frō me What lets since none may loue thee more vnles perhaps this Cell Too strict a place wherein thy selfe euē Beauties selfe shouldst dwell Let nature hide her barren formes and imperfections thus And in such Puritanes as thou commend her skill to vs. Thou wrongest Nature molding thee to molde by thee as faer Thou wrōgest mē that would beget the fruit which thou sholdst baer Thou wrong'st thy Countrie of increase thou wrōg'st me in like sort Thou wrong'st thy Kin of kindred thou wrong'st thy selfe of sport Shouldst thou but dreame what marriage were thou would'st not liue a maid One heart of two two Soules to one by wedlock is cōuaid An husbands open kissings and his secret coyings nay The very Soule of Loue more sweet then thou or I can say The ioy of babes which thou should'st beare the Seruice at thy becke The sweet consorted common weale of houshold at thy checke Would make thee seeme a Goddesse who because thou art not such Offendest God in hiding of thy Tallent Too too much Thou dotest on Virginitie permitted not impos'd On any saue on such as for no such thy selfe thou knoest Els what should meane this penning vp such vowing these Vailes Since Vessels onely are of worth that beare in stormes their sailes The Scedsters of thine Essence had they been as thou would'st be Thou hadst not been Then gratifie the same thy selfe and me And leaue these superstitious walles Thou profitst not hereby Nor are we male and female borne that fruitlesse we should dye Then loue me for beleeue me so will proue a Iubilie Her red disperst in shadowed white did adde to either more To her of beautie and to him Loue greater than before She claimes the places priuiledge and faintly cites a Tex She pleades her birth too bace and playes the No-I of her Sex And fighteth as she would be foyld But prized Durstone makes It Sacrilege and for to wife the Recluse Edgar takes In twelue yeeres would be not annoynt or crowne him King more Enioynes him seuen yeeres pennance and to edifie and store Great Monasteries fortie ere Indulgence could be got Thus Edgar for his Cloyster cheere did pay this costly shot CHAP. XXV IOhns murther bred such murmure But third Henry Iohn his sonne Assisted chiefly by the Pope his fathers Scepter wonne Who interdited Lewis till hee curst him into France And left to Henry prosperous raigne till hapned this mischance A Parliament at Oxenford did derogate so much From his prerogatiue as that the Quarrell grew to such That ciuill warres betwixt the King and Barronage began Not ending but with tragicke ends of many a worthy man Brother to brother sire to sonne and friend to friend was foe Al labouring which they should vphold their Countries ouerthrow Now was the King a Captiue and the Barrons by and by His Conquest and the ciuill strife too fast begot supply My heart vnapts mine hand to write the troth of it too trew Euen warres Idea more then tongue or eye can say or view But to conclude which still concludes the King he did subdue And shewes himselfe a gentle foe thus hauing wonne his peace And after liu'd in honour and did happily decease Whose death then warring with renowme in Syria being knowne To Edward he resailed and possest his fathers Throne THe hansell of his Scepter was the Welchmen did rebell Of whom to Edward though with losse the Victorie befell Then on the French he warred and a Winner did resayle And for that Baltoll whom he made the King of Scots did faile His Homage thence from Albanacke to England due and done Against the Scots he grieuous but a glorious warre begun Not Barwicke though for number bold vntill it flowed blood Nor any Scottish armes or hold though infinite and good Might stay his awing prowesse till he had their King his thrall And in that Land by Conquest made himselfe the Lord of all Then taking Scottish othes which they did breake and he reuenge With those Exploits he French attempts as gloriously did menge Yea Paganes French Cambries Scots remembring but his name Cannot forget their skarres he made though enuious of his Fame Matchles for Chiualrie and yeat his Iustice matcht the same Not partiall for the Prince his Sonne a rash vnbridled youth Whom he imprison'd hearing of his outrages the truth And vnto whom he dying spake words worth report and ruth My life quoth he a warfare right in body and in soule Resignes my robed carkasse to be rotted in the moule If well I did well shall I doe if ill as ill and worse And therefore Ned worke as I will vpon my blesse or curse When thou becom'st an earthly God mens liues to ouersee Forget not that Eternall God that ouerlooketh thee The least part of a King is his all owing him and none Lesse priuate than a Prince the weale or woe of euery one He and his People make but one a bodie weake or strong As doth the head the lims or lims the head assist or wrong Deriue thy lawes from wisest heads to be vpholden still Not adding or abstracting as conceited Tier-braines will Be cheerefull and in worke nor word be neither proud nor hot No sincere loue but seruile feare or neither so is got Encourage good Men by thy loue reforme the bad by lawe Reserue an care for either Plea and borrow least of awe Oppresse not rich men seeking so to please the poore for neither Is to be doomed but as right or wrong is found in either To loyter well deserued gifts is not to giue but sell When to requite ingratitude were to doe euill well And which saue for the ill-mist ill might els haue bene forgot Be choyce but chuse for wiuelesse haue each stranger place shot Their heire their home cost which saue the last indeed are not Reforme thee euen to day vnapt to day lesse apt to morrow Youth aptly offers vertues such as yeares vnaptly borrowe For he that plies the lappes and lippes of Ladies all his prime And falles to Armes when age failes Armes then also looseth time As if a Beare in Moone-shine should attempt the Moone to clime Well haue I driuen out my date and well thy dayes shall runne If thou proue not my Glories graue nor I plange in my Sonne The ouer-weening of thy wits doth make thy Foes to smile Thy Friends to weepe and Clawbacks thee with soothings to beguile Yea those thy Purses Parasites vnworthie thine Estate Doe loue thee for themselues nor will they leaue thee but too late I blesse thee if thou banish them and curse thee if they bide My blisse and curse be at thy choyce And so he shortly dide FOrth with a second Edward sonne to Edward wore the Crowne He to promote his Flatterers did put his Nobles downe So Robert Bruze then King of Scots found ingresse for his Armes Recouering Scottish forces and did spoyle our men by swarmes Barwicke in fine and all
Vpstarts and all Were ouercome So Spencers both from heauen to hell did fal Put to a fowle and shamefull death with others that misled The King in Out-rages more great than earst in England bred Prolers Blood-thirstie Parasites Make-shifts Bawdes did thriue Nor was an ancient English Peere vnbanisht or aliue For forraine and domesticke Swords Plague Famine and Exile Did more than tythe yea tythe the Tythe of men within this I le Of Baldricks Hoodes Tabrides and Furres from Knights disgraded tore Attaintures of Nobilitie and Armes reuersed store So many Spurres hewen off the heeles and Swords broke ouer head Were through a King so light and lewd a Councell neuer read The King in prison and depos'd tyrannised he dide By Trecheries of Mortimer that ruld the Roste that tide Whilst Edward in Minoritie his Fathers throne supplide CHAP. XXVIII THIS third of that same Name as yet in Nonage for a time Although a King was vnder-kept by some that ouer-clime Queene mother proude Mortimer familiar more than should Did and vndid more than they might not lesse than as they would Till Edward better counselled hong Mortimer the death Of many a Peere who Earle of March and haughtie for his birth Was Lord of nine skore dubbed Knights his other traynes except For greater pompe than did his Prince this Lord of VVigmore kept But more he had bene happie though lesse hautie in his Halls More honour in humilitie than safetie in walls Proud Climers proue not monuments saue onely in their falls The senselesse pride of Fooles therefore whome reuerently we ride Should lessen at the least because that earth their earth shall hide The Countrie purg'd of Fleecers and of Flatterers the Court The King became a Mars for Armes a Iupiter for Port Th Olympâ—ds the Pythea and the prowesse of the Earth Did seeme euen now and not but now to haue in him their birth East South and North gaue ayme farrc off admiring so the West As if that Mars discarding them had set our Realme his Rest. Philip Valois Dauid Bruz of power and courage more Than any French or Scottish Kings since or of long before Confedrate with three other Kings and Princes farre and neere Warre all at once on Edward but did buy their warring deere Dauid debelled left his land but lastly did returne And whilst our King did war in France much did he spoyle burne And proud of mightie Troopes of men of vnresisted prayes And Edwards absence prosperously he on aduantage playes Vntill not sending hence for helpe the Queene did muster Knights And with the Foe though tripled-wise victoriously she fights The Scots for most did perish and their King was Prisner taine And Scotland wholly for a pray to England did remaine Meane while was Paris scarcely left to rescue Philips Goale Whom Edward ferrits so from hold to hold as Fox from hoale That Melancholie he deceast and valiant Iohn his sonne Was crowned King of France and then the wars afresh begonne But after many fieldes vnto the Foes continuall wracke The French King captiuated to the English Monarke backe His Victor sayles the Prince of VVales Edward surnamed blacke The flower of Chiualrie the feare of France and scourge of Spaine Wheare Peter dispossest of Crowne was crownde by him againe Fower yeeres the French eleuen yeres was the Scotch K. prisners heere Whose the Dolphines ransomes were as great as good their cheere PRince Edw. Iohn of Gaunt all their Fathers sonnes might boaste Of famous Sier and he of sonnes matchlesse in any Coaste Howbeit King and Prince at last misled by counsell ill Through Taxes lost a many hearts that bore them earst good will Thence finding Fortune contrary to that she was before Yeat either dying seaz'd of French and Scottish Conquests store Yea Callice late and Barwick yet of their Exployts is lest Though Sonne before the Sier and both of liues long since bereft When Barwick was besieged and stood brauely at defence Sir Alexander Seiton theare chiefe Captaine had pretence To linger forth the Siege till Scots should draw the English thence In rescue of Northumberland and therefore sent his sonne A Pledge of treated Truce and when the guile-got Truce was done And Barwick not releeued nor resigned as it ought Two sonnes of Seiton were before the walls besieged brought They ready for the Iybbet and their Father for his Graue For eyther he must yeeld the Towne or them he might not saue In griefe he then his Countries cause and Childrens case reuolues But partiall vnto either he on neither Choyce resolues To be a loyall Subiect and a louing Father too Behooued him but both to bee was not in him to doo Nature and honour wrought at once but Nature ouer-wrought And but his Ladie it preuents to yeeld the Towne he thought O what pretend you Sir quoth she is Barwick woorth no more Than error of such loue I ioy that I such Children bore Whom cruell Edward honoureth with such a cause of death For that especiall cause for which we all receaue our breath Euen for their Countries cause they dye whose liues for it be dewe Why see their faces constantly she did their faces viewe The same my Seiton seeme so farre from dreading any woe As if they skornde that Barwicke should redeeme them from the Foe Full deere they were to me vnborne at birth and borne and now And Mother like I moane their death and yet their death allow Moe Sonnes and such you may beget your honour if you staine Defected honour neuer more is to be got againe Preuent not then your selfe your Sonnes and me so great a blis Adiew dye sweet Sonnes your soules in heauen shall liue for this With such perswasions did she win her husband from the walls And Edward executes their Sonnes and to assault he falls So long that Barwicke yeelds at length and still vs master calls THese were the dayes when English armes had eu'rie where request And Edw. knights throughout the world had prick praise for best Not Knights alone but Prelates too Queenes whereof were twain The quondam in esse Queenes by Armour honour gain By Warre the Queene that was did cease her husbands tragicke Rayn And by the Queene then being was the Scotch King Prisnet tayne It followes then that as the Pawnce doth circkle with the Sonne So to the vice or vertue of the Prince are people wonne O that our Muse might euermore on such a Subiect ronne But Vulcan forgeth other Tooles and sharpneth deadlier swords For little els then ciuill warres our following Penne affords French Expeditions badly thriue whereof we cease to speake Not forraine but Domestick warres grew strong to make vs weake Melpomen here might racke her wits Sylla Marius hate Pharsalian Fields were gentle Frayes regarding this debate The second Richard sonne vnto the blacke Prince Edward dead Was crownde an Infant and from him the Stratagem was bread The bace attempts of Ball
Belles offend the Romaine eares When Caesars oft succesles fight had tyred him and his Inringed with his mayhmed Campe the Romane speaketh this Are these same Bands those selfe-same Bands that neuer fought in vaine And ye the men that following still my Standard still did gaine Euen these and ye are verie those nor can I discommend Your manhoodes that with lesser work brought greater Wars to end But not as was my wont to wright the Senate now shall reede I came I sawe I ouer-came such Foes forbid such speede Nor let the Senate muse for Troy with Troy doth here contend This warlike people fame is so from whence sprong we discend Yea if Aeneas had not left the Phrygian Gods to vs And Greekes Palladium Shipt to Greece this Fortune foyling thus I would haue thought those very Gods had followed our anoy But them haue we these onely haue vndanted harts from Troy But what shall Caesar doubt to fight against so brauea Foe No Caesars Tryumphes with their Spoyles shall giue the brauer shoe Ye Gods that guide our Capitoll Mount Palatin thou Throne Of stately Rome ye Followers too of her affayres each one Delay not but depriue me quite my Triumphes now in hand Nor let me liue if so I leaue vnconquered this Land This Land the last of Westerne Isles an Isle vnknowen ere this Which famous now through Caesars fight and our misfortune is Enough my fellow friends in Armes enough we Romaines haue To seeke reuenge your Conquest loe a Countrie rich and braue And which perswadeth victorie in Troynouant there bee That hold that Citie to our vse the Brutons disagree No Scot or Pichte assisting them in these our Warres I see Their ciuill strife will proue their scourge how stout soere they seeme And perpetuitie doth faile in euery thing extreeme Not Fortune still is good or bad and now let be our day Too long we liue if that so long we shall on trifles stay Said Caesar. And with such his words did so inflame his men That with lesse patience did they liue than linger battell then The Romaines bid the Bace and then did cruell Warre begin And little wanted that the Brutes the better did not win But Caesar so foresawe Supplies and Succors here and theare Perswading this disswading that controuling flight and feare That after many Romaines slaine the Brutons tooke their flight To Southerne Shores whereas to proofe Cassiuelan did fight With oft Eruptions out of Woods vntill the traiterous Knight The Earle of London yeelds his Charge and Citie to the Foe Through which disloyall president did other Cities soe And then with hard-won Tribute hence the Conquerour did goe BVt he that wonne in euery Warre at Rome in ciuill Robe Was stab'd to death no certaintie is vnderneath the Globe The good are enuied of the bad and glorie finds disdaine And people are in constancie as Aprill is in raine Whereof amidst our serious penne this Fable intertaine An Asse an Old-man and a Boye did through a Citie passe And whil'st the wanton Boye did ride the Old-man led the Asse See yonder doting foole said Folke that crauleth scarce for age Doth set the Boye vpon his Asse and makes himselfe his Page Anon the blamed Boy alightes and lets the Old-man ride And as the Old-man did before the Boye the Asse did gide But passing so the people thē did much the Old-man blame And told him Churle thy limbes bee tough the Boye should ride for shame The fault thus found both Man and Boye did backe the Asse and ride Then that the Asse was ouer-charg'd each man that met them cride Now both a-light and goe on foote and leade the emptie Beast But then the people laugh and say that one might ride at least With it they both did vndershore the Asse on either side But then the wondring people did that witles pranke deride The Old-man seeing by no waies he could the people please Not blameles then did driue the Asse and drowne him in the Seas Thus whil'st we be it will not be that any pleaseth all Els had bin wanting worthely the noble Caesars fall CHAP. XVIII AVgustus quayling Anthonie was Emperour alōe In whose vn-focd Monarchie our cōmon health was knowne The Brooser of the Serpents head the Womans promisd Seede The Second in the Trinitie the Foode our soules to feede The Vine the Light the Doore the Way the Shepheard of vs al Whose Manhood ioynd to Deitie did Raunsome vs from thrall That was and is and euermore will be the same to his That sleepes to none that wake to him that turns our Cursse to blisse Whom yet vnseene the Patriarkes saw the Prophets haue foretold Th'apossles preacht the Saints adore and Martyres doe behold The same Augustus Emperour in Palestine was borne Amongst his owne and yeat his owne did crosse their Blisse in skorne Bi-formed Ianus then in Mewe so would this Prince of Peace That Caesars Edict euerie wheare should Mars his enuie ceace THen raigned here King Cymbelyn King Theomantius sonne Next him Guiderius that with-held the Tribute Caesar wonne The Romaines that in our respect neglected Misia Spaine Armenia France and Siria then Recusants of their Raine Not by their Captaines but himselfe the Emperour of Rome Into relapsed Brutaine with imperiall Ensignes come Then hotter than the Punike Warres to Romaines did begin And Claudius looseth valiantlie all that the Brutons win But Romish Hamo from whose death Southhampton had that name In Brittish Armes salutes the King and slewe by guile the same Duke Aruiragus vsing then the Armor of the King Maintained fight and wonne the field ere Brutons knewe the thing This hardie Knight his Brother slaine was Crowned in his place And with his winnings also wonne the Emperour to grace Who sending for his daughter faire Genissa so did ende The Warres in Wedding and away did Claudius Caesar wende But Aruiragus after this reuolted and to stay The hauocke made of Romaines here came succors euery day His Queene Genissa childing died when his Reuolt she knew And Voada deuorsed late became his Queene of new Then he that at Ierusalem the fatall siege begonne Was sent from Rome and warring here the wonted Tribute wonne And through his gentle Victorie bound Aruiragus still A friend to Caesar whome the King adopted heire by will I here omit the dismall Warre in Isle of Mona made Against the Romaines whome the Priests the Druides inuade With banning words and women with their haire vntrussed stand With brands of fire in furious wise about their desperat Band. The King deceased Voada and her two daughters they Abused by the Romaine Lords doe hotter warres assay THe noble Scot King Corbred he confedrates with the King of Pichts and they and Brittish Peeres to field their Armies bring To aide the Queene of Brutes that like the Amazonian Dame That beating downe the bloodie Greekes in Priams succour came Had pight her Iauelin at her feete when entred in among The fearce confedrates
Vnto Ixeon stood their Sprights that had their lusts for law Rebellants to a common good and sinning without awe To Titius lastly ioyned Ghosts whose hearts did emptie hate As Todes their poyson growing when it seemeth to abate About flie Apples Stones and Tubs the wheele was tumbled downe The Vultur girds no Ghoste but had at least a broken crowne This skufling and confedracie in hell made such a reare That wontles of such braules and blowes Proserpine did feare But Pluto laughing told his Bride to Ela it was Fa To morrowes dinne should prooue that same to be a ciuill day In peace these were their practises on earth and here in hell Saue that their Soules haue neuer peace we finde them as they fell They worke to me each of these fiue though dailie count I aske Doe newlie number Million Soules whose torments is their taske The Queene of such not free of fear replied thus againe And yeat me thinks that Pluto should haue pittie on their paine He lowers and Feast with Fray had end and drinke did euery soule Of Lethe who their ioyes forgot euen yet in torments houle Nay Pluto must be Pluto still and so I will quoth he For this same onely day the Ghosts indebted are to thee For as the like shall neuer come so neuer like befell But henceforth all yea Prince and Pope shall euer find it hell So dreamed one but ouer-long on fantazies I dwell CHAP. XIX THe Cosen of great Constantine in Rome and here succeeds Betwixt the Brutes the Scots and Pichtes continuall trouble breeds And long the reg'ment of this Land the Romanes did inioy Transmitting Captaines euermore as Foes did here anoy But Rome it selfe declined now and Brutaine was opprest No longer were the Scottish Spoyles by Romaine Swords redrest Then ends the Tribute then began new troubles worser farre Then Tribute for the Scots and Pichtes inferre consuming warre The Brutons vnder Rome secure as men that did relie On others were disabled now by Martiall meanes to trie The fame of fight but Captainelesse confusedly they deale And giue a wretched instant of an headles Common-weale And whom so many Romaine Peers grand-Captaines of such might Of whome nine Emperors themselues in persons here did fight Could hardly foyle were fronted now euen of a barbarous Foe And at the point a wondrous change their Country to forgoe Such fruit hath ease such pollicie did serue the Romaines turne Who waining Martiall minds themselues the quietlier here soiorn The Brutons thus dispoy'ld of Armes and courage in effect Of Prince of Captaines and aduise their busines to direct Dispatch their Legate to the Land Diminutiue in name To Brutaine where the Legate thus his Ambassie did frame The back-slide of our helplesse friends the down-fall of our flate Our lacke of Prince of people and our wealth not now as late The sauage dealing of our Foes consuming outs and vs Is cause right mightie King that we approach thy presence thus Not for we are in blood allied or that whil'st Fortune smil'd Your Ancestors had rule from vs not for the Dames defil'd At Cullin who withstanding lust for it did loose their liues That els to Conon and his Knights had liued noble wiues We are emboldned in our suit though all of these might mooue But for our former wants O King and for thine owne behooue Great Brutaine doth submit it selfe thy Subiect if thou please Or els dispose it at thy will Prouided we haue ease Against such Foes as would not saue our liues to haue our Land Whom to conclude except thou helpe we neuer may withstand The King Aldroen pittying much the cause of his Allies Arm'd thence his brother Constantine a Captaine stout and wise He chasing hence the Scottes Pichtes with glory wore the Crowne And through his vertue stayed vp a Kingdome sinking downe WIthin a while did Vortiger the Duke of Cornewalle raigne When Constans Sonne of Constantine he traitrously had slaine The Scotts did ruffle then anew nor did the King affye In Brutones for they hated him and reason had they why And Saxon Fleetes from Germanie in Armor here arriue Through whose support the King in wars against the Scots did thriue The Foe by Hengest foyled thus he and his brother git The chiefest credit with the King but few gaine-saying it Necessitie of Souldiers here so well for them did fit And Hengests Daughter intertain'd King Vortiger so well That to misliking of his wife and liking her he fell And sotted thus in forren Loue did wed the Saxon Wench Which wrought vnto the Saxons weale but to the Brutes offence For whatsoere the Queene did aske the King would not deny Vntill his Subiects ran to Armes and made the Saxons flie They putting downe the Father then did set vp Vortimer He poisoned by his Stepdame they restored Vortiger With this condition that he should no Saxons intertaine But Hengest hearing from the Queene that Vortimer was slaine And Vortiger his Sonne-in-lawe re-kinged did resaile With Saxon forces though with fraud not force he did preuaile For thus by pollicy he did the Brutons circumuent He craued Parlie as a man that were to quietnes bent The place appoynted Parlantes him in simple meaning meet Farre from their Armie all vnarm'd whom Saxon Traitors greet With deadly wounds by hidden kniues held the King with them Confounding so the Brittish Oste. Nor cease they to contemne Both Christian rights and ciuill Rule subuerting either twaine And what they would of Vortiger through feareâ—ull threats they gaine And plant themselues in Southfolke Kent and elsewhere at their will And ruffling runne throughout the Land oppressing Brutons still The King and Brutons fled to Wales and Feend-got Marlin theare Bewraied more then I beleeue or credit seemes to beare As shewing how the Castell worke rear'd daily fell by night By shaking of two Dragons great that vnderneath it fight With other wonders tedious if not trothlesse to resight Aurelius Ambrose brother to King Constans murdred late From either Bruton hauing aid wonne so the kingly state And ere that Hengest or his Sonne stout Octa he subdew'd First to reuenge his Brothers death he Vortiger pursew'd In vaine the Welsh wild Mountaines fence the Flier from his Foe Or Gerneth Castell when as flames throughout the buildings goe In midst whereof the wretched King did end his dayes in woe THe Brutons thus had peace a while till Vortigerus Sonne And Gutllamour the Irish King in new Conflicts begonne Whom whil'st that Vter valiantly in VVales to wracke did bring His Brother Ambrose did decease and Vter then was King What Vter did by Marlins Art in compassing his will Vpon the Wife of Garolus transfigured by skill Into the likenesse of her Lord on whom he got a Sonne Renowmed Arthur or to name the Acts by Vter donne Were much and needlesse onely note he was a valiant Prince But such as was his noble Sonne was not before or since Yeat blazing Arthur as haue some
of Straw of Lyster tag and rag Of Villains Of-skoms Clownes knaues that checkmate durst to brag With Richards self to their deaths his chiefest Princes drag Till VVal 〈…〉 ths girdle-Armor made the Armes of London more Because his courage chiefly gaue an end to that vprore And what-so-els Occurrants much may interrupt our Vayne Digesting Yorke Lancaster acquiring eithers Rayne Our Penne shall not endenizen Now drops it sacred blood Of Men-Gods English Potentates that in this Faction stood Richard begun that ciuill warre that till the Seauenth from him Did last though often fields with blood of Citizens did swim Against the Nobles the vphild innoble and his Peeres And Commons went alike to wracke nor God nor man he feares In fewe Ambition Auarice and Counsell lewd had wrought In him a nature worser than into the world he brought Whereby and thus himselfe and house at length a down-fal cought Twixt Mowbray D. of Norffolke and the D. of Hertford sonne To Iohn of Gaunt close Conference of better dayes begun The King sayd Henry Hertford more remisse than doth beseeme Leaues France to French Scotland to Scots and vs to woes extreeme His Flatterers doe fleece the Crowne and Commons not a State Doth or dares counsell ancient Coats that on the Crowne should wate Giue aime to bastard Armorie what resteth then but this Plucke downe those grating Harpies that seduce our King amis If worthles still set vp a King worthier than he that is The other saying little then immediatly reueales The secrete and before the King his Foe-made frend appeales Whose Gauntlet raysed by the Duke defendant at the last It grew to single Combate when the King his Warder cast And to the Duke of Norffolke iudg'd for euermore exile And selfe same law Duke Henry had saue for a lesser while Thus That did This but This and That their Iudge did thus begile And to his Coffers did escheate a world of wealth a Pray Vnto his Parasites which thriu'd by other mens decay Meane while whose actious life had lawd did Iohn of Gaunt decease So to the banisht Duke his Sonne fiue Cronets did increase But with his kindly aire the King withheld him all the same Till entring ayded by his friends he wonne beyond his clame For Richard was imprison'd and by Parlament put downe And Henry Duke of Lancaster elected to the Crovvne The Lyne Lancastrian frollicke but the house of Yorke did frowne For to those Hydra-kinded warres that after did ensue Those Families gaue name though first the Diadem was due Vnto the house of Clarence till to Yorke that interest gre we By marriage here omitted for we onely giue a viewe How Yorke mis-raigning Lancaster did enter then how This Was dispossest That repossest and how their Vnion is THE SIXT BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XXIX HEnry the fourth so named hild the King deposed strate In Pomfret Castell howebeit in honourable State And got an Act that who so wrought the Prisner to restore That Richards selfe to voyd their hope should dye the first therefore Whose birth brought Nature gentle Lord returning whence it straid Now altred him erst altring it and Richard mildly said I must not say I am and would I might not say I was Of great the greatest lesse they grieue from whom doth little passe Nor more it grieues to contrarie the same I haue been then To haue deserued not to be vnmaliced of men Thus humbled and full penitent liues he lesse mal-content Than was the Duke of Exeter his brother whose intent Was as at a lusts to haue destroyd King Henrie but descryed Himselfe fower such and many Knights the death of Traytors dyed And by these primer Yorkests thus King Richards date grew out But whether brayned famisht or exiled rests a doubt For often Vprores did ensue for him as vndeceast How beit solemnely inter'd himselfe or Signe at least Twise by confedrate Chiualrie the Pâ—ercies and their frends Did fight and fall for either warre to Henries honor ends He neuer had but warre and was victorious euermore Aswell at home as also of his Foes on forraine Shore Till lastly Armor ouercame all Enuie and he liues Of all beloued and his death a common sorrow giues HOt spur his Sonne Henry the fifth hung at his Fathers eyes To watch his Ghoste and catch his Crowne and that or ere he dyes And where the Father doubted if he got it well or noe The Sonne did sweare how so it came he would it not forgoe His bad did blisse the Bad the Good dispaire all good But neither Did aime aright for sodainly his chaunge deceiued either Of good becomming best that was of ill the baddest and The true perfection of a King was not but in this Land He lead good fortune in a line and did but warre and winne Fraunce was his Conquest Scots but brag and he did beate them in A friend vnto weldoings and an Enemie to sinne Yeat of the Yorkests neuer lackt he Princes that rebell Nor other than confusion to their still coniuring fell In fewe if any Homer should of this Achilles sing As of that Greeke Myâ—midon the Macedonian King Once noted would I note both Prince and Poet happiest men That for deseruing prayse and This for well imployed pen For well this Subiect might increase the Worthies vnto ten He aged thirtie sixe deceast and left his infant Sonne His Kingdome Conquests and his Queene whose Fathers Realme he wonne To graue protection Regents and so royall for the port As that his Orphants Cradle seem'd an Alexanders Court Queene Katherin Daughter of the French King Henryes wife of late The fayrest Ladye in the West hild with her sonne Estate She oft behild and hild her peace a braue Esquier of VVailes That tyde her fancie to his forme till fancied forme preuailes All liking was reuersed Loue saue Owen Tuder all Saue him that durst not dreame such good to her was lesse than small She formally by quaint degrees attracting him to fauor Did nourish burnings in her selfe by noting his behauor She pitched Tewe he masshed She vncompaned To flie He bids her solitary moodes She askes the remedie Disclosed pangues sometimes quoth he in Phisicke Phisick is Which sometimes to obserue quoth she doth Patients patience mis Cureles to Aesculapius and Apellos selfe am I The latter felt my languor and immortall wisht to die And yeat saue one no one disease lay hidden to his Art For you were bootlesse then to gesse how to vngreeue my smart Had Daphne to Apollo beene Apollo Tuder said His might haue beene and so may be your Graces humor staid He other Gods and Goddesses found more contented Loue Beloe in diffring bosomes than in equall beddes aboue I aime at Loue for thereto your Aenigma doth incline And aime to him a Deity for whome I so deuine But gladly doubt I of the Man for if I doubted not I should but massacer my lacke in enuy of his lot Yeat are vnworthie
lingring Torments who Fault to their Inquisition oâ— their Damned Rytes must doe Then better Bodies perish than should soules miscarrie too Of neither which hath Rome or Spaine remorse but thristing Sway Regard not whome by whom or how they treacherously berray How oft haue they the rest ore past subborn'd our Queenes decay By wars wiles witchcrafts daggers dags Pope poyson what not To her haue they attempted death for liewe the Traytors lot Vouchsafe O God those loues of thine be neuermore forgot Was neuer any thryued yet that threatned her amis For of anoynted Princes God sole Iudge and Rector is And if Examples might preuaile then Traytors might perceaue They perish in their purpose or but Spyders webbes doe weaue And heere occasion apteth that we catalogue awhile And vnto English Dukes from first to last addresse our Style Though numbers greater as great of power did pryde begyle Yeat in this one degree obserue what headding and exile Yf then such Mighties felt Gods frowne shal Meaners hope his smile CHAP. XLV EDward surnam'd the blacke Prince and third Edwards eldest sonne Third Thomas Duke of Norffolke This did ende and That begonne From Normaine VVilliams Conqueste heere of Dukes the Title hie Of fortie seuen but twentie two a naturall death did die Edward y e Duke of Yorke that lead fifth Henries Vaward Knightly Then slaine at Agencourt with fame we ouerpasse him lightly Nor Humfrey Duke of Glocester heere catalogue we rightly Nor VVilliam Duke of Suffolke who exilde on seas was met And hated headded howbeit sixt Henries Fauoret Nor Edmund Duke of Somerset that Henries loued Peere Nor Humfrey Duke of Buckingham to that same King as deere Nor sweet yong Richard Duke of Yorke of Glosters kyn too neere We also two Plantagenets both Dukes of Clarence cleere Of which was Thomas slaine in France George drownd in Malmsie heere For though these Eight remembred Dukes deceast not in their beads Yeat none of these had traytrous hearts that forfetted their heads Howbeit otherwise of these weare some that erred so That stomack't for such Errors did their ends vntimely groe Nor was the Duke of Ireland Vere in second Richards time A Traytor but a Parasite which proude no lesse a crime He as ambitious as he was enuious and enuied Was banisht by the Nobles and in banishment he died Mowbreie of Norffolke right or wrong by foresaid Richard was Exiled and in Italie did hence to nature pas When second Richard was deposde and Henrie wore the Crowne Two Hollands to restore the one and put the other downe Conspiring weare detected and at Cercester they both Of Excester and Surrey Dukes found death in Vulgar wroth Richard Plantagenet the Duke of Yorke fourth Edwards father Sought to depose fixt Henrie and was heard therein the rather For that to him by law-Descents the Scepter did acrew But they compound howbeit warres were reard and him they slew Iohn Holland Duke of Excester fourth Edwards sentence fleade And was long after in the sea suspuicusly found dead Then Henry Duke of Somerset rebelling lost his heade Of Edmund Duke of Somerset the like is also reade So Henrie Duke of Buckingham third Richards friend-foe speade And that tyrannous Richard Duke of Glocester his Raigne Vsurped was suppressed he for blood payd blood againe Iohn Duke of Norffolk fought and fell at Bosworth field His sonne Duke Thomas in Eight Henries daies did heading hardly shonne Adiudg'd perpetuall Durance in Queene Maries raigne vn-donne VVolsey that slye officious and too Lordly Cardnall wrought Who could would effect his wil that to the blocke was brought Eight Henrie raigning Edward Duke of Buckingham whose end That Prelate ioyde the people moend because his foe their friend Seimer the Duke of Somerset enuied more than reason By one that came the next to Blocke though mightie at that season Sixt Edward in Minoritie dide quit although of treason No sooner Marie got the crowne more liklie to be gon But Iohn Duke of Northumberland beheaded was anone Who wrought to set the Diedeme Iane Dudlies heade vpon Her Father Henrie Gray the Duke of Suffolke was also A friend vnto that Faction the Spanish Wowers foe But by that act he lost his heade as did too many moe In blessed Queene Elizabeth her happie Raigne of peace The Tragedies and Tytles too of English Dukes did cease Which Thomas Duke of Norffolke laste Tragedian did increase All theis weare mightie in their times yeat being Male-contents Both they and hundreds powerfull Peeres for like found like Euents Howbeit of the common wealth none worser did desarue Than such as flattred Princes faults who faulting all did swarue Which in their Pollicie the States of Hell did then fore-see When as they ioyned others Aydes vnto the Furies three Narcissus Shadowe and the Voice of Eccho than which twaine How fabulous so-ere it seeme nought hath or more doth baine Wherefore to such as know them not we either thus explaine CHAP. XLVI WHeare Cadmus old Agenors sonne did reste and plant his Raigne Narcissus of his Of spring theare for beautie fame did gaine His Mother was Lyriope faire Thetis fairer Daughter Whome cheefest as the choisest wowde and braue Cephisus caught her Boeotia was the fertile Realme Parnassus Plaine the place Whear this admired Youth was borne this Lass-Lad forme and face No Nymph so faire but wisht him hers howbeit all in vayne His selfe-loue wrought his selfe-losse his beauty prou'd his baine Who proud of Natures plentie hild all others in disdaine Till God who had created Man the fairest Creature Howbeit but a shadow of his proper Feature More differing far than Sun-shine froÌ„ the Suns selfe-substance pure Narcissus ouer-scornfull pride not longer would indure But froÌ„ his forme that pleas'd him most his plague did thus procure As this same fond selfe-pleasing Youth stood at a Fountaynes brym And proudly sees his shadow theare admiring euery lym Eccho an amiable Nymph long amorous of hym But louing vnbeloued now at least to please her Eye Conuaies her selfe vnseene into a Thicket ioyning by And thear as much ore-gone with loue as he ore-gone with pride She hears and sees and would haue pleas'd three Senses more beside And nothing more than euery part thus stealth-seene liked her And nothing lesse than hidden with vnhidden to conferre For well it had contented then in more then sight to erre Although not meanely did his scorne gainst it her stomacke sterre Meane while the Lad such power hath pride mens Senses to subdue Doats on his Shadow now suppos'd to be a Substance tâ—ue And lastly wowes so formally in words and gestures sweete That Eccho found his error and he saying Let vs meete Let 's meete quoth Eccho mockingly which hearing he with speed Beleeuing that his shadow was a Nymph and spake in deed Did leape into the Fountaine whear that Gallant drowning thus Hath left example how like pride may cause like plague to vs. How smooth-tongu'd Eccho that for him