And trumpets euery way sound to the dreadfull charge Vpon the Yorkists part there flew the irefull Beare On the Lancastrian side the Cressant wauing there The Southerne on this side for Yorke a Warwicke crie A Percy for the right the Northerne men reply The two maine Battels ioyne the foure large Wings doe meet What with the shouts of men and noyse of horses feet Hell through the troubled earth her horrour seem'd to breath A thunder heard aboue an earth-quake felt beneath As when the Euening is with darknesse ouerspread Her Star-befreckled face with Clouds inuelloped You oftentimes behold the trembling lightning flie VVhich suddenly againe but turning of your eye Is vanished away or doth so swiftly glide That with a trice it touch t'Horizons either side So through the smoke of dust from wayes and fallowes raisd And breath of horse and men that both together ceasd The ayre one euery part sent by the glimmering Sunne The splendor of their Armes doth by reflection runne Till heapes of dying men and those already dead Much hindred them would charge and letted them that fled Beyond all wonted bounds their rage so farre extends That sullen night begins before their fury ends Ten howers this fight endur'd whilst still with murthering hands Expecting the next morne the weak'st vnconquered stands Which was no sooner come but both begin againe To wrecke their friends deare blood the former euening slaine New Battels are begun new fights that newly wound Till the Lancastrian part by their much lesning found Their long expected hopes were vtterly forlorne When lastly to the foe their recreant backs they turne Thy Channell then O * Cock was fild vp with the dead Of the Lancastrian side that from the Yorkists fled That those of Edwards part that had the Reare in chase As though vpon a Bridge did on their bodies passe That Wharfe to whose large banks thou contribut'st thy store Had her more Christall face discoloured with the gore Of fortie thousand men that vp the number made Northumberland the great and Westmerland there layd Their bodies valiant Wels and Dacres there doe leaue Their carkases whose hope too long did them deceiue Trolop and Neuill found massacred in the field The Earle of VViltshire forc'd to the sterne foe to yeeld King Henry from fayre Yorke vpon this sad mischance To Scotland fled the Queene sayld ouer into France The Duke of Somerset and Excester doe flie The rest vpon the earth together breathlesse lie Muse turne thee now to tell the Field at Hexam struck Vpon the Yorkists part with the most prosp'rous luck Of any yet before where to themselues they gain'd Most safetie yet their powers least damage there sustain'd Twixt Iohn Lord Mountacute that Neuill who to stand For Edward gathered had out of Northumber land A sort of valiant men consisting most of Horse Which were againe suppli'd with a most puisant force Sent thither from the South and by King Edward brought In person downe to Yorke to ayd if that in ought His Generall should haue need for that he durst not trust The Northerne which so oft to him had been vniust Whilst he himselfe at Yorke a second power doth hold To heare in this rough warre what the Lancastrians would And Henry with his Queene who to their powers had got The liuely daring French and the light hardy Scot To enter with them here and to their part doe get Their faithfull lou'd Allie the Duke of Somerset And Sir Ralfe Percie then most powerfull in those parts Who had beene reconcil'd to Edward but their hearts Still with King Henry stay'd to him and euer true To whom by this reuolt they many Northerne drew Sir William T aylboys cald of most the Earle of Kime With Hungerford and Rosse and Mullins of that time Barons of high account with Neuill T unstall Gray Hussy and Finderne Knights men bearing mighty sway As forward with his force braue Mountacute was set It hap'd vpon his way at Hegly More he met With Hungerford and Rosse and Sir Ralph Percy where In signe of good successe as certainly it were They and their vtmost force were quickly put to slight Yet Percy as he was a most couragious Knight Ne'r boudg'd till his last breath but in the field was slaine Proud of this first defeat then marching forth againe Towards Liuells a large Waste which other plaines out-braues Whose Verge fresh * Dowell still is watring with her waues Whereas his posting Scouts King Henries power discri'd Tow'rds whom with speedy march this valiant Generall hied Whose haste there likewise had such prosperous euent That lucklesse Henry yet had scarcely cleer'd his Tent His Captaines hardly set his Battels nor enlarg'd Their Squadrons on the field but this great Neuill charg'd Long was this doubtfull fight on either side maintain'd That rising whilst this falls this loosing whilst that gain'd The ground which this part got and there as Conquerors stood The other quickly gaine and firmely make it good To either as blind Chance her fauors will dispose So to this part it eb'd and to that side it flowes At last till whether 't were that sad and horrid sight At Saxton that yet did their fainting spirits affright With doubt of second losse and slaughter or the ayd That Mountacute receau'd King Henries power dismayd And giuing vp the day dishonourably fled Whom with so violent speed the Yorkists followed That had not Henry spur'd and had a Courser swift Besides a skilfull guide through woods and hilles to shift He sure had been surpriz'd as they his Hench-men tooke With whom they found his Helme with most disastrous lucke To saue themselues by flight ne'r more did any striue And yet so many men ne'r taken were aliue Now Banbury we come thy Battell to report And show th' efficient cause as in what wondrous sort Great VVarmicke was wrought in to the Lancastrian part When as that wanton King so vex'd his mightie heart Whilst in the Court of France that Warriour he bestow'd As potent here at home as powerfull else abroad A marriage to intreat with Bona bright and sheene Of the Sauoyan Blood and sister to the Queene Which whilst this noble Earle negotiated there The widdow Lady Gray the King espoused here By which the noble Earle in France who was disgrac'd In England his reuenge doth but too quickly hast T' excite the Northerne men doth secretly begin With whom he powerfull was to rile that comming in He might put in his hand which onely he desir'd Which rising before Yorke were likely to haue fierd The Citie but repuls'd and Holdorn them that led Being taken for the cause made shorter by the head Yet would not they disist but to their Captaines drew Henry the valiant sonne of Iohn the Lord Fitz-Hugh With Coniers that braue Knight whose valour they preferre With Henry Neuill sonne to the Lord Latimer By whose Allies and friends they euery day grew strong And so in
Lucy and Hastings went Which charging but too home all sorely wounded were VVhom liuing from the field the Barons stroue to beare Being on their partie fixd whilst still Prince Edward spurres To bring his Forces vp to charge the Londoners T'whom cruell hate he bare and ioyning with their Force Of heauy-armed Foot with his light Northerne Horse He putting them to flight foure miles in chase them slew But ere he could returne the conquest wholly drew To the stout Barons side his father fled the field Into the Abbay there constrained thence to yeeld The Lords Fitz-warren slaine and Wilton that was then Chiefe Iustice as some say with them fiue thousand men And Bohun that great Earle of Her'ford ouerthrowne With Bardolfe Somery Patshull and Percie knowne By their Coat-armours then for Barons prisoners ta'n Though Henry ware the Crowne great Le'ster yet did raigne Now for the Conflict next at Chesterfield that chanc'd Gainst Robert that proud Earle of Darby who aduanc'd His Ensignes gainst the King contrary to his oath Vpon the Barons part with the Lord Deuell both Surpriz'd by Henry Prince of Almain with his power By comming at so strange an vnexpected hower And taking them vnarmd since meerely a defeat With our well-ordered fights we will not here repeat The fatall Battell then at fertile Eusham struck Though with the selfe same hands not with the selfe same luck For both the King and Prince at Lewes prisoners taken By fortune were not yet so vtterly forsaken But that the Prince was got from Le'ster and doth gather His friends by force of Armes yet to redeeme his father And th' Earle of Glo'ster wonne who through the Mountfords pride Disgrac'd came with his power to the Emperiall side When now those Lords which late at Lewes wonne the day The Sacrament receiu'd their Armes not downe to lay Vntill the King should yeeld th' old Charter to maintaine King Henry and his sonne Prince Edward swore againe They would repeale those Lawes that were at Oxford made Or through this bloody warre to their destruction wade But since the King remain'd in puissant Lei'sters power The remnant of his friends whom death did not deuoure At Lewes Battell late and durst his part partake The Prince excites againe an Armie vp to make Whom Roger Bigot Earle of Norfolke doth assist Englands high Marshall then and that great Martialist Old Henry Bohun Earle of Her'ford in this warre Gray Basset and Saint-Iohn Lisle Percie Latimer All Barons which to him their vtmost strengths doe lay VVith many a Knight for power their equall euery way And William Valence Earle of Pembroke who had fled From Lewes field to France thence with fresh succour sped Young Humphrey Bohun still doth with great Le'ster goe VVho for his Countries cause becomes his fathers foe Fitz-Iohn Gray Spencer Strange Rosse Segraue Vessey Gifford Wake Lucy Vipount Vaux Clare Marmion Hastings Clifford In that blacke night before his sad and dismall day VVere apparitions strange as drad Heauen would bewray The horrors to ensue O most amazing fight Two Armies in the Ayre discerned were to fight VVhich came so neere to earth that in the morne they found The prints of horses feet remaining on the ground Which came but as a show the time to entertaine Till th' angry Armies ioyn'd to act the bloody Sceane Shrill shouts and deadly cries each way the ayre do fill And not a word was heard from either side but kill The father gainst the sonne the brother gainst the brother With Gleaues Swords Bills and Pykes were murthering one another The full luxurious earth seemes surfitted with blood VVhilst in his Vnckles gore th' vnnaturall Nephew stood VVhilst with their charged Staues the desperate horsmen meet They heare their kinsmen groane vnder their Horses feet Dead men and weapons broke doe on the earth abound The Drummes bedash'd with braines doe giue a dismall sound Great Le'ster there expir'd with Henry his braue sonne VVhen many a high exployt they in that day had done Scarce was there noble House of which those times could tell But that some one thereof on this or that side fell Amongst the slaughtered men that there lay heap'd on pyles Bohuns and Beauchamps were Basets and Mandeviles Segraues and Saint-Iohns seeke vpon the end of all To giue those of their names their Christian buriall Ten thousand on both sides were ta'n and slaine that day Prince Edward gets the gole and beares the Palme away All Edward Long shankes time her ciuill warres did cease Who stroue his Countries bounds by Conquest to increase But in th' insuing raigne of his most riotous sonne As in his fathers dayes a second warre begun When as the stubborne heires of the stout Barons dead Who for their Countries cause their blood at Eusham shed Not able to endure the Spencers hatefull pride The father and the sonne whose counsels then did guide Th'inconsiderate King conferring all his graces On them who got all gifts and bought and sold all places Them raising to debase the Baronage the more For Gauaston whom they had put to death before Which vrg'd too farre at length to open Armes they brake And for a speedy warre they vp their powers doe make Vpon King Edwards part for this great Action bent His brother Edmund came the valiant Earle of Kent With Richmount Arundell and Pembroke who engage Their powers three powerfull Earles against the Baronage And on the Barons side great master of the warre Was Thomas of the Blood the Earle of Lancaster With Henry Bobun Earle of Hereford his Peere With whom of great command and Martialists there were Lyle Darcy Denvile Teis Beach Bradburne Bernvile Knovile With Badlesmer and Bercks Fitz-william Leyburne Louell Tuchet and Talbot stout doe for the Barons stand Mandute and Mowbray with great Clifford that command Their Tenants to take Armes that with their Landlords runne With these went also Hugh and Henry Willington Redoubted Damory as Audley Elmesbridge Wither Earles Barons Knights Esquiers embodied all together At Burton vpon Trent who hauing gathered head Towards them with all his power the King in person sped Who at his neere approach vpon his March discri'd That they against his power the Bridge had fortifi'd Which he by strong assault assayes from them to win Where as a bloody fight doth instantly begin When he to beat them off assayes them first by shot And they to make that good which they before had got Defend them with the like like Haylestones from the skie From Crosse-bowes and the Long the light-wingd arrowes flie But friended with the Flood the Barons hold their strength Forcing the King by Boats and pyles of wood at length T' attempt to land his force vpon the other side The Barons that the more his stratagems defide Withstand them in the streame when as the troubled flood With in a little time was turned all to blood And from the Boats and Bridge the mangled bodies feld The poore affrighted Fish
fauour there A Title to this Prince deriu'd from Mortimer To whom this Trophy rear'd much honored had the soyle The Yorkists here enrich'd with the Lancastrian spoyle Are Masters of the day foure thousand being slaine The most of which were those there standing to maintaine The title of the King Where Owen Tudors lot Was to be taken then who this young Earle begot On Katherin the bright Queene the fift King Henries Bride Who too vntimely dead this Owen had affide But he a Prisoner then his sonne and Ormond fled At Hereford was made the shorter by the head When this most warlike Duke in honour of that signe Which of his good successe so rightly did diuine And thankfull to high heauen which of his cause had care Three Sunnes for his deuice still in his Ensigne bare Thy second Battell now Saint Albans I record Struck twixt Queene Margrets power to ransome backe her Lord Ta'n prisoner at that towne when there those factions fought Whom now the part of Yorke had thither with them brought Whose force consisted most of Southerne men being led By Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke and the head Of that proud faction then stout Warwicke still that swayd In euery bloody field the Yorkists onely ayd When eithers power approch'd and they themselues had fixt Vpon the South and North the towne them both betwixt Which first of all to take the Yorkists had forecast Putting their Vaward on and their best Archers plac'd The Market-sted about and them so fitly layd That when the foe camevp they with such terror playd Vpon them in the Front as forc'd them to retreit The Northerne mad with rage vpon the first defeat Yet put for it againe to enter from the North Which when great Warwicke heard he sent his Vaward forth T' oppose them in what place so ere they made their stand Where in too fit a ground a Heath too neere at hand Adioyning to the towne vnluckily they light Where presenly began a fierce and deadly fight But those of Warwicks part which scarce foure thousand were To th'Vaward of the Queenes that stood so stoutly there Though still with fresh supplies from her maine Battell fed When they their courage saw so little them to sted Deluded by the long expectance of their ayd By passages too straight and close ambushments stayd Their succours that forslow'd to flight themselues betake When after them againe such speed the Northerne make Being followed with the force of their maine Battell strong That this disordred Rout these breathlesse men among They entred Warwicks Hoste which with such horrour strooke The Southerne that each man began about to looke A way how to escape that when great Norfolke cri'd Now as you fauour Yorke and his iust cause abide And Warwicke in the Front euen offred to haue stood Yet neither of them both should they haue spent their blood Could make a man to stay or looke vpon a foe Where Fortune it should seeme to Warwicke meant to show That shee this tide of his could turne when ere she would Thus when they saw the day was for so little sould The King which for their ends they to the field had brought Behind them there they leaue but as a thing of naught Which seru'd them to no vse who when his Queene and sonne There found in Norfolkes tent the Battell being done With many a ioyfull teare each other they imbrace And whilst blind Fortune look'd with so well pleas'd a face Their swords with the warme blood of Yorkists so inbrude Their foes but lately fled couragiously pursude Now followeth that blacke Sceane borne vp so wondrous hie That but a poore dumbe shew before a Tragedie The former Battels fought haue seem'd to this to be O Towton let the blood Palme-Sunday spent on thee Affright the future times when they the Muse shall heare Deliuer it so to them and let the ashes there Of fortie thousand men in that long quarrell slaine Arise out of the earth as they would liue againe To tell the manlike doeds that bloody day were wrought In that most fatall field with various fortunes fought Twixt Edward Duke of Yorke then late proclaimed King Fourth of that royall name and him accompanying The Nevills of that warre maintaining still the streame Great Warwicke and with him his most couragious Eame Stout Falconbridge the third a firebrand like the other Of Salisbury surnam'd that Warwicks bastard brother Lord Fitzwater who still the Yorkists power assists Blount VVenlock Dinham Knights approued Martialists And Henry the late King to whom they still durst stand His true as powerfull friend the great Northumberland VVith VVestmerland his claime who euer did preferre His kinsman Somerset his cosen Excester Dukes of the Royall line his faithfull friends that were And little lesse then those the Earle of Deuonshire Th'Lord Dacres and Lord VVels both wise and warlike wights With him of great command Neuill and Trolop Knights Both armies then on foot and on their way set forth King Edward from the South King Henry from the North. The later crowned King doth preparation make From Pomfret where he lay the passage first to take O'r Aier at Ferybridge and for that seruice sends A most selected troupe of his well-chosen friends To make that passage good when instantly began The dire and ominous signes the slaughter that foreran For valiant Clifford there himselfe so brauely quit That comming to the Bridge ere they could strengthen it From the Lancastrian power with his light troupe of Horse And early in the morne defeating of their force The Lord Fitzmater slew and that braue Bastard sonne Of Salsbury themselues who into danger runne For being in their beds suspecting nought at all But hearing sudden noyse suppos'd some broyle to fall Mongst their misgouern'd troups vnarmed rushing out By Cliffords Souldiers soone incompassed about Were miserably slaine which when great Warwicke heares As he had felt his heart transpersed through his eares To Edward mad with rage imediatly he goes And with distracted eyes in most sterne manner showes The slaughter of those Lords this day alone quoth he Our vtter ruine shall or our sure rising be When soone before the Host his glittering sword he drew And with relentlesse hands his springly Courser slew Then stand to me quoth he who meaneth not to flie This day shall Edward winne or here shall VVarwicke die Which words by VVarwicke spoke so deeply seem'd to sting The much distempered breast of that couragious King That straight he made proclaim'd that euery fainting heart From his resolued host had licence to depart And those that would abide the hazard of the fight Rewards and titles due to their deserued right And that no man that day a prisoner there should take For this the vpshot was that all must marre or make A hundred thousand men in both the Armies stood That natiue English were O worthy of your Blood What conquest had there been But Ensignes flie at large
neere me any one To Neptunes Court I come for note along the Strond From Hartlepoole euen to the poynt of Sunder land As farre as * Wardenlaws can possibly suruey There 's not a Flood of note hath entrance to the sea Here ended shee her Speech when as the goodly Tyne Northumberland that parts from this Shire Palatine Which patiently had heard looke as before the Wer Had taken vp the Teis so Tyne now takes vp her For her so tedious talke Good Lord quoth she had I No other thing wherein my labor to imply But to set out my selfe how much well could I say In mine owne proper praise in this kind euery way As skilfull as the best I could if I did please Of my two Fountaines tell which of their sundry wayes The South and North are nam'd entitled both of Tyne As how the prosperous Springs of these two Floods of mine Are distant thirty miles how that the South-Tyne nam'd From Stanmore takes her Spring for Mines of Brasse that 's fam'd How that nam'd of the North is out of Wheel-fell sprung Amongst these English Alpes which as they runne along England and Scotland here impartially diuide How South-Tyne setting out from Cumberland is plide With Hartley which her hasts and Tippall that doth striue By her more sturdy Streame the Tyne along to driue How th' Allans th' East and West their bounties to her bring Two faire and full-brim'd Floods how also from her Spring My other North-nam'd Tyne through Tyndale maketh in Which She le her Hand-mayd hath and as she hasts to twin With th' other from the South her sister how cleere Rhead With Perop comes prepar'd and Cherlop me to lead Through Ridsdale on my way as farre as Exham then Dowell me Homage doth with blood of Englishmen VVhose Streame was deeply dy'd in that most cruell warre Of Lancaster and Yorke Now hauing gone so farre Their strengths me their deare Tyne doe wondrously enrich As how cleere Darwent drawes downe to Newcastle which The honour hath alone to entertaine me 〈◊〉 As of those mighty ships that in my mouth I beare Fraught with my country Coale of this * Newcastle nam'd For which both farre and neere that place no lesse is fam'd Then India for her Mynes should I at large declare My glories in which Time commands me to bee spare And I but slightly touch which stood I to report As freely as I might yee both would fall too short Of me but know that Tyne hath greater things in hand For to tricke vp our selues whilst trifling thus we stand Bewitch'd with our owne praise at all we neuer note How the Albanian Floods now lately set afloat With th' honour to them done take heart and lowdly crie Defiance to vs all on this side Tweed that lye And hearke the high-brow'd Hills alowd begin to 〈◊〉 With sound of things that Forth prepared is to sing When once the Muse ariues on the Albanian shore And therefore to make vp our forces here before The on-set they begin the Battels wee haue got Both on our earth and theirs against the valiant Scot I vndertake to tell then Muses I intreat Your ayd whilst I these Fights in order shall repeat When mighty Malcolme here had with a violent hand As he had oft before destroy'd Northumberland In Rufus troubled Raigne the warlike Mowbray then This Earledome that 〈◊〉 with halfe the power of men For conquest which that King from Scotland hither drew At Anwick in the field their Armies ouerthrew Where Malcolme and his sonne braue Edward both were found Slaine on that bloody field So on the English ground When Dauid King of Scots and Henry his sterne sonne Entitled by those times the Earle of Huntingdon Had forradg'd all the North beyond the Riuer Teis In Stephens troubled raigne in as tumultuous dayes As England euer knew the Archbishop of Yorke Stout Thurstan and with him ioynd in that warlike work Ralfe both for wit and Armes of Durham Bishop then Renownd that called were the valiant Clergy men With th' Earle of Aubemarle Especk and Peuerell Knights And of the Lacies two oft try'd in bloody fights Twixt Aluerton and Yorke the doubtfull battell got On Dauid and his sonne whilst of th' inuading Scot Ten thousand strew'd the earth and whilst they lay to bleed Ours followed them that fled beyond our sister Tweed And when * Fitz-Empresse next in Normandy and here And his rebellious sonnes in high combustions were William the Scottish King taking aduantage then And entring with an Host of eighty thousand men As farre as Kendall came where Captaines then of ours Which ayd in Yorkshire raisd with the Northumbrian powers His forces ouerthrew and him a prisoner led So Long shanks Scolands scourge him to that Country sped Prouoked by the Scots that England did inuade And on the Borders here such spoyle and hauock made That all the land lay waste betwixt the Tweed and me This most coragious King from them his owne to free Before proud Berwick set his puisant army downe And tooke it by strong siege since when that warlike towne As Cautionary long the English after held But tell me all you Floods when was there such a Field By any Nation yet as by the English wonne Vpon the Scottish power as that of Halidon Seauen Earles nine hundred Horse and of Foot-souldiers more Neere twenty thousand slaine so that the Scottish gore Ranne downe the Hill in streames euen in Albania's sight By our third Edwards prowesse that most renowned Knight As famous was that Fight of his against the Scot As that against the French which he at Cressy got And when that conquering King did afterward aduance His Title and had past his warlike powers to France And Dauid King of Scots heere entred to inuade To which the King of France did that false Lord perswade Against his giuen Faith from France to draw his Bands To keepe his owne at home or to fill both his hands With warre in both the Realmes was euer such a losse To Scotland yet befell as that at Neuills Crosse Where fifteene thousand Scots their soules at once forsooke Where stout Iohn Copland then King Dauid prisoner tooke I' th head of all his troups that brauely there was seene VVhen English Philip that braue Amazonian Queene Encouraging her men from troupe to troupe did ride And where our Cleargy had their ancient Valourtride Thus often comming in they haue gone out too short And next to this the fight of Nesbit I report VVhen Hebborn that stout Scot and his had all their hire VVhich in t' our Marches came and with inuasiue fire Our Villages laid waste for which defeat of ours When doughty Douglasse came with the Albanian powers At Holmdon doe but see the blow our 〈◊〉 gaue To that bold daring Scot before him how he draue His Armie and with shot of our braue English Bowes Did wound them on the backs whose
Warwicke in that warre who set them all at worke And Falkonbridge with him not much vnlike the other A Neuill nobly borne his puisant fathers brother Who to the Yorkists claime had euermore been true And valiant Bourcher Earle of Essex and of Eau. The King from out the towne who drew his Foot and Horse As willingly to giue full field-roomth to his Force Doth passe the Riuer Nen neere where it downe doth runne From his first fountaines head is neere to Harsington Aduised of a place by Nature strongly wrought Doth there encampe his power the Earle of March who sought To prooue by dint of sword who should obtaine the day From Tawcester traynd on his powers in good aray The Vaward Warwicke led whom no attempt could feare The Middle March himselfe and Falkonbridge the Reare Now Iuly entred was and ere the restlesse Sunne Three houres ascent had got the dreadfull fight begun By Warwicke who a straight from Vicount Beaumont tooke Defeating him at first by which hee quickly brooke In on th' Emperiall host which with a furious charge He forc'd vpon the field it selfe more to enlarge Now English Bowes and Bills and Battle-axes walke Death vp and downe the field in gastly sort doth stalke March in the flower of Youth like Mars himselfe doth beare But Warwicke as the man whom Fortune seem'd to feare Did for him what he would that wheresoere he goes Downe like a furious storme before him all he throwes So Shrewsbury againe of Talbots valiant straine That fatall Scourge of France as stoutly doth maintaine The party of the King so princely Somerset Whom th' others knightly deeds more eagerly doth whet Beares vp with them againe by Somerset opposd At last King Henries host being on three parts enclosd Aud ayds still comming in vpon the Yorkists side The Summer being then at height of all her pride The Husbandman then hard vpon his Haruest was But yet the cocks of Hay nor swaths of new-shorne grasse Strew'd not the Meads so thick as mangled bodies there When nothing could be seene but horror euery where So that vpon the bancks and in the streame of * Nen Ten thousand well resolu'd stout natiue English men Left breathlesse with the rest great Buckingham is slaine And Shrewsbury whose losse those times did much complaine Egremont and Beaumont both found dead vpon the Field The miserable King inforc'd againe to yeeld Then VVakefield Battell next we in our Bedroule bring Fought by Prince Edward sonne to that oft-conquered King And Richard Duke of Yorke still strugling for the Crowne Whom Salsbury assists the man with whose renowne The mouth of Fame seem'd fild there hauing with them then Some few selected Welsh and Southerne Gentlemen A handfull to those powers with which Prince Edward came Of which amongst the rest the men of noblest name Were those two great-borne Dukes which still his right preferre His cosen Somerset and princely Excester The Earle of Wiltshire still that on his part stucke close With those two valiant Peeres Lord Clifford and Lord Rosse Who made their March from Yorke to VVakefield on their way To meet the Duke who then at Sandall Castle lay Whom at his very gate into the Field they dar'd Whose long expected powers not fully then prepar'd That March his valiant sonne should to his succours bring Wherefore that puissant Lord by speedy mustring His Tenants and such friends as he that time could get Fiue thousand in fiue dayes in his Battalion set Gainst their twice doubled strength nor could the Duke be stayd Till he might from the South be seconded with ayd As in his martiall pride disdaining his poore foes So often vs'd to winne he neuer thought to lose The Prince which still prouok'd th' incensed Duke to fight His maine Battalion rang'd in Sandals loftie sight In which he and the Dukes were seene in all their pride And as Yorkes powers should passe he had on either side Two wings in ambush laid which at the place assign'd His Rereward should inclose which as a thing diuin'd Iust caught as he forecast for scarse his armie comes From the descending banks and that his ratling Drummes Excites his men to charge but Wiltshire with his force Which were of light-arm'd Foot and Rosse with his light Horse Came in vpon their backes as from a mountaine throwne In number to the Dukes by being foure to one Euen as a Rout of wolues when they by chance haue caught A Beast out of the Heard which long time they haue sought Vpon him all at once couragiously doe set Him by the Dewlaps some some by the flanke doe get Some climbing to his eares doe neuer leaue their hold Till falling on the ground they haue him as they would With many of his kind which when he vs'd to wend VVhat with their hornes hoofes could then themselues defend Thus on their foes they fell and downe the Yorkists fall Red Slaughter in her armes encompasseth them all The first of all the fights in this vnnaturall warre In which blind Fortune smild on wofull Lancaster Heere Richard Duke of Yorke downe beaten breath'd his last And Salsbury so long with conquest still that past Inforced was to yeeld Rutland a younger sonne To the deceased Duke as he away would runne A child scarse twelue yeares old by Clifford there surpriz'd Who whilst he thought with teares his rage to haue suffiz'd By him was answered thus Thy father hath slaine mine And for his blood young Boy I le haue this blood of thine And stab'd him to the heart thus the Lancastrians raigne The Yorkist in the field on heaps together slaine The Battell at that Crosse which to this day doth beare The great and ancient name of th' English Mortimer The next shall heare haue place betwixt that Edward fought Entitled Earle of March reuengefully that sought To wreake his fathers blood at Wakefield lately shed But then he Duke of Yorke his father being dead And Iasper Tudor Earle of Pembroke in this warre That stood to vnderprop the House of Lancaster Halfe brother to the King that stroue to hold his Crowne With Wiltshire whose high prowesse had brauely beaten downe The Yorkists swelling pride in that successefull warre At Wakefield whose greatst power of Welsh and Irish are The Dukes were Marchers most which still stucke to him close And meeting on the plaine by that forenamed Crosse As either Generall there for his aduantage found For wisely they surueyd the fashion of the ground They into one maine sight their either Forces make When to the Duke of Yorke his spirits as to awake Three sonnes at once appear'd all seuerally that shone Which in a little space were ioyned all in one Auspicious to the Duke as after it fell out Who with the weaker power of which he seem'd to doubt The proud Lancastrian part had quickly put to chase Where plainly it should seeme the Genius of the place The very name of March should greatly
proud aray tow'rds London march along Which when King Edward saw the world began to side With Warwicke till himselfe he might of power prouide To noble Pembroke sends those Rebels to withstand Six thousand valiant We sh who mustring out of hand By Richard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his brother them doth bring And for their greater strength appointed by the King Th'Lord Stafford of his house of Powick named then Eight hundred Archers brought the most selected men The Marches could make out these hauing Seuerne crost And vp to Cotswould clome they heard the Northern host Being at Northampton then it selfe tow'rds Warwicke wayd When with a speedy march the Harberts that forlayd Their passage charg'd their Reare with neere two thousand horse That the Lancastrian part suipecting all their force Had followed them againe their armie bring about Both with such speed and skill that 〈◊〉 the Welsh got out By hauing charg'd too farre some of their Vaward lost Beat to their 〈◊〉 backe thus as these Legions coast On Danemore they are met indifferent for this warre Whereas three easie hils that stand Trianguler Small Edgcoat ouerlooke on that vpon the West The Welsh encampe themselues the Northerne them possest Of that vpon the South whilst by warres strange euent Yong Neuill who would braue the Harberts in their Tent Leading a troupe of Youth vpon that fatall plaine Was taken by the VVelsh and miserably slaine Of whose vntimely death his friends the next day tooke A terrible reuenge when Stafford there forsooke The army of the Welsh and with his Archers bad Them fight that would for him for that proud Pembroke had Displac'd him of his Inne in Banbury where he His Paramore had lodg'd where since he might not be He back ward shapes his course and leaues the Harberts there T' abide the brunt of all with outcries euery where The clamorous Drummes Fifes to the rough charge do sound Together horse and man come tumbling to the ground Then limbs like boughs were lop'd from shoulders armes doe flie They fight as none could scape yet scape as none could die The ruffling Northern Lads and the stout Welshmen tri'd it Then Head-pieces hold out or braines must sore abide it The Northern men Saint George for Lancaster doe crie A Pembroke for the King the lustie VVelsh replie When many a gallant youth doth desperatly assay To doe some thing that might be worthy of the day Where Richard Harbert beares into the Northern prease And with his Poleaxe makes his way with such successe That breaking through the Rankes he their maine Battell past And quit it so againe that many stood aghast That from the higher ground beheld him wade the crowd As often ye behold in tempests rough and proud O'rtaken with a storme some Shell or little Crea Hard labouring for the land on the high-working Sea Seemes now as swallowed vp then floating light and free O' th top of some high waue then thinke that you it see Quite sunke beneath that waste of waters yet doth cleere The Maine and safely gets some Creeke or Harbor neere So Harbert cleer'd their Host but see th' euent of warre Some Spialls on the hill discerned had from farre Another Armie come to ayd the Northerne side When they which Claphams craft so quickly not espide Who with fiue hundred men about Northampton raisd All discontented spirits with Edwards rule displeasd Displaying in the field great 〈◊〉 dreaded Beare The Welsh who thought the Earle in person had been there Leading a greater power disheartened turne the backe Before the Northerne host that quickly goe to wracke Fiue thousand valiant VVelsh are in chase o'rthrowne Which but an houre before had thought the day their owne Their Leaders in the flight the high-borne Harberts t'ane At Banbury must pay for Henry Neuill slaine Now Stamford in due course the Muse doth come to tell Of thine owne named field what in the fight befell Betwixt braue youthfull Wells from Lincolnshire that led Neere twentie thousand men tow'rd London making head Against the Yorkists power great VVarwicke to abet Who with a puisant force prepared forth to set To ioyne with him in Armes and ioyntly take their chance And Edward with his friends who likewise doe aduance His forces to refell that desperate daring foe Who for he durst himselfe in open Armes to show Nor at his dread command them downe againe would lay His father the Lord Wells who he suppos'd might sway His so outragious sonne with his lou'd law-made brother Sir Thomas Dymock thought too much to rule the other He strangely did to die which so incens'd the spleene Of this couragious youth that he to wreake his teene Vpon the cruell King doth euery way excite Him to an equall field that com'n where they might smite The Battell on this plaine it chanc'd their Armies met They rang'd their seuerall fights which once in order set The loudly-brawling Drummes which seemed to haue feard The trembling ayre at first soone after were not heard For out-cries shreekes and showts whilst noyse doth noyse confound No accents touch the eare but such as death doe sound In thirsting for reuenge whilst fury them doth guide As slaughter seemes by turnes to sease on either side The Southerne expert were in all to warre belong And exercise their skill the Marchmen stout and strong Which to the Battell sticke and if they make retreat Yet comming on againe the foe they backe doe beat And Wels for Warwicke crie and for the rightfull Crowne The other call a Yorke to beat the Rebels downe The worst that warre could doe on either side she showes Or by the force of Bils or by the strength of Bowes But still by fresh supplies the Yorkists power encrease And Wels who sees his troups so ouerborne with prease By hazarding too farre into the boystrous throng Incouraging his men the aduerse troupes among With many a mortall wound his wearied breath expir'd Which sooner knowne to his then his first hopes desir'd Ten thousand on the earth before them lying slaine No hope left to repaire their ruin'd state againe Cast off their Countries coats to hast their speed away Of them which Loose-coat field is cald euen to this day Since needsly I must sticke vpon my former text The bloody Battell fought at Barnet followeth next Twixt Edward who before he setled was to raigne By VVarwicke hence expuls'd but here ariu'd againe From Burgundy brought in munition men and pay And all things fit for warre expecting yet a day Whose brother * George came in with VVarwicke that had stood Whom nature wrought at length t' adhere to his owne blood His brother Richard Duke of Gloster and his friend Lord Hastings who to him their vtmost powers extend And VVarwick whose great heart so mortall hatred bore To Edward that by all the Sacraments he swore Not to lay downe his Armes vntill his sword had rac'd That proud King from his Seat that so had him disgrac'd
Can shew 〈◊〉 like to mine at the lesse Sakeld neere To Edens Bank the like is scarcely any where Stones seuentie seuen stand in manner of a Ring Each full ten foot in height but yet the strangest thing Their equall distance is the circle that compose Within which other stones lye flat which doe inclose The 〈◊〉 of men long dead as there the people say So neere to Loders Spring from thence not farre away Be others nine foot high a myle in length that 〈◊〉 The victories for which these Trophies were begun From darke obliuion thou O Time shouldst haue protected For mighty were their minds them thus that first erected And neere to this againe there is a piece of ground A little rising Bank which of the Table round Men in remembrance keepe and Arthurs Table name But whilst these more and more with glory her inflame Supposing of her selfe in these her wonders great All her attending Floods faire Eden doe entreat To lead them downe to Sea when 〈◊〉 comes along And by her double Spring being mightie them among There ouertaketh Eske from Scotland that doth hye Faire 〈◊〉 to behold who meeting by and by Downe from these Westerne Sands into the Sea doe fall Where I this Canto end as also therewithall My England doe conclude for which I vndertooke This strange 〈◊〉 toyle to this my thirtieth Booke FINIS An Iland lying in the Thames on Essex side Albion fained to be the son of Neptune going ouer into Frāce to fight with Hercules by whom he was vanquished is supposed to leaue his children the Iles of Thanet 〈◊〉 Greane and this Cauney lying in the mouth of 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 of Neptune their grand father See to the latter end of the 18. Song The braue scituation of VValtham 〈◊〉 Hatfield Forest lying lower towards the East betweene Stortford and Dunmovv Many Townes that stand on this Riuer haue 〈◊〉 name as an addition as Kythorp Roding LeadenKoding with many other The fruitfulst Hundred of Essex * Anciently called 〈◊〉 where these ominous signes foreran that great ouerthrow giuen to the Roman Co. lony by the Britans See the 8. Song Chelmsfoid abruptly 〈◊〉 as much to say as the Ford vpon the Riuer Che'mer * Anciently called 〈◊〉 where these ominous signes foreran that great ouerthrow giuen to the Roman Colony by the Britans See the 8. Song Walfleet Oysters Cizicum is a city of Bythinia Lucrinia is a citie of Apulia vpon the Adriatick Sea the Oysters of which places were reckoned for great delicates with the Romans The bones of Gyantlike people found in those parts Medvvay in the 18. Song reciteth the Catalogue of the English Warriors See the 4. Song Sea-voyages The great riuer of Russia The greatest riuer of Danske The greatest wonder of Nature The wonderful Aduenture of Macham Meta Incognita 〈◊〉 Dauisium Suffolke bounded on the South and North. A meeting or Feast os Nymphs 〈◊〉 Hauen The place of her Spring At Gatesend not far thence 〈◊〉 in place the 4. city of England The Dutch a most industrious people Roots and Garden fruits of this Iland So called by the falling of Y ar into the Sea Supposed to be Trumpeters to Neptune The vertuall properties incident to waters as well Seas as Riuers expressed by their name in the persons of Nymphs as hath bin vsed by the Ancients The delicacies of the Sea Sea-Nymphs Nymphs of Riuers Coronets of Flowers The Song of the Sea-Nymphs in praise of Neptune The fountaines of these riuers not farre asunder vet one running Northward the other to the East A description of a flight at Riuer After Pigeons Crowes or such like When they sore as Kites doo Crossing the ayre in their downe-come Lay the Fowles againe into the water The Washes lying betweene Marsh-land and the Sea The Diuels Ditch The great ditch cutting Nevv-market Heath beginneth at Rech endeth at Covvlidge Alias Seuen mile ditch being so much in length from the East side of the riuer 〈◊〉 to Balsham From Hinxston to Horsheath fiue miles From Melburne to Fulmer the shortest of the foure The Vale of Ringdale of the vulgar falsly called Ringtaile This Vale standeth part in 〈◊〉 part in Cambridgeshire A famous Village in the confines of Hartfordshire The Embleme of Cambridge Fuell cut out of the earth in squares like Brickes Famous Ditches or Waterdraughts in the 〈◊〉 Though Ely be in part of Cambridge Shire yet are these Meres for the most part in 〈◊〉 Shire The Towne and Church of Ely The Progresse of the Riuer of Ouze to the German Sea One of the wonders of this Iland After this riuer hath entred Bedford Shire there is scarce any Riuer in this Iland that runneth with so many intricate Gyres and turnings as this Ouze The holy Springs of Harlvveston A little Iland made by this Riuer lying neere Huntingdon Prodigious signes fores running the wars betwixt the houses of Lancaster and Yorke in this Riuer of Ouze In Sussex neere the Sea The Battell at Lincolne The Battell at Saint Edmunds Bury Henry the second The Battell of Levves Prince Edvvard after called Edvvard the first The Battell at Eusham The Conflicts at Burton and Burrough Bridge in the second Barons warres Richard the second borne at Burdeux Jack Stravv kild by the Maior of London with his dagger John Litstar 2 Dyer of Norvvich Henry Spencer the warlike Bishop of Norvvich At Hatfield VVarvvicke Darby Arnndell Nottingham The Battell of Shrevv bury The high courage of Dovvglasse wan him that addition of Doughty Dovvglasse which after grew to a Prouerbe The first Battell of Saint Albans Henry the fourth Men brought out of the Marches of VVales The Battell of 〈◊〉 heath The Battell of Northampton The Riuer running by Northampton The Battell of VVakefield The Battell at MortimersCrosse The second Battell of Saint Albans The Battell of Tovvton A little Riuilet neere to Tovvton running into VVharfe The 〈◊〉 at Hexam A little Riuer neere Hexam The 〈◊〉 of Banbury The Citie of 〈◊〉 to haue bin 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 faction The Battell of Stamford or Loose coat feld The Battell of Barnet George Duke of clarence The Battell at Tevvxbury The murther of Prince Ed. vvard A briefe passage of the Bastard Falkonhridge his Rebellion The Battell of 〈◊〉 Richards fearefull Dreames the night before the Battell The Battell of Stoke The Dutchesse of Burgundy was sister to Edvvard the 4 and so was this Earles mother The Lord Francis Louell The Lord Thomas Geraldine On the coast of 〈◊〉 Sir Thomas Broughton A Field brauely fought Michael Joseph with the Cornisb Rebels The Rebellion of Cornvvall in the third yeere of Edvvard the sixt Sir Thomas VVyat A hill not farre From Dauentry The anclent name of Peterborough The French Sea The Spanish Sea A discription of the Surface of the sundrie Tracts of England The Riuer running by Vxbridge falling into the Thames at Colebrooke See to the 13. Song Here follow the Blazons of the Shires Northimpton for North 〈◊〉
it the more Which in his mightie spirit still rooted did remaine By his too much default whom he imputed slaine At Shrewsbury before to whom if he had brought Supplies that bloody field when they so brauely fought They surely it had wonne for which to make amends Being furnished with men amongst his forraine friends By Scotland entred here and with a violent hand Vpon those Castles ceaz'd within Northumberland His Earledome which the King who much his truth did doubt Had taken to himselfe and put his people out Toward Yorkshire comming on where soone repaid his owne At Bramhams fatall More was fowly ouerthrowne Which though it were indeed a long and mortall fight Where many men were maim'd and many slaine outright Where that couragious Earle all hopes there seeing past Amongst his murthered troups euen fought it to the last Yet for it was atchieu'd by multitudes of men Which with Ralfe Roksby rose the Shreefe of Yorkshire then No well proportion'd fight we of description quit Amongst our famous fields nor will we here admit That of that Rakehel Cades and his rebellious crue In Kent and Sussex raisd at Senok fight that slue The Staffords with their power that thither him pursu'd VVho twice vpon Black heath back'd with the Commons rude Incamp'd against the King then goodly London tooke There ransoming some rich and vp the prisons broke His sensuall beastly will for Law that did preferre Beheaded the Lord Say then Englands Treasurer And forc'd the King to flight his person to secure The Muse admits not here a rabble so impure But brings that Battell on of that long dreadfull warre Of those two Houses nam'd of Yorke and Lancaster In faire Saint Albans fought most fatally betwixt Richard then Duke of Yorke and Henry cald the sixt For that ill-gotten Crowne which him his * Grandsire left That likewise with his life he from King Richard reft When vnderhand the Duke doth but promoue his claime Who from the elder sonne the Duke of Clarence came For which he raised Armes yet seem'd but to abet The people to plucke downe the Earle of Somerset By whom as they gaue out we Normandy had lost And yet he was the man that onely rul'd the roast With Richard Duke of Yorke into his faction wonne Salsbury and Warwicke came the father and the sonne The Neuils nobler name that haue renown'd so farre So likewise with the King in this great action are The Dukes of Somerset and Buckingham with these Were thrice so many Earles their stout accomplices As Pembroke great in power and Stafford with them stand With Deuonshire Dorset Wilt and fierce Northumber land VVith Sidley Bernes and Rosse three Barons with the rest VVhen Richard Duke of Yorke then marching from the west Towards whom whilst with his power King Henry forward set Vnluckily as 't hapt they at Saint Albans met Where taking vp the Street the buildings them enclose Where Front doth answer Front strength doth strength oppose Whilst like two mightie walls they each to other stand And as one sinketh downe vnder his enemies hand Another thrusting in his place doth still supply Betwixt them whilst on heaps the mangled bodies lie The Staules are ouerthrowne with the vnweldy thrust The windowes with the shot are shiuered all to dust The Winters Sleet or Hayle was neuer seene so thicke As on the houses sides the bearded arrowes sticke Where Warwicks courage first most Comet-like appeard Who with words full of Spirit his fighting Souldiers cheerd And euer as he saw the slaughter of his men He with fresh forces fil'd the places vp agen The valiant * Marchmen thus the battell still maintaine That when King Henry found on heaps his Souldiers slaine His great Commanders cals who when they sadly saw The honour of the day would to the Yorkists draw Their persons they put in as for the last to stand The Duke of Somerset Henry Northumberland Of those braue warlike Earles the second of that name The Earle of Stafford sonne to th' Duke of Buckingham And Iohn Lord Clifford then which shed their noble gore Vnder the Castles signe of which not long before A Prophet bad the Duke of Somerset beware With many a valiant Knight in death that had his share So much great English blood for others lawlesse guilt Vpon so little ground before was neuer spilt Proud Yorke hath got the gole the King of all forfaken Into a cottage got a wofull prisoner taken The Battell of Blore-heath the place doth next supply Twixt Richard Neuill that great Earle of Salisbury Who with the Duke of Yorke had at Saint Albans late That glorious Battell got with vncontrouled Fate And Iames Lord Audley stir'd by that reuengefull Queene To stop him on his way for the inueterate spleene Shee bare him for that still he with the Yorkists held Who comming from the North by sundry wrongs compeld To parley with the King the Queene that time who lay In Staffordshire and thought to stop him on his way That valiant Tuchet stir'd in Cheshire powerfull then T' affront him in the field where Cheshire Gentlemen Diuided were th' one part made valiant Tuchet strong The other with the Earle rose as he came along Incamping both their powers diuided by a Brooke Whereby the prudent Earle this strong aduantage tooke For putting in the field his Army in aray Then making as with speed he meant to march away He caus'd a flight of Shafts to be discharged first The enemy who thought that he had done his worst And cowardly had fled in a disordred Rout Attempt to wade the Brooke he wheeling soone about Set fiercely on that part which then were passed ouer Their Friends then in the Reare not able to recouer The other rising banke to lend the Vaward ayd The Earle who found the plot take right that he had layd On those that forward prest as those that did recoyle As hungry in reuenge there made a rauenous spoyle There Dutton Dutton kils A Done doth kill a Done A Booth a Booth and Leigh by Leigh is ouerthrowne A Venables against a Venables doth stand And Troutbeck fighteth with a Troutbeck hand to hand There Molineux doth make a Molineux to die And Egerton the strength of Egerton doth trie O Chesshire wert thou mad of thine owne natiue gore So much vntill this day thou neuer shedst before Aboue two thousand men vpon the earth were throwne Of which the greatest part were naturally thine owne The stout Lord Audley slaine with many a Captaine there To Salsbury it sorts the Palme away to beare Then faire Northampton next thy Battell place shall take Which of th' Emperiall warre the third fought Field doth make Twixt Henry cald our sixt vpon whose partie came His neere and deare Allies the Dukes of Buckingham And Somerset the Earle of Shrewsbury of account Stout Vicount Beaumount and the yong Lord Egremount Gainst Edward Earle of March sonne to the Duke of Yorke With