it that time celestiall signes hath done 2 VVhilst our ill thriuing in those Scottish broyles Theyr strength and couâ—age greatly doth aduaunce That beeing made fat and wealthy by our spoyles vvhen we still weakned by the iarres in Fraunce And thus dishartned by continuall foyles Yeelds other cause whereat our Muse may glaunce And Herckleys treasons lastly brings to view vvhose power of late the Barrons ouerthrew 3 Now when the Scot with an inuasiue hand By daily inroads on the borders made Had spoyld the Country of Northumberland The buildings leuell with the ground weare layd And finding none that dare his power withstand vvithout controlement eu'ry where had pray'd Bearing with pride what was by pillage got As our last fall appointed to theyr lot 4 For vvhich false Herckley by his Soueraigne sent T' intreate this needfull though dishonored peace Cloking his treasons by this fayn'd intent Kinling the warre which otherwise might cease And with the Scot new mischiefes doth inuent T' intrap King Edward and their feare release For which their faith they constantly haue plight In peace and warre to stand for eithers right 5 For which the King his sister doth bestow Vpon this false Lord which to him affy'd Maketh too plaine and euident a show Of what before his trust did closely hide But beeing found from whence this match should grow By such as now into their actions pry'd Displayes the treasons which not quickly crost vvould shed more blood then all the warres had cost 6 VVhether the Kings weake counsels causes are That eu'ry thing so badly forteth out Or that the Earle did of our state despaire vvhen nothing prosper'd that was gone about And therefore carelesse how these matters fare I le not define but leaue it as a doubt Or some vaine title his ambition lackt Hatch'd in his breast this treasonable act 7 VVhich now reueal'd vnto the iealous King For apprehension of this tray't rous Peere To the Lord Lucy leaues the managing One whose knowne faith he euer held so deere By whose dispatch and trauell in this thing He doth well worthy of his trust appeare In his owne Castell carelesly defended The trecherous Herckley closely apprehended 8 For which ere long vnto his tryall led In all the roabes befitting his degree VVhere Scroope chiefe Iustice in King Edwards sted vvas now prepar'd his lawfull Iudge to be Vrging the proofes by his enditement red vvhere they his treasons euidently see vvhich now themselues so plainly doe expresse As might at first declare his bad successe 9 His honor'd title backe againe restord Noted with tearmes of infamie and scorne And then disarmed of his knightly sword On which his faith and loyaltie was sworne And by a varlet of his spurres dispur'd His coate of Armes in peeces hal'd and torne To tast deserued punishment is sent T'a trayterous death that trayterously had ment 10 VVhen such the fauorers of this fatall war vvhom this occasion doth more sharply whet Those for this cause thet yet impris'ned are Boldly attempt at liberty to set vvhose purpose frustrate by the others care Doth greater wounds continually beget vvarning the King more strictly looke about These secret fires still daily breaking out 11 And Hereford in Parlement accusd Of treasons which apparantly were wrought That with the Queene and Mortimers were vsd vvhereby subuersion of the Realme was sought And both his calling and his trust abusd vvhich now to aunswere when he should be brought Ceaz'd by the Clergy in the Kings despight Vnder the colour of the Churches right 12 VVhilst now the Queene from England day by day That of these troubles still had certaine word vvhose friends much blam'd her tedious long delay vvhen now the time occasion doth afford vvith better hast doth for herselfe puruay Bearing prouision presently abord Ships of all vses daily rigging are Fit'st for inuasion to transport a warre 13 The Earle of Kent by 's soueraigne brother plac'd As the great Generall of his force in Gwine vvho in his absence here at home disgra'st And frustrated both of his men and coyne By such lewd persons to maintaine theyr wast From the Kings treasúres ceas'd not to proloyne Th'lasciuious Prince though mou'd regardlesse still Both of his owne losse and his brothers ill 14 VVhos 's discontentment beeing quickly found By such as all aduantages await That still apply'd strong corsiues to the wound And by their sharpe and intricate deceit Hindred all meanes might possibly redound This fast-arising mischiefe to defeate Vntill his wrongs vvere to that fulnesse growne That they haue made him absolute their owne 15 VVhose selfe-like followers in these faithlesse warres Men most experienc'd and of worthiest parts vvhich for their pay receaued onely scarres vvhilst the inglorious reap'd their due desarts And Mineons hate of other hope debarres vvith too much violence vrg'd their grieued harts On Iohn of Henault wholy doe rely vvho led a great and valiant company 16 That in this conquest doe themselues combine The Lords Pocelles Sares and Boyseers Dambretticourt the young and valiant Heyn Estoteuill Comines and Villeers Others his Knights Sir Michaell de la Lyne Sir Robert Balioll Boswit and Semeers Men of great power whom spoile and glory warmes Such as were wholly dedicate to Armes 17 Three thousand souldiers mustred men in pay Of French Scotch Almaine Swiser and the Dutch Of natiue English fled beyond the Sea vvhose number neere amounted to asmuch VVhich long had look'd for this vnhappy day vvhom her reuenge did but too neerely tuch Her friends now ready to receaue her in And new commotions eu'ry day begin 18 VVhen she for England fitly setting forth Spreading her proud sayles on the watry plaine Shaping her course directly to the North vvith her young Edward Duke of Aquitaine vvith th' other three of speciall name and worth The destain'd scurges of his lawlesse raine Her souldier Beumount with the Earle of Kent And Mortimer that mighty malcontent 19 A for-wind now for Harwich fitly blowes Blow not too fast to kindle such a fire vvhilst with full saile and fairer tide she goes Turne gentle wind and force her to retire The fleet thou driu'st is fraughted with our woes But winds and seas doe Edwards wracke conspire For when iust heauen to chastice vs is bent All things conuert to our due punishment 20 Thy coasts be kept with a continuall ward Thy Beacons watch'd her comming to discry O had the loue of subiects beene thy guard T 'had beene t' effect that thou didst fortifie But whilst thou stand'st gainst for raine foes prepard Thou art betrayd by thy home enemy Small helpe by this thou art but like to win Shutting death out thou keep'st destruction in 21 VVhen Henry brother to that haplesse Prince The first great engine of this ciuill strife Deere Lancaster whom law did late conuince And that at Pomfret left his wretched life This Henry in whose great hart euer since Reuenge lay couer'd smoother'd vp in griefe Like fire in some fat
branches spring From wrinkled furrowes of times ruining Euen as the hungry vvihter-starued earth vvhen she by nature labours towards her birth Still as the day vpon the darke world creepes One blossome forth after another peepes Till the smal flower whose roote is now vnbound Gets from the frostie prison of the ground Spreading the leaues vnto the powerfull noone Deck'd in fresh colours smiles vpon the sunne Neuer vnquiet care lodg'd in that brest vvhere but one thought of Rosamond did rest Nor thirst nor trauaile which on warre attend Ere brought the long day to desired end Nor yet did pale Feare or leane Famine liue vvhere hope of thee did any comfort giue Ah what iniustice then is this of thee That thus the guiltlesse doost condemne for me vvhen onely she by meanes of my offence Redeemes thy purenes and thy innocence vvhen to our wills perforce obey they must That iust in them what ere in vs vniust Of what we doe not them account we make The fault craues pardon for th' offenders sake And what to worke a Princes will may merrit Hath deep'st impression in the gentlest spirit If 't be my name that doth thee so offend No more my selfe shall be mine owne names friend And if 't be that which thou doost onely hate That name in my name lastly hath his date Say t is accurst and fatall and dispraise it If written blot it if engrauen raze it Say that of all names t is a name of woe Once a Kings name but now it is not so And when all this is done I know t will grieue thee And therefore sweet why should I now belieue thee Nor should'st thou thinke those eyes with enuie lower vvhich passing by thee gaze vp to thy tower But rather praise thine owne which be so cleere vvhich from the Turret like two starres appeare Aboue the sunne doth shine beneath thine eye Mocking the heauen to make another skye The little streame which by thy tower doth glide vvhere oft thou spend'st the wearie euening tide To view thee well his course would gladly stay As loth from thee to part so soone away And with salutes thy selfe would gladly greete And offer vp those small drops at thy feete But finding that the enuious banks restraine it T' excuse it selfe doth in this sort complaine it And therefore this sad bubling murmur keepes And in this sort within the channell weepes And as thou doost into the water looke The fish which see thy shadow in the brooke Forget to feede and all amazed lye So daunted with the lustre of thine eye And that sweet name which thou so much doost wrong In time shall be some famous Poets song And with the very sweetnes of that name Lyons and Tygers men shall learne to tame The carefull mother from her pensiue brest vvith Rosamond shall bring her babe to rest The little birds by mens continuall sonnd Shall learne to speake and prattle Rosamond And when in Aprill they begin to sing vvith Rosamond shall welcome in the spring And she in whom all rarities are found Shall still be sayd to be a Rosamond The little flowers which dropping honied dew vvhich as thou writ'st doe weepe vpon thy shuâ— Not for thy fault sweet Rosamond doe mone But weepe for griefe that thou so soone art gone For if thy foote tuch Hemlock as it goes That Hemlock's made more sweeter then the Rose Of Ioue or Neptune how they did betray Nor speake of I-o or Amimone vvhen she for whom Ioue once became a Bull Compar'd with thee had beene a tawny trull He a white Bull and she a whiter Cow Yet he nor she neere halfe so white as thou Long since thou knowst my care prouided forâ— To lodge thee safe from iealous Ellenor The Labyrinths conueyance guides thee so vvhich onely Vahan thou and I doe know If she doe guard thee with a hundred eyes I haue an hundred subtile Mercuries To watch that Argus which my loue doth keepe Vntill eye after eye fall all to sleepe Those starres looke in by night looke in to see vvondring what star heere on the earth should be As oft the moone amidst the silent night Hath come to ioy vs with her friendly light And by the curtaine help'd mine eye to see vvhat enuious night and darknes hid from mee vvhen I haue wish'd that she might euer stay And other worlds might still enioy the day vvhat should I say vvords teares and sighes be spent And want of time doth further helps preuent My campe resounds with fearefull shocks of war Yet in my breast the worser conflicts are Yet is my signall to the battailes sound The blessed name of beautious Rosamond Accursed be that hart that tongue that breath Should thinke should speake or whisper of thy death For in one smile or lower from thy sweet eye Consists my life my hope my victorie Sweet VVoodstocke where my Rosamond doth rest Blessed in her in whom thy King is blest For though in Fraunce a while my bodie be Sweet Paradice my hart remaines in thee Notes of the Chronicle Historie Am I at home pursued with priuate hate And warre comes raging to my Pallace gate RObert Earle of Leicester who tooke part with young King Henry entred into England with an Armie of 3. thousand Flemmings spoiled the Countries of Norfolke and Suffolke being succoured by manie of the Kings priuate enemies And am I branded with the curse of Rome King Henry the second the first Plantaginet accused for the death of Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterburie slaine in the Cathedrall Church was accursed by Pope Alexander although hee vrg'd sufficient proofe of his innocencie in the same and offered to take vpon him any pennance so he might escape the curse and interdiction of the Realme And by the pride of my rebellious Sonne Rich Normandie with Armies ouer-runne Henry the young King whom King Henry had caused to be crowned in his life as he hoped both for his owne good and the good of his Subiects which indeede turned to his owne sorrowe and the trouble of the whole Realme for he rebelled against him and raising a power by the meanes of Lewes King of Fraunce and William king of Scots who tooke part with him inuaded Normandie Vnkind my children most vnkind my wife Neuer King more infortunate then King Henry in the disobedience of his children first Henry then Geffrey then Richard then Iohn all at one time or other first or last vnnaturally rebelled against him then the iealousie of Ellinor his Queene who suspected his loue to Rosamond which grieuous troubles the deuout of those times attributed to happen vnto him iustly for refusing to take vppon him the gouernment of Ierusalem offered vnto him by the Patriarcke there which country was mightilie afflicted by the Souldane Which onely Vahan thou and I doe know This Vahan was a Knight whom the King exceedingly loued who kept the Pallace at Woodstock much of the Kings iewels treasure to whom the
euen all things as it list And with vniust men to debate of lawes Is to giue power to hurt a rightfull cause vvhilst parlements must still redresse theyr wrongs And we must starue for what to vs belongs Our wealth but fuell to theyr fond excesse And we must fast to feast theyr wantonnesse Think'st thou our wrongs then insufficient are To moue our brother to religious war And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquytaine And if not that yet hath he broke the truce Thus all accur to put backe all excuse The sisters wrong ioynd with the brothers right Me thinks might vrge him in this cause to fight Be all those people sencelesse of our harmes vvhich for our country ought haue manag'd armes Is the braue Normans courage now forgot Or the bold Brittaines lost the vse of shot The big-bon'd Almaines and stout Brabanders Theyr warlike Pikes and sharp-edg'd Semiters Or doe the Pickards let theyr Crosbowes lie Once like the Centaurs of old Thessalie Or if a valiant Leader be theyr Lacke vvhere thou art present who should driue them backe I doe coniure thee by what is most deere By that great name of famous Mortimer By auncient VVigmors honourable Crest The Tombes where all thy famous Grandsires rest Or if then these what more may thee approue Euen by those vowes of thy vnfained loue That thy great hopes may moue the Christian King By forraine Armes some comfort yet to bring To curbe the power of traytors that rebell Against the right of princely Isabell. Vaine vvitlesse woman why should I desire To adde more heate to thy immortall fire To vrge thee by the violence of hate To shake the pillers of thine owne estate vvhen whatsoeuer we intend to doe To our misfortune euer sorts vnto And nothing els remaines for vs beside But teares and coffins onely to prouide VVhen still so long as Burrough beares that name Time shall not blot out our deserued shame And whilst cleere Trent her wonted course shall keepe For our sad fall her christall drops shall weepe All see our ruine on our backs is throwne And to our selues our sorrowes are our owne And Torlton now whose counsell should direct The first of all is slaundred with suspect For dangerous things dissembled sildome are vvhich many eyes attend with busie care VVhat should I say my griefes doe still renew And but begin when I should bid adiew Few be my words but manifold my woe And still I stay the more I striue to goe As accents issue forth griefes enter in And where I end mee thinks I but begin Till then fayre time some greater good affoords Take my loues payment in these ayrie words Notes of the Chronicle Historie O how I feard that sleepie drinke I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent MOrtimer beeing in the Tower and ordayning a feast in honour of his byrth-day as hee pretended and inuiting there-vnto sir Stephen Segraue Constable of the Tower with the â—est of the officers belonging to the same he gaue them a sleepie drinke prouided him by the Queene by which meanes he got libertie for his escape I steale to Thames as though to take the ayre And aske the gentle streame as it doth glide Mortimer being got out of the Tower swam the riuer of Thames into Kent whereof she hauing intelligence doubteth of his strength to escape by reason of his long imprisonment being almost the space of three yeeres Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Naeuarre Edward Carnaruan the first Prince of Wales of the English blood married Isabell daughter of Phillip the faire at Bulloyne in the presence of the Kings of Almaine Nauarre and Cicile with the chiefe Nobilitie of Fraunce and England which marriage was there solemnized with exceeding pompe and magnificence And in my place vpon his regall throne To set that girle-boy wanton Gaueston Noting the effeminacie luxurious wantonnesse of Gaueston the Kings Minion his behauiour and attire euer so womanlike to please the eye of his lasciuious Prince That a foule Witches bastard should thereby It was vrged by the Queene and the Nobilitie in the disgrace of Piers Gauestone that his mother was conuicted of witchcraft burned for the same and that Piers had bewitched the King Albania Gascoyne Cambria Ireland Albania Scotland so called of Albanact the second sonne of Brutus and Cambria Wales so called of Camber the third son the foure Realmes countries brought in subiection by Edward Longshankes When of our princely Iewels and our dowers We but enioy the least of what is ours A complaint of the prodigalitie of King Edward giuing vnto Gaueston the iewels treasure which was left him by the auncient Kings of England and enriching him with the goodly Manor of Wallingford assigned as parcel of the dower to the queens of this famous I le And ioyn'd with the braue issue of our blood Alie our kingdome to their crauand brood Edward the second gaue to Piers Gaueston in mariage the daughter of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester begot of the Kings sister Ione of Acres maried to the said Earle of Glocester Should giue away all that his Father won To backe a stranger King Edward offered his right in Fraunce to Charles his brother in law and his right in Scotland to Robert Bruse to be ayded against the Barrons in the quarrell of Piers Gaueston And did great Edward on his death-bed giue Edward Longshanks on his death-bed at Carlile commanded yong Edward his sonne on his blessing not to call backe Gaueston which for the misguiding of the Princes youth was before banished by the whole counsell of the Land That after all this fearefull massaker The fall of Beuchamp Lasy Lancaster Thomas Earle of Lancaster Guy Earle of Warwick Henry Eaâ—le of Lincolne who had taken their oaths before the deceased King at his death to withstand his sonne Edward if hee should call Gauestone from exile being a thing which he much feared now seeing Edward to violate his Fathers coÌ„maundement rise in Armes against the king which was the cause of the ciuill war the ruine of so many Princes And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That now a Spenser should succeed in all The two Hugh Spensers the Father the sonne after the death of Gaueston became the great fauourites of the King the sonne beeing created by him lord Chamberlaine the father Earle of Winchester And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homaage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquitaine Edward Longshanks did homage for those Citties and Territories to the French King which Edward the second neglecting moued the French King by the subornation of Mortimer to cease those Countries into his hands By auncient Wigmors honourable Crest Wigmore in the marches of Wales was the auncient house of the Mortimers that noble and couragious familie That still so long as Borrough beares that name The Queene remembreth the great
power this outrage to represse vvhich might thy zeale and sanctitie enrole Come thou in purenes meekely with the word Lay not thy hand to the vnhallowed sword 7 Blood-thirsting warre arising first from Hell And in progression ceazing on this I le vvhere it before neere forty yeeres did dwell And with pollution horribly defile By which so many a worthy English fell By our first Edward banished awhile Transferd by fortune to the Scottish meare To ransack that as it had rauin'd heere 8 VVhere houering still vvith inauspicious vvings About the verge of thâ—se distempered climes Returning now new error hether brings To stir vs vp to these disastrous crimes vveakeneth our power by oft diminishings And taking hold on these vnsetled times Forcing our frailty sensually at length Crackt the stiffe nerues that knit our auncient strength 9 vvhose frightfull vision at the first approach vvith violent madnes strooke that desperate age So many sundry miseries abroach Giuing full speede to their vnbrideled rage That did our auncient libertie encroach And in these stronge conspiracies ingage The worthiest blood the subiects losse to bring By innaturall wrongs vnto their naturall king 10 VVhen in the North whilst horror yet was young These dangerous seasons swiftly comming on vvhilst o're our heads portentious meteours hung And in the skyes sterne Comets brightly shone Prodigious births oft intermixt among Such as before to times had beene vnknowne In bloody issues forth the earth doth breake vveeping for vs whose woes it could not speake 11 vvhen by the ranknes of contagious ayre A mortall plague inuadeth man and beast vvhich soone disperst and raging euery where In doubt the same too quickly should haue ceast More to confirme the certaintie of feare By cruell famine haplesly encreast As though the heauens in their remisful doome Tooke those best lou'd from worset dayes to come 12 The leuell course that we propose to goe Now to th' intent you may more plainly see And that we euery circumstance may show The state of things and truly what they be And with what skill or proiect we bestow As our accurrents happen in degree From these portents we now diuert our view To bring to birth the horrors that ensue 13 The calling backe of banisht Gaueston Gainst which the Barrons were to Longshanks sworne That insolent lasciuious Minion A Soueraignes blemish and a countries scorne The signiories and great promotion Him in his lawlesse courses to subborne Stirres vp that hatefull and outragious strife That cost ere long so many an English life 14 O worthy Lacy hadst thou spar'd that breath vvhich shortly after nature thee deny'd To Lancaster deliuered at thy death To whom thy onely daughter was affy'd That this sterne warre too quickly publisheth To ayde the Barrons gainst that Minions pride Thy Earldoms lands and titles of renowne Had not so soone returnd vnto the Crowne 15 The Lordships Bruse vnto the Spensers past Crossing the Barrons vehement desire As from Ioues hand that fearefull lightning cast vvhen fifty townes lay spent in enuious fire Alas too vaine and prodigall a wast The strong effect of theyr conceiued ire Vrging the weake King with a violent hand T' abiure those false Lords from the troubled land 16 VVhen the fayre Queene that progressing in Kent Lastly deny'd her entrance into Leeds vvhom Badlesmere vnkindly doth preuent vvho gainst his Soueraigne in this course proceeds As adding further to this discontent One of the springs which this great mischiefe feeds Heaping on rage and horror more and more To thrust on that which went too fast before 17 VVhich more and more a kingly rage increast Moou'd with the wrongs of Gaueston disgraded vvhich had so long beene setled in his breast That all his powers it wholy had inuaded Giuing the Spensers an assured rest By whom his reasons chiefly are perswaded By whose lewd counsels he is onely led To leaue his true Queene and his lawfull bed 18 That now herselfe who while she stood in grace Applied her powers these disoords to appease vvhen yet confusion had not fully place Nor former times so dangerous as these A party now in theyr afflicted case A willing hand to his destruction layes That time whose soft palme heales the wound of warre May cure the soare but neuer close the scarre 19 In all this heate his greatnes first began The serious subiect of our sadder vaine Braue Mortimer that euer-matchlesse man Of the old Heroes great and God-like straine For whom invention dooing best it can His weight of honour hardly can sustaine Bearing his name immortaliz'd and hie vvhen he in earth vnnumbred times shall lie 20 That vncle now whose name this Nephew bare The onely comfort of the wofull Queene vvho from his cradle held him as his care In whom the hope of that great name was seene For this young Lord now wisely doth prepare vvhilst yet this deepe hart-goaring wound is greene And on this faire aduantage firmly wrought To place him highly in her princely thought 21 At whose deliberate and vnusuall byrth The heauens were said to counsell to retire And in aspects of happines and mirth Breath'd him a spirit insatiatly t' aspire That tooke no mixture of the ponderous earth But all comprest of cleere ascending fire So well made vp that such an one as he Ioue in a man like Mortimer would be 22 The temper of that nobler moouing part vvith such rare purenes rectified his blood Raysing the powers of his resolued hart Too proud to be lockt vp within a flood That no misfortune possibly could thwart vvhich from the natiue greatnes where it stood Euen by the vertue of a piercing eye Shew'd that his pitch was boundlesse as the sky 23 VVorthy the grand-child of so great a Lord vvho whilst first Edward fortunately raign'd Reedifi'd great Arthurs auncient boord The seate at goodly Kennelworth ordain'd The order of old Knighthood there restor'd To which a hundreth duly appertain'd vvith all the grace beauties of a Court As best became that braue and martiall sport 24 The hart-swolne Lords with fury set on fire vvhoÌ„ Edwards wrongs to vengeance still prouoke vvith Lancaster Hartfoord now conspire No more to beare the Spensers seruile yoke And thus whilst all a mutuall change desire The auncient bonds of their allegeance broke Resolu'd with blood their liberty to buy And in this quarrell vow'd to liue and dye 25 VVhat priuiledge hath our free birth say they Or in our blood what vertue doth remaine To each lasciuious Minion made a pray That vs and our nobilitie disdaine vvhilst they tryumphing boast of our decay Either those spirits we doe not now retaine That were our fathers or by fate we fall Both from their greatnes liberty and all 26 Honour deiected from that soueraigne state From whence at first it challenged a beeing Now prostitute to infamy and hate As with it selfe in all things disagreeing So out of order disproportionate From her faire course preposterously flying vvhilst others
that which came as Epilogue to all Lastly his fearefull and so violent fall 67 VVhich to their hope giues time for further breath As the first pause in this their great affaire That yet awhile deferr'd this threatning death Trusting this breach by leysure to repayre And heere awhile this fury lymetteth VVhilst in this manner things so strangely fare Horror beyond the wonted bounds doth swell As the next Canto dreadfully shall tell The end of the First Canto The second Booke of the Barrons warres The Argument At Burton-bridge the puisant Armies met The forme and order of the doubtfull fight VVhereas the King the victory doth get And the proud Barrons lastly forc'd to flight How they againe towards Burrough forward set VVhere then the Lords are vanquished out-right Lastly the lawes doe execute theyr power On those the sword before did not deuour 1 THis chance of warre that dreadfully had swept So large a share from their full-reck'ned might VVhich their proud hopes so carefully had kept vvhilst yet theyr state stoode equally vpright That could at first so closely intercept That should haue scru'd them for a glorious fight Musters supplies of footmen and of horse To giue a new strength to their ruin'd force 2 Th'inueterate griefe so deepe and firmly rooted Yet slightly cur'd by this short strengthlesse peace To essay t'remoue since it but vainly booted That did with each distemprature increase And beeing by euery offer'd cause promooted Th' effect too firmly setled to surcease VVhen each euasion sundry passions brought Strange formes of feare in euery troubled thought 3 And put in action for this publique cause vvhilst euery one a party firmly stood Tax'd by the letter of the censuring lawes In the sharpe taynder of his honoured blood And he that 's free'st entangled by some clause vvhich to this mischiefe giues continuall food For where confusion gets so strongly hold Till all consum'd can hardly be controld 4 VVher now by night euen when pale leaden sleepe Vpon their eye-lids heauily did dwell And step by step on euery sence did creepe Mischiefe that black inhabitant of hell VVhich neuer failes continuall watch to keepe Fearefull to thinke a horred thing to tell Entred the place where now these warlike Lords Lay mayld in Armour girt with irefull swords 5 Mischiefe with sharpe sight and a meager looke And alwaies prying where she may doe ill In which the fiend continuall pleasure tooke Her starued body plenty could not fill Searching in euery corner euery nooke vvith winged feete too swift to worke her will Hung full of deadly instruments she went Of euery sort to hurte where ere she ment 6 And with a viall fild with banefull wrath Brought from Cocytus by this cursed spright vvhich in her blacke hand readily she hath And drops the poyson vpon euery wight For to each one she knew the ready path Now in the mid'st and dead-time of the night vvhose enuious force inuadeth euery Peere Stryking with fury and impulsiue feare 7 The weeping morning breaking in the East vvhen with a troubled and affrighted mind Each whom this venom lately did infest The strong effect soone inwardly doe find And lately troubled by vnquiet rest To sad destruction euery one inclind Rumors of spoile through eu'ry eare doth flye And fury sits in eu'ry threatning eye 8 This doone in hast vnto King Edward hies vvhich now growne proude vpon his faire successe The time in feasts and wantonnesse implies vvith crowned cups his sorrowes to redresse That on his fortune wholly now relies And in the bosome of his Courtly presse Vaunting the glory of this late wonne day vvhilst the sick Land with sorrow pines away 9 Thether she comes and in a Minions shape Shee creepeth neere the person of the King vvarm'd with the verdure of the swelling grape In which she poyson secretly doth â—ting Not the least drop vntaynted doth escape To which intent she all her store did bring vvhose rich commixture making it more strong Fills his hote vaines with arrogance and wrong 10 And hauing both such courage and such might As to so great a busines did belong Neuer considering theyr pretended right Should be inducement to a trebled wrong vvhen misty error so deludes their sight VVhich still betwixt them and cleere reason hong By which opinion falsly was abusd As left all out of order all confusd 11 Now our Minerua tells of dreadfull Armes Inforc'd to sing of worse then ciuill warres Of Ambuscados stratagems alarmes Vnkind discentions fearefull massacarrs Of gloomy magiques and benumming charmes Fresh-bleeding wounds and neuer-healed skarrs And for the sock wherein she vsd to tread Marching in greaues a helmet on her head 12 VVhilst hate and griefe their weakned sence delude The Barrons draw theyr forces to a head vvhom Edward spurd vvith vengeance still pursude By Lancaster and noble Herford led This long proceeding lastly to conclude VVhilst now to meet both Armies freshly sped To Burton both incamping for the day vvith expectation for a glorious pray 13 Vpon the East from Needwoods bushy side There riseth vp an easie climing hill At whose faire foote the siluer Trent doth glide vvith a deepe murmur permanent and still VVith liberall store of many Brooks supplide Th' insatiate Meades continually doe fill Vpon whose streame a Bridge of wondrous strength Doth stretch it selfe in forty arches length 14 Vppon this Mount the Kings pauillion fiâ—t And in the towne the foe intrench'd in sigh vvhen now the flood is risen so betwixt That yet a while prolong'd th' vnnaturall fight vvith trybutarie waters intermixt To stay the furie dooing all it might Things which presage both good and ill there be vvhich heauen fore shewes but mortals cannot see 15 The heauen euen mourning o're our heads doth sit As greeu'd to see the time so out of course Looking on them who neuer looke at it And in meere pitty melting with remorce Longer from teares that cannot stay a whit vvhose confluence on euery lower sourse From the swolne fluxure of the clouds doth shake A ranke Impostume vpon euery Lake 16 O warlike Nation hold thy conquering hand Euen sencelesse things admonish thee to pause That Mother soyle on whom thou yet doost stand That would restraine thee by all naturall lawes Canst thou vnkind inuiolate that band vvhen euen the earth is angry with the cause Yet stay thy foote in mischiefes vgly gate Ill comes too soone repentance still too late 17 And can the clouds weepe ouer thy decay And not one drop fall from thy droughty eyes See'st thou the snare and wilt not shun the way Nor yet be warn'd by passed miseries T is yet but early in this fatall day Let late experience learne thee to be wise Mischiefe foreseene may easly be preuented But hap'd vnhelp'd though nere enough lamented 18 Cannot the Scot of your late slaughter boast And are you yet scarce healed of the sore I st not enough you haue already lost But your owne madnes needsly make it more VVill you
euer lou'd thee Notes of the Chronicle Historie Well knew'st 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 Minâ—taur the hystorie whereof is well knowne but the Labyrinth was framed by Daedalus vvith so many intricate wayes that being entred one could either hardlie or neuer returne being in manner of a maze saue that it was larger the waies being walld in on euery sideâ— out of the which Theseus by Ariadnes helpe lending him a clue of thred escaped Some report that it was a house hauing one halfe beneath the ground another aboue the chamber doores therein so deceitfullie enwrapped and made to open so manie lundry wayes that it was held a matter almost impossible to returne Some haue held it to haue beene an Allegory of mans life true it is that the comparison will hold for what liker to a Labyrinth then the maze of life But it is affirmed by antiquitie that there was indeede such a building though Daedalus being a name applyed to the workmans excellencie make it suspected for Daedalus is nothing els but ingenious or artificiall Heerevpon it is vsed among the auncient Poets for any thing curiouslie wrought Rosamonds Labyrinth whose ruins together with her vvell beeing paued with square stone in the bottome and also her Tower from which the Labyrinth did runne are yet remaining was altogether vnder ground beeing vaults arched and walled with brick and stone almost inextricably wounde one within another by which if at any time her lodging were layd about by the Queene shee might easilie auoyde perrill imminent and if neede be by secrete issues take the ayre abroade manie furlongs round about Woodstocke in Oxfordshire wherein it was situated Thus much for Rosamonds Labyrinth Whose strange Meanders turned euery way Meander is a riuer in Lycia a prouince of Natolia or Asia minor famous for the sinuositie and often turning thereof rising from certaine hils in Maeonia herevpon are intricate turnings by a transuâ—tiue and metonimicall kind of speech called Maeanders 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 life hath made the same It might be reported howe at Godstowe where this Rose of the world was sumptuously interred a certaine Bishop in the visitation of his Diocesse caused the monument which had beene erected to her honour vtterly to be demolished but be that seuere chastisement of Rosamond then dead at this time also ouerpassed least shee shoulde 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 froÌ„ his lips but what sweet coÌ„fort came vvhen 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 VVith new enquiries then I cut him short vvhen of the same he gladly would report That with the earnest hast 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 whild I vnript the seale The more I read still doe I erre the more As though mistaking somwhat said before Missing the poynt the doubtfull sence is broken Speaking againe what I before had spoken Still in a swound my hart reuiues and faints Twixt hopes dispaires twixt smiles and deepe complaints As these sad accents sort in my desires Smooth calmes rough stormes sharp frosts raging fires Put on with boldnes and put backe with feares My tongue with curses when mine eyes with teares O how my hart at that black 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 vvith pens of Angells wings and for their inke That heauenly Nectar their immortall drinke Maiesticke courage striues to haue supprest This fearefull passion stird vp in my brest But still in vaine the same I goe about My hart must breake within or woe breakes out Am I at home pursu'd with priuate hate And warre comes raging to my Pallace gate Is meager Enuie 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 Vnkind 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 mind Hopes left helps 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 these hopes preuented Vnheard vnhelp'd vnpitted vnlamented Yet let me be with pouertie opprest Of earthly blessings robd and dispossest Let me be scorn'd reiected and reuild From Kingdome Country and from Court exild 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 commaund the Destenies obay Pittie is dead that comes not from thines eyes And at thy feete euen mercie prostrate lyes If I were feeble rheumatick 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 doe 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 VVere there in Art a power but so diuine As is in that sweet Angell-tongue of thine That great Enchantresse which once tooke such paines To force young blood in AEsons wither'd vaines And from Groues Mountaines and the moorish Fen Vs'd all the hearbs ordayn'd 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 far To seeke the soiles where all those simples are One accent from thy lips the blood more warmes Then all her philters exorcismes and charmes Thy presence hath repaired in one day vvhat many yeeres and sorrowes did decay And made fresh beauties fairest
our renowned seate To raze the auncient Trophies of our race vvith our deserts theyr monuments to grace Nor shall he leade our valiant marchers forth To make the Spensers famous in the North Nor be the Gardants of the Brittish pales Defending England and preseruing VVales At first our troubles easily recul'd But now growne head-strong hardly to be rul'd vvith grauest counsell all must be directed vvhere plainest shewes are openly suspected For where mishap our error doth assault There doth it easiliest make vs see our fault Then sweet represse all fond and wilfull spleene Two things to be a woman and a Queene Keepe close the cyndars least the fire should burne It is not this which yet must serue our turne And if I doe not much mistake the thing The next supply shall greater comfort bring Till when I leaue my Princesse for a while Liue thou in rest though I liue in exile Notes of the Chronicle Historie Of one condemn'd and long lodg'd vp in death ROger Mortimer Lorde of Wigmore had stoode publiquely condemned for his insurrection with Thomas Earle of Lancaster and Bohun Eale of Herford by the space of three moneths and as the report went the day of his execution was determined to haue beene shortly after which he preuented by his escape Twice all was taken â—twice thou all didst giue At what time the two Mortimers this Roger Lord of Wigmore and his vncle Roger Mortimer the elder were apprehended in the West the Queene by meanes of Torlton Bishop of Hereford and Becke Bishop of Duresme and Patriarke of Ierusalem being then both mightie in the state vpon the submission of the Mortimers somewhat pacified the King and now secondly she wrought meanes for his escape Leauing the cords to tell where I had gone With strong ladders made of cords prouided him for the purpose he escaped out of the Tower which when the same were found fastened to the walls in such a desperate attempt they bred astonishment to the beholders Nor let the Spensers glory in my chance The two Hugh Spensers the Father and the Sonne then beeing so highly fauoured of the King knew that their greatest safety came by his exile vvhose high and turbulent spirit could neuer brooke any corriuall in greatnes My Grandsire was the first since Arthurs raigne That the round-table rectifi'd againe Roger Mortimer called the great Lorde Mortimer Grandfather to this Roger which was afterward the first Earle of March reerected againe the Round-table at Kenelwoorth after the auncient order of King Arthurs table with the retinue of a hundred Knights a hundred Ladyes in his house for the entertayning of such aduentures as came thether from all parts of Christendome Whilst famous Longshanks bones in Fortunes scorne Edward Longshanks willed at his death that his body should bee boyled the flesh from the bones and that the bones should be borne to the warres in Scotland which he was perswaded vnto by a prophecie which told that the English should still be fortunate in conquest so long as his bones were carried in the field The English blood that stained Banocksburne In the great voyage Edward the second made against the Scots at the battell at Stâ—iueling neere vnto the riuer of Banocksburne in Scotland where there was in the English campe such banquetting excesse such riot and misorder that the Scots who in the meane time laboured for aduantage gaue to the English a great ouerthrow And in the Dead-sea sincke our houses fame From whose c. Mortimer so called of Mare Mortuum and in French Mortâ—mer in English the Dead-sea which is said to be where Sodome Gomorra once were before they were destroyed by fire from heauen And for that hatefull sacriligious sin Which by the Pope he stands accursed in Gaeustelinus and Lucas two Cardinalls sent into England froÌ„ Pope Clement to appease the auncient hate betweene the King and Thomas Earle of Lancaster to whose Embassy the King seemed to yeeld but after theyr departure he went back from his promises for which hee was accursed at Rome Of those industrious Romaine Colonies A Colony is a sort or number of people that come to inhabite a place before not inhabited whereby hee seemeth heere to prophecie of the subuersion of the Land the Pope ioyning with the power of other Princes against Edward for the breach of his promise Charles by iâ—uasiue Armes againe shall take Charles the French King mooued by the wrong done vnto hys sister ceazeth the Prouinces which belonged to the King of England into his hands stirred the ratheâ— thereto by Mortimer who solicited her cause in Fraunce as is expressed before in the other Epistle in the glosse vpon this poynt And those great Lords now after theyr attaints Canonized among the English Saints After the death of Thomas Earle of Lancaster at Pomfret the people imagined great miracles to be doone by his reliques as they did of the body of Bohun Earle of Herford slaine at Borough bridge FINIS ¶ To my worthy and honoured friend Maister VValter Aston SIR though without suspition of flatterie I might in more ample and freer tearmes intymate my affection vnto you yet hauing so sensible a tast of your generous and noble disposition which without this habit of ceremony can estimate my loue I will rather affect breuitie though it shoulde seeme my fault then by my tedious complement to trouble mine owne opinion setled in your iudgement and discretion I make you the Patron of this Epistle of the Black-Prince which I pray you accept till more easier howers may offer vp from me some thing more worthy of your view and my trauell Yours truly deuoted Mich Drayton Edward the blacke Prince to Alice Countesse of Salisburie ¶ The Argument Alice Countesse of Salisburie remaining at Roxborough Castle in the North in the absence of the Earle her husband who was by the Kings commaund sent ouer into Flaunders and there deceased ere his returne This Lady being besieged in her Castle by the Scots Edward the blacke Prince being sent by the King his Father to relieue the North-parts with an Armie and to remoue the siege of Roxborough there fel in loue with the Countesse when after she returned to London hee sought by diuers and sundry means to winne her to his youthfull pleasures as by forcing the Earle of Kent her Father her Mother vnnaturally to become his Agents in his vaine desire where after a long and assured trial of her inuincible constancie hee taketh her to his wife to which end hee onelie frameth this Epistle REceiue these papers from thy wofull Lord vvith far more woes then they with words are stor'd vvhich if thine eye with rashnes doe reproue They 'le say they came from that imperious loue In euery Letter thou maist vnderstand vvhich Loue hath sign'd and sealed with his hand And where no farther processe he refers In blots set downe for other Characters This cannot blush although you doe refuse it Nor will reply
liueth As smiles in teares and teares in gladnes giuethâ— Yet thinke not Iane that cowardly I faint As begging mercy by this sad complaint Or yet suppose my courage daunted so That thou shouldst stand betwixt me and my so That grim-aspected death should now controule And seeme so fearefull to my parting soule For were one life a thousand lifes to me Yet were all those too few to die with thee vvhen thou my woes so patiently dost beare As if in death no cause of sorrow were And no more doost lifes dissolution shunne Then if cold age his longest course had runne Thou which didst once giue comfort in my woe Now art alone becom my comforts foe Not that I leaue wherein I did delight But that thou art debarr'd my wished sight For if I speake and would complaine my wrong Straight-waies thy name doth come into my tongâ— And thou art present as thou still didst lye Or in my hart or in my lips or eye No euill plannet raigned at thy birth Nor was that houre prodigious heere on earth No fatall marke of froward destinie Could be diuin'd in thy natiuitie T is onely I that did thy fall deuise And thou by me art made a sacrifice As in those Countries where the louing wiues Doe with their husbands euer end their liues And crown'd with garlands in their brides attire Goe with their husbands to that holy fire And she vnworthy thought to liue of all vvhen feare of death or danger doth appall I boast not of Northumberlands great name Nor of Kets conquest which adornes the same vvhen he to Norfolke led his troupes from far And yok'd the rebels in the chaine of war vvhen our white Beare did furiously respireâ— The flames that sing'd their Villages with fire And brought sweet peace in safety to our doores Yet left our fame vpon the Easterne shores Nor of my princely brothers which might grace And plant true honour in the Dudleys race Nor of Grayes match my children borne by thee Alied to great Plantaginet should bee But of thy vertues proudly boast I dare That she is mine whom all perections are I crau'd no Kingdome though I thee did craue And hauing thee I wish'd no more to haue Yet let me say how euer it befell Me thinks a Crowne should haue becom'd thee well Me thinks thy wisedome was ordain'd alone To blesse a Scepter beautifie a throme Thy lips a sacred Oracle retaine vvherein all holy prophecies remaine More highly priz'd thy vertues were to me Then crownes then Kingdomes or then Scepters bâ— So chast thy loue so innocent thy life A wiued virgine and a mayded wife The greatest gifts that heauen could giue me heere Nothing on earth to me was halse so deere This was the ioy wherin we liu'd of late Ere worldly cares did vs excruciate Before these troubles did our peace confound By war by weapon massacre or wound Ere dreadfull Armies did disturbe our shores Or walls were shaken with the Cannons roares Suspect bewrayes our thoughts bewrayes our words One Crowne is guarded with a thousand swords To meane estate but common woes are showne But Crownes haue cares that euer be vnknowne And we by them are to those dangers led Of which the least we are experienced VVhen Dudley led his Armies to the East Of all the bosome of the land possest vvhat Earthly comfort was it that he lack'd That with a Counsels warrantie was back'd That had a Kingdome and the power of lawes Still to maintaine the iustnes of his cause And with the Clergies helpe the Commons ayd In euery place the peopled Kingdome swayd But what alas can Parliaments auaile vvhen Maries right must Edwards acts repealeâ— VVhen suffolks power doth Suffolks hopes withstand Northumberland doth leaue Northumberland And those which should our greatnes vnder prop Raze our foundation ouerthrow our top Ere greatnes come we wish it with our hart But being come desire it would depart And indiscretly follow that so fast which when it comes brings perrill at the last If any man doe pittie our offence Let him be sure to get him far from hence Heere is no place no comfort heere at all For any one that shall bewaile our fall And we in vaine of mercy should but thinke Our briny teares the fullen earth doth drink O that all teares for vs should be forlorne And all should die so soone as they be borne Mothers that should their childrens fortunes rue Fathers in death too kindly bid adue Friends of their friends a kind farwell to take The faithful seruant mourning for our sake Brothers and sisters waiting on our Beere Mourners to tell what we were liuing heere Those eares are stopt which should bewaile our fall And wee the Mourners and the dead and all And that which first our Pallace was ordain'd The prison which our libertie restrain'd And where our Court we held in princely state There now alone are left disconsolate Thus then resolu'd as thou resolu'd am I. Die thou for me and I for thee will die And yet that heauen Elizabeth may blesse Be thou sweet Iane a faithfull Prophetesse VVith that health gladly resaluting thee VVhich thy kind farwell wish'd before to mee Notes of the Chronicle Historie Nor of Kets conquest which adornes the same IOhn Duke of Northumberland when before he was Earle of Warwicke in his expedition against Ket ouerthrew the rebels of Norfolk and suffolk encamped at Mount-Surrey in Norfolke Nor of my princely brothers which might grace Gilford Dudley as remembring in this place the towardnesse of his brothers which were all likely indeed to haue raised that house of the Dudleyes of which he was a fourth brother if not suppressed by their Fathers ouerthrow Nor of Grayes match my children borne by thee Noting in this place the alliance of the Ladie Iane Gray by her mother which was Frauncis the daughter of Charles Brandon by Mary the French Queene daughter to Henry the seuenth and sister to Henry the eight To blesse a Septer beautifie a threne Sildome hath it euer been known of any woman endued with such wonderfull gifts as was this Ladie both for her wisedome and learning of whose skill in the tongues one reporteth by this Epigram Miraris Ianam Graio sermone â—alere Quâ— primum nata est tempore Graia Fuit When Dudley led his armies to the East The Duke of Northumberland prepared his power at London for his expedition against the Rebels in Norfolke and making hast away appointed the rest of his forces to meete him at Newmarket Heath of whom this saying is reported that passing through Shorditch the Lord Gray in his company seeing the people in great numbers came to see him hee said the people presse to see vs but none bid God speede vs. That with the Counsels warranty was back'd Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland when he went out against Queene Mary had his Commission sealed for the generalship of the Armie by the consent of the whole Counsell of the Land