesus Chappell fro the south ende of the quier stayres and saying as foloweth Hovv sir Richard Nevell Earle of VVarvvike and his brother Iohn Lord Marquise Mountacute through their to much boldnes vver slayne at Barnet field
his treasons to encline Wherto I was prepared long before My brother had bene to me so vnkinde For sure no cankar fretteth fleshe so sore As vnkinde dealing doth a louing minde Loves strongest bandes vnkindnes doth vnbinde It moveth love to malice zele to hate Chiefe frendes to foes and bretherne to debate And though the Earle of Warwike subtile syer Perceyved I bare a grudge agaynst my brother Yet towarde his feat to set me more on fire He kindeled by one firebrand with another For knowing fansie was the forcing rother Which stiereth youth to any kinde of strite He offâ—red me his daughter to my wife Wherthrough and with his crafty filed tounge He stale my hart that erst vnstedy was For I was witlâ—s wanton fonde and younge Whole bent to pleasure brittle as the glas I can not lye In vino veritas I did esteme the beawty of my bryde Above my selfe and all the world beside These fond affeccions ioynt with lacke of skyll Which trap the hart and blinde the iyes of youth And pricke the minde to practise any yll So tickled me that voyd of kindly truth Which where it wantes all wickednes ensueth I stinted not to persecute my brother Till time he left his kingdome to an other Thus karnall love did quench the loue of kind Til lust were lost through fansy fully fed But whan at length I came vnto my minde I sawe how lewdly lightnes had me led To seeke with payne the peril of my hed For had king Henry once bene setled sure I was assured my dayes could not endure And therfore though I bound my selfe by othe To helpe king Henry al that ever I might Yet at the treaty of my bretherne both Which reason graunted to require but right I left his part wherby he perisht quite And reconsilde me to my bretherne twayne And so came Edward to the crowne againe This made my father in lawe to fret and fume To stampe and stare and call me false forsworne And at the length with all his power presume To helpe king Henry vtterly forlorne Our frendly profers stil he tooke in skorne Refused peace and came to Barnet field And there was kilde bicause he would not yeeld His brother also there with him was slayne Wherby decayed the kayes of chiualrie For never lived the matches of them twaine In manhode power and marciall pollicy In vertuous thewes and frendly constancy That would to god if it had bene his wil They might have turnde to vs and liued stil. But what shal be shal be there is no choyse Thinges nedes must drive as destiny decreeth For which we ought in all our haps reioyce Because the eye eterne all thing forseeth Which to no yll at any time agreeth For ylâ— to yll to vs be good to it So farre his skilles excede our reach of wiâ— The wounded man which must abide the smart Of stitching vp or â—earing of his sore As thing to bad reproves the Surgeons art Which notwithstanding doth his helth restore The childe likewise to science plied sore Countes knowledge yll his teacher to be wood Yet Surgery and sciences be good But as the pacientes griefe and Scholers payne Cause them deme bad such thinges as sure be best So want of wisedome causeth vs complayne Of every hap wherby we seme opprest The poore do pine for pelfe the rich for rest And whan as losse or sicknes vs assayle We curse our fate our Fortune we bewayle Yet for our good god wurketh every thing For through the death of those two noble peres My brother lived and raignde a quiet king Who had they lived perchaunce in course of yeares Would have delivered Henry from the breres Or holpe his sonne to enioye the careful crowne Wherby our lyne should have be quite put downe A careful crowne it may be iustly named Not only for the cares therto annext To see the subiect wel and duly framed With which good care few kinges are greatly vext But for the dread wherwith they are perplext Of losing lordship liberty or life Which woful wrackes in kingdomes happen rife The which to shun while sum to sore have soughâ— They have not spared all persons to suspect And to destroy such as they gilty thought Though no apparaunce proved them infact Take me for one of this wrong punisht sect Imprisoned first accused without cause And doen to death no proces had by lawes Wherin I note how vengeaunce doth acquite Like yll for yll how vices vertue quell For as my mariage love did me excite Against the king my brother to rebell So love to have his children prosper well Prouoked him against both lawe and right To murder me his brother and his knight For by his quene two goodly sonnes he had Borne to be punisht for their parenâ—es sinne Whose fortunes kalked made their father sad Such wofull haps were founde to be therin Which to auouch writ in a rotten skinne A prophecy was found which sayd a G Of Edwardes children should destruccion be Me to be G because my name was George My brother thought and therfore did me hate But woe be to the wicked heades that forge Such doubtful dreames to brede vnkinde debate For God a gleve a gibet grate or gate A Graye a Griffeth or a Gregory As well as George are written with a G. Such doubtfull riddles are no prophecies For prophecies in writing though obscure Are playne in sence the darke be very lyes What god forsheweth is euident and pure Truth is no Harold nor no Sophist sure She noteth not mens names their shildes nor creastes Though she compare them vnto birdes and beastes But whom she doth forshewe shal rule by force She termeth a Wâ—lfe a Dragon or a Beare A wilful Prince a raynles ranging horse A bolde a Lyon a coward much in feare A hare or hart a crafty pricked eare A lecherous a Bull a Goote a Foale An vnderminer a Moldwarp or a mole By knowen beastes thus truth doth playne declare What men they be of whom she speakes before And who so can mens properties compare And marke what beast they do resemble more Shall soone discerne who is the griefly bore For God by beastes expresseth mens condicions And not their badges haroldes supersticions And learned Merline whom God gave the sprite To know and vtter princes actes to cum Like to the Iewish prophetes did recite In shade of beastes their doinges all and sum Expressing playne by maners of the dum That kinges and lordes such properties should have As had the beastes whose name he to them gave Which while the folish did not well consider And seing princes gave for difference And knowledge of their issues myxt together All maner beastes for badges of pretence They tooke those badges to expres the sence Of Merlines minde and those that gave the same To be the princes noted by their name And hereof sprang the false namde prophecies That go by letters siphers armes or signes Which all be
foolish false and crafty lies Deuised by gesse or Guiles vntrue diuines For whan they sawe that many of many lines Gave armes alike they wist not which was he Whom Merline meant the noted beast to be For all the broode of Warwickes geve the Bear The Buckinghames do likewise geve the swan But which Bear bearer shoulde the lyon teare They wer as wise as Goose the â—ery man Yet in their skil they ceased not to skan And to be demed of the people wise Set furth their gloses vpon prophecies And whom they doubted openly to name They darkly termed or by sum letter meant For so they mought how ever the world did frame Preserve them selves from shame or being shent For howsoever contrary it went They might expound their meaning otherwise As haps in thinges should newly stil arise And thus there grew of a mistaken truth An arte so false as made the true suspect Wherof hath cum much mischiefe more the ruth That errours should our mindes so much infect True prophecies have fowly been reiect The false which brede both murder warre strife Belyved to the losse of many a goodmans life And therfore Baldwin teach men to discerne Which prophecies be false and which be true And for a ground this lesson let them learne That all be false which are deuised newe The age of thinges is iudged by the hue All Riddels made by letters names or armes Are yong and false for wurse than witches charmes I know thou musest at this lorâ— of mine How I no student should have learned it And doest impure it to the fume of wine That styrs the tounge and sharpeneth vp the wit But harke a frende did teache me every whit A man of mine in al good knowledge rife For which he giltles lost his learned life This man abode my servaunt many a day And stil in study set his hole delite Which taught me more than I could beare away Of every arte and by his searching sight Of thinges to cum he could forshew as right As I rehearce the pageantes that wer past Such perfectnes god gaue him at the last He knew my brother Richard was the Bore Whose tuskes should tears my brothers boyes me And gave me warning therof long before But wit nor warning can in no degree Let thinges to hap which are ordaynde to bee Witnes the paynted Lionesse which slue A prince imprisoned Lions to eschuâ— He tolde me to my youkefelow should dye Wherin would God he had bene no diuine And after her death I should woe earnestly A spouse wher at my brother should repine And finde the meanes she should be none of mine For which such malice should among vs rise As save my death no treaty should decise And as he sayd so all thinges came to passe For whan King Henry and his sonne wer slayne And every broyle so throughly quenched was That the King my brother quietly did rayne I reconsiled to his love agayne In prosperous health did leade a quiet life For five yeares space with honors laden rise And to augment the fulnes of my blisse Two lovely children by my wife I had But froward hap whose maner ever is In chiefest ioy to make the happy sad Bemixt my swete with bitternes to bad For while I swam in ioyes on every side My louing wife my chiefest iewel died Who sâ— lacks whan fâ—lâ— I had bewaylde a yeare The Duke of Burgoyues wise dame Margarete My louing sister willing me to chearâ— To mary againe did kindly 〈◊〉 intreat And wisht me matched with a mayden nete A stepdaughter of hers duke Charles his hapee A noble damesell yong discrete and fayer To whose desper because I did encline The King my brother doubting my degree Through prophecies against vs did repine And at no hande would to our willes agree For which such rancor pearst both him and me That face to face we fell to flat defiaunce But were appeased by frendes of our aliaunce Howbeit my mariage vtterly was dasht Wherein because my servaunt sayd his minde A meane was sought wherby he might be lasht And for they could no crime agaynst him finde They forged a fault the peoples lyts to blinde And tolde he should by sorceries pretende To bring the King vnto a spedy ende Of all which poyntes he was as innocent As is the babe that lacketh kindely breth And yet condemned by the Kinges assent Most cruelly put to a shamefull death This fierd my hart as soulder doth the heath So that I could not but exclame and crye Against so great and open an iniury For this I was commaunded to the tower The king my brother was so cruel harted And whan my brother Richard saw the hower Was cum for which his hart so sore had smarted He thought best take the time before it parted For he endeuoured to attayne the crowne FroÌ„ which my life must nedes have held him downe For though the king within a while had died As nedes he must he surfayted so oft I must have had his children in my gyde So Richard should beside the crowne have cost This made him plye the while the waxe was sofâ— â–ª To find a meane to bring me to an ende For realme rape spareth neither kin nor frend And whan he sawe how reason can asswage Through length of time my brother Edwardes yreâ— With forged tales he set him new in rage Til at the last they did my death conspire And though my truth sore troubled their desire For all the world did know mine innocence Yet they agreed to charge me with offence And covertly within the tower they called A quest to geve such verdite as they should Who what with fear and what with fauour thraide Durst nought pronounce but as my brethern would And though my false accusers never could Prove ought they sayd I giltles was condemned Such verdites passe where iustice is contemned This seat atchieved yet could they not for shame Cause me be kilde by any common way But like a wulfe the tirant Richard came My brother nay my butcher I may say Unto the tower when all men wer away Save such as wer provided for the â—eate Who in this wise did straungely me entreate His purpose was with a prepared string To strangle me but I bestird me so That by no force they could me therto bring Which caused him that purpose to forge Howbeit they bound me whether I would or no. And in a buâ—â—e of Malmesey standing by Newe Christned me because I should not crie Thus drounde I was yet for no due desert Except the zeale of Iustice be a crime False prophecies bewitched king Edwardes hert My brother Richard to the crowne wold clime Note these thre causes in thy ruful ryme And boldly say they did procure my fal And death of deathes most straunge and hard of al. And warne all princes prophecies to eschue That are to darke or doubtful to be knowen What God hath sayd that can not but ensue Though