fro thy word that I may in minde as a Christi'an Glorify Christ crucifi'd to detest that sect of a Pagan Sanctify me my Iehoue in Christ I repose al afiance Therefore I humbly beseech of thee my Lord an asistance Grant that I may Poetize that credibil history written By Sir Thomas Moore of an english story the maiden For why The learned knight wrote that that he knew to be certaine Trouth with his art to deline credit of both safely to maintaine For that he was then aliue in Court in prime of his young yeares And by that experience that he knew and learned of others By good inteligence he reseru'd for his historie faultlesse Thereby the truthe to deline quite voide of flattery doubtlesse Which when he had manupend in briefe prose skilfuly finnisht Streight he the same to be knowne in print did apoint to be publishâ— In which book I do meane by the grace of God to deliuer Nothing els but a trouthe gods name and glory to further Nor with a penne that is hyr'd I write verse smoothly to compile Similie Like glauering parasite with a veile lewde states to depensile If so that enuy repine and slaundring tongues do calmunize Trouth wil in end be my praise and shame the reward to the diuelish Feare not at all sil-y Muse to report so thankles an errant Boldly declare to the best their faults trouth shal be thy warrant This Knight Sir Thomas was made Lord Chaunceler after Who was knowne to be learn'd of a chiefe assembly the speaker Grafton He both lost his life of his office made a refusall For that he would not agree to the Kings supremacy regal My Muse incouraged first praising God as a giuer Of all good benefits these words she began to deliuer North Soueraigne Phoenix thou stout Queene famus Eliza Of grace and sapience peerelesse Prince sacred Idea Deigne with a gratius eye to peruse O Christian Empresse This prety booke manupend manumiz'd to thy gratius Highnesse Al you earthly Kings you Kings aduenturus hearken You States pontificall with atentiue eares to me listen You Lords imperiall of her Highnesse wise priuie Counsel Whose sapient wisdomes to record my wits are vnabel You Lords in generall that atend in Court on a Princesse Only the worlds Soueraigne lend listning eares to my verses You Catholike Diuines graduat diuinity Doctors Which be the sauory salt of Gods word liuely professors You sapient Senators of Innes of Court that are ordain'd To minister Iustice by the Queenes authoritie constrain'd Arts reuerent amatists of both * Figure Vniuersity famus Whose Orient fine wits of Romane verse be desirus Deigne to beholde this verse although it seeme but a trifel For many times you see that a pearle is found in a Muskel Similie Here I do meane to recite how our Queenes Grandfather Henry That King magnanimus with a stout and conquerus armie With valerus chiuisance did a tyrrant manfuly conquer Richard lately the King that vile and shameful vsurper Henries fame to report in scanning verse as I purpose Prince Edward stratagiz'd and Richards tyrrany disclose Grafton When stout King Edward at a field neere Teuxbury gotten Where Queene Marg'ret was with her eld'st sonne forcibly taken Nam'd to be Prince Edward which was there bluddily murdred By tyranus Richard And she sent prisoner to London where she remained Till that her owne father had that french Duke nam'd to be Reiner Of Sicyl also the King with a raunsome kindely redeem'd her When Iasper stout Earle of Pembrooke natural vncle Vnto this Earle Richmond when he knew how stoutly the battel Was fought and manupriz'd and saw all things to go backward How stout Earle Warwick was slaine by conquerus Edward And how Henry the sixt in Towre safe kept was abiding How London citizens disdain'd him now to be their King How his confederates and frieends grew weaker on each side And how King Edward himselfe and his cosen enui'd Wittily considering as a wise Earle sought to preuent it Both their liues to preserue where they might safer inhabit In peril ambiguus that course is best to be taken Sentence Which shal auaile to do good In time priuy danger is holpen As by the sequel apeares Mindfuly Muse memorize first how this vertuus Henry Saued aliue many times by the Lords protection only Came to the Crowne as a King here sent by the Lord his apointment Sent to the Realme as a Prince that should here make an atonement Exampels in diuers places of the Bibel For Gods sacred elect are straungely preseru'd by the Lord God Our Lord and Sauiour was sau'd from murtherus Herod From the Lyons Daniel from strength of mighty Golias Holy Dauid Ioseph from brethren faithful Elias From wicked Iesabel that younger godly Tobias Sau'd by the Lords Angell and was not trustily Ionas Kept in a whales bely safe three nights God sau'd Machabeus Noe with his owne families was sau'd from destiny grieuus Exod. ch 2. v. 6.7.8.9 Moses throwne in a flagge to be drown'd was sau'd by the daughter Of tyranus Pharaoh manumiz'd to be nurst by the mother Israel and Shadrach Meshach with Abednego likewise Grafton fol. 712. Edw 4. Gods diuine prouidence his blessed will wil acomplish First when he was but an Earle he being then but of young yeares Was by the Lords prouidence preserued from many dangers And peril of losing his life and life of his vncle Martial Earle Pembrocke who behau'd himselfe as a nobel And valiant Chiuali'r when they were like to be taken By Roger hight Vaghan whose craft was speedily foreseene And he the said Vaghan who thought them surely to murder Grafton fol. eodem Rightly receiued a death that he purpos'd falsely for other Those fraudulent Iudges that acused falsly Susanna Rightfuly were condemn'd by the Prophet sent by Iehoua Worthily ston'd to death as they had wrongfuly iudged Godly Susanna to die thus God th'vngodly rewarded History of Susanna Ester And on a Gallow tree that proud presumptuus Hamon Rightly was hang'd that aledg'd to guiltlesse Mardoche treason This foresaid Vaughan was charg'd by the King his apointment For to aprehend those Earles but he therein mist of his intent Each self-will of a King or commaund is not a godly Thing to be done For a Prince enraged fiercely with enuy Seekes to do wrong causelesse which God will auenge in his anger For God on high God aboue knowes all for he plagues an ofender Marke what a chaunce foloed These Earles fled thence to the Castel Grafton Of Pembrooke who were eftsoones pursu'd by the subtil Fierce Morgan Thomas who the Castel strongly besieged Enuironed with a trench yet they were safely preserued By Dauid ap Tbomas who the siege rais'd yet very brother Vnto the said Morgan Can men gods purposes alter 1. Sam. ch 20. ver 35 c. Was not godly Dauid by the meanes and faithful atonement Of Ionathan preseru'd from
this answer he gaue that he was content to deliuer Henry that Earle not a sheepe to the wolfe but a sonne to the father Similie And in a letter he wrote how th' Earle was much had in honor Both for his owne wisdome valiaunce and witty behaui'our They then seiz'd of a prey which they had greatly desired Thankfuly tooke their leaue and from thence quickly departed Vnto the towne of Saint Malo bord'ring neare to the sea shore Minding thence to depart when ships were made ready Wherefore Th' Earle when he knew that he should be return'd home for very sorrow Since that he was so betrai'd he fell sore sicke of an ague Imagining that he should as soone as he landed in England Be stratagiz'd but see who can Gods dignity withstand Gods diuine prouidence and sacred dignity supreame Ruleth al humane cause though humane causes ar extreame Sentence Marke gods omnipotence whose workes ar wonderus extant Still to be seene who preseru'd this venturus Earle at an instant Sau'd as a strange miracle by the faithfull loue of a stranger For many times men ar helpt and sau'd by the meanes of another Like as a Physition doth seeke mans health to recouer So wil a friend for a friend in trubbels stand a defender Vulcan against Troy was but Troians friend was Apollo And Venus indiferent Pallas not mortaly Iuno Malliced Aeneas as alyed wholy to Turnus Yet was he by Venus helpe preseru'd from her enmitie grieuus Vndubitate Pylades was a friend to woful Orestes To Damon Pythias Patrocles friended Achilles Diuers examples Virg. Alcyde ayded Hylas Aeneas friend was Acbates Eurialus Nisus Diomedes friended Vlisses And to be chiefe memoriz'd that firme and trusty Zopirus * Who cut his owne eares off Babilon to procure Darius Darius stout King in his hand faire Pomegranat hauing Plâ—tarch in Apo One of his especial friends askt him merrily iesting What things especiall if he might haue that that he wished Would he request for his owne As there were graines to be counted So many friendly Zopyres as a wise King wisely did answer For what more pretius then a friend that friendeth another Pluta in Apo As fire and heate both cannot be parted asonder So loue and friendship cannot be without one another For when on Iohn Chewlet that was for a Courtier only Counted a stout man at armes who lou'd this gratius Henry Heard that he was very sick and from thence like to be conueigh'd Grafton fol. 738. Edw. 4. Shortly to King Edward he therewith wofuly dismaid Posted amaine to the Court and present stept to the Kings Grace Heauily perplexed who looking sad with a pale face Stood as amased afore this Duke with a stearne heuy count'nance And not a word did speake as a man that wanted his vttrance Therewithal astonied to behold so feareful an obiect Like as a Prince vigilant he did some treachery suspect Yet when he considered this Knights state chearefuly thus spake Shew me the cause good Iohn that thou so monefuly dost looke Therewithal he to the Duke reuerent with an humbel obeysance Boldly declar'd what he meant and spake with a treatibel vttrance Sentence Pardon I craue Soueraigne if I speake Truth verily neuer Shameth his owne master What auailes then fondly to flatter Heare then a truth O Duke for like as Cynthia shining Inueloped with a clowde obscures her selfe from ilustring Similie Semblably truth for a time obscur'd many times lieth hidden Truth yet in end wil apeare truth neuer permaneth vnknowne O my renowned Duke wilt thou now falsify promisse Firmely betroth'd to this Earle What a fault is this what a blemmish O that I were buried Shal I liue to know thy dishonor Truly my minde O Duke is vext with an infinit honor Similie For that I greatly do grieue that this stout Earle to the slaughter Should as a lambe be betrai'd and there to be slaine of a Butcher This wil bring thy renowne O Prince which euery mans mouth Extols vp to the clowdes to decay For plainely to tell trouth If so be my Soueraigne thou wilt so shamefuly suffer Henry this Earle to depart thou stain'st thy glory for euer Thy former valiance and fame that shine to the worlds end Shall as a smoake pas away Shal a Prince such craftines intend Similie Peace good Iohn quoth the Duke peace peace I pray thee beleeue mee For these Embasadors do protest and say that he shal be Grafton fol. â—38 Edw. 4. Spows'd to the Kings daughter which their King faithfuly promist And to be next to the King plaste in authority chiefest Well said Iohn to the Duke in whom shall shame be reputed If that he dye by the way or in English Realme be beheaded For that I dare venture my life that it is but a practice This sily soule to deceiue this sicke Earles life to relinquish If that he shal be beguil'd in such sort let me no longer Liue to repaire to thy Court if he should dye dye had I rather Laertius lib. 4 chap. 2. When Dionise the tyrant would needes haue Plato beheaded Zenocrates answer'd not afore that mine be depriued But many say that a King that knowes not how to disembel Knowes not at all to rule such sleights be deuis'd by the Diuell If that I may be so bould to speake but a word in his absence O my benigne Soueraigne lend eare and giue to me credence For why This Earle of a truth lyes sick and likely to perish Similie If fro thy Realme he depart what Prince will trust to thy promise Nothing more perilus then a compound poysonus honny No body more trecherus then a foe that seemes to be friendly With tunes harmonicall sweete singing merrily Meremaides Similie Falsly betray Mariners So these men sent as aforesaid Smoothly deceiue your Grace with faire speach and mony giuen Vnder a cloake of loue lies concea'ld craftines hidden Sentences O fond discrecion on faire wordes wholly relying Experiment best is where wordes and deedes are agreeing Craft hath a godly pretence but a murderus end Similie For a fowler Merrily playes on a pipe when he craftily taketh a plouer Iscariot Iudas that false and wicked Apostel Falsely betrai'd with a kisse and sould our Lord for a trifel Laomedons falshood Priamus father and son of Ilus Caused his owne bludy death and losse of Troy city famus 1 Macha ch 11 Was not Alexander by craft of King Ptolemaeus His false fath'r in law depriu'd of his Empery famus Bluddy Polymnestor which of gould was so desirus Beastly did obtruncate Priamus sonne young Polidorus Virg. More to recite what auailes Therefor I humbly beseech your Grace O Duke to remember Grafton fol. 739. Edw 4. This disconsolate Earle that lyes neare dead of a feauer Send that he may be retain'd Let not thy glory be blemmisht Keepe faith inuiolate let a prince performe what he promist Thus this
Knight to the Duke his whole minde wofuly distrest Plainely without any guile or dissimulation exprest Lastly by perswasions this wise Duke rul'd by the Counsell Of good Iohn Chewlet who this Earles state knew to be feebel Sent Peter Landoyse chiefe Treasurer only the foresaid Embassadors to delay that th' Earle might safely be conuai'd Vnto the Sanct'ary there which was with speede then efected Which so delighted his heart that his health there quickly reuiued Like as an Hart in a chace that is hurt or pincht with a greyhound Similie Bounceth away on a maine and runnes most swiftly to get ground Yer that he should b'imbost fro the greyhound speedily doth get And priuy lewnes in a brake imbaies himselfe in a thicket There to recouer his hurt So this Earle escapte from a daunger Liu'd in a place priuiledg'd his former health to recouer Would to God euery Prince that ruleth in euery Kingdome Would be so rul'd by the good wise counsell and by the wisdome Of plaine trouth-speakers and also that euery Courti'er Would not aledge any lyes to the Prince to defame on another Now to my matter againe When these Embasadors perceiu'd they were so deluded Grafton fol. 739. Edw 4. Both of an Earle their prey and of gould freely deliuer'd Tould Peter Landoyse their king would take it in ill part They to retorne so deceiu'd of their Earle and mony homeward But Peter Landoyse assured them that he should be Safe in a sanct'ary kept which they would warily foresee Or to be streightly detein'd in a safer custody forthwith So they neede not at all to doubt or feare any mischiefe They pacifi'd by the meanes of Landoyse curteus answere Thought it a folly to stay in Brittain Realme any longer But willed Landoyse to the Duke their duty remembring Those promises to be kept their leaue there then fuly taking Who promised that he would So these Embasadors sail'd thence and landed in England Grafton fol. 755. Edw. 4. And there tould to the King each chiefest point of his arrand Who when he heard their speach perswaded partly by reason How that he should be detein'd there safe or safe in a prison He not at all fearing th'intendment of fory persons Shew'd himselfe as a Prince more bountiful vnto the Commons And liberal to the poore But time his course hath time staylesse daiely doth happen Sentences With swift breach curelesse with gould not againe to be gotten O wauering fortune when thou seem'st most to be smiling Poeticè Mutabil intendment meanest and mischievus ending Euery time hath an end O worldly varietie neuer Knowne to remaine constant What is here that permaneth euer For stout king Edward when he found himselfe to be sore sick And when he thought that he was in a manner past any physick Streight to the Queenes kindred did send on away in a poste-hast Grafton fol. 760. fol. 761. Edw. 5. Vnto the Lord Riuers whom he knew to be firme to be stedfast And to the Lord Hastings Lord Chamberlaine then of England And to the Lord Marquesse whom she first had by her husband Named Sir Iohn Gray which was made knight in a battell Fought at Saint Albons and there was slaine who did excell In valor of Knighthood Willing them to repaire to the Court with speedines eftsoones And to resort to the King for diuers and many reasons VVho to the Court in al hast did come who courtly saluting Were resaluted againe on another semblably greeting Euery Lord that came to the Courte by the King his apointment VVent to the Kings presence When he saw them there to be present He took them by the handes though inward panges with a sorrow Greatly molested his hart and vnderset with a pillow Spake to them as foloeth My Lordes and kynsmen your presence hartily welcom King Edwards last will or admonition to the Queene his children and Nobility Whose frendshippes I found more sure to me than a kingdom My life is but a blast I feele death woful aproching And I reioyce that I haue my freendes here at my departing My body wasteth away I fynd my self to be feebel Also my blud to decay I feele my self but vnabel For to pronounce many wordes Therefore my Lordes to me listen Concord in friendship be faythfull vnto my chyldren And to my Sonne your Prince I charge you for to be loyall Safe to preserue his Grace to defend this Realme vniuersall For the Cicil tyrrants could find no greater a torment Then cruel enuy that hagge which fosters deadly reuengement Seneca in Epist lib. 14. Marcus Agrippa declar'd that small thinges daily by concord Eftsoones grow to be great and great thinges fondly by discord Quickly declyne to ruine Plutark in reg Apo. theg Stob. ser 82. That graue ould sapient Scyllurus nam'd Chironensis Fowre score sonnes who begate when he lay sick thus did he publish Euery one deare sonnes in his hand here take but an arrow And break them forthwith Which they did speedily But now Each on a sheafe of shaftes my sonnes take forcibly break them Which to do each did asay but could not Then with a solemne Similie Speach thus he spake As you could not them break So my children Trew fyrme and constant coniunction of many brethren No body can dissolue Therefore liue frendly together If so be you seperate your selues each one from an other Then shall your enemies as a prey snatcht vp of a Tyger You disagreeing so with a small force easily conquer So my beloued Lordes if you by malicius enuy Shall fall at variaunce which of you standes in a safety Prosperus are Kingdomes publick weales statefuly florish Sentence Where States concording do perfect amity stablish But when a Realme disagrees that Realme is seene very seldom Long to remaine a Monarche For certaine euery Kingdome Hatefuly disseuered fayth and tranquillity wanting Turned is vp side downe ruinus disconsolat ending Hate doth a Realme ruinate Therefore my Lordes I beseech you Euery one to be frendes my precepts duly to follow Euery Lord by the hand there present tooke on an other Who did apeare to be frendes though their heartes were far asunder And then he spake to the Queene sore greev'd who mournefuly looking Teares from hir eyes gusht forth as bubbling blobbes from a welspring Farewell dearly belov'd your children charily cherish See them well to be bred with good and singular aduise And you my children be dutiful vnto the mother Vse these your kinsmens counsayle in stead of a father For litel yong children should wisely be rul'd by the counsayle Of wity graue Senators whose fame and vertue doth excell And with a sorroful hart his children sadly beholding Stretched his hand to them all these same wordes faintily speaking God blesse you children farewell Lordes dearly beloued Who with trickling teares sad sighing wofully mourned And then he held vp his handes to the Lord his mercy beseeching And to receiue