haplesse raigne Since treason first these troubles did beget which through more strange varieties had runne Than it that time celestiall signes hath done 2 Whilst our ill thriuing in those Scottish broiles Their strength and courage greatly doth aduance That being made fat and wealthy by our spoiles When we still weakned by the jarres in France And thus dis-hartned by continuall foiles Yeeldes other cause whereat our Muse may glance And Herckleys treasons lastly brings to view Whose power of late the Barrons ouer-threw 3 Now when the Scot with an inuasiue hand By daily inroads on the borders made Had spoilde the Country of Northumberland whose buildings leuell with the ground were laide And finding none that dare his power withstand Without controlement eu'ry where had praide Bearing with pride what was by pillage got As our last fall appointed to their lot 4 For which false Herckley by his Soueraigne sent T' intreate this needefull though dishonored peace Cloking his treasons by this fain'd intent Kinling the warre which otherwise might cease And with a 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 being found from whence this match should grow By such as now into their actions pry'd Displaies the treasons which not quickly crost Would shed more blood then all the wars had cost 6 Whether the Kings weake Counsells causes are That eu'ry thing so badly sorteth out Or that the Earle did of our state dispaire when nothing prosperd 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 Which now reueal'd vnto the jealous King For apprehension of this trait'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 desended The trecherous Herckley closely apprehended 8 For which ere long vnto his triall led In all the roabes befitting his degree Where Scroope chiefe Iustice in King Edwards sted was now prepar'd his lawfull Iudge to bee Vrging the proofes by his enditement read Where they his treasons euidently see Which now themselues so plainely do expresse As might at first declare his bad successe 9 His honor'd title backe againe restord Noted with termes of infamie and scorne And then disarmed of his knightly sword On which his faith and loyalty was sworne And by a varlet of his spurres dispur'd His coate of Armes in peeces hal'd and torne To taste deserued punishment is sent T' a traitrous death that traitrously had meant 10 When such the fauorers of this fatall warre Whom this occasion dóth more sharpely whet Those for this cause that yet impris'ned are Boldly attempt at libertie to set Whose purpose frustrate by the others care Doth greater wounds continually beget Warning the King more strictly looke about These secret fires still daily breaking out 11 And Hereford in Parlement accusde Of treasons which apparantly were wrought That with the Queene and Mortimers were vsde Whereby subuersion of the Realme was sought And both his calling and his trust abusde Which now to answer when he should be brought Seizde by the Clergie in the Kings despight Vnder the colour of the Churches right 12 Whilst now the Queene from England day by day That of these troubles still had certaine word Whose friends much blamde her tedious long delay When now the time occasion doth afford With better haste doth for her selfe 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 Who in his absence heere at home disgrac'd And frustrated both of his men and coine By such lewd persons to mainetaine their waste From the Kings treasures ceas'd not to proloine Th'lasciuious Prince though mou'd regardlesse still Both of his owne losse and his brothers ill 14 Whose discontentment being 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 were to that fulnesse growne That they haue made him absolute their owne 15 Whose selfe-like followers in these faithlesse warres Men most experienc'd and of worthiest parts Which for their pay receiued onely scarres Whilst the inglorious reap'd their due desarts And Mineons hate of other hope debarres With too much violence vrg'd their grieued harts On Iohn of Henault wholy doe rely Who led a great and valiant company 16 That in this conquest do 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 glory warmes Such as were wholy 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 Whose number neere amounted to asmuch which long had look'd for this vnhappie day whom her reuenge did but too neerely tutch Her friends now ready to receiue her in And new commotions eu'ry day begin 18 When she for England fitly setting forth Spreading her prowd sailes on the watry plaine Shaping her course directly to the North with her young Edward Duke of Aquitaine with th' other three of speciall name and worth The destainde scourges of his lawlesse raigne Her souldier Beumount with the Earle of Kent And Mortimer that mightie malconsent 19 A fore-winde now for Harwich fitly blowes Blow not too fast to kindle such a fire whilst with full saile and fairer tide shegoes Turne gentle winde and force her to retire The fleete thou driu'st is fraughted with our woes But windes and seas do 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 standst gainst forraigne foes prepard Thou art betraide by thy home enemy Small helpe by this thou art but like to win Shutting death out thou keep'st destruction in 21 When Henry brother to that haplesse Prince The first great engine of this ciuill strife Deere Lancaster who law did late conuince And that at Pomfret left his wretched life This Henry in whose great
her philters exorcismes and charmes Thy presence hath repaired in one day What many yeeres and sorrowes did decay And made fresh beauties fairest branches spring From wrinkled furrowes of times ruining Euen as the hungry winter-starued earth When she by nature labours towards her birth Still as the day vpon the darke world creepes One blossome forth after another peepes Till the small 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 breast Where but one thought of Rosamond did rest Nor thirst nor trauaile which on warre attend E're brought the long day to desired end Nor yet did pale Feare or leane Famine liue Where hope of thee did any comfort giue Ah what iniustice then is this of thee That thus the guiltlesse doost condemne for me When onely she by meanes of my offence Redeemes thy purenesse and thy innocence When to our wills perforce obey they must That iust in them what e're 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 merit Hath deepst impression in the gentlest spirite I ft be my name that dooth thee so offend No more my selfe shall be mine owne names friend And â—ft be that which thou doost onely hate That name in my name lastly hath his date Say t is accuâ—st 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 t is not so And when all this is done I know â—vvill grieue thee And therfore svveet whie should I now belieue thee Nor shouldst thou thinke those eies with enuie lower Which passing by thee gaze vp to thy tower But rather praise thine owne which be so cleere Which from the Turret like tvvo staires appeare Aboue the sunne dooth shine beneath thine eie Mocking the heauen to make another skie The little streame which by thy tovver dooth glide Where oft thou spendst the wearie euening tide To view thee vvell his course would gladly stay As loath 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 murmure 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 lie So daunted with the lustre of thine eie And that sweet name which thou so much dost wrong In time shal be some famous Poets song And with the very sweetnes of that name Lions and tygers men shall learne to tame The carefull mother from her pensiue breast With Rosamond shall bring her babe to rest The little birds by mens continuall sound Shall learne to speake and pr 〈…〉 le Rosamond And when in Aprill they beginne to sing Wiâ—h Rosamond shall welcome in the spring And she in whom all raâ—ities are found Shall still be said to be a Rosamond The little flowers which dropping honied dew Which as thou writst doe weepe vpon thy shue Not for thy fault sweet Rosamond doe moane But weepe for griefe that thou so soone art gone For if thy foote â—uch Hemlocke as it goes That Hemlocke's made more sweeter than the Rose Of Ioue or Neptune how they did betray Nor speake of Iâ—o or Amimone when she for whome Ioue once became a Bull Comparde 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 for To lodge thee safe from iealous Ellenor The labyrinths conueyance guides thee so Which only Vaghan thou and I doe know If she doe guard thee with a hundred eies I haue an hundred subâ—ile Mercuries To watch that Argus which my loue doth keepe Vntill eie after eie fall all to sleepe Those starres looke in by night looke in to see Wondring what starre 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 helpt mine eie to see What 〈◊〉 night and darkenes hid from mee When I haue wisht that she might euer staâ— And other worl 〈…〉 might still enioy the day What should I say words â—eares and sighs be spent And want of 〈◊〉 doth further helps preuent My campe râ—sounds with fearefull shockes of warre Yet in my breast the worser conflicts are Yet is my signall to the battels sound The blessed name of beauteous Rosamond Accursed be that heart that tongue that breath Should thinke should speake or whisper of thy death For in one smile or lower from thy sweete eie Consists my life my hope my victorie Sweet Woodstocke where my Rosamond doth rest Blessed in her in whom thy King is blest For though in France a while my body be Sweete Paradice my heart 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 erle of Leicester who took part with yong king Henry entred into England with an armie of 3000. Flemmings and spoild the countries of Norsfolk and Susfolke being succored by many of the Kings priuate enimies And am I branded with the curse of Rome King Henry the second the first Plantaginet accused for the death of Tho. Becket archbishop of Canterbury staine in the cathedrall church was accursed by Pope Alexander although hee vrgde sufficient proofe of his innocencie in the same and offered to take vpon him any penance 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 yong K. 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 indeed turned to his owne sorow and the trouble of the Realme for he rebelled against him and raising a power by the meanes of Lewes king of France and William K of Scots who tooke part with him inuaded Normandie Vnkinde my children most vnkinde my wise Neuer king more vnfortunate then K Henry in the disobedience of his children first Henry then Gâ—ssrey then Richard then Iohn all at one time or other first or last vnnaturally rebelled against him then the iealousie of Elinor his Qu. who suspected his loue to Rosamond which grieuous troubles the deuout of those times attributed to happen to him iustly for refusin to take on him the gouernment of Ierusalem offred to him by the patriarke there which country was mightily afflicted by the Souldane Which onely Vaghan thou and I doe know This Vaghan was a Knight
our father won before Nor leaue our sonne a sword to conquer more Thus but in vaine we fondly do resist Where power can doe euen all things as it list And with vniust men to debate of lawes Is to giue power to hurt a rightfull cause Whilst Parlements must still redresse their wrongs And we must starue for what to vs belongs Our wealth but fuell to their fond excesse And we must fast to feast their wantonnesse Think'st thou our wrongs then insufficient are To moue our brother to religious warre 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 accurre to put backe all excuse The sisters wrong ioynde with the brothers right Me thinks might vrge him in this cause to fight Be all those people sencelesse of our harmes Which 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-bonde Almaines and stowt Brabanders Their warlike Pikes and sharpe-edg'd Semiters Or do the Pickards let their Crosse-bowes lie Once like the Centaurs of old Thessalie Or if a valiant Leader be their lacke Where thou art present who should driue them back I doe coniure thee by what is most deere By that great name of famous Mortimer By antient Wigmors honourable crâ—st The tombes where all thy famous grand-sires rest Or if than these what more may thee approue Euen by those vowes of thy vnfained loue That thy great hopes may moue the Christian King By forraigne armes some comfort yet to bring To curbe the power of traitors that rebell Against the right of princely Isabell Vaine witlesle woman why should I desire To adde more heate to thy immortall fire To vrge thee by the violence of hate To shake the pillars of thine owne estate When whatsoeuer we intend to doe To our misfortune euer sorts vnto And nothing else remaines for vs beside But teares and coffins onely to prouide When still so long as Burrough beares that name Time shall not blot out our deserued shame And whilst cleere Trent her wonted course shall keep For our sad fall her christall drops shall weepe All see our ruine on our backes 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 dang'rous things dissembled seldome are Which many eyes attend with busie care What should I say My griefes do 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 shiue to goe As accents issue forth griefes enter in And where I end me thinks I but begin Till then faire time some greater good affords Take my loues paiment in these ayrie words ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie O how I feard that sleepte drinke I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent MOrtimer being in the Tower and ordaining a feast in honor of his birth-day as he pretended and inuiting there-vnto Sir Stephen Segraue Constable of the Tower with the rest of the officers belonging to the same he gaue them a sleepie drinke prouided him by the Queene by which meanes he got liberue for his escape I steale to Thames as though to take the aire And aske the gentle streame as it doth glide Mortimer being got out of the Tower swamme 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 yeares Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Niuarrâ— Edward Cà rnaruan the first Prince of Wales of the English blood married Isabell daughter of Philip the Faire at Bulloine in the presence of the Kings of Almaine Nauarre and Cicile with the chiefe Nobilitie of France 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 and luxurious wantonnesse of Gaueston the Kings Minion his behauiour and attire euer so womanlike to please the eye of his lasciuious Prince That a fowle Witches bastard should thereby It was vrged by the Queene the Nobility in the disgrace of Piers Gauestone that his mother was conuicted of witchcraft and burned for the same and that Piers had bewitched the King Albania Gascoine Cambria Ireland Albania Scotland so called of Albanact the second son of Brutus and Cambria Wales so called of Camber the third sonne the foure Realmes 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 complaint of the prodigalitie of King Edward giuing vnto Gauestone the jewels and treasure which was left him by the ancient Kings of England and enriching him with the goodly Manor of Wallingford assigned as parcell of the dower to the Queenes of this famous â—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 marriage the daughtet of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester begot of the Kings sister lone of Acres married to the said Earle of Glocester Should giue away all that his father won To backe a stranger King Edward offered his right in France to Charles his brother in law and his right in Scotland to Robert Bruse to be aided against the Barrons in the quarrell of Piers Gaueston And did great Edward on his death-bed giue Edward Longshankes on his death-bed at Carlile commanded yong Edward his sonne on his blessing not to call backe Gaueston which for the mis-guiding 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 Warwicke and Henry Earle of Lincolne who had taken their oaths before the deceased King at his death to withstand his sonne Edward if he should call Gaueston froÌ„ exile being a thing which he much feared now seeing Edward to violate his fathers commandement rise in armes against the King which was the cause of the ciuill warre and the ruine of so many Princes And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That now a Spenser should succeede in all The two Hugh Spensers the father the son after the death of Gaueston became the great fauorites of the king the son being created by him lord Chamberlain the father Earl of Winchester And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquitaine Edward Longshankes 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 sease those Countries into his hands By antient Wigmors honourable Crest Wigmore in the marches of Wales was the antient
O nurse not factions flowing in excesse That with thy members shouldst their griefe condole In thee rests power this outrage to represse Which might thy zeale and sanctitie enrole Come thou in purenesse meekely with the word Lay not thy hand to the vnhalowed sword 7 Blood-thirsting warre arising first from hell And in progression seizing on this I le Where it before neere forty yeeres did dwell And with pollution horribly defile By which so many a woorthy English fell By our first Edward banished awhile Transferd by Fortune to the Scottish meare To ransacke that as it had rauinde heere 8 Where hovering still with inauspicious wings About the verge of these distempered climes Returning now new errour hether brings To stirre vs vp to these disastrous crimes Weakeneth our power by oft diminishings And taking holde on these vnsetled times Forcing our frailty sensually at length Crackt the stiffe nerves that knit our antient strength 9 Whose frightfull vision at the first approach With violent madnes strooke that desperate age So many sundry miseries abroach Giuing full speed to their vnbrideled rage That did our antient libertie encroach And in these strong conspiracies ingage The worthiest blood the subiects losse to bring By innaturall wrongs vnto their naturall king 10 When in the North whilst horror yet was yoong These dangerous seasons swiftly comming on Whilst o're our heads portentious meteors hung And in the skies 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 Weeping for vs whose woes it could not speake 11 When by the rankenes of contagious aire A mortall plague inuadeth man and beast Which soone disperst and raging every where In doubt the same too quickely should have ceast More to confirme the certaintie of feare By cruell famine haplesly enereast As though the heauens in their remisfull doome Tooke those best lou'd from worâ—er daies to come 12 The leuell course that we propose to goe Now to th' intent you may more plainely see And that we euery circumstance may show The state of things and truely 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 lascivious Minion A Soueraignes blemish and a countries scorne The signiories and great promotion Him in his lawlesse courses to suborne Stirres vp that hatefull and outragious strife That cost ere long so many an English life 14 O worthy Laâ—y hadst thou sparde that breath Which shortly after Nature thee denide To Lancaster deliuered at thy death To whom thy onely daughter was affide That this sterne warre too quickely publisheth To ayde the Barrons gainst that Minions pride Thy Earledomes 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 When fifty townes lay spent in enuious fire Alas too vaine and prodigall a waste The strong effect of their conceived ire Vrging the weake King with a violent hand T' abiure those false Lordes from the troubled land 16 When the faire Queene that progressing in Kent Lastly denide her entrance into Leedes Whom Badlesmere vnkindly dooth preuent Who gainst his Soueraigne in this course proceedes As adding further to this discontent One of the springs which this great mischiefe feedes Heaping on rage and horror more and more To thrust on that which went too fast before 17 Which more and more a kingly rage increast Moou'd with the wrongs of Gaueston disgraded Which 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 counsells 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 discords to appease When 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 heals the wound of war May cure the soare but neuer close the scar 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 When he in earth vnnumbred times shall lie 20 That vncle now whose name this Nephew bare The onely comfort of the wofull Queene Who 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 Whilst yet this deepe hart-goaring wound is greene And on this faire aduantage firmely 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 happinesse 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 With such rare purenesse rectified his blood Raising the powers of his resolued hart Too prowd to be lockt vp within a flood That no misfortune possibly could thwart Which from the natiue greatnesse where it stood Euen by the vertue of a piercing eye Shew'd that his pitch was boundlesse as the sky 23 Worthy the grand-child of so great a Lord Who whilst first Edward fortunately raign'd Reedified great Arthurs auncient boord The seate at goodly Kennelworth ordain'd The order of old Knighthood there restor'd To which a hundreth duely appertain'd With all the grace and beauties of a Court As best became that braue and martiall sport 24 The hart-swolne Lords with furie set on fire Whom Edwards wrongs to vengeance still prouoke With Lancaster and Hartfoord now conspire No more to beare the Spensers seruile yoke And thus whilst all a mutuall change desire The ancient bonds of their allegeance broke Resolu'd with blood their libertie to buy And in this quarrell vow'd to liue and dye 25 What 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 Whilst they tryumphing boast of our decay Either those spirits we do 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 being Now prostitute to infamy and hate As with it selfe in
the subuersion of so many foes The murther of the miserable King And that which came as Epilogue to all Lastly his fearefull and so violent fall 67 Which to their hope giues time for further breath As the first pawse in this their great affaire That yet awhile deferr'd this threatning death Trusting this breach by leysure to repaire And heere a while this furie limetteth Whilst in this manner things so strangely fare Horror beyond the wonted bounds doth swell As the next Canto dreadfully shal tell The end of the first Canto ⧠The second Booke of the Barrons warres The Argument At Burton-bridge the puissant armies meâ— The forme and order of the doubtfull fight Whereas the King the victory doth get And the prowd Barrons lastly forcde to flight How they againe towardes Burrough forward set Where then the Lords are vanquished outright Lastly the lawes doe execute their power On those the sword before did not deuoure 1 THis chance of warre that dreadfully had swept So large a share from their full-reckned might Which their prowd hopes so carefully had kept Whilst yet their state stoode equally vpright That could at first so closely intercept That should haue seru'd them for a glorious fight Musters supplies of footemen and of horse To giue a new strength to their ruinde force 2 Th'inueterate griefe so deepe and firmely rooted Yet slightly curde by this short strengthelesse peace To assay t'remoue since it but vainely booted That did with each distemprature increase And being by euery offerd cause promooted Th' effect too firmely setled to surcease When each euasion sunday passions brought Strange formes of feare in euery troubled thought 3 And put in action for this publique cause Whilst euery one a party firmely stoode Taxt by the letter of the censuring lawes In the sharpe tainder of his honoured blood And he that 's free'st entangled by some clause Which to this mischiefe giues continuall food For where confusion gets so strongly hold Till all consumde can hardly be controlde 4 Where now by night euen when pale leaden sleepe Vpon their eie-lids heauily did dwell And step by step on euery sence did creepe Mischiefe that blacke inhabitant of hell Which neuer failes continuall watch to keepe Fearefull to thinke a horred thing to tell Entred the place where now these warlike Lordes Lay maild in armour girt with irefull swords 5 Mischiefe with sharpe sight and a meager looke And alwaies prying where she may do ill In which the fiend continuall pleasure tooke Her starued body Plenty could not fill Searching in euery corner euery nooke With winged feete too swift to worke her will Hung full of deadly instruments she went Of euery sort to hurt where ere she meant 6 And with a viall fild with banefull wrath Brought from Cocytus by this cursed spright Which in her blacke hand readily she hath And drops the poison vpon euery wight For to each one she knew the readie path Now in the midst and dead-time of the night Whose enuious force inuadeth euery Peere Striking with furie and impulsiue feare 7 The weeping morning breaking in the East When with a troubled and affrighted mind Each whom this venom lately did infest The strong effect soone inwardly do find And lately troubled by vnquiet rest To sad destruction euery one inclind Rumours of spoile through euery eare doth flye And fury sits in eu'ry threatning eye 8 This doone in haste vnto King Edward hies Which now growne proude vpon his faire successe The time in feasts and wantonnesse implies With crowned cups his sorrowes to redresse That on his fortune wholy now relies And in the bosome of his Courtly presse Vaunting the glory of this late wonne day Whilst the sick Land with sorrow pines away 9 Thether she comes and in a Minions shape Shee creepeth neere the person of the King Warm'd with the verdure of the swelling grape In which she poyson secretly doth wring Not the least drop vntaynted doth escape To which intent she all her store did bring Whose rich commixtuâ—e making it more strong Fills his hote veines with arrogance and wrong 10 And hauing both such courage and such might As to so great a businesse did belong Neuer considering their pretended right Should be inducement to a trebled wrong When misty error so deludes their sight Which still betwixt them and cleere reason hong By which opinion falsly was abusde As left all out of order all confusde 11 Now our Minerua tells of dreadfull Armes Inforc'd to sing of worse then ciuill warres Of Ambuscades stratagems alarmes Vnkind discentions fearfull massacars Of gloomy magiques and benumming charmes Fresh-bleeding wounds and neuer-healed skarrs And for the sock wherein she vsde to tread Marching in greaues a helmet on her head 12 Whilst hate and griefe their weakned sence delude The Barrons draw their forces to a head Whome Edward spur'd with vengeance still pursude By Lancaster and noble Herford led This long proceeding lastly to conclude Whilst now to meet both Armies freshly sped To Burton both incamping for the day With expectation for a glorious pray 13 Vpon the East from Needwoods bushy side There riseth vp an easie clyming hill At whose faire foote the siluer Trent doth glide With a deep murmure permanent and still With liberall storâ— of many Brooks supplide Th'â—nâ—atiate Meades continually doe fill Vpon whose streame a bridge of wondrous streÌ„gth Doth stretch it selfe in forty arches length 14 Vppon this Mount the Kings pauillion fixt And in the towne the foe intrench'd in sight When now the flood is risen so betwixt That yet a while prolong'd th'unturall fight With tributarie waters intermixt To stay the furie dooing all it might Things which presage both good and ill there bee Which 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 pittie melting with remorce Longer from teares that cannot stay a whit Whose confluence on euery lower sourse From the swolne fluxure of the clowdes doth shake A ranke Impostume vpon euery lake 16 O warlike Nation hold thy conquering hand Euen sencelesse things admonish thee to pawse That Mother soyle on whom thou yet doost stand That would restraine thee by all naturall lawes Canst thou vnkinde inuiolate that band When even the earth is angry with the cause Yet stay thy foote in mischiefes vglie gate Ill comes too soone repentance still too late 17 And can the clowdes weepe ouer thy decay And not one drop fall from thy droughtie 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
thy name Take it away and cleere shall shine thy fame Yeelde to my sute if euer pittie moou'd thee In this shew mercy as I euer lou'd thee ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Well knewst thou what a monster I would bee When thou didst build this Labyrinth for mee IN the Cretean Labyrinth a monster was inclosed called a Minotaur the history whereof is well knowne but the Labyrinth was framed by Daedalus with so many 〈…〉 icate waies that being entred one could either hardly or neuer return being in maner of a maze saue that it was larger the waies being walld in on euery side out of the which Theseus by Ariadnes helpe lending him a cluâ— of thrid escaped Some report that it was a house hauing one halfe beneâ—th the ground another aboue the chamber doores therin so deceitfully enwrapped and made to open so many wais that it was held a matter almost impossible to return Some haue held it to haue beene an Allegory of mans life true it is that the comparison wil hold for what liker to a Labyrinth then the maze of life But it is affirmed by antiquity that there was indeede such a building though Daedalus being a 〈◊〉 applied to the workmans excellencie make it suspected for Daedalus is nothing else but engenious or artificiall Heereupon it is vsed among the antient Poets for any thing curiously wrought Rosamonds Labyrinth whose ruins together with her well being paued with square stone in the bottome also her Tower from which the Labirinth did run are yet remaining was altogether vnder ground being vaults arched walld with brick stone almost inextricably wound one within another by which if at any time her lodging were laid about by the Queene she might easly auoid perill imminent if need be by secret issues take the aire abroad many furlongs round about Woodstock in Oxfordshire wherin it was situated Thus much for Rosamonds labirinth Whose strange Meanders turned euery way Meander is a riuer in Lycia a prouince of Natolia or Asia minor famous for the sinuosity often turning thereof rising from certaine hills in Maeonia heerevpon are intricate turnings by a transumtiue metonimicall kind of speech called Meanders for this Riuer did so strangely path it selfe that the foote seemed to touch the head Rose of the world so doth import my name Shame of the world my lise hath made the same It might be reported how at Godstow where this Rose of the world was sumptuously interted a certaine Bishop in the visitation of his Diocesse caused the monument which had bin erected to her honour vtterly to be demolished but be that seuere chastisement of Rosamond then dead at this time also ouer-passed lest she should seeme to be the Shame of the world Henry to Rosamond WHen first the Post arriued at my Tent And brought the letters Rosamond had sent Thinke from his lips but what sweete comfort came When in mine eare he softly breath'd thy name Straight I enioyne him of thy health to tell Longing to heare my Rosamond did well With new enquiâ—ies then I cut him short When of the same he gladly would report That with the earnest haste my tongue oft trips Catching the words halfe spoke out of his lips This told yet more I vrge him to reueale To loose no time while I vnâ—ipt the seale The more I reade still do I erre the more As though mistaking somewhat said before Missing the point the doubtfull sence is broken Speaking againe what I before had spoken Still in a swound my heart reuiues and faints Twixt hopes dispaires twixt smiles and deepe complaints As these sad accents sort in my desires Smoothe calmes rough storms sharp frosts raging 〈…〉 es Put on with boldnes and put back with feares My tongue with curses when mine eyes with teares O how my hart at that blacke line did tremble That blotted paper should thy selfe resemble O were there paper but neere halfe so white The Gods thereon their sacred lawes would write With pens of Angells wings and for their â—â—ke That heauenly Nactar their immortall drinke Maiesticke courage striues to haue supprest This fearefull passion stird vp in my breast But still in vaine the same I go about My hart must breake within or woe breakes out Am I at home pursu'd with priuate hate And war comes raging to my pallace gate Is meager â—nuie stabbing at my throne Treason attending when I walke alone And am I branded with the curse of Rome And stand condemn'd by dreadfull counsels dombe And by the pride of my rebellious sonne Rich Normandie with Armies ouer-runne Fatall my birth vnfortunate my life Vnkinde my children most vnkind my wife Griefe cares old age suspition to torment me Nothing on earth to quiet or content me So many woes so many plagues to finde Sicknes of body discontent of minde Hopes left helpes reft life wrong'd ioy interdicted Banish'd distress'd forsaken and afflicted Of all reliefe hath fortune quite bereft me Onely my loue vnto my comfort left me And is one beautie thought so great a thing To mittigate the sorrowes of a King Barr'd of that choise the vulgar often proue Haue we then they lesse priuiledge in loue Is it a King the wofull widdow heares Is it a King dries vp the Orphans teares Is it a King regards the Clyants cry Giues life to him by law condemnd to die Is it his care the Common-wealth that keepes As doth the Nurse her babie whilst it sleepes And that poore king of all those hopes preuented Vnheard vnhelp'd vnpittied vnlamented Yet let me be with pouertie opprest Of earthly blessings rob'd and dispossest Let me be scornde reiected and reuilde From Kingdome Country and from Court exilde Let the worlds curse vpon me still remaine And let the last bring on the first againe All miseries that wretched man may wound Leaue for my comfort onely Rosamond For thee swift Time her speedie course doth stay At thy command the Destinies obay Pittie is dead that comes not from thine eyes And at thy feete euen mercy prostrate lies If I were feeble rheumatike or cold These were true signes that I were waxed old But I can march all day in massie steele Nor yet my armes vnweldy weight do feele Nor wak'd by night with bruise or bloody wound The tent my bed no pillow but the ground For very age had I laine bedred long One smile of thine againe could make me yong Were there in Art a power but so diuine As is in that sweete Angel-tongue of thine That great Enchantresse which once tooke such pains To force young blood in Aesons witherd veines And from groues mountaines and the moorish Fen Vs'd all the hearbes ordainde to vse of men And in the powerfull potion that she makes Puts blood of men of birds of beasts of snakes Neuer had needed to haue gone so farre To seeke the soiles where all those simples are One accent from thy lips the blood more warmes Then all
the remembrance of the thing To make the people more abhorre their King Nor shall a Spenser be he ne're so great Possesse our Wigmore our renowned seate To raze the antient Trophies of our race With our deserts their 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 British pales Defending England and preseruing Wales At first our troubles easily reculde But now growne head-strong hardly to be rulde With grauest counsell all must be directed Where plainest shewes are openly suspected For where mis-hap our errour dooth assault There doth it eassiest 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 cindars lest 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 condemnd and long lodgde vp in death ROger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore had stoode publikely condemned for his insurrection with Thomas erle of Lancaster and Bohune earle of Herford by the space of three months and as the report went the day of his execution was determined to haue bin 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 Queene by meanes of Torlton Bishop of Hereford and Becke Bishop of Duresme and Patriarke of Ierusalem being then both mighty in the state vpon the submission of the Mortimers somewhat pacified the king and now secondly shee wrought meanes for his escape Leauing the cordes 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 fastned to the walles in such a desperate attempt they bred astonishment to the beholders Nor let the Spensers glory in my dâ—awe The two Hugh Spensers the father and the sonne then being so highly fauored of the King knew that their greatest safety came by his exile whose high and turbulent spirit could neuer brooke any corriuall in greatnes My grandsire was the first since Arthurs raigne That the Round-table rectifide againe Roger Mortimer called the great Lord Mortimer Grandfather to this Roger which was afterward the first Earle of March reeâ—ected againe the Round-table at Kenelwoorth after the ancient order of king Arthurs table with the retinue of a hudred knights and a hundred ladies in his house for the entertaining of such aduentures as came thither from all parts of Christendome Whilest famous Longshanks bones in Fortunes scorne Edward Longshanks willed at his death that his body should be boyled the flesh from the bones and that the bones should bee borne to the wars in Scotland which he was perswaded vnto by aprophecie which told that the English should still be fortunate in conquest so long as his bones were caried 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 banketâ—ing and excesse such riot and misorder that the Scots who in the meane time laboured for aduauntage gaue to the English a great ouerthrow And in the Dead-sea sincke our horses fame From whose c. Mortimer so called of Mare mortuum and in French Mort mer in English the Dead-sea which is said to be where Sodom â—nd Go morra once were before they were destroyed by fire froÌ„ Heauen And for that hatefull sacrilegious sin Which by the Pope he stand◠〈…〉 ursed in Gaustelinus and Lucas two Cardinals sent into England from Pope Clement to appease the auncient hate betweene the King and Thomas Earle of Lancaster to whose Embassie the king seemed to yeeld but after their departure hee went backe from his promises for which he was accursed at Rome Of those industrious Roman Colonies A Colony is a sort or number of people that come to inhabite a place before not inhabited whereby he seemes here 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 inuasiue Armes againe shall take Charles the French King mooued by the wrong done vnto his sister seiseth the Prouinces which belonged to the King of England into his hands stirred the rather thereto by Mortimer who solicited her cause in France as is expressed before in the other Epistle in the glosse vpon this poynt And those great Lords now after their attaints Canonized among the English Saints After the death of Thomas Earle of Lancaster at Pomfret the people imagined great myracles to be done by his reliques as they did of the body of Bohune earle of Hereford slaine at Borough bridge Finis ⧠To my worthy and honored friend Sir Walter Aston Knight of the Bath SIR though without suspition of flatterie I might in more ample and free tearmes intimate my affection vnto you yet hauing so sensible a taste of your generous and noble aisposition which without this habite of ceremony can estimate my loue I will rather affect bre 〈…〉 though it should seeme my fault than 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 Blacke-Prince which I pray you accept till more easie houres may offer vppe from mee some thing more worthy of your view and my trauell Yours truely deuoted Mich Drayton ¶ Edward the Blacke-Prince to Alice Countesse of Salisbury The Argument Alice Countesse of Salisbury 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 remooue the siege of Roxborough there fell in loue with the Countesse when after she returned to London hee sought by diuers and sundry meanes to winne her to his youthfull pleasures as by forcing the Earle of Kent her father and her mother vnnaturally to become his Agents in his vaine desire where after a long and assured triall of her inuincible constancie hee taketh her to his wife to which end he only frameth this Epistle REceiue these papers from thy wofull Lord With farre more woes than they with wordes are storde Which if thine eie with rashnes do reproue Thei 'le say they came from that imperious loue In euery letter thou maist vnderstand Which loue
father with the Norman sword On fruitfull England prosprous entrance made I cast the proiect that this youthfull Lord In the meane time should Normandie inuade And with as prou'd and powerfull a blade Him I perswaded constantly by this To make his owne yet doubtfull to be his That Robert daily in disgrace might runne As still the Conqueror towards his end did grow who well in yeeres thus vexed by his sonne which now his will so openly did show His state deuised wisely to bestow For his owne safety that his daies to close He might himselfe more quietly repose And that lest time might coole his weakned blood This lucklesse warre by lingring I supplide That whilst Duke Robert iustly censured stood Vnder the weight of his vnnaturall pride In heate of all this Conqueror William dide Setting young Rufus on th'vnrightfull throne Leauing h 〈…〉 strugling for his owne Which in small time so many mischiefes bred As sundry plagues on Williams of-springs sent Attaining to so violent a head which pollicie not after could preuent when to destruction all things head-long went And in the end as consumating all Was Roberts irrecouerable fall When none could prosprous Nonmandie disswade From sending ensignes to the English field Brother opposde the brother to inuade Sword against sword shield menaced to shield whose equall worth to other scorne to yield One arme a front the others furious stroke Scepter with septer violently broke These sundry soiles in both of which was sowne By so approu'd and fortunate a hand The seede to both might prosprously haue growne By their 〈◊〉 in a mutuall band Now when these Princes opposite do stand what them should foster greater wounds them lent Then the prowd'st powre that Europe could haue sent Hauing my selfe wonne William in his life This conquered Realme to Rufus that did giue Getting by strength what he did leaue in strife Those to molest that after him should liue In this aduantage cunningly I driue T' afflict his issue with a generall ill Yet th' extreame in Robert to fulfill As when stowt Odo that with William held Daily prickt forward by prowd Lanfrancks spight Both powerfull Prelates rigorously compeld Rufus to leaue abetting Roberts right Drawing both Mortaines and Mongomeries might Mangling the I le with many a greeuous scarre Scarcely yet cured of the former warre That being set in so direct a way Strong friends at hand his enterprize to becke Ready before him when his entrance lay Of all supplide that he did lately lacke Him I perswade the remedy to slacke Stopping the course which he did lately runne All to vndoe that he had euer done Thus did I stirre vp that vnkindely rage That did so farre preuaile vpon his blood And at my pleasure did againe asswage When now this heate in sted might him haue stood Thus with his humour altred I my mood That first by Armes his vigor he might lose Which then laid down gaue strength vnto his foes That by concluding this vntimely peace I might thereby a lingring warre beginne That whil'st these tumults did a little cease Craft more aduantage cunningly might winne Thus let I treason secretly in Giuing deceitfull Pollicie the kay To the faire closet where his councells lay Thus reconciling outwardly a friend I drew an inward and a dangerous foe That all his wit ambitiously did lend To clothe his treasons in a vertuous show Which were contriued â—so currantly to goe That secret mallice strengthned more and more Lastly should proue more dangerous then before And now poore Fame my power to thee addrest And thee mine onely instrument I made That whilst these brothers at this passe do rest Him to the warres I wonne thee to perswade With those that now were going to inuade With great Duke Godfrey pressing for his bands From Pagans power t'regaine the holy lands His youthfull humour finely thus I feed The meane most fit to draw him forth abroad When now at home his presence most should neede In forraine lands to fasten his aboad Him in this order onely I bestow'd That William dying Robert being gone Henry might seate him on his brothers throne So sweete the sounds of these aduent'rous Armes And euery sence so strougly they do binde That he hath now no feeling of his harmes So farre away transported is his minde Declaring well the greatnesse of his kinde That him so high and forcibly doth beare As when most cause he least his ill doth feare Him hauing throwne into eternall thrall Wisely fore-casting how the same should bee When euery thing made fit vnto his fall Which none could hinder though the most fore-see For which I made an instrument of thee For where destruction sadly I pretend Mischiefe like lines all to their centre bend He gone and William yeelded vp the breath The younger Henry couetous of raigne Offered so fairely by his brothers death whilst Robert doth in Palestine remaine And now a Kingdome easily might gaine what by his power and science to perswade Himselfe a Monarch absolutely made Whilst this great Duke imbraced is by thee which thou as thine doost absolutely claime Finding meere shadowes onely missing mee And idle Castles in the ayre doth frame Lot such a mighty Monarchesse is Fame That what she giues so easie is to beare As none therefore needes violence to feare Vntill returning from those holy warres So highly honored with the Pagans flight From forraigne battells vnto ciuill â—arres And getting others for his owne to fight Inforc'd to vse the vtmost of his might with that rich sword in Pagan blood imbru'd Himselfe to saue by his owne friends pursu'd When wanting summes the sinewes of his force which his great courage quickly comes to finde Euen in the high speede of his forward course So skilfully I mannaged his minde That I a way out readily did finde To his destruction Henry to supply His future safetie happily to buy Him by all waies to amity to winne Not fully yet establish'd as he would Hauing thus farre already gotten in Setting himselfe substantially to hold By the francke offers of bewitching gold The yearely tribute from his Crowne to rise Which might all former iniuries suffice Which entertaind by confident beleefe By which to passe his purposes were brought Not yet suspitious of this secret theefe By which he soone and cunningly was caught Of which the least when princely Robert thought Euen in a moment did annoy him more Then all their powre could euer do before Which to this great Lord vtterly vnknowne Not vnderstanding easily could not flie Into his way that subtilly was throwne which to auoide Duke Robert look'd too hie Into good minds fraud doth the soonest prie whose pliant nature I securely chose To worke vvhat forme it pleasde me to dispose This fatall tribute cutting off the claime A lawfull Prince to Englands Empire laid His former right doth altogether maime As they agreed yeerely to be paid Thereon relying after being staid As from a fountaine plenteously did spring The