to the Countesse of Salisburie And proues our acts of Parlement vniust In the next Parlement after Richards resignation of the Crowne Henry caused to be annihilated all the lawes made in the Parlament called the wicked Parlement helde in the twenty yeere of king Richards raigne FINIS Queene Katherine to Owen Tudor The Argument After the death of that victorious Henry the fift Queene Katherine the dowager of England and Fraunce daughter to Charles the French King holding her estate with Henrie her sonne then the sixt of that name falleth in loue with Owen Tuder a VVelshman a braue and gallant Gentleman of the VVardrope to the young King her son yet greatlie fearing if her loue shoulde bee discouered the Nobilitie would crosse her purposed marriage or fearing that if her faire princely promises should not assure his good successe this high and great attempt might perhaps daunt the forwardnesse of his modest and shamefast youth wherefore to breake the Ice to her intent shee writeth vnto him this Epistle following IVdge not a Princesse worth impeach'd heereby That loue thus tryumphs ouer maiestie Nor thinke lesse vertue in this royall hand vvhich now intreats that wonted to commaund For in this sort though humbly now it wooe The day hath beene thou would'st haue kneeld vnto Nor thinke that this submission of my state Proceedes from frailty rather iudge it fate Alcides nere more fit for wars sterne shock Then when for loue sate spinning at the rock Neuer lesse clowdes did Phoebus glory dim Then in a clownes shape when he couered him â—oues great commaund was neuer more obey'd Then when a Satyres anticke parts he plai'd He was thy King that sued for loue to mee Shee is thy Queene that sues for loue to thee VVhen Henry was what 's Tudors now was his vvhilst vet thou art what 's Henries Tudors is My loue to Owen him my Henry giueth My loue to Henry in my Owen liueth Henry woo'd me whilst wars did yet increase I wooe my Tudor in sweet calmes of peace To force affection he did conquest proue I fight with gentle arguments of loue Incampt at Melans In warres hote alarmes First saw I Henry clad in princely Armes At pleasant VVindsore first these eyes of mine My Tudor iudg'd for wit and shape diuine Henry abroade with puissance and with force Tudor at home with courtship and discourse He then thou now I hardly can iudge whether Did like me best Plantaginet or Tether A march a measure battell or a daunce A courtly rapier or a conquering Launce His princely bed hath strengthned my renowne And on my temples set a double crowne vvhich glorious wreath as Henries lawfull heire Henry the sixt vpon his brow doth beare At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy My bridal-rites to England brought from Troy In England now that honour thou shalt haue vvhich once in Champaine famous Henry gaueâ— I seeke not wealth three kingdoms in my power If these suffise not where shall be my dower Sad discontent may euer follow her vvhich doth base pelfe before true loue prefer If â—itles still could our affections tie vvhat is so great but maiestie might buy As I seeke thee so Kings doe me desire To what they would thou easily mai'st aspire That sacred fire once warm'd my hart before The fuell fit the flame is now the more And meanes to quench it I in vaine doe proue vve may hide treasure but not hide our loue And since it is thy fortune thus to gaine it It were too late nor will I now restraine it Nor these great titles vainely will I bring vvife daughter mother sister to a King Of grandsire father husband sonne brother More thou alone to me then all the other Nor feare my Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne great Lancastrian linâ— Nor stir the English blood the Sunne and Moone T'repine at Loraine Burbon Alansoon Nor doe I thinke there is such different ods They should alone be numbred with the Gods Of Cadmus earthly issue reckoning vs And they from â—oue Mars Neptune Eolus Of great Latonas of-spring onely they And we the brats of wofull Niobe Our famous Grandsires as theyr owne bestrid That horse of fame that God-begotten steed vvhose bounding hoofe plow'd that Boetian spring vvhere those sweet maides of memory doe sing Not onely Henries Queene but boast as well To be the childe of Charles and Isabell. Nor doe I know from whence their griefe should grow They by this match should be disparag'd so vvhen Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied And to the Kings of VVales in wedlocke tyed Showing the greatnes of your blood thereby Your race and royall consanguinitie And VVales as well as haughty England boasts Of Camilot and all her Penticosts A nephewes roome in great Pondragons race At Arthurs table held a princely place If by the often conquest of your land They boast the spoyles of theyr victorious hand If these our auncient Chronicles be true They altogether are not free from you VVhen bloody Rufus fought your vtter sack Twice entring VVales yet twice was beaten back VVhen famous Cambria wash'd her in the flood Made by th' effusion of the English blood And oft return'd with glorious victorie From VVorster Herford Chester Shrowesbury vvhose power in euery conquest so preuailes As once expuls'd the English out of VVales Although my beautie made my Countries peace And at my bridall former broyles did cease Yet more then power had not his person beene I had not come to England as a Queene Nor tooke I Henry to supply my want Because in Fraunce that time my choise was scant vvhen we had robd all Christendome of men And Englands flower remain'd amongst vs then Gloster whose counsels Nestor-like assist Couragious Bedford that great martiallist Clarence for vertue honoured of his foes And Yorke whose fame yet daily greater growes VVarwicke the pride of Neuels haughtie race Great Salisburie so fear'd in euery place That valiant Poole whom no atchiuement dares And Vere so famous in the Irish warres vvho though my selfe so great a Prince were borne The worst of these my equall neede not scorne But Henries rare perfections and his parts As conquering kingdoms so he conquer'd harts As chast was I to him as Queene might bee But freed from him my chast loue vow'd to thee Beautie doth fetch all fauour from thy face All perfect courtship resteth in thy grace If thou discourse thy lips such accents breake As loue a spirit foorth of thee seem'd to speake The Brittish language which our vowels wants And iarrs so much vpon harsh consonants Comes with such grace from thy mellifluous tongâ—e As doe the sweet notes of a well set song And runnes as smoothly from those lips of thine As the pure Thuskan from the Florantine Leauing such seasoned sweetnes in the eare As the voyce past yet still the found is there In Nisus Tower as when Apollo lay And on his golden viall vs'd to play vvhere
vaward led Heere Talbot charg'd and heere the Frenchmen fled Heere with our Archers valiant Scales did lie Heere stood the Tents of famous VVilloughbie Heere Mountacute rang'd his vnconquered band Heere forth we march'd and heere we made a stand VVhat should we stand to mourne and grieue all day For that which time doth easily take away VVhat fortune hurts let patience onely heale No wisedome with extremities to deale To know our selues to come of humane birth These sad afflictions crosse vs heere on earth A taxe imposd by heauens eternall law To keepe our rude rebellious will in awe In vaine we prise that at so deere a rate vvhose best assurance is a fickle state And needlesse we examine our intent vvhen with preuention we cannot preuent vvhen we our selues fore-seeing cannot shun That which before with destinie doth run Henry hath power and may my life depose Mine honour mine that none hath power to lose Then be as cheerefull beautious royall Queene As in the Court of Fraunce we erst haue beene As when arriu'd in Porchesters faire roade vvhere for our comming Henry made aboad vvhen in mine armes I brought thee safe to land And gaue my louâ— to Henries royal hand The happy houres we passed with the King At faire South-hampton long in banquetting vvith such content as lodg'd in Henries brest vvhen he to London brought thee from the VVest Through golden Cheape when he in pompe did ride To VVestminster to entertaine his Bride Notes of the Chronicle Historie Our Faeulcons kinde cannot the Cage indure HE alludes in these verses to the Faulcon which was the ancient deuice of the Poles comparing the greatnes and hautines of his spirit to the nature of this bird This was the meane proud Warwickâ— did inuent To my disgrace c. The Commons at this Parliament through Warwickâ— meanes accused Suffolk of treason and vrged the accusation so vehemently that the king was forced to exile him for fiue yeares That onely my base yeelding vp of Maine Should be the losse of fertile Aquitaine The Duke of Suffolke being sent into France to conclude a peace chose Duke Rainers daughter the Ladie Margaret whom he espoused for Henry the sixt deliuering for her to her Father the Countries of Aniou and Maine and the Citie of Mauns Wherevpon the Earle of Arminach whose daughter was before promised to the King seeing himselfe to be deluded caused all the Englishmen to be expulsed Aquitaine Gascoyne and Guyen With the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the heire of good Duke Humfreys name This Richard that was called the great Earle of Warwicke when Duke Humfrey was dead grew into exceeding great fauour with the Commons With Salisbury his vile ambitious Sire In Yorks sterne breast kindling long hidden fire By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle Ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt Richard Plantaginet Duke of Yorke in the time of Henry the sixt claimed the Crowne being assisted by this Richard Neuell Earle of Salisburie and father to the great Earle of Warwicke who fauoured exceedingly the house of Yorke in open Parliament as heire to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third Sonne of Edward the third making his title by Anne his Mother wife to Richard Earle of Cambridge Sonne to Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke which Anne was daughter to Roger Mortimer Earle of March which Roger was sonne and heire to Edmund Mortimer that married the Lady Phillip daughter and heire to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward to whom the Crowne after Richard the seconds death lineally descended he dying without issue And not to the heires of the Duke of Lancaster that was younger brother to the Duke of Clarence Hall cap. 1. Tit. Yor. Lanc. Vrg'd by these enuious Lords to spend their breath Calling reuenge on the Protectors death Humfrey Duke of Glocester and Lord Protector in the 25. yeere of Henry the sixt by the meanes of the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke was arrested by the Lord Beumond at the Parliament holden at Berrie and the same night after murthered in his bed If they would know who robd him c. To this verse To know how Humfrey died and who shall raigne In these verses he iestes at the Protectors wife who being accused and conuicted of treason because with Iohn Hun a Priest Roger Bullenbrooke a Negromancer and Margerie Iordane called the Witch of Eye shee had consulted by sorcâ—rie to kill the King was adiudged to perpetuall prison in the I le of Man to do penance openly in three publique places in London For twentie yeeres and haue I seru'd in Fraunce In the sixt yeere of Henry the sixt the Duke of Bedford being deceased then Lieuetenant generell and Regent of Fraunce this Duke of Suffolke was promoted to that dignitie hauing the Lord Talbot Lord Scales and the Lord Mountacute to assist him Against great Charles and bastard Orleance This was Charles the seauenth that after the death of Henry the fifth obtained the crowne of Fraunce and recouered againe much of that his father had lost Bastard Orleance was sonne to the Duke of Orleance begotten of the Lord Cawnies wife preferred highly to many notable offices because he being a most valiant Captaine was continuall enemie to the Englishmen daily infesting them with diuers incursions And haue I seene Vernoyla's batfull fields Vernoyle is that noted place in Fraunce where the great battell was fought in the beginning of Henry the sixt his raigne where the most of the French Cheualry were ouercome by the Duke of Bedford And from Aumerle with-drew my warlike powers Aumerle is that strong defenced towne in Fraunce which the Duke of Suffolke got after 24. great assaults giuen vnto it And came my selfe in person first to Towers Th'Embassadours for truâ—e to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungary and Spaine Towers is a Citie in Fraunce built by Brutus as he came into Brittaine where in the twentie and one yeere of the raigne of Henry the sixt was appointed a great diet to be kept whether came the Embassadours of the Empire Spaine Hungary and Denmarke to intreat for a perpetuall peace to be made betweene the two Kings of England and France By true descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem Rayner Duke of Aniou Father to Queene Margaret called himselfe King of Naples Cicily and Ierusalem hauing the title alone of King of those Countries A fifteenes taxe in Fraunce I freely spent The Duke of Suffolke after the marriage concluded twixt King Henry and Margarit daughter to Duke Rayner asked in open Parliament a whole fifteenth to fetch her into England Seene thee for England but imbaqu'd at Deepe Deepe is a Towne in Fraunce bordering vpon the Sea where the Duke of Suffolk with Queene Margaret tooke ship for England As when arriu'd in Porchesters faire Roadel Porchester a Hauen Towne in the South-west part of England where the King tarried expecting the Queenes arriuall whom from thence
to accept this Epistle which I dedicate as zealously as I hope you will patronize willingly vntill some more acceptable seruice may be witnesse of my loue to your honour Your Lordships euer Michaell Drayton Queene Isabell to Richard the second ¶ The Argument Queene Isabell the daughter of Charles King of Fraunce being the second wife of Richard the second the sonne of Edward the blacke Prince the eldest sonne of King Edward the third After the said Richard her husband was deâ—osed from his crowne and kingly dignitie by Henry Duke of Herford the eldest sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lankaster the fourth sonne of Edward the third this Lady beeing then very young was sent backe againe into Fraunce without dowre at what time the deposed King her husband was senâ— from the Tower of London as a prisoner vnto Pomfret Castle VVhether this poore Lady bewailing her husbands misfortunes writeth this Epistle from Fraunce AS doth the yeerely Auger of the spring In depth of woe thus I my sorrow sing vvords tun'd with sighs teares falling oft among A dolefull burâ—hen to a heauie song VVords issue forth to finde my griefe some way Teares ouertake them and doe bid them stay Thus whilst one striues to keepe the other back Both once too forward now are both too slack If fatall Pomfret hath in former time Nurrish'd the griefe of that vnnaturall Clime Thether I send my sorrowes to be fed But where first borne where fitter to be bred They vnto Fraunce be aliens and vnknowne England from her doth challenge these her own They say al mischiefe commeth from the North It is too true my fall doth set it forth But why should I thus limmit griefe a place vvhen all the world is fild with our disgrace And we in bounds thus striuing to containe it The more resists the more we doe restraine it Oh how euen yet I hate these wretched eyes And in my glasse oft call them faithlesse spies Prepard for Richard that vnwares did looke Vpon that traytor Henry Bollingbrooke But that excesse of ioy my sence bereau'd So much my sight had neuer been deceau'd Oh how vnlike to my lou'd Lord was hee vvhom rashly I sweet Richard tooke for thee I might haue seene the Coursers selfe did lack That princely rider should bestride his back Hee that since nature her great work began Shee made to be the mirrhor of a man That when she ment to forme som matchles lim Still for a patterne tooke some part of him And ielous of her cunning brake the mould In his proportion done the best she could Oh let that day be guiltie of all sin That is to come or heeretofore hath bin vvherein great Norfolkes forward course was staid To proue the treasons he to Herford layd vvhen with sterne furie both these Dukes enrag'd Theyr vvarlike gloues at Couentry engag'd vvhen first thou didst repeale thy former grant Seal'd to braue Mowbray as thy Combatant From his vnnumbred houres let time deuide it Least in his minutes he should hap to hide it Yet on his brow continually to beare it That when it comes all other dayes may feare it And all ill-boding Planets by consent That day may hold theyr dreadfull parlement Be it in heauens Decrees enroled thus Blacke dismall fatall inauspitious Proude Herford then in height of all his pride Vnder great Mowbrayes valiant hand had dy'de Nor should not thus from banishment retyre The fatall brand to set our Troy on fire O why did Charles relieue his needie state A vagabond and stragling runnagate And in his Court with grace did entertaine This vagrant exile this abiected Caine VVho with a thousand mothers curses went Mark'd with the brands of ten yeeres banishment VVhen thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell Millions of knees vpon the pauements fell And euery where th' applauding ecchoes ring The ioyfull shouts that did salute a King Thy parting hence what pompe did not adorne At thy returne who laugh'd thee not to scorne VVho to my Lord a looke vouchsaf'd to lend Then all too few on Herford to attend Princes like sunnes be euermore in sight All see the clowdes betwixt them and their light Yet they which lighten all downe from theyr skies See not the cloudes offending others eyes And â—eeme their noone-tide is desir'd of all VVhen all expect cleere changes by theyr fall VVhat colour seemes to shadow Herfords claime vvhen law and right his Fathers hopes doth maime Affirm'd by Church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegittimate vvhom his reputed Mothers tongue did spot By a base Flemish Boore to be begot vvhom Edwards Eglets mortally did shun Daring with them to gaze against the sun VVhere lawfull right and conquest doth allow A triple crowne on Richards princely brow Three kingly Lyons beares his bloody field No bastards marke doth blot his conquering shield Neuer durst hee attempt our haplesse shore Nor set his foote on fatall Rauenspore Nor durst his slugging Hulkes approch the strand Nor stoope a top as signall to the land Had not the Percyes promisd ayde to bring Against theyr oath vnto theyr lawfull King Against theyr faith vnto our Crownes true heyre Theyr valiant kinsman Edmond Mortimer VVhen I to England came a world of eyes Like starrs attended on my faire arise At my decline like angry Planets frowne And all are set before my going downe The smooth-fac'd aâ—re did on my comming smile But with rough stormes are driuen to exile But Bullingbrooke deuisd we thus should part Fearing two sorrowes should possesse one hart To make affliction stronger doth denie That one poore comfort left our misery He had before diuorc'd thy crowne and thee vvhich might suffice and not to widow mee But that to proue the vtmost of his hate To make our fall the greater by our state Oh would Aumeâ—le had sunck when he betraid The complâ—t which that holy Abbot layd vvhen he infring'd the oath which he first tooke For thy reuenge on periur'd Bullingbrooke And been the raunsome of our friends deere blood Vntimely lost and for the earth too good And we vntimely mourne our hard estate They gone too soone and we remaine too late And though with teares I from my Lord depart This curse on Herford fall to ease my hart If the foule breach of a chast nuptiall bed May bring a curse my curse light on his head If muâ—thers guilt with blood may deeply staine Greene Scroope and Bushie die his fault in graine If periurie may heauens pure gates debar Damn'd be the oath he made at Doncaster If the deposing of a lawfull King Thy curse condemne him if no other thing If these disioynd for vengeance cannot call Let them vnited strongly curse him all And for the Percyes heauen may heare my prayer That Bullingbrooke now plac'd in Richards chaire Such cause of woe vnto theyr wiues may be As those rebellious Lords haue beene to me And that proude Dame which now controlleth all And in her pompe
triumpheth in my fall For her great Lord may water her sad eyne vvith as salt teares as I haue done for mine And mourne for Henry Hotspur her deere sonne As I for my sweet Mortimer haue done And as I am so succourlesse be sent Lastly to taste perpetuall banishment Then loose thy care where first thy crowne was lost Sell it so deerely for it deerely cost And sith they did of libertie depriue thee Burying thy hope let not thy care out-liue thee But hard God knowes with sorrow doth it goe vvhen woe becomes a comfort to woe Yet much me thinks of comforter I could say If from my hart pale feare were rid away Some thing there is which tels me still of woe But what it is that heauen aboue doth know Griefe to it selfe most dreadfull doth appeare And neuer yet was sorrow voyde of feare But yet in death doth sorrow hope the best And with this farewell wish thee happy rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie If fatall Pomfret hath in former time POmfret Castle euer a fatall place to the Princes of England and most ominous to the blood of Plantaginet Oh how euen yet I hate these wretched eyes And in my glasse c. When Bullingbrooke returned to London from the West bringing Richard a prisoner with him the Queene who little knew of her Husbands hard successe stayd to behold his comming in little thinking to haue seene her Husband thus ledde in tryumph by his foe and nowe seeming to hate her eyes that so much had graced her mortall enemie Wherein great Norfolks forward course was stayd She remembreth the meeting of the two Dukes of Herforde and Norfolke at Couentry vrging the iustnes of Mowbrayes quarrell against the Duke of Herford the faithfull assurance of his victorie O why did Charles relieue his needie state A vagabond c. Charles the French King her father receiued the Duke of Herford in his Court and releeued him in Fraunce beeing so neerely alied as Cosin german to king Richard his sonne in Lawe which he did simply little thinking that he should after returne into England and dispossesse King Richard of the Crowne When thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell King Richard made a voyage with his Armie into Ireland against Onell Mackemur which rebelled at what time Henry entred here at home and robd him of all kinglie dignitie Affirm'd by Church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegitimate William Wickham in the great quarrell betwixt Iohn of Gaunt and the Clergy of meere spight and malice as it should seeme reported that the Queene confessed to him on her death-bed being then her Confessor that Iohn of Gaunt was the sonne of a Flemming that she was brought to bed of a woman child at Gaunt which was smothered in the cradle by mischaunce and that she obtained this chylde of a poore woman making the king belieue it was her own greatlie fearing his displeasure Fox ex Chron. Albanâ— No bastards marke doth blot our conquering shield Shewing the true and indubitate birth of Richard his right vnto the Crowne of England as carrying the Armes without blot or difference Against theyr fayth vnto the Crownes true heire Their noble kindsman c. Edmund Mortimer Earle of March sonne of Earle Roger Mortimer which was sonne to Lady Phillip daughter to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne to king Edward the third which Edmund king Richard going into Ireland was proclaimed heyre apparant to the Crowne whose Aunt called Ellinor this Lord Fiercie had married O would Aumerle had suncke when he betrayd The complot which that holy Abbot layd The Abbot of Westminster had plotted the death of king Henry to haue been done at a Tylt at Oxford of which confederacie there was Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey the Duke of Aumerle Mountacute Earle of Salisbury Spenser Earle of Gloster the Bishop of Carlile Sir Thomas Blunt these all had bound themselues one to another by Indenture to performe it but were all betrayd by the Duke of Aumerle Scroope Greene and Bushie die his fault in graine Henry going towards the Castle of Flint where King Richard was caused Scroope Greene Bushie to be executed at Bristow as vile persons which had seduced this king to this lasciuious wicked life Damn'd be the oath he made at Doncaster After Henries exile at his returne into England he tooke his oath at Doncaster vpon the Sacrament not to claime the crown or kingdom of England but onely the Dukedome of Lancaster his own proper right and the right of his wife And mourne for Henry Hotspur her deere sonne As I for my c. This was the braue couragious Henry Hotspur that obtained so many victories against the Scots which after falling out right with the curse of Queene Isabell was slaine by Henry at the battaile at Shrewsburie Richard the second to Queene Isabell. WHat may my Queene but hope for from that hand Vnfit to write vnskilful to command A kingdoms greatnes hardly can he sway That wholesome counsaile neuer did obey Ill this rude hand did guide a Scepter then VVorse now I feare me gouerneth a pen How shall I call my selfe or by what name To make thee know from whence these letters came Not from thy husband for my hatefull life Hath made thee widdow being yet a wife Nor from a King that title I haue lost Now of that name proud Bulling brooke may boast vvhat I haue beene doth but this comfort bring That no woe is to say I was a King This lawlesse life which first pâ—ocur'd my hate This tong which then denounc'd my regall state This abiect mind that did consent vnto it This hand that was the instrument to doe it All these be witnes that I doe denie All passed hopes all former soueraigntie Didst thou for my sake leaue thy fathers Court Thy famous Country and thy virgine port And vndertook'st to trauaile dangerous waves Driuen by aukward winds and boyst'rous seas And left 's great Burbon for thy loue to me vvho su'd in marriage to be linck'd to thee Offring for dower the Countries neighbouring nie Of fruitfull Almaine and rich Burgundie Didst thou all this that England should receaue thee To miserable banishment to leaue thee And in my downfall and my fortunes wracke Forsaken thus to Fraunce to send thee backe VVhen quiet sleepe the heauie harts reliefe Hath rested sorrow somwhat lesned griefe My passed greatnes vnto minde I call And thinke this while I dreamed of my fall vvith this conceite my sorrowes I beguile That my fayre Queene is but with-drawne awhile And my attendants in some chamber by As in the height of my prosperitie Calling aloud and asking who is there The Eccho answering tells me VVoe is there And when mine armes would gladly thee enfold I clip the pillow and the place is cold vvhich when my waking eyes precisely view T is a true token that it is too true
ouerthrowne by the Welchmen which word Croggen hath since beene vsed to the Welchmens disgrace which was at first begun with their honour And old Caer-Merdin Merlins famous towne Caer-Merdin or Merlins Towne so called of Merlins beeing found there This was Ambrose Merlin whose prophecies weâ— haue There was another of that name called Merlin Siluestris borne in Scotland surnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophecied And kept our natiue language now thus long The Welchmen be those auncient Brittaines which when the Picks Danes and Saxons inuaded heere were first diuen into those parts where they haue kept their language euer fince the first without commixion with any other language FINIS To my worthy and deerely esteemed Friend Maister Iames Huish SIR your owne naturall inclination to vertue your loue to the Muses assure mee of your kinde acceptance of my dedication It is seated by custome from which wee are now bolde to assume authoritie to beare the names of our friends vpon the fronts of our bookes as Gentlemen vse to set theyr Armes ouer theyr gates Some say this vse beganne by the Heroes and braue spirits of the old world which were desirous to bee thought to patronize learning and men in requitall honour the names of those braue Princes But I thinke some after put the names of great men in their bookes for that men shoulde say there was some thing good onely because indeed their names stoode there But for mine owne part not to dissemble I find no such vertue in any of theyr great titles to doe so much for anie thing of mine and so let them passe Take knowledge by this I loue you in good faith worthy of all loue I thinke you which I pray you may supply the place of further complement Yours euer M. Drayton Elinor Cobham to Duke Humfrey The Argument Elinor Cobham daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough and wife to Humfry Plantaginet Duke of Glocester the son of Henry the fourth King of England sirnamed Bullingbrooke This noble Duke for his great wisedome and iustice called the good was by King Henry the fift brother to this Duke at his death appointed Protector of the Land during the nonage of Henry the sixt this Elinor Duches of Glocester a proud and ambitious woman knowing that if young Henry died without issue the duke her husband was the neerest of the blood conspired with one Bullenbrooke otherwise called Onely a great Magitian Hun a priest and Iourdane witch of Eye by sorcery to make away the king by coniuration to know who should succeede Of this beeing iustly conuicted she was adiudged to do penance three seuerall times openly in London then to perpetuall banishment in the I le of Man from whence she writeth this Epistle ME thinks not knowing who these lines should send Thou straight turn'st ouer to the latter end VVhere thou my name no sooner hast espi'd But in disdaine my letters casts aside VVhy if thou wilt I will my selfe denie Nay I 'le affirme and sweare I am not I Or if in that thy shame thou doost perceiue I le leaue that name that name my selfe shall leaue And yet me thinks amaz'd thou shouldst not stand Nor seeme so much appauled at my hand For my misfortunes haue inur'd thine eye Long before this to sights of misery No no read on t is I the very same All thou canst read is but to reade my shame Be not dismaid nor let my name afright The worst it can is but t' offend thy sight It cannot wound nor doe thee deadly harme It is no dreadfull spell nor magique charme If shee that sent it loue Duke Humfrey so I st possible her name should be his foe Yes I am Elnor I am very shee vvho brought for dower a virgins bed to thee Though enuious Beuford slaunder'd me before To be Duke Humfreys wanton Paramore And though indeed I can it not denie To magique once I did my selfe apply I won thee not as there be many thinke vvith poysoning Philters and betwitching drinke Nor on thy person did I euer proue Those wicked potions so procuring loue I cannot boast to be rich Hollands heyre Nor of the blood and greatnes of Bauier Yet Elnor brought no forraine Armies in To fetch her backe as did thy Iacomin Nor clamorous husbands folowed me that fled Exclaiming Humfrey to defile his bed Nor wast thou forc'd the slaunder to suppresse To send me backe as an adulteresse Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force Nor su'd to Rome to hasten my deuorce Nor Belgias pompe defac'd with Belgias fire The iust reward of her vniust desire Nor Bedfords spouse your noble sister Anne That princely-issued great Burgunnian Should stand with me to moue a womans strife To yeeld the place to the Protectors wife If Cobhams name my birth can dignifie Or Sterborough renowne my familie VVhere 's Greenewich now thy Elnors Court of late vvhere she with Humfrey held a princely state That pleasant Kent when I abroade should ride That to my pleasure layd forth all her pride The Thames by water when I tooke the ayre Daunc'd with my Barge in lanching from the stayre The anchoring ships that when I pass'd the roade vvere wont to hang their chequered tops abroad How could it be those that were wont to stand To see my pompe so goddesse-like on land Should after see mee mayld vp in a sheete Doe shamefull penance three times in the streete Rung with a bell a Taper in my hand Bare-foote to trudge before a Beedles wand That little babes not hauing vse of tongue Stoode poynting at me as I came along VVher 's Humfreys power where was his great command vvast thou not Lord-protector of the Land Or for thy iustice who can thee denie The title of the good Duke Humfrey Hast thou not at thy life and in thy looke The seale of Gaunt the hand of Bullingbrooke VVhat blood extract from famous Edwards line Can boast it selfe to be so pure as thine vvho else next Henry should the Realme prefer If it allow of famous Lancaster But Rayners daughter must from Fraunce be fet And with a vengeance on our throne be set Mauns Maine and Aniou on that begger cast To bring her home to England in such hast And what for Henry thou hast laboured there To ioyne the King with Arminacks rich heyre Must all be dash'd as no such thing had been Poole needs must haue his darling made a Queen How should he with our Princes else be plac'd To haue his Earleship with a Dukedome grac'd And raise the ofspring of his blood so hie As Lords of vs and our posteritie O that by Sea when he to Fraunce was sent The ship had sunck wherein the traytor went Or that the sands had swallowed her before Shee ere set foote vpon the English shore But all is well nay we haue store to giue vvhat need we more we by her lookes can liue All that great Henries conquests
Nor let the enuie of enuenom'd tongues vvhich still is grounded on poore Ladies wrongs Thy noble breast diasterly possesse By any doubt to make my loue the lesse My house from Florence I doe not pretend Nor from Giraldi claime I to descend Nor hold those honours insufficient are That I receiue from Desmond or Kyldare Nor adde I greater worth vnto my blood Than Irish milke to giue me Infant food Nor better ayre will euer boast to breathe Then that of Lenster Mounster or of Meathe Nor craue I other forraine farre alies Then VVindsor or Fitz-geralds families It is enough to leaue vnto my heires If they will but acknowledge me for theirs To what place euer did the Court remoue But that the house giues matter to my loue At VVindsor still I see thee sit and walke There mount thy courser there deuise there talk The roabes the garter and the state of Kings Into my thoughts thy hoped greatnes brings Nonsuch the name imports me thinks so much None such as thou nor as my Lord none such In Hamptons great magnificence I finde The liuely image of thy Princely minde Faire Richmonds towers like goodly pillers stand Rear'd by the power of thy victorious hand VVhitehalls tryumphing Galleries are yet Adorn'd with rich deuises of thy wit In Greenwich yet as in a glasse I view vvhere last thou badst thy Geraldine adiew vvith euerie little gentle breath that blowes How are my thoughts confus'd with ioyes and woes As through a gate so through my longing eares Passe to my hart whole multitude of feares O in a map that I might see thee show The place where now in daunger thou dost goe In sweet discourse to trauaile with our eye Romania Tuscaine and faire Lumbardy Or with thy penne exactly to set downe The modell of that Tempell or that Towne And to relate at large where thou hast beene And there there what thou there hast seen Or to describe by figure of thy hand There Naples lies and there doth Florence stand Or as the Grecians finger dip'd in wine Drawing a Riuer in a little line And with a drop a gulfe to figure out To modell Venice moted round about Then ading more to counterfet a Sea And draw the front of stately Genoa These from thy lips were like harmonious tones vvhich now doe sound like Mandrakes dreadfull grones Some trauell hence t' enrich their minds with skill Leaue heere their good and bring home others ill vvhich seeme to like all countries but their owne Affecting most where they the least are knowne Their leg their thigh their backe their necke their head There form'd there fetch'd there found there borrowed In their attire their iesture and their gate Fond in each one in all Italionate Italian French Dutch Spanish altogether Yet not all these nor one entirely neyther So well in all deformitie in fashion Borrowing a limme of euery seuerall Nation And nothing more then England hold in scorne So liue as strangers where as they were borne But thy returne in this I doe not reed Thou art a perfect Gentleman indeed O God forbid that Howards noble line From auncient vertue should so farre decline The Muses traine whereof your selfe are chiefe Onely with me participate their griefe To sooth their humours I doe lend them eares He giues a Poet that his verses heares Till thy returne by hope they onely liue Yet had they all they all away would giue The world and they so ill according bee That wealth and Poets neuer can agree Few liue in Court that of their good haue care The Muses friends are euery where so rare Some praise thy worth thy worth that neuer know Onely because the better sort doe so vvhose iudgement neuer further doth extend Then it doth please the greatest to commend So great an ill vpon desert doth chaunce vvhen it doth passe by beastly Ignorance VVhy art thou slacke whilst no man puts his hand To raise the Mount where Surreys Towers must stand Or who the groundsill of that worke doth lay vvhilst like a wandrer thou abroad doost stray Clip'd in the armes of some lasciuious Dame vvhen thou shouldst reare an Ilion to thy name VVhen shall the Muses by faire Norwich dwell To be the Citie of the learned VVell Or Phoebus Altars there with Incense heap'd As once in Cyrrha or in Thebae kept Or when shall that faire hoofe-plow'd spring distill From great Mount Surrey out of Leonards hill Till thou returne the Court I will exchaunge For some poore cottage or some countrey Grange vvhere to our distaues as we sit and spin My mayde and I will tell of things haue bin Our Lutes vnstrung shall hang vpon the wall Our lessons serue to wrap our Towe withall And passe the night whilst winter tales we tell Of many things that long agoe befell Or tune such homely Carrols as were song In Countrey sports when we our selues were yong In prittie Riddles to bewray our loues In questions purpose or in drawing gloues The noblest spirits to vertue most inclind These heere in Court thy greatest want doe find Other there be on which we feed our eye Like Arras worke or such like Imagerie Many of vs desire Queene Katheâ—ines state But very few her vertues imitate Then as Vlisses wife write I to thee Make no reply but come thy selfe to mee Notes of the Chronicle Historie Then Windsâ—re or Fitzgeralds families THE cost of many Kings which from time to time haue adorned the Castle at Windsor with their princely magnificence hath made it more noble then that it neede to be spoken of now as though obscure and I hold it more meet to refer you to our vulgar moniments for the founders and â—inishers thereof then to meddle with matter nothing neere to the purpose As for the family of the Fitz-geralds of whence this excellent Ladie was lineally descended the originall was English though the branches did spread themselues into distant places and names nothing consonant as in former times it was vsuall to denominate themselues of their manours or forenames as may pattly appeare in that which ensueth the light whereof proceeded from my learned and verie woorthy friend Maister Fraâ—cis Thynâ— Walter of Windsor the sonne of Oterus had issue William of whom Henry now Lord Windsor is descended and Robert of Windsor of whom Robert the now Earle of Essex and Gerald of Windsor his third sonne who married the daughter of Rees the great Prince of Wales of whom came Nesta paramour to Henry the first Which Gerald had issue Maurice Fitzgerald auncestor to Thomas Fitzmaurice Iustice of Iâ—eland buried at Trayly leauing issue Iohn his eldest sonne first Earle or Kildare ancestor to Geraldine and Maurice his second sonne first Earle of Desmond To rayse the mount where Surreys Towers must stand Alludeth to the sumptuous house which was afterward builded by him vpon Leonards hill right against Norwich which in the rebellion of Norfolke vnder Kett in King Edward the 6. time was
much desaced by that impure rable Betwixt the hill and the Citie as Alexander Neuell describes it the Riuer of Yarmouth runnes hauing West and South thereof a wood and a little Village called Thorp and on the North the pastures of Moushol which containes about sixe miles in length and breadth So that besides the stately greatnes of Mount-Surrey which was the houses name the prospect and site thereof was passing pleasant and commodious and no where else did that encreasing euill of the Norfolke furie enkennell it selfe but then there as it were for a manifest token of their intent to debase all high things and to prophane all holy Like Arras worke or other imagerie Such was he whom Iuvenall taxeth in this manner truncoque similimus Herme Nullâ— quippe alio vincis discrimine quamquod Illi marmoreum caput est tua viuit imago Beeing to be borne for nothing else but apparell and the outward appearance intituled Complement with whom the ridiculous fable of the Ape in Esope sorteth sitly who comming into a Caruers house and viewing many Marble works tooke vp the head of a man very cunningly wrought who greatly in praising did seeme to pittie it that hauing so comly an outside it had nothing within like emptie figures walke and talke in euery place at whom the noble Geraldiâ—e modestly glanceth FINIS To the vertuous Ladie the Lady Frauncis Goodere wife to Sir Henry Goodere Knight MY verie gracious and good Mistres the loue and dutie I bare to your Father whilst hee liued now after his deceasase is to your hereditarie to whom by the blessing of your birth he left his vertues VVho bequeathed you those which were his gaue you whatsoeuer good is mine as deuoted to his he being gone whom I honoured so much whilst hee liued which you may iustly challenge by all lawes of thankefulnes My selfe hauing beene a witnes of your excellent education and mild disposition as I may say euer from your Cradle dedicate this Epistle of this vertuous and goodly Ladie to your selfe so like her in all perfection both of wisedome and learning which I pray you accept til time shall enable me to leaue you some greater monument of my loue Mich Drayton The Ladie Iane Gray to the Lord Gilford Dudley The Argument After the death of that vertuous young Prince King Edward the sixt the sonne of that famous King Henry the eight Iane the daughter of Henry Gray Duke of Suffolke by the consent of Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland was proclaimed Queene of England being married to Gilford Dudley the fourth sonne of the fore-said Duke of Northumberland which match was concluded by their ambitious Fathers who went about by this meanes to bring the Crowne vnto their children and to dispossesse the Princesse Mary eldest daughter of King Henry the eight â—eire to King Edward her brother Queene Mary rising in Armes to claime her rightfull crowne taketh the said Iane Gray and the Lord Gilford her husband beeing lodged in the Tower for their more safetie which place being lastly their Pallace by this meanes became their prison where being seuered in sundry prisons they write these Epistles one to another MIne own deere Lord sith thou art lock'd from mee In this disguise my loue must steale to thee Since to renue all loues all kindnes past This refuge scarcely left yet this the last My Keeper comming I of thee enquire vvho with thy greeting aunswers my desire vvhich my tongue willing to returne againe Griefe stops my words and I but striue in vaine vvhere-with amaz'd away in hast he goes vvhen through my lips my hart thrusts forth my woes vvhen as the doores that make a dolefull sound Driue backe my words that in the noyse are drownd vvhich some-what hush'd the eccho doth record And twice or thrice reiterates my word vvhen like an aduerse winde in Isis course Against the tyde bending his boystrous force But when the flood hath wrought it selfe about He following on doth head-long thrust it out Thus striue my sighes with teares ere they begin And breaking out againe sighes driue them in A thousand formes present my troubled thought Yet proue abortiue when they forth are brought From strongest woe we hardly language wrest The depth of griefe with words are sounded least As teares doe fall and rise sighes come and goe So doe these numbers ebb so doe they flow These briny teares doe make my Incke looke pale My Inck clothes teares in this sad mourning vaile The letters mourners weepe with my dim eye The paper pale greeu'd at my misery Yet miserable our selues why should we deeme Sith none is so but in his owne esteeme VVho in distresse from resolution flies Is rightly said to yeeld to miseries They which begot vs did beget this sin They first begun what did our griefe begin vvee tasted not t' was they which did rebell Not our offence but in theyr fall we fell They which a Crowne would to my Lord haue linck'd Aâ—ll hope all life all libertie extinct A subiect borne a Soueraigne to haue beene Hath made me now nor subiect nor a Queene Ah vile ambition how doost thou deceaue vs vvhich shew'st vs heauen and yet in hell doost leaue vs Sildome vntouch'd doth innocence escape vvhen error commeth in good counsailes shape A lawfull title counterchecks proude might The weakest things become strong props to right Then my deere Lord although affliction grieue vs Yet let our spotlesse innocence relieue vs. Death but an acted passion doth appeare vvhere truth giues courage and the conscience cleere And let thy comfort thus consist in mine That I beare part of vvhatsoere is thine As when we liu'd vntouch'd with these disgraces vvhen as our kingdome was our sweet embraces At Durham Pallaceâ— where sweet Hymen sang vvhose buildings with our nuptiall musick rang vvhen Prothalamions praysd that happy day vvherein great Dudley match'd with noble Gray vvhen they deuisd to linck by wedlocks band The house of suffolke to Northumberland Our fatall Dukedom to your Dukedome bound To frame this building on so weake a groundâ— For what auailes a lawlesse vsurpation vvhich giues a scepter but not rules a nation Onely the surfeit of a vaine opinion vvhat giues content giues what exceeds dominion VVhen first mine eares were persed with the fame Of Iane proclaimed by a Princesse name A suddaine fright my trembling hart appalls The feare of conscience entreth yron walls Thrice happy for our Fathers had it beene If what we fear'd they wisely had fore-seene And kept a meane gate in an humble path To haue escap'd these furious tempests wrath The Cedar-building Eagle heares the wind And not the Faulcon though both Hawkes by kind That kingly bird doth from the clowdes commaund The fearefull foule that moues but neere the Land Though Mary be from mightie Kings descended My blood not from Plantaginet pretended My Gransire Brandon did our house aduaunce By princely Mary Dowager of Fraunce The fruite of that faire stocke which did