had I layne bedrid 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 Inchauntresse which once tooke such paines To force young blood in Aesons wither'd vaines And frō groues mountaines medowes marshe fen Brought all the simples were ordaind for men And of those plants those hearbs those flowers those weeds Vsed the roots the leaues the iuyce the seeds And in this powerfull potion that shee makes Puts blood of men of beasts of birds of snakes Neuer had needed to haue gone so far To seeke the soyles where all those simples are One accent from thy lypps the blood more warmes Then all her philtres exorcismes and charmes Thy presence hath repaired in one day VVhat manie yeeres and sorrowes did decay And made fresh beauties fairest branches spring From wrinckled furrowes of Times ruining Euen as the hungry winter-starued earth VVhen shee by nature labours towards her birth Still as the day vpon the darke world creepes One blossom foorth after another peepes Till the small flower whose roote is nowe 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 dyd 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 shee by meanes of my offence Redeemes thy purenes and thy innocence VVhen to our wills perforce obey they must That iust in them whatere in vs vniust Of what we doe not them account we make Thysserues for all they doe it for our sake And what to worke a Princes will may merit Hath deep'st impression in a gentle spirit Our powerfull wills drawne by attractiue beautie They to our wills arm'd by subiectiue dutie And true affection doth no bound reteane For this is sure firme loue had neuer meane And whilst the cause by reason is disputed Reason itselfe by loue is most confuted Ift be my name that doth thee so offend No more my selfe shall be mine owne names friend And ift be that which thou doost onely hate That name in my name lastly hath his date Say tis accurst and fatall and dispraise it If written blot it if engrauen raze it Say that of all names tis a name of woe Once a Kings name but now it is not so And when all this is done I know twill grieue thee And therefore sweet why should I now beleeue thee Nor shouldst 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 And in theyr moouings like a Christall glasse Make such reflection vnto all that passe Aboue the sunne doth shine beneath thine eyes As though two sunnes at once shin'd in two skyes The little streame which by thy tower doth glide VVhere oft thou spend'st the weary 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 bankes restraine it To'xcuse 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 fishe which see thy shadow in the brooke Forget to feede and all amazed lye So daunted with the luster 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 Tygars men shal learne to tame The carefull mother from her pensiue brest vvith Rosamond shall bring her babe to rest The little birds by mens continuall sound 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 said to be a Rosamond The little flowers which dropping honied dew which as thou writ'st do weepe vpon thy shue Not for thy fault sweet Rosamond doe mone But weep for griefe that thou so soone art gone For if thy foote tuch Hemlocke as it goes That Hemlock's made more sweeter then the Rose Of loue or Neptune how they did betray Nor speake of 1-0 or Amimone VVhen she for whom Ioue once became a Bull Compar'd with thee had been a tawny trull He a white Bull and shee a whiter Cow Yet he nor she nere halfe so white as thou Long since thou knowst my care prouided for To lodge thee safe from iealious Ellinor The Labyrinths conueyance guides thee so vvhich onely Vahan thou and I doe knowe If shee doe guard thee with a hundred eyes I haue an hundred subtile Mercuries To watch that Argus which my loue doth keep Vntill eye after eye fall all to sleepe Those starrs looke in by night looke in to see VVondring what starre heere on the earth should bee 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 shee might euer stay And other worlds might still enioy the day VVhat should I say words teares and sighes be spent And want of time dooth further helps preuent My Campe resounds with feare sull 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 smyle or lower from thy sweet eye Consists my life my hope my victorie Sweet VVoodstock where my Rosamond doth rest Blessed in her in whom thy King is blest For though in Fraunce a while my body bee 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 Army of 3. thousand Flemmings and spoyled the Countryes of Norfolke and Suffolke beeing succoured by many of the Kings priuate enemies And am I branded with the curse of Roome King Henry the second the first Plantaginet accused for the death of Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury slaine in the Cathedrall Church was accursed by Pope Alexander although he vrgd sufficient proofe of his innocencie in the same and offered to take vpon him any pennance so he might escape the curse interdiction of the Realme And by the pride
witchcraft and burned for the same and that Piers had bewitched the King Albania Gascoyne Cambria Ireland Albania Scotland so called of Albanact the seconde sonne of Brutus and Cambria Wales so called of Camber the third sonne the foure 〈◊〉 and Countries brought in subiection by Edward Longshanks When of our Princely iewells and our dowers We but enioy the least of what is ours A complaynt of the prodigalitie of King Edward giuing vnto Gaueston the iewells treasure which was left him by the auncient Kings of England and enriching him with the goodly Manor of Wallingforde assigned as parcell of the dower to the Queenes of this famous Ile And ioynd with the braue issue of our blood Alie our kingdome to theyr crauand brood Edward the second gaue to Piers Gaueston in marriage the daughter of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester begot of the Kinges sister Ioane of Acres married to the said Earle of Gloster Should giue away all that his Father wonne 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 bee 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 commaunded young 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 Lasey Lancaster Thomas Earle of Lancaster Guy Earle of VVarwicke Henry Earle of Lincolne who had taken theyr oathes before the deceassed King at his death to withstand his sonne Edward if he should call Gaueston from exile beeing a thing which hee much feared now seeing Edward to violate his Fathers commaundement rise in Armes against the King which was the cause of the ciuile war and the ruine of so many Princes And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That nowe a Spenser should succeed in all The two Hugh Spensers the Father the sonne after the death of Gaueston became the great fauorites of the King the sonne being created by him Lord Chamberlaine and the Father Earle of Winchester And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage 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 subbornation of Mortimer to ceaze those Countries into his hands By auncient Wigmors honourable Crest Wigmore in the marches of Wales was the ancient house of the Mortimers that noble and couragious familie That still so long as Borrough beares that name The Queene remembreth the great ouerthrowe giuen to the Barrons by Andrew Herckley Earle of Carlill at Borrough bridge after the battaile at Burton And Torlton now whose counsells should direct Thys was Adam Torlton bishop of Herford that great polititian who so highly fauoured the faction of the Queene and Mortimer whose euill counsell afterward wrought the destruction of the King Mortimer to Queene Isabell. AS thy saluts my sorrowes doe adiourne So backe to thee their interest I returne Though not in so great bountie I confesse As thy heroicke princely lines expresse For how should comfort issue from the breath Of one condemn'd and long lodg'd vp in death From murthers rage thou didst me once repriue Now in exile my hopes thou doost reuiue Twice all was taken twice thou all didst giue And thus twice dead thou mak'st me twice to liue This double life of mine your onely due You gaue to mee I giue it backe to you Nere my escape had I aduentur'd thus As did the skye-attempting Daedalus And yet to giue more safetie to my flight Haue made a night of day a day of night Nor had I backt the proude aspyring wall vvhich held without my hopes within my fall Leauing the cordes to tell where I had gone For gazing eyes with feare to looke vpon But that thy beautie by a power diuine Breath'd a new life into this spirit of mine Drawne by the sunne of thy celestiall eyes vvith fiery wings made passage through the skyes The heauens did seeme the charge of me to take And sea and land be friend mee for thy sake Thames stopt hen tide to make me way to goe As thou had'st charg'd her that it should be so The hollow murmuring winds their due time kept As they had rock'd the world whilst all things slept One billow bore me and another draue mee This stroue to helpe me and that stroue to saue mee The brisling Reedes mou'd with the ayre did chide mee As they would tell me that they moant to hide mee The pale-fac'd night beheld thy heauie cheere And would not let one little starre appeare But ouer all her smoakie mantle hurl'd And in thick vapours muffled vp the world And the pure ayre became so calme and still As it had beene obedient to my will And euery thing disposd vnto my rest As when one Seas the Alcion buildes her nest And those rough waues which late with furie rusht Slide smoothlie on and suddainly are husht Nor Neptune lets his surges out so long As Nature is in bringing forth her yong Nor let the Spensers glory in my chaunce That thus I liue an exile now in Fraunce That I from England banished should be But England rather banished from me More were her want Fraunce our great blood shold beare Then Englands losse should be to Mortimer My Grandsire was the first since Authurs raigne That the Round-table lastly did ordaine To whose great Court at Kenelworth did come The peerlesse knighthood of all Christendome VVhose princely order honoured England more Then all the conquests shee atchiu'd before Neuer durst Scot set foote on English ground Nor on his backe did English beare a wound vvhilst VVigmore flourisht in our princely hopes And whilst our Ensigne march'd with Edwards troupes VVhilst famous Longshanks bones in Fortunes scorne As sacred reliques to the fielde were borne Nor euer did the valiant English doubt VVhilst our braue battailes guarded them about Nor did our wiues and wofull mothers mourne The English blood that stained Banocksburn VVhilst with his Minions sporting in his Tent VVhole dayes and nights in banquetting were spent Vntill the Scots which vnder safeguard stoode Made lauish hauock of the English blood And battered helmes lay scattered on the shore vvhere they in conquest had beene borne before A thousand kingdoms will we seeke from farre As many Nations wast with ciuill warre vvhere the disheuel'd gastly Sea-nymphe sings Or well-rigd shyps shall stretch theyr swelling wings And dragge theyr Ankors through the sandie foame About the world in euery Clime to roame And those vnchristned Countries call our owne vvhere scarce the name of England hath been knowne And in the Dead-sea sinck our houses fame From whose sterne waues we first deriu'd our Name Before foule black-mouth'd infamie shall sing That
my breath in that night of my shame VVhen it did burne as darknesse vglie eye vvhen shot the starre of my virginitie And if a starre but by the glasse appeare I straight intreate it not to looke in heere I am already hatefull to the light It is enough betray mee not to night Then sith my shame so much belongs to thee Rid mee of that by onelie murdring mee And let it iustly to my charge be layd Thy roiall person I would haue betrayd Thou shalt not neede by circumstance t'accuse mee If I denie it let the heauens refuse mee My lifes a blemish which dooth cloude thy name Take it away and cleere shall shine thy fame Yeeld to my sute if ouer pitty moou'd thee In this shewe mercie as I euer lou'd thee Notes of the Chronicle historie Well knewest thou what a monster I would bee When thou didst builde this Labyrinth for mee IN the Cretean Labyrinth a monster was inclosed called a Minotaur the history wherof is well knowne but the Labyrinth was framed by Daedalus w so many intricate waies y 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 help 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 deceitfully enwrapped made to open so many sundry wayes that it was held a matter almost impossible to returne Some haue held it to haue been an Allegorie 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 beeing a name applied to the workmans excellencie make it suspected for Daedalus is nothing els but ingenious or artificiall Heereupon it is vsed among the auncient Poets for any thing curiously wrought Rosamonds Labyrinth whose ruins together with her well being paued with square stone in the bottom and also her towre from which the 〈◊〉 did run are yet remaining was altogether vnder ground being vanlts arched and waled with brick stone almost inextricably wound one within another by which if at any time her lodging were layd about by the Queene she might easily auoyde perrill imminent if neede be by secrete issues take the ayre abroad many furlongs round about Wodstocke in Oxfordshire wherein it was situated Thus much for Rosamands Labyrinth Whose strange Meanders turned euery way Maeander is a riuer in Lycia a Prouince of Natolia or Asia minor famous for the sinuositie and often turning thereof rifing frō certaine hills in Maeonia heereupon are intricate turnings by a transsumptiue and Metonimicall kind of speech called Maeanders sor this riuer did so strangely path it selfe that the foote seemed to touch the head Rose of the world so dooth import my name Shame of the world my life hath made the same It might be reported how at Godstow where this Rose of the world was sumptuously interred a certaine Bishop in the visitation of his diocese caused the monument which had been erected to 〈◊〉 honour vtterly to be demolished but be that seuere chastisement of Rosamond then dead at this time also ouerpassed least she should seeme to be the Shame of the world Henry to Rosamond WHen first the Post arriued in my Tent And brought the Letters Rosamond had sent Think frō his lips but what sweet 〈◊〉 came vvhē 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 newe enquiries then I cut him short vvhen of the same he gladly would report That with the earnest hast my tongue oft tryps Catching the words halfe spoke out of his lyps This told yet more I vrge him to reueale To loose no time whilst I vnript the seale The more I read still doe I erre the more As though mistaking some-what 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 sharpe frosts and raging fiers Put on with boldnesse 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 pennes of Angels wings and for theyr inck That heauenly Nectar their immortall drinke Maiestick courage striues to haue supprest This fearefull passion stirr'd vp in my brest But still in vaine the same I goe about My hart must breake within or woes breake 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 counsells dombe And by the pride of my rebellious sonne Rich Normandy with Armies ouer-runne Fatall my birth vnfortunate my life Vnkind my children most vnkinde my wife Griefe cares old age suspition to torment mee Nothing on earth to quiet or content mee So manie woes so many plagues to finde Sicknes of body discontent of minde Hopes left helps reft life wrong'd ioy interdicted Banisht distress'd forsaken and afflicted Of all releefe hath Fortune quite bereft mee Onely my loue vnto my comfort left mee And is one beautie thought so great a thing To mittigate the sorrowes of a King Barr'd of that choyce the vulgar often proue Haue wee then they lesse priuiledge in loue Is it a King the wofull widdow heares Is it a King dryes vp the Orphans teares Is it a King regards the Clyants cry Giues life to him by iustice domb'd 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 Vnhard vnhelp'd vnpittied vnlamented Yet let me be with pouertie opprest Of earthly blessings rob'd and dispossest Let me be scorn'd reiected and reuild From kingdom country 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 speedy course doth stay At thy commaund the Destinies obey Pitty is dead that comes not from thine eyes And at thy feete euen mercy prostrate lyes If I were feeble rhumaticke or cold These were true signes that I were waxed old But I can march all day in massie steele Nor yet my armes vnweeldie weight do feele Nor wak'd by night with bruze or bloudy woūd The Tent my bed no pillow but the ground For very age
Mortimer ere stoop'd vnto a King And we will turne sterne-visag'd Furie backe To seeke his spoyle who sought our vtter sack And come to beard him in our natiue Ile Ere hee march forth to follow our exile And after all these boystrous stormie shocks Yet will we grapple with the chaulkie Rocks Nor will we come like Pyrats or like theeues From mountaine Forrests or sea-bordering Cleeues But 〈◊〉 the ayre with terror when we come Of the sterne trumpet and the bellowing drum And in the field aduaunce our plumie Crest And march vpon faire Englands flowrie brest And Thames which once we for our life did swim Shaking our dewie tresses on her brim Shall beare my Nauy vaunting in her pryde Falling from Tanet with the powerfull tyde VVhich fertile Essex and faire Kent shall see Spreading her flagges along the pleasant lee VVhen on her stemming poopes she proudly beares The famous Ensignes of the Belgicke Peeres And for the hatefull sacriligious sin VVhich by the Pope he stands accursed in The Cannon text shall haue a common glesse Receits in parcels shall be paide in 〈◊〉 This doctrine preach'd vvho from the Church doth take At least shall trebble restitution make For which Rome sends her curses out from farre Through the sterne throate of terror-breathing warre Till to th'vnpeopled shore shee brings supplies Of those industrious Romaine Colonies And for his homage by the which of old Proude Edward Guyne and Aquitane doth hold Charles by inuasiue Armes againe shall take And send the English forces o're the Lake vvhen Edwards fortune stands vpon this chaunce To loose in England or expusd from Fraunce And all those townes great Longshanks left his sonne Now lost againe which once his Father wonne VVithin their strong Percullisd Ports shall lie And from theyr walls his sieges shall defie And by that firme and vndissolued knot Betwixt the neighbouring French and bordering Scot Bruse nowe shall bring his Redshanks from the seas From th'Iled Orcad's and the Hebrydes And to his VVesterne Hauens gyue free passe To land the warlike Irish Galiglasse Marching from Tweed to swelling Humber sands vvasting along the Northern nether-lands And wanting those which should his power sustaine Consum'd with slaughter in his bloodie 〈◊〉 Our warlike sword shall driue him from his shrone vvhere hee shall lye for ys to tread vpon And those great Lords now after theyr attaints Canonized amongst the English Saints And by the superstitious people thought That by theyr Reliques miracles are wrought And thinke that flood much vertue doth retaine vvhich tooke the blood of famous Bohun slaine Continuing the remembrance of the thing To make the people more abhorre theyr King Nor shall a Spenser be he nere so great Possesse our VVigmore our renowned seate To raze the auncient Trophies of our race vvith our deserts theyr monuments to grace Nor shall he lead 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 seemed calme enough But now are growne more boyst'rous and more rough vvith grauest counsell all must be directed vvhere plainest shewes are openly suspected For where mishaps our errors doth assault There doth it easilest 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 Lord of Wigmore had stood publiquely condemned for his insurrection with Thomas Earle of Lancaster and Bohun Earle of Herford by the space of three months 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 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 Qeene by meanes of Torlton Bishop of Herford and Becke Bishop of Duresme and Patriarck of Ierusalem beeing then both mightie in the state vpon the submission of the Mortimers somewhat pacified the King and nowe secondly shee wrought meanes for his escape Leauing the cordes to tell where I had gone With strong ladders made of cordes prouided him for the purpose he escaped out of the Tower which when the same vvere found fastened to the walls in such a desperate attempt they bred astonishment to the beholders Nor let the Spensers glory in my chaunce The two Hugh Spensers the Father and the sonne then beeing so highly fauoured of the King knew that theyr greatest safety came by his exile whose high and turbulent spirit could neuer brooke any corriuall in greatnes My Grandstre was the first since Arthurs ralgne That the Round-table lastly did ordaine 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 Kenelworth after the auncient order of King Arthurs table with the retinue of a hundred knights and a hundred Ladies in his house for the entertaining 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 that the bones should be borne to the warres in Scotlande which hee 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 Striueling 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 and fearefull ouerthrowe And in the Dead-sea sincke our houses fame From whose c. Mortimer so called of Mare Mortuum in French Mort mer in English the Dead sea which is sayd to be where Sodome and Gomorra once were before they were destroyed by fire frō heauen And for that hatefull sacriligious sinne Which by the Pope he stands accursed in Gaustelinus and Lucas two Cardinalls sent into England from Pope Clement to appease the auncient hate betweene the King Thomas Earle of Lancaster to whose Embassie the King seemed to yeeld vnto but after theyr departure he went backe from his promises for which he was accursed at Rome Of those industrious Romaine Colonies A Colonie is a sort or number of people that came to inhabite a place before not inhabited whereby he
kinsman And let a Richard from our line arise A prophecie of Richard Crookebacke the Tyrant which after was the onely scourge and plague of both the houses of Yorke Lancaster and the death of many great Princes FINIS To the Right Honourable the Lord Henrie Howard LEarned and noble Lord custome and continuance haue sealed this priuiledge to Poetry that sometime the light subiect of a laboured Poem is graced with the title of a learned and iudiciall censor your Lordship sufficiently knoweth what I but put you in remembrance off your wisedome and experience know what hath beene most vsuall in the course of times your iudgement makes me doubtfull being what I am your honor giues me some comfort beeing what you are Counsell is not euer conuersant with seueritie and I know true vertue loueth what is neuer so little like herselfe howe vnseasoned so euer my rymes seeme to the worlde I am pleased if you peruse them with patience Thus wishing my lines may bee as acceptable as I desire I leaue them to your learned censor Michaell Drayton Queene Katherine to Owen Tudor * The Argument After the death of that victorious Henry the fift Queene Katherine the 〈◊〉 of England and Fraunce daughter to Charles the French King holding her estate with Henrie her sonne then the sixt of that name falleth in loue with Owen Tudor a VVlechman a braue and gallant Gentleman of the VVardrop to the young King her sonne yet greatly fearing if her loue should be discouered the Nobilitie would 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 perhaps daunt the forwardnesse of his modest and shame fast youth wherfore to breake the Ice to her intent shee wryteth vnto him this Epistle following IV dge not a Princesse worth impeach'd hereby That loue thus tryumphs ouer maiestie Nor thinke lesse vertue in this royall hand vvhich now intreats that wonted to commaund For in this sort though humbly now it wooe The day hath beene thou would'st haue kneel'd vnto Nor thinke that this submission of my state Proceeds from frailtie rather iudge it fate Alcides nere more fit for loues sterne shock Then when for loue sate spinning at the Rock Neuer lesse clowdes did Phoebus glory dim Then in a Clownes shape when he couered him Ioues great commaund was neuer more obay'd Then when a Satyrs antick parts he play'd He was thy King that sued for loue to mee Shee is thy Queene that sues for loue to thee VVhen Henry was what's Tudors now was his vvhilst yet thou art what's Henries Tudors is My loue to Owen him my Henry giueth My loue to Henry in my Owen liueth Onely in Henry was my Tudor then Onely in Tudor Henry now agen Henry woo'd mee whilst warres did yet increase I wooe my Tudor now in calmest peace To win affection hee did conquest proue And I on conquest doe make warre with loue Great Henry soughtt ' accomplish his desire Armed with tempests thunder-boults of fire As once when Iunos treasons forced Ioue T'imbrace the beautious Semele his loue I to my loue as once the Ciprian Queene On Simois banks was with the Troyan seene Incampt at Melans in warres hote alarmes First saw I Henry clad in princely Armes At pleasant VVindsore there these eyes of mine Iudg'd Tudor first for wit and shape diuine Henry abroad with puissance and with force Tudor at home with courtship and discourse Hee 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 aduaunced my renowne And on my temples set a double Crowne vvhich glorious wreath as Henries lawfull heire Henry the sixt vpon his brow doth beare At Troy in Champayne he did first enioy My bridall-rites to England brought from Troy In England now that honour thou shalt haue vvhich once in Champayne famous Henry gaue I seeke not wealth three kingdoms in my power If these suffice not where shall be my dower Sad discontent may euer follow her vvhich doth base pelfe before true loue prefer If titles still could oure affections tie vvhat is so great but maiestie might buy As I seeke thee so Kings 〈◊〉 mee desire To what they craue thou easily may'st aspire That sacred fire once warm'd my hart before The fuell fit the flame is now the more And meanes to quench it I in vaine doe proue VVe may hide treasure but not hide our loue And since thy vertue this at first did gaine it vvill I by reason now seeke to restraine it Nor these great titles vainely will I bring VVife daughter mother sister to a King Of grandsire father husband sonne and brother More thou alone to mee then all the other Nor thinke so Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne great Lancastrian line Nor stirre the English blood the Sunne and Moone T'repine at Lorayne Burbon Alansoon Nor doe I thinke there is such different ods That they alone should counted be for Gods If 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 bestrid That horse of fame that Ioue-begotten steed VVhose bounding hoofe plow'd that Boetian spring vvhere those sweet Maydes of memorie doe sing Not onely Henries Queene but boast aswell To be the childe of Charles and Isabell. Nor doe I know from whence their griefe should grow They by this match should be disparag'd so vvhen Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied And to the Kings of VVales in wedlocke tied Shewing the greatnes of your blood heereby Your race and royall consanguinitie And VVales 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 of the often conquests of our Land They reare the spoyles of their victorious hand If these our auncient Chronicles be true They altogether are not free from you VVhen bloody Rufus sought your vtter sack Twice entring VVales yet twice was beaten back VVhen famous Cambria wash'd her in the flood Made by th'effusion of the English blood And oft return'd with glorious victorie From VVorster Herford Chester Shrewsbury vvhose power in euery conquest so preuailes As once expuls'd the English out of VVales Although my beautie made my Countries peace And at my bridall bloody warres did cease Yet more then power had not his person beene I had not come to England as a Queene Nor tooke I Henry to supply my want Because in Fraunce that time my choise was scant vvhen Fraunce had robd all Christendome of men And Englands flower remain'd amongst vs then Glaster whose counsells Nestor like assist Couragious Bedford that great martiallist VVarwicke for vertue honour'd of his foes And Yorke whose fame yet daily greater growes
these three let thy assurance lye On fayth repentance and humilitie Humilitie to heauen the step the stayre Is for deuotion sacrifice and prayer The next place doth to true repentance fall A salue a comfort and a cordiall Hee that hath that the keyes of heauen hath That is the guide that is the port the path Fayth is thy Fort thy shield thy strongest ayde Neuer controld nere yeelded nere dismayd vvhich doth dilate vnfold fore-tell expresseth vvhich giues rewards inuesteth and possesseth Then thanke the heauen preparing vs this roome Crowning our heads with glorious martirdome Before the black and dismall dayes begin The dayes of all Idolatry and sinne Not suffering vs to see that wicked age VVhen persecution vehemently shall rage vvhen tiranny new tortures shall inuent Inflicting vengeance on the innocent Yet heauen forbids that Maries wombe shall bring Englands faire Scepter to a forraine King But vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it vvhich broken hurt and wounded shall receaue it And on her temples hauing plac'd the Crowne Roote out the dregs Idolatry hath sowne And Syons glory shall againe restore Layd ruine wast and desolate before And from black sinders and rude heapes of stones Shall gather vp the Martirs scattered bones And shall exterpe the power of Rome againe And cast aside the heauy yoake of Spaine Farewell sweet Gilford know our end is neere Heauen is our home we are but strangers heere Let vs make hast to goe vnto the blest vvhich from these weary worldly labours rest And with these lines my dearest Lord I greete thee Vntill in heauen thy Iane againe shall meete thee Notes of the Chronicle history They which begot vs did beget this sinne SHewing the ambition of the two Dukes their Fathers whose pride was the cause of the vtter ouerthrow of their children At Durham Pallace where sweete Hymen sang The buildings c. The Lord Gilford Dudley fourth Sonne to Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland married the Lady Iane Gray Daughter to the Duke of Suffolke at Durham house in the Strand When first mine eares were pearced with the fame Of Iane proclaimed by a Princesse name Presently vpon the death of King Edward the Lady Iane was taken as Queene conueyed by water to the Tower of London for her safety and after proclaimed in diuers parts of the Realme as so ordayned by King Edwards Letters-pattents and his will My Grandsire Brandon did our house aduaunce By Princely Mary Dowager of Fraunce Henry Gray Duke of Suffolke married Frauncis the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke by the French Queene by which Frauncis hee had this Lady Iane this Mary the French Queene was Daughter to King Henry the seauenth by Elizabeth his Queene which happy marriage conioyned the two Noble families of Lancaster and Yorke For what great Henry most stroue to auoyde Noting the distrust that King Henry the eight euer had in the Princesse Mary his Daughter fearing she should alter the state of Religion in the Land by matching with a Stranger confessing the right that King Henries issue had to the Crowne And vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it A Prophecie of Queene Maries barrennes of the happy and glorious raigne of Queene Elizabeth her restoring of Religion the abollishing of the Romish seruitude and casting aside the yoake of Spaine The Lord Gilford Dudley to the Lady Iane Gray THus from the strongest treble-walled Tower Swan-like I sing before my dying hower O if there were such power but in my verse As in these woes my wounded hart doe pierce Stones taking sence th'obdurate flint that heares Should at my plaints dissolue it selfe to teares Lend mee a teare Ile pay thee with a teare And interest to if thou the stock forbeare vvoe for a woe and for thy interest lone I will returne thee franckly two for one Ile giue thee howers of woe and yeares of sorrow And turne the day to night the night to morrow And if thou think'st tyme yet doth passe to soone vvhen euening comes wee'll make it but our noone And if a griefe proue weake and not of force I will exchange a better for a worse And if thou thinke too quickly sorrowe ends Another twice so long shall make amends Perhaps thou'lt iudge in such extreames as these That words of comfort might farre better please But such strange power in thy perfection liueth As smyles in teares and teares in gladnes giueth Yet thinke not Iane that cowardly I faint As begging mercy by thys sad complaint Or yet suppose my courage daunted so That thou shouldst stand betwixt mee and my foe That grym-aspected death should now controule And seeme fo fearefull to my parting soule For were one life a thousand lifes to mee Yet were all those too few to die with thee vvhen thou thy woes so patiently doost beare As if in death no cause of sorrow were And no more doost lyfes dissolution shun Then if colde age his longest course had run Thou which didst once giue comfort to my woe Now art alone become 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 Straightwayes thy name doth come into my tongue And thou art present as thou still didst lie Or in my hart or in my lypps or eye No euill plannet raigned at thy birth Nor was that hower prodigious heere on earth No fatall marke of froward destenie Could be diuin'd in thy natiuitie Tis onely I that dyd thy fall deuise And thou by mee art made a sacrifice As in the East whereas the louing wiues Doe with theyr husbands euer end theyr liues And crown'd with garlands in theyr brydes attire Goe with theyr husbands to that holy fire And shee vnworthy thought to liue of all vvhom feare of death or danger doth appall I boast not of Northumberlands great name Nor of Ketts conquest which adornes the same VVhen he to Norfolke led his troupes from farre And yok'd the Rebells in the chayne of warre vvhen our VVhite-beare dyd furiously respire The flames that sing'd theyr Villages with fire And brought sweet peace in safetie to our dores Yet left our fame vpon the Easterne shores Nor of my princely Brothers which might grace And plant true honour in the 〈◊〉 race Nor of Grayes match my chydren borne by thee Alied to Yorke and Lancaster should be But of thy vertues proudly boast I dare That shee is mine whom all perfections 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 ere thys fortune fell Mee thinks a Crowne should haue becom'd thee well Mee thinks thy wisedome was ordaind alone To blesse a scepter beautifie a throne Thy lyps a sacred oracle retaine vvhere in all holy prophecies remaine More highly priz'd thy vertues were to mee Then Crownes then Kingdoms or then Scepters bee So chast thy loue so innocent thy life A wifed virgine and a