one Prince preserued you Behold the same him loyall loue to him be iust and true For euen as Ioue aboue amongst the gods doth rule alone So he in earth the Empire all allottes and giues to one Thus hauing said aloud with irefull mood And bloodie countnance cast about the place Th' assemblie pale and trembling fearefull stood And I return'd to 'th Palace thence a space My brothers house and fame I did deface His friends his seruants all yong old and new And th' infants eke without respect I slew The Wrastlers and the Waggeners likewise Musitians players which did please his mind Of th' order of the Senators full wise In whom was noble blood or wealth to find Not one of Getaes friends I left behind Also my wife whom I exil'd away To Sicile I le I caused them to slay Lucilla eke that ancient noble Dame To Marcus wise the daughter sage and graue Of Commodus that sister great of fame Which honor much in Rome deseru'd to haue I say she did my deeds therein depraue Because to Getaes mother she wept sore For Getaes death I causde her die therefore Her sonne likewise I caused should be slaine And of th' Imperiall blood to make all sure I left not one aliue that might remaine Or vnto whom they might my place procure By night likewise I put like acts in vre For day and night I ceased not to slay Of Getaes friends to roote the rest away I Vestall virgins buried eke aliue And made the souldiers multitudes to kill Because I deem'd they were in words too bliue Against my coach wherein I trauell'd still The souldiers slew the men that thought no ill Or made them buy their liues with all they had Which were to scape with life alone full glad This done for feare from Rome with speede I gate The towne like life at home misliked me For why the City did my murders hate Where souldiers held their slaughters franke and free And were enricht by spoile of each degree I gate therefore with all my Martiall crew From Itayle land Danubian shores to view Where vnto hunting I applide my selfe To ride abroad in couch and giue them lawes In few dispacht their pleas about but pelfe Not giuen to heare long pleading plaints for strawes I counted such but cau'lling caitiue dawes As spent their substance time and goods in suite About such things as could not yeeld them fruit I clad my selfe much like the Germans then So trimde my haire chose them my guard to serue So framde my selfe to please these ruder men As might them cause of me full well deserue From labour none with them I seem'd to swerue To digge lift beare to grinde mould knead or bake In painfull sort and simple fare to take The Germans much reioyc'd my kind of life My sufferance great in during labours long The name of mate with vs was holden rife I seem'd a fellow souldier them among Of stature small yet was I wondrous strong So that few men which in mine armies were Could with like strength such weightie burthens beare When at Danubius I had placed strength To Thracia thence with speed apace I went There Monuments againe I made at length To Alexanders fame to Rome I sent Likewise of statues for the same intent In Capitole and Temples them to place For honour great of Alexanders grace I made me garments eke of Thracian guise And Captaines me to Alexander call To Pergame thence in Asia great that lies I gate Achilles tombe with honours all With eie to view as stories witnesse shall Whence order set to Antioch I farde Where my receit with honour was preparde To Alexandria then I fared fast For they had scoft full oft before at mee My mother they had named Queene Iocaste Achilles great and Alexander mee They smilde my folly great herein to see Which though I were a dwarfe of stature small Durst take the name of Captaines great and tall Ne Getaes murder spared oft to spread As is their nature giuen to taunt and iest Wherefore as though Religion had me lead I offred sacrifice with solemne feast At Alexanders tombe where most and least Of all the youth were present to behold The offerings great I brought and gifts of gold This done I wil'd the youth should all prepare To shew themselues in field for I would chuse A band by Alexanders name to fare As erst in Thrace and Sparta I did vse They came reioicing all to heare the newes Where I with souldiers come to take the view Them compast in and all the people slew The valley all did swimme with streames of bloud So great that time a slaughter was there made It stainde the mightie mouthes of Nilus floud And on the shores you might bloud wetshod wade My piners eke were prest with showle and spade Tinterre the dead a monstrous trench that fill And on them dead they reard a mightie hill But then desiring glorie more to get By Parthian name which erst my father had I sent to Artabane without of let Ambassage great with gifts his minde to glad And for his daughter them perswade I bad Desiring him to giue her me to wife The cause of lasting loue and end of strife By this both ioind in one we might for ay Of all the world the Diademe possesse And might to each in all attempts be stay In fight our foes by firmer force suppresse When they my message thus did there expresse At first he feard deceit againe I sent Wherewith he was at last full well content By gifts I wrought and plight my faith withall For truth to him and for his daughters loue And he began me sonne in lawe to call Which new report did all the Parthians moue Vs to receiue our friendships firme t' approue Reioycing now such league at last to see Whereby they might from Romane warres be free And so I entred Parthia as mine owne The Parthians me receiued with triumphs great When mine approch to Artabane was knowne In plaine before the City of his seat He came to meete mee with a number great Ware garlands gay in golden vestures clad With all the ioy and triumphs might be had So when great multitudes assembled were Their horses left behind and bowes laid downe Amongst their cups deuoide of force the feare By numbers great the chiefe of all the towne Which came to see the bridemans high renowne Disorderly vnarm'd as so they stand I gaue my souldiers signe to vse their hand And downe by sword they fell they could not flie The King scarse scap'd conueid by horse away Their solemne garments long their flight did tie A slaughter great of Parthians was that day We sackte their Townes and noble men did slay From thence I past t'Azamia after this To hunt and gaue my selfe to bathe in blisse Thus hauing runne my recklesse race vnkinde And doubting both of treason and my thrall I sought by curious arts of sprites to finde Who should
happinesse At that they only fish with Fortunes hooke Ambition will not wisdomes counsell brooke Pride sets her thoughts on things that vade away Forsaking vertue which doth nere decay Mens vaine delights are wondrous to behold For that that reason nils nor nature sowes They take in hand on science far too bold Deceiu'd by suttle snares of diuelish showes From which attempts a floud of mischiefe flowes An heape of hurts a frie of foule decaies A flocke of feares and thrals a thousand waies If that the water fish forsake the streame Against his kind feeles he no hurt ensues Or if the brocke would learne to play the breame And leaue the lambes at land were this no newes A fethered fowle in th' earth a den to chuse Or flounder say to flie the larke to catch We might admire what monsters time did hatch But sith we see that nature hath assign'd The fowle to flie the aire as seemeth well The fish to swim the sea as fits his kind The earth for men and beasts to breed and dwell Of right a man which doth the rest excell Should euen so far surpasse in his degree As all the rest in wisdome weaker bee All this I speake to warne the rest that heare And eke to shew the blindnesse of delites Herein my folly vaine may plaine appeare What hap they heape which trie out cunning slights What hurt there hits at such vaine shewes and sights Where men for pleasure only take much paine To alter natures gifts for pleasure vaine Were not it strange thinke you a King to flie To play the tombler or some iugling cast To dresse himselfe in plumes as erst did I And vnder armes to knit on wings full fast A sport you thinke that might the wise agast But Magicke arte had taught me points of skill Which in the end did proue my future ill I deckt my corps with plumes I say and wings And had them set thou seest in skilfull wise With many feats fine poyseing equall things To aide my selfe in flight to fall or rise Few men did euer vse like enterprise Gainst store of wind by practise rise I could And turne and winde at last which way I would But ere the perfect skill I learned had And yet me thought I could do passing well My subiects hearts with pleasant toyes to glad From Temples top where did Apollo dwell I sayd to flie but on the Church I fell And in the fall I lost my life withall This was my race this was my fatall fall What vainer thing could any Prince deuise Then so himselfe a foolish fowle to show Learne you by me that count your selues so wise The worst to doubt of things what ere you know Flie not so high for feare you fall so low Be wise in artes exceed not wisdomes bound The depth of arte by wit may not be found These curious artes allurements haue alone They profer much in recompence of paine But yet among'st a thousand scarce is one In practise ought by them can saue or gaine In their effects they are but false and vaine Sophisticall deceitfull and vntrue That nothing haue yet promise all to you I speake not of the rest that are in vse Amongst the wiser sort Philosophie Nor of the parts thereof but of th' abuse That comes by magicke artes of Imagerie By vile inchauntments charmes and parnpestrie All which by nature are abhor'd as euill Practisde by fooles inuented by the diuell To make an end you noble Kings content Your selues with studies seruing for the State You Lords also with all your wits inuent What way t' eschew the Prince and peoples hate Yee Subiects loue your Prince eschew debate I wish you all beware of climing high Lest that you helpelesse fall as erst did I. HOW QVEENE CORDILA IN DESPAIRE SLEW her selfe the yeare before Christ 800. IF any wofull wight haue cause to waile her woe Or griefes are past do pricke vs Princes tell our fall My selfe likewise must needs constrained eke do so And shew my like misfortunes and mishaps withall Should I keepe close my heauie haps and thrall Then did I wrong I wrong'd my selfe and thee Which of my facts a witnesse true maistbee A woman yet must blush when bashfull is the case Though truth bid tell the tale and storie as it fell But sith that I mislike not audience time nor place Therefore I cannot keepe my woes in counsell well * No greater ease of heart then griefes to tell It daunteth all the dolours of our mind Our carefull hearts thereby great comfort find For why to tell that may recounted be againe And tell it as our cares may compasse ease That is the salue and med'cine of our paine Which cureth corsies all and sores of our disease It doth our pinching pangs and paines appease It pleads the part of an assured friend And telles the trade like vices to amend Therefore if I more willing be to tell my fall With my mishaps to ease my burdened breast and mind Some others haplie may auoid and shunne the thrall And thereby for distresse more aide and comfort find They keeping measure whereas I declin'd May be as prompt to flie like brute and blame As I to tell or thou to write the same Wherefore if thou wilt afterwards record What Queene Cordila telles to ease her inward smart I will recite my storie tragicall each word To thee that giu'st an eare and readie art But lest I set the horse behind the cart I mind to tell each thing in order so As thou maist see and shew whence sprang my woe My grandsire Bladud hight that found the bathes by skill A fethered King that practisde high to soare Whereby he felt the fall God wot against his will And neuer went road raign'd nor spake nor flew no more After whose death my father Leire therefore Was chosen King by right apparent heire Which after built the towne of Leircestere He had three daughters faire the first hight Gonerell Next after her his yonger Ragan was begot The third and last was I the yongest nam'd Cordell Vs all our father Leire did loue too well God wot But minding her that lou'd him best to note Because he had no sonne t' enioy his land He thought to guerdon most where fauour most he fand What though I yongest were yet men me iudg'd more wise Then either Gonerell or Ragan more of age And fairer farre wherefore my sisters did despise My grace and gifts and sought my wrecke to wage But yet though vice on vertue die with rage It cannot keepe her vnderneath to drowne For still she flittes aboue and reapes renowne My father thought to wed vs vnto Princely peeres And vnto them and theirs diuide and part the land For both my sisters first he call'd as first their yeares Requir'd their minds and loue and fauour t' vnderstand Quoth he all doubts of dutie to aband I must assay your friendly faithes to proue My daughters tell me how you
she smooth blew on this pleasant gale He was created Earle of March alas Whence enuy sprang which his destruction was For wealth breeds wrath in such as wealth doe want Pride folly breeds in such as it possesse Among a thousand shall you find one skant That can in wealth his lofty heart represse Which in this Earle due proofe did plaine expresse For whereas he was somewhat haut before His high degree hath made him now much more For now alone he ruleth as him lust Ne recks for reade saue of king Edwards mother Which forced enuy foulder out the rust That in mens hearts before did lie and smother The Peeres the people th' one as well as th' other Against him made so hainous a complaint That for a traytour he was soone attaint Then all such faults as were forgot afore They skowre afresh and somwhat to them adde For enuy still hath eloquence in store When Fortune bids to worse things meanly bad Fiue hainous crimes against him soone were had First that he caus'd the King to yeeld the Scot To make a peace townes that were from him got And therewithall the Charter call'd Ragman That of the Scots he bribed priuy gaine That through his meanes sir Edward of Carnaruan In Barkely Castle traiterously was slaine That with his Princes mother he had laine And finally with polling at his pleasure Had rob'd the King and Commons of their treasure For these things loe which erst were out of mind He was condemn'd and hanged at the last In whom Dame Fortune fully shewed her kind For whom she heaues she hurleth downe as fast If men to come would learne by other past My cosin then might cause them set aside High climing bribing murdering lust and pride The finall cause why I this processe tell Is that I may be knowen from this the other My like in name vnlike mee though he fell Which was I thinke my grandfire or his brother To count my kin dame Philip was my mother Daughter and heire of douty Lionell The third King Edwards sonne as stories tell My father hight sir Edmund Mortimer True Earle of March whence I was after Earle By iust descent these two my parents were Of which the one of Knighthood bare the fearle Of womanhood the other was the pearle Through their desert so cal'd of euery wight Till death them tooke and left mee in their right For why th' attainter of the elder Roger Whose shamefull death I told you but oflate Was found to bee vniust and passed ouer Against the law by those that bare him hate For where by law each one of free estate Should personally be heard ere iudgement passe They bard him this where through destroid he was Wherefore by doome of court in Parliament When we had prou'd our Cosin ordered thus The King the Lords and Commons of assent His lawlesse death vnlawfull did discusse And both to bloud and good restored vs. A preside at most worthy shewed and left Lords liues to saue that lawlesse might bee reft While Fortune vnto me her grace did deigne King Richards grace the second of that name Whose looser life did soone abridge his reigne Made me his mate in earnest and in game The Lords themselues so well allow'd the same That through my titles duely comming downe I was made heire apparent to the Crowne Who then but I was euery where esteemd Well was the man that might with me acquaint Whom I allow'd as Lords the people deemd To whatsoeuer folly had me bent To like it well the people did assent To mee as Prince attended great and small I hopte a day would come to pay for all But seldome ioy continueth trouble void In greatest charge cares greatest doe ensue The most possest are euer most annoid In largest seas sore tempests lightly brue The freshest colours soonest fade the hue In thickest place is made the deepest wound True proofe whereof my self too soone haue found For whilst faire Fortune Iuld mee in her lap And gaue me gifts more then I did require The subtile dame behind mee set a trap Whereby to dash and lay all in the mire The Irish men against mee did conspire My lands of Vlster from me to haue reft Which heritage my mother had mee left And whiles I there to set all things in stay Omit my toiles and trouble thitherward Among mine owne with my retinue lay The wilder men whom I did not regard And had therefore the reckles mans reward When least I thought set on mee in such number That from my corps my life they rent asunder Nought might auaile my courage nor my force Nor strength of men which were alas too few The cruell folke assaulted so my horse That all my helps in peeces they to hew Our bloud distaines the ground as drops of dew Nought might preuaile to flie nor yet to yeeld For whom they take they murder in the field They know no law of Armes nor none will learne They make not warre as other doe a play The Lord the boy the Gallowglas the Kerne Yeeld or not yeeld whom so they take they slay They saue no foes for ransome nor for pay Their chiefest boote is th' aduersaries head They end not wâ—â—â—e till th' enemie be dead Amongst these men or rather sauage beasts I lost my life by cruell murder slaine And therefore Baldwine note thou well my geasts And warne all Princes rashnes to refraine Bid them beware their foes when they doe faine Nor yet presume vnequally to striue Had I thus done I had been left aliue But I despis'd the naked Irish men And for they flew I feared them the lesse I thought one man enough to match with ten And through this carelesse vnaduisednes I was destroid and all my men I gesse At vnawares assaulted by our fone Which were in number forty to vs one See here the stay of fortunate estate The vaine assurance of this brittle life For I but yong-proclamed Prince of late Right fortunate in children and in wife Lost all at once by stroke of bloudy knife Whereby assur'd let men themselues assure That wealth and life are doubtfull to endure FINIS THE FALL OF ROBERT Tresilian chiefe Iustice of England and other his fellowes for misconstruing the Lawes and expounding them to serue the Princes affections Anno 1388. IN the sad register of mischiefe and mishap Baldwine we beseech thee with our names to begin Whom vnfriendly Fortune did train vnto a trap When as wee thought our state most stable to haue bin So lightly leese they all which all do weene to win Learne by vs ye Lawyers and Iudges of this Land Vpright and vncorrupt in doome alway to stand And print ye this president to remaine for euer Enroll and record it in Tables made of Brasse Engraue it in Marble that may be raced neuer Where Iudges of the Law may see as in a Glasse What guerdon is for guile and what our wages was Who for our Princes will
soules thereby to darkesome Stygian lake Which kill the corps that mightie Ioue did make HOW KING MORGAN OF ALBANY was slaine at Glamorgan in Wales The yeare before Christ 766. I Wot not well what reason I may vse To quit my selfe from lasting infamie Wherefore I must perforce my selfe accuse I was in fault I cannot it denie Remorce of conscience prickes my heart so nie And me torments with pangs of pinching paine I can no longer me from speech refraine I am that Morgan sonne of Gonerell Th' vngratefull daughter of her father Leire Which from his kingdome did him once expell As by the British stories may appeare Ragan and she conspir'd both sisters were But were subdu'd againe and causde to yeeld Their fathers Crowne Cordila wan the field I need not heere the stories all recite It were too long but yet I briefly shall The cause Cordila ought her sisters spite Was they procur'd her and their fathers thrall Yet t' was her chance at length t' out liue them all Both sisters elder and her father graue And eke at length the kingdome all to haue That time was I of Albany the King Call'd Scotland now and eke my cousin then Of Cornwall and of Wales whom I did bring To warre against Cordila and her men We said we would our title winne agen And that because our fathers had it yore We ment to get it ours againe therefore I must confesse I was the cause of warre I was not pleasde with that was lotted mee Euen so our minds ambitious often are And blinded that we cannot reason see We thinke no men but Gods on earth we bee Yet worse are we then beasts which know their kind For we haue nought but mischiefe oft in mind We thinke if so we may our willes attaine By right or wrong by might or malice we Could neuer liue like Fortune for to gaine Or if on foes we once reuenged bee If that our foe-mens fall we chance to see O then we ioy we lift our selues to skie And on the poore we crucifige crie I deem'd if that I might once put her downe The Kingdomes all were Conidags and mine And I could easly after win the crowne If also I his state might vndermine I thought indeed to haue it all in fine By force or fraud I did intend alone To sit as King vpon the Britaine throne To speake in few we waged warre so long Gainst her at last we put her vnto flight We warriers for our Aunt were far too strong Pursude and tooke depriu'd her of her right We thought it ours what so we wan by might Eke so play tyrants Traitors all do watch To get by spoile and count their owne they catch Not so contented were we with the pray But fearing lest she should recouer aide I sent in hast to prison her away And all recourse of messengers denaid Thus when she saw her Maiestie decaid And that her griefes and sorowes daily grew In prison at the length her selfe she slew O caytife vile that did constraine a Queene That Iustice ment her kingdome to forsake Nay traytor I her cause of death haue been That would my selfe by bloodshed ruler make How could reuenge on me but vengeance take Before the seat of God her blood did call For vengeance still and so procur'd my fall Lo heere Gods iustice see my treason see Behold and see to raigne was my delight And marke and make a mirrour heere of me Which afterward was seru'd by iustice right We wan the crowne betweene vs both in fight And then because I was the elder sonne Of th' elder Queene I claimed all we wonne So were my dealings nought in peace and warre But by my force and fortunes vsde in fight I past that time the Britaines all by farre I was of person fortitude and might Both comely tall strong seemely eke in sight Whereby I won mens fauour glorie wealth And puft with pride at length forgate my selfe I said it was my right the crowne to haue But Conidagus stoutly it deni'd Wherefore I went to Wales my right to craue With all mine armie and to haue it tri'd Where long we fought it stoutly on each side Till at the last vnto my wofull paine I was depriu'd of kingdome quite and slaine And for to keepe in memorie for aye That there vnfaithfull Morgan lost his life The place is call'd Glamorgan to this daye There was I pierst to death with fatall knife There was the end of all my hatefull strife So Morgan where he thought to win the crowne Was at Glamorgan traytor striken downe Thus maist thou tell how proud ambition proues What hap haue tyrants what we Traytours haue What end he hath that cruell dealing loues What subiects get that Diademe do craue T is better then to winne thine owne to saue For so orethwartly trade of Fortune goes When win thou would'st then art thou sure to lose HOW KING IAGO DIED OF THE LETHARGIE about the yeare before Christ 612. HAue I oreslept my selfe or am I wake Or had'st thou late oreslept thy selfe that wrote Could'st thou not for the Letharge paines to take And with the rest his sleepie life to note Was I amongst the wicked wights forgote Well then awaked sith we are both twaine To write my sleepie sinfull life take paine I am that Iago once of Britaine King That ruled all this noble British Ile No fame of me the writers old do bring Because my life and gouernment was vile Yet Higgins heere take paines for me a while Enregester my mirrour to remaine That Princes may my vices vile refraine At first a while I ruled well the land I vsed iustice right tooke regall place No wight but found iust iudgement at my hand And truth durst shew without rebuke her face I gaue my selfe to all good gifts of grace My subiects liu'd in rest within my raigne No cause of Prince compel'd them to complaine But as in calme a storme we nothing feare When as the seas are milde and smooth as glasse And as in peace no thought of warres we beare Which least suppose of mischiefes come to passe Euen so my still and rightfull raigning was The calme a tempest boads the shine a raine Long peace a warre and pleasure pinching paine For rest and peace and wealth abounding thoe Made me forget my Iustice late well vsde Forsaking vertues vices gan to floe And formernoble acts I quite refusde My gifts my treasures wealth and will misusde Began all goodnes quite at length disdaine And did my facts with filthie vices staine Misgouern'd both my Kingdome and my life I gaue my selfe to ease to sleepe and sinne And I had clawbackes euen at Court full rife Which sought by outrage golden gaines to winne For * Kings no sooner well or worse beginne But euen at hand the good or bad take paine For vertues sake or meede the Prince to traine As vices grew encreasing more and more So vertues fled and bad their
the Court a Kings behest Turne him to plow the cart for him is best For though thou canst by cunning art compell Nature a time to leaue her wonted place She will returne in spight of heauen or hell No Alcumist Dame Nature can displace Except that God doth giue abundant grace The Caske will haue a taste for euermore With that where with it seasoned was before Why did I then my courtlesse court maintaine With Hob and Iohn Ralph Royster and his mate Whose greedie iawes aye gaping after gaine Did pole and pill and bred such sterne debate Men much vnmeet to maintaine mine estate Why did I them so neere mine elbow place Because my selfe by birth was borne but bace Like will to like the Mule doth claw her mate With horned beasts the Ienite cannot iest Those bauling Hounds the haughtie Hart doth hate With Beares the Beare in safetie counts her best So I amongst my like did looke for rest Their deeds by me were alwaies well allow'd By them likwise my doings were auow'd But as you see the Husbandman with care From new sowne fields the rauening rookes to driue So did the Gentrie of my Realme prepare My countrie Court and me for to depriue But Gentlemen were then too weake to striue With me and mine for which they did prepare A new found snach which did my feet insnare In surgelesse seas of quiet rest when I Seuen yeares had sail'd a perrie did arise The blasts whereof abrig'd my libertie For whil'st I did with busie braine deuise Them to destroy which did my Court despise The boistrous blasts of hatred blew a gale My cables crakt my Barke was bong'd with bale For they I meane the Gentrie of my land Both me and mine theirs and themselues had sold Subiects to Rome from whence a mightie band They had conuey'd to make my courage cold Into my Realme they could not be controld But when they were arriu'd they quickly brought Both me and mine and all the rest to nought Alectus then the Chiefetaine of the rest Spoiling my friends he forst me to the field The day was come we both in fight were prest His trustlesse traine did seeme to me to yeeld But all the fields with great ambushments fill'd I could not flee Alectus had the day With his owne sword for breath he made me bray As due desert did force my ship to flote So vices vile me drencht in waues of woes O false suspect why did'st thou make me dote Fearing my fall my friends I deem'd my foes Fearing the worst the best I did depose And was deposde let other learne hereby The crooked Crab will alwaies walke awry And let them know which do not lothe to learne That Kings in Court be combred most with care The Pilots charge who sitteth at the stearne Doth make him watch when other do prepare Themselues to sleepe so Kings distressed are With doubtfull dread and many other things The sheepheards life is better then the Kings By Thomas Blener Hasset HOW QVEENE HELENA OF BRITAINE MARried CONSTANTIVS the Emperour and much aduanced the Christian faith through the whole world An. Dom. 289. MEns due deserts each Reader may recite For men of men do make a goodly show But womens workes can neuer come to light No mortall man their famous facts may know No writer will a little time bestow The worthy workes of women to repeat Though their renowne and due deserts be great For Iby birth to Coel daughter deere King Lucy was my good Grand-mothers sonne My father dead I rull'd his kingdome heere And afterward the World so wide I wonne I Empresse was of all vnder the Sunne I liued long I di'd with perfect blisse Yet writers will repeate no word of this But now at last I haue obtained leaue My spotlesse life to paint in perfect white Though writers would all honor from me reaue Of all renowne they would depriue me quite Yet true report my deeds shall burnish bright And rub the rust which did me much disgrace And set my name in her deserued place From Roman rule who Britaine did redeeme Who planted first Gods word in Britaine land Who did so much virginitie esteeme Who did the force of forren foes withstand Who all the world subdu'd without a band Of Martiall men who did these noble acts I Helena haue done these famous facts And now haue heere the storie of my state The Britaine Queene inheritage me crown'd Euen then when Romans had so great debate Amongst themselues for Caracallas wound An Emperour who highly was renown'd As then at Rome whose death vndoubtedly Diminisht much the Roman Emperie The Romans then were stor'd with ciuill strife And many Realmes against them did rebell Their trouble turn'd me to a quiet life My Commonweale did prosper passing well When all the world agreed like diuels in hell Then I and mine becalm'd from hatreds blast In happie hauen harboured wee at last Then I a maid of tender youthfull yeares Report did say of beautie fresh and faire Refusde the sute of many noble Peeres Which daily did vnto my court repaire What thought there were vnto my crowne no heire Yet I who did regard my Commons good Refusde to linke my selfe with forren blood On forren coasts on kingdomes to incroch With wrath of wrackfull warres I did despise And fearing aye the ruth of rude reproch With carking care I daily did deuise How I with peace might make my kingdome rise And how by law of God and man I might Giue Caesar his and vnto God his right No God of heauen no Christ my people knew Wherefore to Rome for learned men I sent King Lucies lawes decay'd I did renew Then preaching made my people so repent Their former faults that all incontinent Were baptised and so within a space The faith of Christ they firmely did embrace That nothing seemed currant in their sight But that which holie writers would allow And that they would imbrace with all their might To shed their bloud the same for to auow They did not feare at Verolane euen now Amidst the force of fiery flashing flame Albon the Protomartyr prou'd the same As carefull merchant men do much reioice When from those Iles Molocchi they haue brought Their fraighted ships for then they haue great choice Of Merchandize which trafficke long hath sought To finde the ware which trial true hath taught Wil get most gaine which being got they giue And cast their care how they thereby may liue So I whom both Sir Neptunes surging Seas And Eoles windes euen God himselfe aboue Did fauour much my labouring minde to please Giuing those things were best for my behoue Gods word I meane which all my men did loue The Pearles which Christ commanded to be bought Must here be found and no where els be sought Then they and I made haste post hast to leade Our sinful liues as Scripture did allow We knowing God him lou'd with feare and dreade Deuotion made vs crouch
of Yorke and other sought at home to put me downe Bellona rang the bell at home and all abroad With whose mishaps amaine fell Fortune did me load In France I lost my forts at home the foughten field My kinred slaine my friends opprest my selfe enforst to yeeld Duke Richard tooke me twice and forst me to resine My Crowne and titles due vnto my fathers line And kept mee as a ward did all things as him list Till that my wife through bloudy sword had tane me from his fist But though we slew the Duke my sorowes did not slake But like to Hydraes head still more and more awake For Edward through the aid of Warwicke and his brother From one field draue me to the Scots and toke me in another Then went my friends to wrack for Edward ware the Crowne For which for nine yeares space his prison held me downe Yet thence through Warwickes worke I was againe releast And Edward driuen fro the realme to seeke his friends by East But what preuaileth paine or prouidence of man To helpe him to good hap whom destiny doth ban Who moileth to remoue the rocke out of the mud Shall mire himselfe and hardly scape the swelling of the flud This all my friends haue found and I haue felt it so Ordain'd to be the touch of wretchednesse and woe For ere I had a yeare possest my seat againe I lost both it and liberty my helpers all were slaine For Edward first by stelth and sith by gathred strength Arriu'd and got to Yorke and London at the length Tooke me and tied me vp yet Warwicke was so stout He came with power to Barnet field in hope to helpe me out And there alas was slaine with many a worthy knight O Lord that euer such luck should hap in helping right Last came my wife and sonne that long lay in exile Defied the King and fought a field I may bewaile the while For there mine only sonne not thirteene yeares of age Was tane and murdred straight by Edward in his rage And shortly I my selfe to stint all further strife Stab'd with his brothers bloodie blade in prison lost my life Lo heere the heauie haps which hapned me by heape See heere the pleasant fruits that many Princes reape The painfull plagues of those that breake their lawfull bands Their meed which may and will not saue their friends from bloodie hands God grant my woful haps too grieuous to rehearce May teach all States to know how deepely dangers pierce How fraile all honors are how brittle worldly blisse That warned through my fearefull fate they feare to do amisse HOW GEORGE PLANTAGENET THIRD SONNE OF THE DVKE OF Yorke was by his brother King Edward wrongfully imprisoned and by his brother Richard miserably murdered the 11. of Ianuarie An. Dom. 1478. THe fowle is foule men say that files the nest Which makes me loth to speak now might I chuse But seeing time vnburdened hath her brest And fame blowne vp the blast of all abuse My silence rather might my life accuse Then shroud our shame though faine I would it so For truth will out although the world say no. And therefore Baldwine I do thee beseech To pause a while vpon my heauie plaint And vnneth though I vtter speedie speech No fault of wit nor folly makes me faint No headie drinkes haue giuen my tongue attaint Through quaffing craft Yet wine my wits confound Not that I dranke but wherein I was drown'd What Prince I am although I need not shew Because my wine bewrayes me by the smell For neuer man was soust in Bacchus dew To death but I through Fortunes rigour fell Yet that thou maist my storie better tell I will declare as briefely as I may My wealth my woe and causers of decay The famous house surnam'd Plantagenet Whereat Dame Fortune frowardly did frowne While Bolenbroke vniustly sought to set His Lord King Richard quite beside the Crowne Though many a day it wanted due renowne God so prefer'd by prouidence and grace That lawfull heires did neuer faile the race For Lionel King Edwards eldest child Both Eame and heire to Richard issulesse Begot faire Philip hight whom vndefil'd The Earle of March espous'd and God did blesse With fruit assign'd the kingdome to possesse I meane Sir Roger Mortimer whose heire The Earle of Cambridge maried Anne the faire 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 Lionel that all this line doth korke Of which two houses ioyned in a forke My father Richard Prince Plantagenet True Duke of Yorke was lawfull heire beget Who tooke to wife as ye shall vnderstand A mayden of a noble house and old Ralph Neuils daughter Earle of Westmerland Whose sonne Earle Richard was a Baron bold And had the right of Salisbury in hold Through mariage made with good Earle Thomas heire Whose earned praises neuer shall appaire The Duke my father had by this his wife Foure sonnes of whom the eldest Edward hight The second Edmund who did lose his life At Wakefield slaine by Clyfford cruell Knight I George am third of Clarence Duke by right The fourth borne to the mischiefe of vs all Was Glocesters Duke whom men did Richard call VVhen as our fire in sute of right was slaine VVhose life and death himselfe declared earst My brother Edward plied his cause amaine And got the Crowne as Warwicke hath rehearst The pride whereof so deepe his stomacke pearst That he forgot his friends despis'd his kin Of oath or office passing not a pin VVhich made the Earle of Warwicke to maligne My brothers state and to attempt a way To bring from prison Henrie sillie King To helpe him to the kingdome if he may And knowing me to be the chiefest stay My brother had he did me vndermine To cause me to his treasons to encline VVhereto I was prepared long before My brother had been to me so vnkind For sure no canker fretteth flesh so sore As vnkind dealing doth a louing mind Loues strongest bands vnkindnes doth vnbind It moueth loue to malice zeale to hate Chiefe friends to foes and brethren to debate And though the Earle of Warwicke subtill fire Perceiu'd I bare a grudge against my brother Yet toward his feate to set me more on fire He kindled vp one firebrand with another For knowing fancie was the forcing rother VVhich stirreth youth to any kind of strife He offered me his daughter to my wife Where through and with his craftie filed tongue He stole my heart that erst vnsteadie was For I was witlesse wanton fond and yongue Whole bent to pleasure brittle as the glasse I cannot lie In vino veritas I did esteeme the beautie of my bride Aboue my selfe and all the world beside These fond affections ioynt with lacke of skill Which trap the heart and blind the eyes of youth And pricke the mind to practise any ill So tickled me