likewise that my wilfulnesse shall not offend you I tell you husband the noble nature of a woman is such that for their louing friends they will not sticke like the Pellican to pierce their owne hearts to doe them good And therefore forgiuing each other all iniuries past hauing also tride one-anothers patience let vs quench these burning coales of contention with the swéete iuyce of a faithfull kisse and shaking hands bequeath all our anger to the eating vp of this Cawdle Her husband courteously consented and after this time they liued long together in most godly louing and kind sort till in the end she dyed leauing her husband wondrous wealthy CHAP. II. Of Iacke of Newberie his great wealth and number of seruants and also how hee brought the Queene Katharine two hundred and fifty men prepared for the warre at his owne cost against the king of Scots at Floden field NOw Iack of Newberie being a widower had the choice of many wiues mens daughters of good credit widowes of great wealth Notwithstanding he bent his only like to one of his owne seruants whom he had tried in the guiding of his house a yeare or two and knowing her carefulnesse in her businesse faithfull in her dealing an excellent good huswife thought it bettsr to haue her with nothing than some other with much treasure And beside as her qualities were good so was she of very comely personage of a swéet fauour and fairs complexion In the end hee opened his minde vnto her and craued her good will The maid though shée tooke this motion kindly said shee would do nothing without consent of her parents Whereupon a Letter was writ to her father being a poore man dwelling at Alesburie in Buckinghamshire who being ioyfull of his daughters good fortune spéedily came to Newberie where of her master he was friendly entertained who after he had made him good cheare shewed him all his seruants at worke and euery office in his house Within one roome being large and long There stood two hundred Loomes full strong Two hundred men the truth is so Wrought in these Loomes all in a row By euery one a pretty boy Sate making quils with mickle ioy And in another place hard by An hundred women merrily Were carding hard with ioyfull cheere Who singing sate with voices cleere And in a chamber close beside Two hundred maidens did abide In petticoates of Stammell red And milke-white kerchers on their head Their smocke-sleeues like to winter snow That on the Westerne mountaines flow And each sleeue with a silken band Was featly tied at the hand These pretty maids did neuer lin But in that place all day did spin And spinning so with voices meet Like Nightingals they sung full sweet Then to another roome came they Where children were in poore aray And euery one sate picking wool The finest from the course to cull The number was seuen score and ten The children of poore silly men And these their labours to requite Had euery one a penny at night Beside their meat and drinke all day Which was to them a wondrous stay Within another place likewise Full fifty proper men he spies And these were Shearemen euery one Whose skill and cunning there was showne And hard by them there did remaine Full fourscore Rowers taking paine A Dye-house likewise had he then Wherein he kept full forty men And likewise in his fulling Mill Full twenty persons kept he still Each weeke ten good fat oxen he Spent in his house for certaintie Beside good butter cheese and fish And many another wholesome dish He kept a Butcher all the yeere A Brewer eke for Ale and Beere A Baker for to bake his bread Which stood his hushold in good stead Fiue Cookes within his kitchin great Were all the yeare to dresse his meat Sixe scullian boyes vnto their hands To make cleane dishes pots and pans Beside poore children that did stay To turne the broaches euery day The old man that did see this sight Was much amaz'd as well he might This was a gallant Cloathier sure Whose fame for euer shall endure When the old man had séene this great houshold and family then was he brought into the Ware-houses some being fild with wool some with flockes some with wead and madder and some with broadcloathes and kersies ready dyed and drest beside a great number of others same strecht on the Tenters some hanging on poles and a great many more lying wet in other places Sir quoth the old man I wis che zée you bée vominable rich and c ham content you shall haue my daughter and Gods blessing and mine light on you both But Father quoth Iacke of Newberie what will you bestow with her Marry heare you quoth the old man I vaith cham but a poore man but I thong God c ham of good exclamation among my neighbours and they will as zoone take my vice for any thing as a richer mans thicke I will bestow you shall haue with a good will because che heare very good condemnation of you in euery place therefore I hil giue you twenty Nobles and a weaning Calfe and when I dye and my wife you shall haue the reuelation of all my goods When Iacke heard his offer he was straight content making more reckoning of the womans modesty than her Fathers money So the marriage day being appointed all things was prepared méete for the wedding and royall chéere ordained most of the Lords Knights and Gentlemen thereabout were inuited thereunto the Bride being attyred in a gowne of shéepes russet and a kertle of fine woosted her head attyred with a villiment of gold and her haire as yeallow as gold hanging downe behinde her which was curiously combed and pleated according to the manner in those dayes shée was led to Church betwéene two swéete boyes with Bride-laces Rosemary tied about their silken sléeues the one of them was sonne to Sir Thomas Parry the other to Sir Francis Hungerford Then was there a fair Bride-cup of siluer and gilt carried before her wherein was a goodly branch of Rosemary gilded very faire hung about with silken Ribands of all colours next was there a noyse of Musicians that played all the way before her after her came all the chiefest maydens of the Country some bearing great Bride Cakes and some Garlands of wheate finely gilded and so she past vnto the Church It is néedelesse for mée to make any mention here of the Bridegroome who being a man so well beloued wanted no company and those of the best sort beside diuers Marchant strangers of the Stillyard that came from London to the Wedding The marriage being solemnized home they came in order as before and to dinner they went where was no want of good cheare no lacke of melody Rennish Wine at this wedding was as plentifull as Béere or Ale for the Marchants had sent thither ten Tunnes of the best in the Stillyard This wedding endured ten dayes to the great
at this time he bent his force against mée not for any hurt I did him but because I surpast him in hearty affection to my Souereigne Lord and with the poore Widow offered all I had to serue my Prince and Country It were happy for England said the Quéen if in euery market Towne there were a Iybbet to hang vp curres of that kinde who like Aesops dogge lying in the Manger will doe no goodhimselfe nor suffer such as would to doe any This spéech being ended the Quéene caused her Army to be set in order and in warlike manner to march toward Flodden where King Iames had pitcht his field But as they passed along with Drum and Trumpet there came a Past from the valiant Earle of Surrey with tydings to her Grace that now shée might dismisse her Army for that it had pleased God to grant the noble Earle victory ouer the Scotts whom hee had by his wisedome and valiancy vanquished in fight and slaine their King in battell Upon which newes her Maiestie discharged her forces and ioyfully tooke her iourney to London with a pleasant countenance praysing God for her famous victory and yéelding thankes to all the noble Gentlemen and Souldiers for their readinesse in the action giuing many gifts to the Nobilitie and great rewards to the Souldiers among whom shée nothing forgot Iacke of Newbery about whose necke she put a rich chaine of gold at what time he with all the rest gaue a great shout saying God saue Katharine the noble Queen of England Many Noble men of Scotland were taken prisoners at this battell and many more slaine so that there neuer came a greater foile to Scotland than this for you shall vnderstand that the Scottish King made full account to bée Lord of this Land watching opportunity to bring to passe his faithlesse and trayterous practise which was when our King was in France at Turney and Turwin in regard of which warres the Scots vaunted there was none left in England but shepheards and ploughmen who were not able to lead an Army hauing no skill in martiall affaires In consideration of which aduantage hée inuaded the Countrey boasting of victory before he had wonne which was no small griefe to Quéene Margaret his wife who was eldest sister to our noble King Wherefore in disgrace of the Scots and in remembrance of the famous atchieued victory the Commons of England made this Song which to this day is not forgotten of many THE SONG KIng Iamie had made a vowe keep it well if he may That he will be at louely London vpon Saint Iames his day Vpon Saint Iames his day at noon at faire London will I be And all the Lords in merry Scotland they shall dine there with me Then bespake good Queene Margaret the teares fell from her eies Leaue off these wars most noble King keep your fidelity The water runs swift and wondrous deep from bottome vnto the brimme My brother Henry hath men good enough England is hard to winne Away quoth he with this silly foole in prison fast let her lie For she is come of the English bloud and for these words she shall dye With that bespake Lord Thomas Howard the Queenes Chamberlaine that day If that you put Queen Margaret to death Scotland shall rue it alway Then in a rage King Iamie did say away with this foolish Mome He shall be hanged and the other be burned so soone as I come home At Flodden Field the Scots came in which made our Englishmen faine At Bramstone-greene this battell was seen there was King Iamie slaine Then presently the Scots did flie their Cannons they left behinde Their ensignes gay were worne all way our Souldiers did beate them blinde To tell you plaine twelue thousand were slaine that to the fight did stand And many prisoners tooke that day the best in all Scotland That day made many a fatherlesse childe and many a widow poore And many a Scottish gay Lady sate weeping in her bowre Iacke with a feather was lapt all in leather his boastings were all in vaine He had such a chance with a new morrice dance he never went home againe FINIS CHAP. III. How Iacke of Newberie went to receiue the King as he went in progresse into Barkshire and how he made him a banquet in his owne house ABout the tenth yeare of y e kings reigne his Grace made his progresse into Barkshire against which time Iack of Newbery cloathed 30. tall fellowes being his houshold seruants in blew coates faced with Scarcenet euery one hauing a good sword buckler on his shoulder himselfe in a plaine russet coate a paire of white kersie bréeches without welt or guard and stockens of the same péece sowed to his slops which had a great codpéece whereon he stucke his pinnes who knowing the King would come ouer a certaine meadow neere adioining to the Lowne got himselfe thither with all his men and repairing to a certaine Ant-hill which was in the field took vp his seate there causing his men to stand round about the same with their swords drawne The King comming neer the place with the rest of his Nobility and séeing them stand with their drawne weapons sent to know the cause Garret King at Armes was the Messenger who spake in this sort Good fellowes the Kings Maiesty would know to what end you stand here with your swords and bucklers prepared to fight With that Iacke of Newbery started vp and made this answer Harrold quoth he returne to his Highnesse it is poore Iacke of Newbery who being scant Marqnesse of a Mole-hill is chosen Prince of Ants and here I stand with my weapons and Guard about mee to defend and kéep these my póore and painefull subiects from the force of the idle Butterflies their sworne enemies lest they should disturbe this quiet Common-wealth who this Summer season are making their Winters prouision The messenger returning told his Grace that it was one Iacke of Newbery that stood there with his men about him to guard as they say a company of Ants from the furieus wrath of the Prince of Butterflies With this newes the King heartily laught saying Indéed it is no maruell he stands so well prepared considering what a terrible tyrant he hath to deale withall Certainly my Lords quoth hée this séemes to bée a pleasant fellow and therefore we will send to talke with him The messenger being sent told Iacke he must come speak with the King Quoth he his Grace hath a horse and I am on foote therefore will him to come to mée beside that while I am away our enemies might come and put my people in hazzare as the Scots did England while our King was in France How dares the Lambe be so bold with the Lyon quoth she Herald Why quoth hée if there be a Lyon in the field here is neuer a cocke to feare him and tell his Maiesty hée might thinke me a very bad Gouernour that would walke aside
flower of Northumberland Faire Sir how should I take pitty on thee follow my loue come ouer the strand Thou being a foe to our Country and I the faire flower of Northumberland Faire Lady I am no foe he said follow my loue come ouer the strand Through thy sweet loue here was I staid for thee the faire flower of Northumberland Why shouldst thou come here for loue of me follow my loue come ouer the strand Hauing wife and children in thy Countrie and I the faire flower of Northumberland I sweare by the blessed Trinitie follow my loue come ouer the strand I haue no wife nor children I nor dwelling at home in merrie Scotland If courteously you will set me free follow my loue come ouer the strand I vow that I will marry thee so soon as I come in merry Scotland Thou shalt be Lady of Castles and Towres follow my loue come ouer the strand And sit like a Queen in princely bowers when I am at home in faire Scotland Then parted hence this Lady gay follow my loue come ouer the strand And got her fathers ring away to help this sad knight into faire Scotland Likewise much gold she got by sleight follow my loue come ouer the strand And all to help this forlorne knight to wend from her father to faire Scotland Two gallant steeds both good and able follow my loue come ouer the strand She likewise took out of the stable to ride with this knight into faire Scotland And to the Iaylor she sent this ring follow my loue come ouer the strand The knight from prison forth to bring to wend with her into faire Scotland This token set this prisoner free follow my loue come ouer the strand Who straight went to this faire Lady to wend with her into faire Scotland A gallant steed he did bestride follow my loue come ouer the strand And with the Lady away did ride and she the faire flower of Northumberland They rode till they came to a water cleere follow my loue come ouer the strand Good sir how should I follow you here and I the faire flower of Northumberland The water is rough and wonderfull deep follow my loue come ouer the strand And on my saddle I shall not keep and I the faire flower of Northumberland Feare not the foord faire Lady quoth he follow my loue come ouer the strand For long I cannot stay for thee and thou the faire flower of Northumberland The Lady prickt her wanton steed follow my loue come ouer the strand And ouer the riuer swom with speed and she the faire flower of Northumberland From top to toe all wet was she follow my loue come ouer the strand This haue I done for loue of thee and I the faire flower of Northumberland Thus rode she all one winters night follow my loue come ouer the strand Till Edenborow they saw in sight the chiefest towne in all Scotland Now chuse quoth he thou wanton flower follow my loue come ouer the strand Whither thou wilt be my Paramour or get thee home to Northumberland For I haue wife and children fiue follow my loue come ouer the strand In Edenborow they be aliue then get thee home to faire England This fauour shalt thou haue to boote follow my loue come ouer the strand I le haue thy horse goe thou a foote goe get thee home to Northumberland O false and faithlesse knight quoth she follow my loue come ouer the strand And canst thou deale so bad with me and I the faire flower of Northumberland Dishonour not a Ladies name follow my loue come ouer the strand But draw thy sword and end my shame and I the faire flower of Northumberland He took her from her stately Steed follow my loue come ouer the strand And left her there in extreme need and she the faire flower of Northumberland Then sate she downe full heauily follow my loue come ouer the strand At length two knights came riding by two gallant knights of faire England She fell downe humbly on her knee follow my loue come ouer the strand Saying curteous Knights take pitty on me and I the faire flower of Northumberland I haue offended my father deere follow my loue come ouer the strand All by a false knight that brought me here from the good Earle of Northumberland They took her vp behind him then follow my loue come ouer the strand And brought her to her fathers againe and he the good Earle of Northumberland All you faire maidens be warned by me follow my loue come ouer the strand Scots were neuer true nor neuer will be to Lord to Lady nor faire England FINIS After the Kings Maiesty and the Quéene had heard this song swéetly sung by them hee cast them a great reward and so departing thence went to the Fulling-mils and Dye-house where a great many were also hard at worke and his Maiesty perceiuing what a great number of people were by this one man set on worke both admired and commended him saying further that no Trade in all the Land was so much to bée cherished and maintained as this which quoth hée may well be called The life of the poore And as the King returned from this place with intent to take horse and depart there met him a great many of children in garments of white silke fringed with gold their heads crowned with golden Bayes and about their armes each one had a scarfe of gréen sarcenet fast tied in their hands they bore siluer bowes and vnder their girdles golden arrowes The foremost of them represented Diana Goddesse of Chastity who was attended on by a traine of beautifull Nymphes and they presented to the King foure prisoners The first was a sterne and grisly woman carrying a frowning countenance and her forehead full of wrinkles her hayre as blacke as pitch and her garments all bloudy a great sword shee had in her hand all stained with purple gore they called her name Bellona Goddesse of warres who had thrée daughters the first of them was a tall woman to leane and il fauoured that her théeke bones were ready to start out of the shinne of a pale and deadly colour her eyes sunke into her head her legges so féeble that they could scantly carry the body all along her armes hands through the skinne you might tell the sinewes ioints and bones her téeth were very strong and sharpe withall she was so gréedy that shée was ready with her téeth to teare the skinne from her owne armes her attyre was blacke and all torne and ragged she went barefooted and her name was Famine The second was a strong and lusty woman with a looke pittilesse and vnmercifull countenance her garments were all made of Iron and Stéele and she carried in her hand a naked weapon and she was called the Sword The third was also a cruell creature her eyes did sparkle like burning coales her hayre was like a flame and her garments like burning brasse she was
ouer he draue out of the yard all the Sowes why how now quoth the Maides what meane you by this Mary quoth Will these be all sowes and my pennance is but to serue the hogs Is it true quoth they haue you ouertaken vs in this sort Well looke there bee not one hog vnserued wee would aduise you William Sommers script vp his sleeues very orderly and clapt an apron about his motly hosen and taking a paile serued the hogs handsomely When he had giuen them all meat he said thus My taske is duely done My liberty is wonne The hogs haue eate their crabs Therefore farewell you drabs Nay soft friend quoth they the deriest hog of all hath yet had nothing Where the diuell is he said Will that I see him not Wrapt in a motley Ierken quoth they take thy selfe by the nose and thou shalt catch him by the snout I was neuer so very a hog quoth he but I would alway spare from my owne belly to giue a woman If thou doe not say they eate like the prodigall Childe with thy fellow hogs we will so shaue thée as thou shalt déerly repent thy disobedience Hée séeing no remedy committed himselfe to their mercy and so they let him goe When he came to the Court he shewed to the King all his aduenture among the weauers maidens whereat the King and Quéene laughed heartily CHAP. V. Of the pictures which lacke of Newbery had in his house whereby hee incouraged his seruants to seeke for fame and dignitie IN a faire large Parlour which was wainscotted round about Iack of Newberie had fiftéene faire Pictures hanging which were couered with Curtaines of gréene silke fringed with gold which hee would often shew to his friends and seruants In the first was the Picture of a shepheard before whom knéeled a great King named Viriat who sometime gouerned the people of Portugall Sée here quoth Iacke the father a shepheard the sonne a Soueraigne This man ruled in Portugall and made great warres against the Romanes and after that inuaded Spaine yet in the end was traiterously slaine The next was the Portraiture of Agathocles which for his surpassing wisedome and manhood was created King of Sicilia and maintained battaile against the people of Carthage His father was a poore Potter before whom he also knéeled And it was the vse of this King that whensoeuer he made a banquet he would haue as well vessells of earth as of gold set vpon the Table to the intent he might alwaies beare in minde the place of his beginning his Fathers house and family The third was the picture of Iphicrates an Athenian born who vanquished the Lacedomonians in plaine and open battaile This man was Captaine Generall to Artaxerxes King of Persia whose father was notwithstanding a Cobler and there likewise pictured Eumenes was also a famous Captaine to Alexander the great whose father was no other than a Carter The fourth was the similitude of Aelius Pertinax sometime Emperour of Rome yet was his father but a Weauer and afterward to giue example to others of low condition to beare mindes of worthy men he caused the shop to be beautified with Marble curiously cut wherein his father before him was wont to get his liuing The fist was the picture of Dioclesian that so much adorned Rome with his magnificall and triumphant victories This was a famous Emperour although no other than the sonne of a Béeke-binder Valentinian stood the next painted most artificially who was also crowned Emperour and was but the sonne of a poore Rope-maker as in the same picture was expressed where his father was painted by him vsing his trade The seuenth was the Emperor Probus whose father being a Gardener was pictured by him holding a spade The eighth picture was of Marcus Aurelius whom euery age honoureth he was so wise and prudent an Emperour yet was he but a Cloth-weauers son The ninth was the Portraiture of the valiant Emperour Maximinus the son of a Blacksmith who was there painted as he was wont to worke at the Anuill In the tenth table was painted the Emperour Gabianus who at at the first was but a poore shepheard Next to this picture was placed the pictures of two Popes of Rome whose wisedome and learning aduanced them to that dignitie The first was the liuely Counterfeit of Pope Iohn the 22. whose father was a Shoomaker hée being elected Pope encreased their rents and patrimante greatly The other was the Picture of Pope Sixtus the fourth of that name being a poore Marriners son The thirtéenth Picture was of Lamusius King of Lombardy who was no better than the son of a common Strumpet being painted like a naked childs walking in water and taking hold of the poynt of a Launce by the which hee held fast and saued himselfe The reason whereof was this After his lewde mother was deliuered of him shée vnnaturally threw him into a déepe stinking Ditch wherein was some water By hap king Agilmond passed that way and found this childe almost drowned who mouing him softly with the point of his Launce the better to perceiue what hée was the childe though then newly borne tooke hold thereof with one of his pretty hands not suffering it to slide or slip away againe which thing the King considering being amazed at the strange force of this yongue little Infant caused it to be taken vp and carefully to be fostered And because the place where hée found him was called Lama hee named the childe Lamusius who afterward grew to be so braue a man and so much fauoured of Fortune that in the end hee was crowned King of the Lombards who liued there in honour and in his succession after him euen vntill the time of the vnfortunate King Albouina when all came to ruine subuersion and destruction In the fourtéenth picture Primislas King of Bohemia was most artificially drawne before whom there stood an Horse without Bridle or Saddle in a field where Husband-men were at plough The cause why this King was thus painted quoth lacke was this At that time the King of the Bohemians died without issue and great strife being amongst the Nobility for a new king at length they all consented that a horse should bée let into the field without bridle or saddle hauing all determined with most assured purpose to make him their king before whom this horse rested At what time it came to passe that the horse first stayed himselfe before this Primislas being a simple creature who was then busie driuing the plough they presently made him their Souereigne who ordered himselfe and his kingdome very wisely Hée ordaned many good lawes hée compassed the Citie of Prague with strong walles besides many other things meriting perpetuall laud and commendations The fiftéenth was the Picture of The ophrastus a Philosopher a counseller of Kings and companion of Nobles who was but sonne of a Taylor Séeing then my good seruants that these men haue béen aduanced to high estate and Princely
dignities by wisedome learning and diligence I would wish you to imitate the like vertues that you might attaine the like honours for which of you doth know what good fortune God hath in store for you there is none of you so poorely borne but that men of baser birth haue come to great honours The idle hand shall euer goe in a ragged garment and the sloathfull liue in reproach but such as doe lead a vertuous life and gouerne themselues discréetly shall of the best be estéemed and spend their daies in credit CHAP. VI How all the Clothiers in England ioined together with one consent complained to the King of their great hindrance sustained for want of Traffique into other Countries whereupon they could get no sale for their Cloath BY meanes of the warres which our King had with other countries many Merchant strangers were prohibited for comming to England as also our owne Merchants in like sort were forbidden to haue dealings with France or the Low-countries by meanes whereof the Clothiers had most of their cloath lying on their hands and that which they sold was at so low a rate that the money scantly paid for the wooll an workemanship Whereupon they sought to ease themselues by abating the poore workemens wages And when that did not preuaile they turnd away many of their people Weauers Shearmen Spinsters and Carders so that where there was a hundred Looms kept in one towne there was scant fifty and hée that kept twenty put downe tenne Many a poore man for want of worke was hereby vndone with his wife and children and it made many a poore widow to sit with a hungry belly This bred great woe in most places in England In the end lacke of Newberie intended in the behalfe of the poore to make a Supplication to the King and to the end hee might doe it the more effectually hee sent Letters to all the chiefe cloathing townes in England to this effect The Letter VVElbeloued friends and brethren hauing a taste of the generall griefe and féeling in some measure the extremitie of these times I fell into consideration by what meanes we might best expell these sorrowes and recouer our former commodity When I had well thought hereon I found that nothing was more néedefull herein than a faithfull vnity among our selues This sore of necessity can no way be cured but by concord for like as the flame consumes the candle so men through discord waste themselues The poore hate the rich because they will not set them on worke and the rich hate the poore because they séeme burdenons so both are offended for want of gaine When Belinus and Brennus were at strife the Quéen their mother in their greatest fury perswaded them to peace by vrging her conception of them in one wombe and mutuall cherishing of them from their tender yeares so let our Art of Cloathing which like a kinde mother hath cherished vs with the excellence of her secrets perswade vs to an vnity Though our Occupation be decaied let vs not deale with it as men doe by their old shooes which after they haue long borne them out of the myre doe in the end fling them on the dunghill or as the Husband-man doth by his Bées who for their Honey burnes them Deare friends consider that our Trade will maintaine vs if wée will vphold it and there is nothing base but that which is basely vsed Assemble therefore your selues together and in euery towne tell the number of those that haue their liuing by meanes of this Trade note it in a Bill and send it to mée And because sutes in Court are like Winter nights long and wearisome let there be in each place a wéekely collection made to defray charges for I tell you Noble mens Secretaries and cunning Lawyers haue flow tongues and deafe eares which must bée daily noynted with the swéete oyle of Angells Then let two honest discréet men bee chosen and sent out of euery towne to méete mee at Black well Hall in London on All Saints Eeue and then we will present our humble petition to the King Thus I bid you heartily farewell Copies of this Letter being sealed they were sent to all the cloathing Townes of England and the Weauers both of linnen and woollen gladly receiued them so that when all the Bills were brought together there were found of the Clothiers and those they maintained threescore thousand and sixe hundred persons Moreouer euery cloathing Towne sending vp two men to London they were found to bee an hundred and twelue persons who in very humble sort fell downe before his Maiesty walking in S. Iames his Parke and deliuered to him their Petition The King presently perusing it asked if they were all Clothiers Who answered as it were one man in this sort Wee are most gracious king all poore Clothiers and your Maiesties faithfull subiects My Lords quoth the king let these mens complaint bee throughly lookt into and their griefs redressed for I account them in the number of my best Common-wealths men As the Clergy for the soule the Souldier for defence of his countrey the Lawyer to execute iustice the Husbandman to féede the belly so is the skilfull Clothier no lesse necessary for the cloathing of the backe whom we may reckon among the chiefe Yeomen of our Land and as the christall sight of the eye is tenderly to be kept from harmes because it giues the whole body light so is the Clothiers whose cunning hand prouides garments to defend our naked parts from the Winters nipping frost Many more reasons there are which may moue vs to redresse their griefes but let it suffice that I command to haue it done With that his Grace deliuered the Petition to the Lord Chauncellor and all the Clothiers cryed God saue the king But as the king was ready to depart hee suddenly turned about saying I remember there is one Iacke of Newberie I muse hée had not his hand in this businesse who profest himselfe to bee a defender of true Labourers Then said the Duke of Sommerset It may bee his purse is answerable for his person Nay quoth the Lord Cardinall all his treasure is little enough to maintaine warres against the butterflies With that Iacke shewed himselfe vnto the king and priuately told his Grace of their griefe anew To whom his Meiesty said Giue thy attendance at the Councell Chamber where thou shalt receiue an answer to thy content And so his Highnes departed Finally it was agreed that the Marchants should fréely traffique one with another and that Proclamation thereof should bee made as well on the other side the Sea as in our Land but it was long before this was effected by reason the Cardinall being Lord Chancellor put off the matter from time to time And because the Clothiers thought it not best to depart before it was ended they gaue their daily attendance at the Cardinalls house but spent many dayes to no purpose sometime they were
vpon pleasure and leaue my people in perill Herald quoth hée it is written He that hath a charge must looke to it and so tell thy Lord my King The Message being done the King said My Lords seeing it will bee no other wee will ride vp to the Emperour of Ants that is so carefull in his gouernment At the Kings approach Iacke of Newbery and his seruants put vp all their weapons and with a ioyfull cry flung vp their caps in token of victory Why how now my masters quoth the King is your wars ended Let mée sée where is the Lord Generall of this great Campe With that Iacke of Newbery with all his seruants fell on their knées saying God saue the King of England whose sight hath put our foes to flight and brought great peace to the poore labouring people Trust mee quoth our King here bée pretty fellowes to fight against Butterflies I must commend your courage that dares withstand such mighty gyants Most dread Soueraigne quoth Iacke not long agoe in my conceit I saw the most prouident Nation of the Ants summoned their chiefe Péeres to a Parliament which was held in the famous city Dry Dusty the one and twentith day of September whereas by their wisdomes I was chosen their King at what time also many bills of complaint were brought in against diuers il members in the common-wealth among whom the Moule was attainted of high treason to their State and therefore was banished for euer from their quiet Kingdome so was the Grashopper and the Catterpiller because they were not onely idle but also liued vpon the labours of other men amongst the rest the Butterflie was very much misliked but few durst say any thing to him because of his golden apparell who through sufferance grew so ambitious and malapert that the poore Ant could no sooner get an egge into her nest but he would haue it away and especially against Easter which at length was misliked This painted asse tooke snuffe in the nose and assembled a great many other of his owne coate by windie warres to roote this painefull people out of the land that hée himselfe might bée seated aboue them all These were proud Butterflies quoth the King Whereupon I with my men quoth Iack prepared our selues to withstand them tili such time as your Maiestles royall presence put them to flight Tush said the King thou must think that the force of flies is not great Notwithstanding quoth Iacke their gay gownes make poore men affraid I perceiue quoth Cardinall Wolsie that you being a King of Ants doe carry a great grudge to the Butterflies I quoth Iacke wée bée as great foes as the Foxe and the Snake are friends for the one of them being subtle loues the other for his craft but now I intend to be nolonger a Prince because the maiesty of a King hath eclipst my glory so that looking like the Peacocke on my blacke féet makes mée abase my vaine-glorions feathers and humbly yéeld vnto his Maiesty all my Souereigne rule and dignity both of life and goods casting my weapons at his féete to doe any seruice wherein his Grace shall command me God a mercy good Iack quoth the King I haue often heard of thée and this morning I mean to visite thy house Thus the King with great delight rode along vntill hée came to the Townes end where a great multitude of people attended to sée his Maiesty where also Quéen Katharine with all her traine met him Thus with great reioycing of the Commons the King and Queen passed along to this iolly Clothiers house where the good wife of the house with threescore maidens attending on her presented the King with a Bée-hiue most richly gilt with gold all the Bées therein were also made of gold curiously by Art and out of the top of the same Hiue sprung a flourishing gréen trée which bore golden Apples and at the roote thereof lay diuers Serpents seeking to destroy it whom Prudence and Fortitude trode vnder their féet holding this inscription in their hands Loe here presented to your Roiall sight The figure of a flourishing Common-wealth Where vertuous subiects labour with delight And beate the drones to death which liue by stealth Ambition Enuie Treason loathsome serpents be Which seeke the downefall of this fruitfull tree But Lady Prudence with deep searching eye Their ill intended purpose doth preuent And noble Fortitude standing alwaies nye Disperst their power prepar'd with bad intent Thus are they foild that mount with meanes vnmeet And so like slaues are troden vnder feet The King fauourably accepted this Embleme and receiuing it at the womens hands willed Cardinall Wolsie to look thereon commanding it should be sent to Windsor Castle This Cardinall was at that time Lord Chancellor of England and a wonderfull proud Prelate by whose meanes great variance was set betwixt the King of England and the French King the Emperour of Almaine and diuers other Princes of Christendome whereby the trafficke of those Merchants was vtterly forbidden which bred a generall woe through England especially among Clothiers in so much that hauing no sale for their cloath they were faine to put away many of their people which wrought for them as hereafter more at large shall be declared Then was his Maiesty brought into a great Hall where foure long tables stood ready couered and passing through that place the King and Queene came into a faire and large Parlour hung about with goodly Tapistry where was a Table prepared for his Highnesse and the Quéenes Grace All the floore where the King sate was couered with broad cloathes in stead of gréene rushes these were choice péeces of the finest wooll of an Azure colour valued at an hundred pound a cloath which afterward was giuen to his Maiestie The King being set with the chiefest of the Councell about him after a delicate dinner a sumptuous banquet was brought in serued all in glasse the description whereof were too long for mee to write and you to read The great Hall was also filled with Lords Knights and Gentlemen who were attended by no other but the seruants of the house The Ladies of Honour and Gentlewomen of the Court were all seated in another Parlour by themselues at whose table the maidens of the house did waite in decent sort The Seruing men by themselues and the Pages footmen by themselues vpon whom the prentices did attend most diligently During the Kings abiding in this place there was no want of delicates Rhenish wine Claret wine Sarke was as plentifull as small Ale Thus from the highest to the lowest they were serued in such sort as no discontent was found any way so that great commendations redownded vnto the goodman of the house The Lord Cardinall that of late found himselfe galde by the Allegory of the Ants spake in this wise to the King If it should please your Highnesse quoth hée but to note the vain-glory of these Artificers you should finde