Whose name atchieued by his fatall hand Called the Blacke Prince not so much of his complexion as of the famous battell he fought as is shewed before in the glosse vpon the Epistle of Edward to the Countesse of Salisbury And prooues our Actes of Parlement vniust In the text parlement after Richards resignation of the crown Henry caused to be annihilated all the lawes made in the Parliament called the wicked Parliament held in the twenty yeere of king Richards raigne Finis To sir Iohn Swinerton Knight and one of the Aidermen of the Citie of London VOrthy Sir so much mistrust I my owne abilitie to doe the least right to your vertues that I could gladly wish any thing that is truely mine were woorthy to beare your name so much reucrend Sir I esteeme you and so ample interest haue you in my loue To some honourable friends haue I deaicated these Poemes with whom I ranke you may I escape prejumption Like not this Britaine the worse though after some former Impressions he be lastly to 〈…〉 crated in this like an honest man that would part 〈…〉 his owne woorth before he would presume his 〈…〉 ronage with whom you shall euer commaund my 〈◊〉 and haue my best wishes That loue you truely Mich Drayton Queene Katharine to Owen Tudor The Argument After the death of that victorious Henry the fift Queene Katharine the Dowager of England and France daughter to Charles the French King holding her estate with Henry her sonne then the fixt of that name falleth in loue with Owen Tuder a Welchman a braue and gallant Gentleman of the Wardrobe to the yong King her son yet grently fearing if her loue shoulde be discouered the Nobilitie woulde crosse her purposed marriage or fearing that if her faire and princely promises should not assure his good successe this high and great attempt might perhappes daunt the forwardnesse of his modest and shamefast youth wherefore to breake the ice to her intent she writeth vnto him this Epistle following IVdge not a Princesse worth impeacht hereby That loue thus triumphs ouer maiestie Nor thinke lesse vertue in this royall hand Which now intreates that wonted to command For in this sort though humbly now it wooe The day hath beene thou wouldst haue kneeld vnto Not thinke that this submission of my state Proceedes from frailtie rather iudge it fate Alcides ne're more fit for warres sterne shocke Then when for loue sate spinning at the rocke Neuer lesse cloudes did Phoebus glory dim Then in a clownes shape when he couered him Ioues great commaund was neuer more obeyd Than when a Satyres anticke parts he playd He was thy king that sued for loue to mee Shee is thy Queene that sues for loue to thee When Henry was what 's Tuders now was his Whilst yet thou arte what 's Henries Tuders is My loue to Owen him my Henry giueth My loue to Henry in my Owen liueth Henry woode me whilst warres did yet increase I wooe my Tuder 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 Windsore first these eies of mine My Tuder iudgde for wit and shape diuine Henry abroade with pâ—issance and with force Tuder 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 Which glorious wreathe as Henries lawfull heire Henry the sixt vpon his brow doth beare At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy My Brydall rites to England brought from Troy In England now that honour thou shalt haue Which once in Champaine famous Henry gaue I seeke not wealth three kingdomes in my power If these suffice not where shall be my dower Sad discontent may euer follow her Which doth base pelfe before true loue prefer If titles still could our affections tie What is so great but Maiestie might buy As I seeke thee so Kings do me desire To what they would thou easily mai'st aspire That sacred fire once warmde my heart before The fuell fit the flame is now the more And meanes to quench it I in vaine do proue We 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 Wife daughter mother sister to a King Of grandsire father husband sonne and 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 line Nor stir the English blood the Sunne and Moone T'repine at Lorame Burbon A lansoon Nor do I thinke there is such different ods They should alone be numbred with the Gods Of Cadmus earthly issue reckoning vs And they from Ioue Mars Neptune Eolus Of great Latonas of-spring onely they And we the brats of wofull Niobe Our famous grandsires as their owne bestride That horse of fame that God begotten steede Whose bounding hoofe plow'd that Boetian spring Where those sweete maides of memory do sing Not onely Henries Queene but boast as well To be the childe of Charles and Isabell Nor do I know from whence their grief should grow They by this match should be disparag'd so When Iohn and Longshankes issue both affied And to the Kings of Wales in wedlocke tied Shewing the greatnesse of your blood thereby Your race and royall consanguinity And Wales as well as haughty England boasts Of Camilot and all her Penticosts A nephewes roome in great Pendragons race At Arthurs Table held a princely place If by the often conquest of your land They boast the spoiles of their victorious hand If these our antient Chronicles be true They altogether are not free from you When bloodie Rufus sought your vtter sacke Twice entring Wales yet twice was beatenbacke When famous Cambria wash'd her in the flood Made by th' effusion of the English blood And oft returnde with glorious victory From Worster Herford Chester Shrowesbury Whose power in euery conquest so preuailes As once expulsde the English out of Wales 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 wont Because in France that time my choice was scant When he had robde all Christendome of men And Englands flower remainde amongst vs then Gloster whose counsells Nestor-like assist Couragious Bedford that great martiallist Clarence for vertue honoured of his foes And Yorke whose fame yet daily greater growes Warwicke the pride of Neuels haughty race Great Salebury so fearde in euery place That valiant Poole whom no atchieuement
hart euer since Reuenge lay couerd smotherd vp in griefe Like fire in some fat minerall of the earth Finding the least vent giues it selfe a birth 22 That being Earle Marshall great vpon the coast With bells and bon-fires welcomes her ashore And by his office gath'ring vp an hoast Shewes the old malice in his breast he bore Nor of his helpe abash'd at all to boast The Clergies power in readinesse before Vpon their friends a great taxation laide To raise munition for the present aide 23 And to confusion all their power expose On the rent bosome of this I le where long Warre did it selfe so stedfastly inclose warre from our owne lewd desolutenesse sprong Whom no inuasion euer yet could lose So old the malice and so great the wrong Vrg'd with the force that forraigne fire doth bring A greater spoile and horror menacing 24 This inuouation by an altred state Lent this new action such a violent hand That it thus boldly dare insinuate On the cold faintnesse of the feebled Land And being arm'd with all the power of fate Finding a way so openly to stand To their intendments which endeuoured well Might get that height from whence at first they fel. 25 When all their strength in order strictly set All helps and doubts by warres best counsailes waid What well might further what their course might let And their reliefes conueniently had laid A meane reseru'd securitie to get Whereon at worst their fortune might be stayd And furnish'd fully as themselues desir'd Of all this action needefully requir'd 26 And at Saint Edmonds doe a while repose To rest themselues and their new welcom'd force Better to learne the manner of their foes To th' end not vainely to direct their course And seeing daily how the Armie growes To take a full view both of foote and horse With such discretion managing the war Truly to shew them what indeede they are 27 When now the King of these proceedings heard And of the troopes that to them daily runne And little strength at London yet preparde Where he expected fauour to haue wonne He now commits the Cittie to the guard Of his approu'd most-trusted Stapleton To Iohn of Eltham his faire sonne the Tower Himselfe to Wales to raise a speedy power 28 Yet whilst his name doth any hope admit Proclaimes in forfait both of goods and life All that enioyde a subiects benefit Should lend their power against his sonne and wife And doth all slaughters generally acquite Were done vpon the moouers of this strife And who could bring in Mortimers prowd head Should freely take th'reuenewes of the dead 29 Which strait encountred by the Queenes Edict who making knowne the iustnes of her cause That she proceeded in a course so strict T'vphold their antient liberties and lawes Nor that she did this punishment inflict For priuate hate or popular applause Onely the Spensers to account to bring Whose wicked counsells had abusde the King 30 Which ballasing the multitude that stood As a light barke that 's tosst twixt winde and tide Turnd in the mixture of th'opposed flood when yet opinion not their course could guide And wau'ring thus in their inconstant moode Till by the weakenes of th'emperiall side Suffers the seisure of it selfe at last which to the Queene all free aduantage cast 31 When friendlesse Edward followed by his foes whom danger dooth to recreant flight debase As poore in hope as he is rich in woes Depriu'd all princely ornament and grace whose force th'more weakened further that he goes His safety now suspecting eu'ry place No helpe at home no succour seene abroade His minde small rest his body lesse abode 32 One scarce to him his sad discourse hath done Of Henaults power and what the Queene intends But whilst he speakes another hath begunne A third dooth take it where the second ends when now abroade there 's other rumours runne Some of new foes some of reuolting friends These scarcely past when more reports are spred Of many that rebell of many fled 33 What plagues doth Edward for himselfe prepare Forsaken king O whither doost thou she Men change their clime but sildome change their care Thou fli'st thy foes but follow'st misery The euill fates in number many are That to thy footsteps doe themselues apply And still thy conscience prickt with inward griefe Thy selfe pursues thy selfe both robd and thiefe 34 Accepting succour offerd next at hand At last for Wales commits him to the seas And seeing Lundy that so faire dooth stand Puts in for succour neede would faine haue ease This little modell of his banisht land Which for a while his fancie seemes to please Faine would he be king of a little I le Although his Empire bounded in a mile 35 And ready now to strike his prosp'rous saile As vnder lee past danger of the flood A suddaine storme of mixed â—leet and haile Not suffers him to rule this peece of wood What doth thy labour what thy toyle auaile When thou art still with greater powers with-stood Edward thy hopes all vainely do delude By Gods and men incessantly pursude 36 In this blacke tempest long turmoild and tost Quite from their course well they know not where Mongst rockes and sands in danger to be lost without in perrill and within in feare At length perceiuing they are neere the coast And that the place more plainely doth appeare Knowes by the mountaines insolently tall That part of Wales that we Glamorgan call 37 To Neath a Castell fortifi'd and strong Commanding entrance with his banish'd crew The Earle of Gloster worker of much wrong The Chancelor Baldocke that much euill knew Reding his Marshall is the rest among Heere hid from eyes but not from enuies view where for a while committing them to dwell We must prepare more dreadfull things to tell 38 You lighter Muses leaue me and be gone Your weake complaints are matters much too slight More horred plagues are heere approching on Yee ghastly spirits that haunt the gloomie night Lend me your shreeks t' expresse the depth of moane with ghastly howling all approach my sight And round about with funerall tapers stand To giue a sad light to my sadder hand 39 Each line shall leade to some dire point of wo And eu'ry cadence as a torturde cry Now must my teares in such aboundance flow That they surround the circle of mine eye And whilst these great calamities I show All loose affections stand you idely by Once more our cleere Muse dips her wing in gore The dreerest tale that pen did ere deplore 40 New sorts of vengeance threatned to the earth The raging Ocean past the bounds to rise Strange apparitions and prodigious birth Vnheard of sicknesse and mortalities More inaccustom'd and vnlook'd for dearth New sorts of Meteors gazing from the skies As what before had small or nothing bin And onely now our miseries begin 41 And whilst these discordes and dissentions breede The land layd naked to all offered ill The
lawlesse exile now returnes with speed Not to defend his countrey but to kill And all the prisons dissolutely freed Both field and towne with wretchednes to fill London first author of our latest shame Soonst that repentst most plagued for the same 42 Whos 's giddy commons mercilesse and rude Let loose to mischiefe in this cursed day Their hands in blood of Edwards friends imbrude Neuer content till they were made away Th' implacable and wicked multitude On the Lieutenant Stapleton doe pray who dragg'd and torne by this tumultuous heape Cut off his head before the Crosse in Cheape 43 Reade wofull Citty on thy ruinde wall Thy sad destruction which is drawing nie Where on thy gates is charactered thy fall In mangled bodies thine Anatomy Now thy lewd errours to a reckning call Which may exstract teares from thy ruthlesse eye And if the thicke ayre dim thy hatefull sight Thy buildings are on fire to giue thee light 44 Thy chanels serue for incke for paper stones And on the ground write murther incest rape Aud for thy pennes a heape of dead mens bones Let euery letter besome monstrous shape Thy poynts and accents be departing groanes And let no vile nor desperate act escape And when with pride thou arte againe ore'gon Then take this booke and sadly looke thereon 45 Poore wretch dispoilde of thy late Virgins name Now for thy sinne what impious villaine shent Blacke is my incke but blacker thy defame Who shall reuenge whilst I thy state lament What might be done to remedy thy shame When now too late these mischieses to preuent Against these horrors thou doost idely striue Thou seest thy selfe deuoured yet aliue 46 Thou wantst redresse and tyrannie remorce To whom shouldst thou thy helples woes complaine But yeelde thy selfe to the adulterers force Thy wordes vntimely and returne in vaine The more thou grieu'st thy fault is still the worse This remedy there onely dooth remaine Dispoylde of fame be prodigall of breath And make thy life cleere by a resolute death 47 For worlds that were the present times complaine when men might haue beene buride when they di'de And children safely in their cradles laine And when the husband might enioy his bride when in some bounds ill could it selfe containe The sonne haue kneeld by 's fathers death-bed side The liuing wrongde the dead no right can haue The father sees his sonne to want a graue 48 But t is too late thy head-strong course t'recall Depriude all feeling of externall feare These deadly sounds by their continuall fall Settle confusion in thy deafned eare This is the last O would the worst of all Shreekes be the musicke thou delightst to heare Armes thy attire and wounds be all thy good Thy end consists in rapine and in blood 49 In glorious age of whom it should be said That all these mischieues should abound in thee That all these sinnes should to thy charge be laid From no calumnious nor vile action free O let not time vs with thy ills vpbrayd Lest feare what hath beene argue what may be And fashioning so a habite in the minde Make vs alone the haters of our kinde 50 O powrefull heauen in whose all-soueraigne raine Those thy pure bodies mooue in harmony And by a strong and euerlasting chaine Together linckt in sacred vnitie In which you doe continually remaine Stayd in one certaine course eternally Why his due motion keepeth eu'ry star Yet what they gouerne so irregular 51 Muse in the course of this vnnaturall warre Tell me from whence this height of mischiefe grew That in so short time spread it selfe so farre Whereon such strange calamities ensue The true occasions faithfully declare O men religious was the fault in you Which euen growne resty by your powre withdraw Your stifned neckes as free from ciuill awe 52 What wonder then the people grow prophane When Church mens liues giue lay-men leaue to fall Their former Doue-like humblenesse disdaine For coates of haire now clad in costly pall The holy Ephod made a cloke for gaine And what most cunning most cannonicall And blinde promotion shuns that dangerous road Which the old Prophets diligently troad 53 Hence ist that God so slightly is ador'd The rocke remoou'd whereon our faith is gounded Conscience esteemde but as an idle word Which weake before by vaine opinion wounded Professors liues so little fruit affoord And in her sects religion lies confounded The sacred things a merchandize become None talks of texts and prophecying dumbe 54 And of the former being thus possest Like to the venome of infectious ayre That hauing got into the secret breast Is not prescribde nor long times staies it there But from this ground to seize vpon the rest The rancke contagion spreading eu'ry where That ere this euill hath the vtmost done The solide body lastly ouer-runne 55 Cauells breake forth to cancell wholesome lawes And caching hold vpon the publique weale Where doubts should cease they rise in euery clawse The sword that wounds ordaind a salue to heale One mischeefe still another forward drawes Each striuiug others vilenesse to conceale By lewd corruptions in a needefull vse Right cloakes all wrong and couers all abuse 56 When now the King late taken to this hold And in this poore imprisned libertie Liuing a death in hunger want and cold Euen in depth of woe and miserie By hatefull treason secretly is sold Before he could the trecherous drift espy For when oppression's vp vnto the chin Who lends not hand to thrust him boldly in 57 In th'lucklesse fortunes of this wretched King whose person 's seised by th' inuading part Vnto his friends sad matters menacing VVith bloodlesse terror striking eu'ry hart All expectation now discouraging VVhen no euasion from the foe to start And that the clowd which threatned greatest feare Rose whence their hopes most brightest did appeare 58 Which breaking in now with a generall force On the two Spensers from whose onely hate This warre first sprung distracted in their course Their latest power confined by their fate Of whom there 's none takes pittie or remorce Which to avoide as cankers of the state The eldest first to death at Bristow led Where hangde to death his body quartered 59 Whenas the heire to Winchester late dead The bloody lot to th' Earle of Gloster fell Reding the Marshall marshald with the dead When soone succeedes the Earle of Arundell To pay the forfait of a reuerent head Then Muchelden and wofull Daniell Who followed him in his lasciuious waies Must go before him to his fatall daies 60 Euen like some pillar on whose goodly height A pondrous building onely doth depend Which when not able to sustaine the weight And that his strong backe hath begun to bend As quite depriued of his former might The massy load vnto the ground doth send Crushing the lesser props and murdring all That stand within the compasse of the fall 61 That state whereon the strength of Princes leanes Whose hie ascent we trembling do
thy name Take it away and cleere shall shine thy fame Yeelde to my sute if euer pittie moou'd thee In this shew mercy as I euer lou'd thee ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Well knewst thou what a monster I would bee When thou didst build this Labyrinth for mee IN the Cretean Labyrinth a monster was inclosed called a Minotaur the history whereof is well knowne but the Labyrinth was framed by Daedalus with so many 〈…〉 icate waies that being entred one could either hardly or neuer return being in maner of a maze saue that it was larger the waies being walld in on euery side out of the which Theseus by Ariadnes helpe lending him a cluâ— of thrid escaped Some report that it was a house hauing one halfe beneâ—th the ground another aboue the chamber doores therin so deceitfully enwrapped and made to open so many wais that it was held a matter almost impossible to return Some haue held it to haue beene an Allegory of mans life true it is that the comparison wil hold for what liker to a Labyrinth then the maze of life But it is affirmed by antiquity that there was indeede such a building though Daedalus being a 〈◊〉 applied to the workmans excellencie make it suspected for Daedalus is nothing else but engenious or artificiall Heereupon it is vsed among the antient Poets for any thing curiously wrought Rosamonds Labyrinth whose ruins together with her well being paued with square stone in the bottome also her Tower from which the Labirinth did run are yet remaining was altogether vnder ground being vaults arched walld with brick stone almost inextricably wound one within another by which if at any time her lodging were laid about by the Queene she might easly auoid perill imminent if need be by secret issues take the aire abroad many furlongs round about Woodstock in Oxfordshire wherin it was situated Thus much for Rosamonds labirinth Whose strange Meanders turned euery way Meander is a riuer in Lycia a prouince of Natolia or Asia minor famous for the sinuosity often turning thereof rising from certaine hills in Maeonia heerevpon are intricate turnings by a transumtiue metonimicall kind of speech called Meanders for this Riuer did so strangely path it selfe that the foote seemed to touch the head Rose of the world so doth import my name Shame of the world my lise hath made the same It might be reported how at Godstow where this Rose of the world was sumptuously interted a certaine Bishop in the visitation of his Diocesse caused the monument which had bin erected to her honour vtterly to be demolished but be that seuere chastisement of Rosamond then dead at this time also ouer-passed lest she should seeme to be the Shame of the world Henry to Rosamond WHen first the Post arriued at my Tent And brought the letters Rosamond had sent Thinke from his lips but what sweete comfort came When in mine eare he softly breath'd thy name Straight I enioyne him of thy health to tell Longing to heare my Rosamond did well With new enquiâ—ies then I cut him short When of the same he gladly would report That with the earnest haste my tongue oft trips Catching the words halfe spoke out of his lips This told yet more I vrge him to reueale To loose no time while I vnâ—ipt the seale The more I reade still do I erre the more As though mistaking somewhat said before Missing the point the doubtfull sence is broken Speaking againe what I before had spoken Still in a swound my heart reuiues and faints Twixt hopes dispaires twixt smiles and deepe complaints As these sad accents sort in my desires Smoothe calmes rough storms sharp frosts raging 〈…〉 es Put on with boldnes and put back with feares My tongue with curses when mine eyes with teares O how my hart at that blacke line did tremble That blotted paper should thy selfe resemble O were there paper but neere halfe so white The Gods thereon their sacred lawes would write With pens of Angells wings and for their â—â—ke That heauenly Nactar their immortall drinke Maiesticke courage striues to haue supprest This fearefull passion stird vp in my breast But still in vaine the same I go about My hart must breake within or woe breakes out Am I at home pursu'd with priuate hate And war comes raging to my pallace gate Is meager â—nuie stabbing at my throne Treason attending when I walke alone And am I branded with the curse of Rome And stand condemn'd by dreadfull counsels dombe And by the pride of my rebellious sonne Rich Normandie with Armies ouer-runne Fatall my birth vnfortunate my life Vnkinde my children most vnkind my wife Griefe cares old age suspition to torment me Nothing on earth to quiet or content me So many woes so many plagues to finde Sicknes of body discontent of minde Hopes left helpes reft life wrong'd ioy interdicted Banish'd distress'd forsaken and afflicted Of all reliefe hath fortune quite bereft me Onely my loue vnto my comfort left me And is one beautie thought so great a thing To mittigate the sorrowes of a King Barr'd of that choise the vulgar often proue Haue we then they lesse priuiledge in loue Is it a King the wofull widdow heares Is it a King dries vp the Orphans teares Is it a King regards the Clyants cry Giues life to him by law condemnd to die Is it his care the Common-wealth that keepes As doth the Nurse her babie whilst it sleepes And that poore king of all those hopes preuented Vnheard vnhelp'd vnpittied vnlamented Yet let me be with pouertie opprest Of earthly blessings rob'd and dispossest Let me be scornde reiected and reuilde From Kingdome Country and from Court exilde Let the worlds curse vpon me still remaine And let the last bring on the first againe All miseries that wretched man may wound Leaue for my comfort onely Rosamond For thee swift Time her speedie course doth stay At thy command the Destinies obay Pittie is dead that comes not from thine eyes And at thy feete euen mercy prostrate lies If I were feeble rheumatike or cold These were true signes that I were waxed old But I can march all day in massie steele Nor yet my armes vnweldy weight do feele Nor wak'd by night with bruise or bloody wound The tent my bed no pillow but the ground For very age had I laine bedred long One smile of thine againe could make me yong Were there in Art a power but so diuine As is in that sweete Angel-tongue of thine That great Enchantresse which once tooke such pains To force young blood in Aesons witherd veines And from groues mountaines and the moorish Fen Vs'd all the hearbes ordainde to vse of men And in the powerfull potion that she makes Puts blood of men of birds of beasts of snakes Neuer had needed to haue gone so farre To seeke the soiles where all those simples are One accent from thy lips the blood more warmes Then all
matchlesse Gentleman was the first cherisher of my Muse which had beene by his death left a poore Orphan to the world had he not before bequeathed it to that Lady whom he so deerely liued Vouchsafe then my deere Lord 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 Isabel the daughter of Charles king of France being the second wife of Richard the second the son of Edward the Blacke Prince the eldest sonne of King Edward the third After the saide Richard her husband was deposed from his crowne and kingly dignitie by Henry duke of Herford the eldest son of Iohn of Gaunt duke of Lancaster the fourth sonne of Edward the third this Ladie being then very yong was sent backe againe into Fraunce without dowre at what time the deposed King her husband was sent from the Tower of London as a prisoner vnto Pomfret Castle Whether this poore Lady bewailing her husbands misfortunes writeth this Epistle from France AS dooth the yeerely Auger of the spring In deapth of woe thus I my sorrow sing Words tunde with sighes teares falling oft among A dolefull burthen to a heauy song Words issue forth to finde my griefe some way Teares ouertake them and doe bid them stay Thus whilst one striues to keepe the other backe Both once too forward now are both too slacke If fatall Pomfret hath in former time Nurrisht the griefe of that vnnaturall clime Thether I send my sorrowes to be sed But where first boâ—ne where fitter to be bred They vnto France be aliens and vnknowne England from her doth challenge these her owne They say all mischiefe commeth from the North It is too true my fall doth set it forth But why should I thus limite Griefe a place When all the world is filld 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 eies And in my glasse oft call them faithlesse spies Preparde for Richard that vnwares did looke Vpon that traitor Henry Bulingbrooke But that excesse of ioy my sence bereau'd So much my sight had neuer bin deceau'd Oh how vnlike to my lou'd Lord was hee Whom rashly I sweet Richard tooke for thee I might haue seene the Couâ—sers selfe did lacke That Princely rider should bestride his backe He that since Nature her great worke began Shee made to be the mirrour of a man That when she meant to forme some matchlesse lim Still for a patterne tooke some part of him And iealous of her cunning brake the mould In his proportion done the best she could Oh let that day be guiltie of all sinne That is to come or heeretofore hath bin Wherein great Norffolkes forward course was staide To prooue the treasons he to Hersord laide When with sterne furie both these Dukes enragde Their warlike gloues at Couentry engag'd When first thou didst repeale thy former grant Seal'd to braue Mowbray as thy Combatant From his vnnumbred howres let time deuide it Lest in his minutes he should hap to hide it Yet on his brow continually to beare it That when it comes all other daies may feare it And all ill-boding Planets by consent That day may hold their dreadfull parlement Be it in heauens decrees enroled thus Blacke dismall fatall inauspitious Prowd Herford then in height of all his pride Vnder great Mowbraies valiant hand had dide Nor should not thus from banishment retire The fatall brand to set our Troy on fire O why did Charles relieue his needy state A vagabond and stragling runnagate And in this Court with grace did entertaine This vagrant exile this abiected Caine Who with a thousand mothers curses went Mark'd with the brand often yeeres banishment When thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell Millions of knees vpon the pauements fell And euery where th' applauding ecchoes ring The ioyfull showts that did salute a King Thy parting hence what pompe did not adorne At thy returne who laugh'd thee not to scorne Who to my Lord a looke vouchsafde 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 the skies See not the clowdes offending others eyes And deeme their noone-tide is desir'd of all When all expect cleere changes by their fall What colour seemes to shadow Herfords claime When law and right his fathers hopes doth maime Affirm'd by church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegiâ—timate Whom his reputed mothers tongue did spot By a base Flemish Boore to be begot Whom Edwards Eglets mortally did shun Daring with them to gaze against the Sun Where lawfull right and conquest doth allow A triple crowne on Richards princely brow Three kingly Lions beares his bloody field No bastards marke doth blot his conquering shield Neuer durst he attempt our haplesse shore Nor set his foote on fatall Rauensporâ— Nor durst his slugging Hulkes approch the strand Nor stoope a top as signall to the land Had not the Percyes promisde aide to bring Against their oath vnto their lawfull King Against their faith vnto our crownes true heire Their valiant kinsman Edmond Mortimer When I to England came a world of eyes Like starres attended on my faire arise At my decline like angry Planets frowne And all are set before my going downe The smooth fac'd ayre did on my comming smile But with rough stormes are driuen to exile But Bullingbrooke deuisâ—e we thus should part Fearing two sorrowes should possesse one heart To make affliction stronger doth denie That one poore comfort left our miserie He had before diuorc'd thy crowne and thee Which might suffice and not to widdow mee But that to proue the vtmost of his hate To make our fall the greater by our state Oh would Aumerle had suncke when he betraid The complot which that holy Abbot laid When he infring'd the oth which he first tooke For thy reuenge on peâ—iurde Bullingbrooke And beene the ransome 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 Horford fall to ease my heart If the fowle breach of a chaste nuptiall bed May bring a curse my curse light on his head If murthers guilt with blood may deepely staine Greene Scroope and Bushie die his fault in graine If periury may heauens pure gates debar Damn'd be the oth he made at Dancaster If the deposing of a lawfull King The curse condemne him if no other thing If these disioynde for vengeance cannot call Let them vnited strongly curse him all And for the Percyes heauen may
dares And Vere so famous in the Irish warres Who 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 Kingdomes so he conquer'd hearts As chaste was I to him as Queene might bee But freed from him my chaste lone 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 forth of thee seemâ—d to speake The Brittish language which our vowels wants And iarres so much vpon harsh consonants Comes with such grace from thy mellifluous tongue As do the sweete notes of a well set song And runnes as smoothly from those lips of thine As the pure Tuskan from the Florentine Leauing such seasoned sweetenes in the eare As the voyce past yet still the sound is there In Nisus Tower as when Apollo lay And on his golden viall vsde to play Where sencelesse stones were with such musicke drownd As many yeares they did retaine the sound Let not the beames that greatnes doth reflect Amaze thy hopes with timerous respect Assure thee Tudor maiesty can be As kinde in loue as can the mean'st degree And the embraces of a Queene as true As theirs might iudge them much aduanc'd by you When in our greatnes our affections craue Those secret ioyes that other women haue So I a Queene be soueraigne in my choice Let others fawne vpon the publique voice Or what by this can euer hap to thee Light in respect to be belou'd of mee Let peeuish worldlings prate of right and wrong Leaue plaints and pleas to whom they do belong Let old men speake of chances and euents And Lawyers talke of titles and discents Leaue fond reports to such as stories tell And couenants to those that buy and sâ—ll Loue my sweete Tudor that becomes thee best And to our good suceesse referre the rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie Great Henry sought to accomplish his desire Armed c. HEnry the fift making claime to the Crowne of France first sought by Armes to subdue the French and after sought by marriage to confirme what he got by conquest the heate and furie of which inuasion is alluded to the sixion of Semele in Ouid which by the crafty perswasion of Iuno requested Ioue to come vnto her as he was wont to come vnto his wife Iuno who at her request hee yeelding vnto destroyed her in a tempest Incamp'd at Melans in wars hote alarmes First c. Neere vnto Melans vpon the Riuer of Scyne was the appointed place of parley betweene the two Kings of England and France to which place Isabell the Qucene of France and the Duke of Burgoyne brought the yong Princesse Katherine where King Henry first saw her And on my temples set a double Crowne Henry the fift and Queene Katherine were taken as King and Queene of France and during the life of Charles the French king Henry was called King of England and heire of France and after the death of Henry the fift Henry the sixt his sonne then being very yong was crowned at Paris as true and lawfull King of England and France At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy Troy in Champaine was the place where that victorious king Henry the fift married the Ptincesse Katherine in the presence of the chiefe nobilitie of the Realmes of England and France Nor these great tules vainely will I bring Wife daughter mother c. Few Queenes of England or France were euer more princely alied then this Queene as it hath beene noted by Historiographers Nor thinke so Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne c. Noting the discent of Henry her husband from Iohn Duke of Lancaster the fourth sonne of Edward the third which Duke Iohn was sirnamed Gaunt of the Cittie of Gaunt in Flanders where he was borne Nor stirre the English blood the Sunne and Moone Trepine c. Alluding the greatnes of the English line to Phoebus and Phoebe fained to be the children of Latona whose heauenly kind might seorne to be ioyned with any earthly progenie yet withall boasting the blood of France as not inferior to theirs And with this allusion followeth on the historie of the strife betwixt Iuno and the race of Cadmus whose issue was afflicted by the wrath of heauen The children of Niobe slaine for which the wofull mother became a rocke gushing forth continually a sountaine of teares And Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied Lheellin or Leolin ap Iorweth married Ioane daughter to king Iohn a most beautifull Lady Some Authors affirme that she was base borne Lhewellin ap Gryfith married Ellenor daughter to Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester and Cosin to Edward Long-shankes both which Lhewellins were Princes of Wales Of Camilot and all her Pentecosts A Nephewes roome c. Camilot the antient Pallace of King Arthur to which place all the Knightes of that famous order yeerely repaired at Penticost according to the law of the Table and most of the famous home-borne Knights were of that Country as to this day is perceiued by their antient monuments When bloody Rutus sought your vtter sacke Noting the ill successe which that William Rufus bad in two voyages he made into Wales in which a number of his chiefe Nobilitie were slaine And oft returnde with glorious victorie Noting the diuers sundry incursions that the Welchmen made into England in the time of Rufus Iohn Henry the second and Longshankes ⧠Owen Tudor to Queene Katherine WHen first mine eyes heheld your princely name And found from whence this friendly letter came As in excesse of ioy my selfe forgot Whether I saw it or I saw it not My panting heart doth bid mine eyes proceede My dazeled eye inuites my tongue to reede Mine eye should guide my tongue amazed mist it My lips which now should speak are dombe kist it And leaues the paper in my trembling hand When all my sences so amazed stand Euen as a mother comming to her childe Which from her presence hath been long exilde With tender armes his gentle necke doth straine Now kissing him now clipping him againe And yet excessiue ioy deludes her so As still she doubts if this be hers or no At length awak'ned from this pleasing dreame When passion somwhat leaues to be extreame My longing eyes with their faire obiect meete Where euery letter 's pleasing each word sweete It was not Henries conquests nor his Court That had the power to win me by report Nor was his dreadfull terror-striking name The cause that I from Wales to England came For Christian Rhodes and our religious truth To great atchieuements first had wonne my youth Before aduenture did my valour proue Before I yet knew what it was to loue Nor came I hether by some poore euent But by th' eternall Destinies consent Whose vncomprised wisedomes did fore-see That you in marriage should be linck'd to
smother Breaking for griefe ennying one another When the prowd Barke for ioy thy steps to feele Scornd the salt waues shuld kisse her furrowing keele And trick'd in all her flags her selfe she braues Capring for ioy vpon the siluer waues When like a Bull from the Phenician strand Ioue with Europa tripping from the land Vpon the bosome of the maine doth scud And with his swannish breast cleauing the floud Tow'rd the faire fields vpon the other side Beareth Agenors ioy Phâ—â—icias pride All heauenly beauties ioyne themselues in one To shew their glory in thine eye alone Which when it turneth that celestiall ball A thousand sweet starres rise a thousand fall Who iustly saith mine banishment to bee When onely France for my recourse is free To view the plaines where I haue seene so oft Englands victorious engines raisde aloft When this shall be my comfort in my way To see the place where I may boldly say Heere mighty Bedford forth the 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 Willoughbie Heere Mountacute rangde his conquering band Heere forth we march'd and heere we made a stand What should we stand to mourne and grieue all day For that which time doth easily take away What fortune hurts let patience onely heale No wisedome with extreamities to deale To know our selues to come of humane birth These sad afflictions crosse vs heere on earth A taxe imposde by heauens eternall law To keepe our rude rebellious will in awe In vaine we prize that at so deere a rate Whose best assurance is a fickle state And needelesse we examine our intent When with preuention we cannot preuent When we ourselues 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 beauteous royall Queene As in the Court of France we erst haue beene As when arriu'd in Porchesters faire road Where for our comming Henry made aboad When in mine armes I brought thee safe to land And gaue my loue to Henries royall hand The happy howres we passed with the King At faire South-hampton long in banquetting With such content as lodg'd in Henries breast When he to London brought thee from the West Through golden Cheape when he in pompe did ride To Westminster to entertaine his Bride Notes of the Chronicle Historie Our Falcons kinde cannot the cage indure HE alludes in these verses to the Falcon which was the antient deuice of the Poles comparing the greatnesse and hawtinesse of his spirit to the nature of this bird This was the meane prowd Warwicke did inuent To my disgrace c. The Commons at this Parlement through Warwicks meanes accused Suffolke of treason and vrged the accusation so vehemently that the king was forced to exile him for fiue yeeres That onely I by 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 Lady Margaret whom he espoused for Henry the sixt deliuering for her to her father the Countries of Aniou and Maine and the Citty of Mauns Whereupon the Earle of Arminach whose daughter was before promised to the King seeing himselfe to bee deluded caused all the Englishmen to be expulsed Aquitino Gascoyne and Guyen With the base vulgar sort to win him same To be the heyre 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 Salisburie his vile ambicious Sire In Yorks sterne breast kindling long hidden fire By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle Ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke in the time of Henry the sixt claimed the Crowne being assisted by this Richard Neaâ—ll Earle of Salisburie and father to the great Earle of Warwicke who fauoured exceedingly the house of Yorke in open Parliament as heir 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 heire to Edmund Mortimer that married the Ladie Philip daughter and heire to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward to whom the crowne after King Richard the seconds death linealy descended he dying without issue And not to the heires of the Duke of Lancaster that was yonger 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 Lord Protector in the 25. yeare 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 iests at the Protectors wife who being accused conuicted of treason because with Iohn Hun a priest Roger Bullingbrooke a Negromancer Margery Iordan called the Witch of Eie she had consulted by sorcery to kil the king was adiudged to perpetuall prison in the I le of Man and to doe penance openly in three publique places in London For twentie yeares and haue I seru'd in Fraunce In the sixt yeare of Henry the sixt the Duke of Bedford being deceased then Lieutenant generall and Regent of Fraunce this Duke of Suffolke was promoted to that dignity hauing the Lord Talbot Lord Scales and the Lord Mountacute to assist him Against great Charles and bastard Orleance This was Charles the seauenth and after the death of Henry the fifth obtained the crowne of France 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 hee being a most valiant Captaine was continuall enemie to the Englishmen dayly infesting them with diuerse 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 Henrie the sixt his raigne where the most of the French Chiualrie were ouercome by the Duke of Bedford And from Aumerle with-drew my warlike powers Aumerle is that strong defenced towne in France 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 truce to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungary and Spaine Towers is a Cittie in France built by Brutus as hee came into Britaine where in the twentie and one yeare of the raigne of Henry the sixt was appoynted a great
stirreth delight as well as the melancholy Doricke moueth passion both haue their motion in the spirit as the liking of the soule moueth the affection Your kinde acceptance of my labour shall giue some life to my Muse which yet houers in the vncertaintie of the generall censure Mich Drayton Edward the fourth to Shores wife The Argument This Mistris Shore King Edward the fourths beauteous Paramore was so called of her husband a Gold smith dwelling in Lombard streete Edward the fourth sonne to Richard Duke of Yorke after he had obtained the crowne by deposing Henry the sixth which Henry was after murthered in the Tower by Richard Crookebacke and after the battell sought at Barnet where the famous Earle of Warwicke was slaine and that King Edward quietly possessed the Crowne hearing by report of many the rare and wonderfull beautie of the aforesaid Shores wife commeth himselfe disguised to London to see her where after he had once beheld her he was so surprised with her admirable beautie as not long after he robbed her husband of his deerest iewell but first by this Epistle he writeth vnto her VNto the fair'st that euer breath'd this ayre From English Edward to that fairest faire Ah would to God thy title were no more That no remembrance might remaine of Shore To countermand a Monarchs high desire And bar mine eyes of what they most admire O why should Fortune make the Citty prowd To giue that more then is the Court allow'd Where they like wretches hoard it vp to spare And do engrosse it as they do their ware When fame first blaz'd thy beautie heere in Court Mine cares repulsde it as a light report But when mine eyes sawe that mine eare had heard They thought report too nigardly had sparde And strooken dumbe with wonder did but mutter Conceiuing more then she had words to vtter Then thinke of what thy husband is possest When I enuie that Shore should be so blest When much aboundance makes the needie mad And hauing all yet knowes not what is had Into fooles bosomes this good fortune creepes And wealth comes in the whilst the miser sleepes If now thy beautie be of such esteeme Which all of so rare excellencie deeme What would it be and prized at what rate Where it adorned with a kingly state Which being now but in so meane a bed Is like an vncut Diamond in lead E're it be set in some high-prized ring Or garnished with rich enamiling We see the beauty of the stone is spilt Wanting the gratious ornament of guilt When first attracted by thy heauenly eyes I came to see thee in a strange disguise Passing thy shop thy husband calls me backe Demanding what rare jewell I did lacke I want thought I one that I dare not craue And one I feare thou wilt not let me haue He calls for Caskets forth and shewes me store But yet I knew he had one jewell more And deadly curst him that he did denie it That I might not for loue or mony buy it O might I come a Diamond to buy That had but such a lustre as thine eye Would not my treasure serue my Crowne should go If any jewell could be prized so An Agat branched with thy blushing straines A Saphire but so azâ—rde as thy veines My kingly Scepter onely should redeeme it At such a price if iudgement could esteeme it How fond and sencelesse be those strangers then VVho bring in toyes to please the Englishmen I smile to thinke how fond th' Italians are To iudge their artificiall gardens rare VVhen London in thy cheeks can shew them heere Roses and Lillies growing all the yeere The Portugall that onely hopes to win By bringing stones from farthest India in VVhen happy Shore can bring them forth a girle Whose lips be Rubies and her teeth be Pearle How silly is the Polander and Dane To bring vs Cristall from the frozen maine When thy cleere skins transparence doth surpasse Their Christall as the Diamond doth glasse The foolish French which brings in trash and toyes To turne our women men or girles to boyes When with what tire thou doost thy selfe adorne That for a fashion onely shall be worne Which though it were a garment but of haire More rich then robe that euer Empresse ware Me thinks thy husband takes his marke awâ—y To set his plate to sale when thou art by When they which do thy Angel locks behold Like basest drosse do but respect his gold And wish one haire before that massie heape And but one locke before the wealth of Cheapâ— And for no cause else hold we gold so deare But that it is so like vnto thy haire And sure I thinke Shore cannot choose but flowt Such as would finde the great Elixar out And laugh to see the Alchimists that choke Themselues with fumes waste their wealth in smoke When if thy hand but touch the grossest mold It is conâ—erted to refined gold When theirs is chafferd at an easie rate VVell knowne to all to be adulterate And is no more when it by thine is set Then paltry Beugle or light-prized jeat Let others weare perfumes for thee vnmeete If there were none thou could'st make all things sweet Thou comfort'st sence and yet all sence dost waste To heare to see to smell to feele to taste Thou a rich ship whose very refuse ware Aromatickes and pretious odors are If thou but please to walke into the Pawne To buy thee Cambrieke Callico or Lawne If thou the whitenes of the same wouldst proue From thy more whiter hand plucke off thy gloue And those which buy as the beholders stand Will take thy hand for Lawne Lawne for thy hand A thousand eyes closde vp by enuious night Do vvish for day but to enioy thy sight And vvhen they once haue blest their eies vvith thee Scorne euery obiect else vvhat ere they see So like a goddesse beauty still controules And hath such povverfull vvorking in our soules The Merchant vvhich in traffike spends his life Yet loues at home to haue a dainty vvife The blunt spoke Cynicke poring on his booke Sometimes aside at beauty loues to looke The church-man by whose teaching wee are led Allovves what keepes loue in the marriage bed The bloudy Souldier spent in armes and broiles With beautie yet content to share his spoiles The busie Lavvyer wrangling in his pleas Findeth that Beauty giues his labour ease The toyling trades-man and the sweating clowne Wold haue his wench faire thogh his bread be brown So much is Beauty pleasing vnto all To Prince and pâ—â—sant like in generall Nor neuer yet did any man despise it Except too deere and â—hat he could not prize it Vnlearn'd is learning artlesse be all Artes If not imployde to praise thy seuerall partes Poore plodding Schoolemen they are farre too lowe Which by probations rules and axiomes goe He must be still familiar with the skies Which notes the reuolutions of thine eies And by that skill which measures sea