born in those calme daies where rest Hath brought a sleepe sluggish securitie But in tumultuous times where mindes adrest To factions are inurd to mutinie A mischiefe not by force to be supprest Where rigor still begets more enmitie Hatred must be beguild with some new course Where states are strong princes doubt their force 130 This and much more affliction would haue said Out of th' experience of a troublous raigne For which his high desires had dearly paide Th' interest of an euer-toyling paine But that this all-subduing powre here staid His faultring tongue and paine r'inforc'd againe And cut off all the passages of breath To bring him quite vnder the state of death 113 In whose possession I must leaue him now And now into the Ocean of new toyles Into the stormie Maine where tempests grow Of greater ruines and of greater spoiles Set forth my course to hasten on my vow O're all the troublous deepe of these turmoiles And if I may but liue t' attaine the shore Of my desired end I wish no more 132 Help on ô sou'raigne Muse helpe on my course If these my toyles be gratefull in thy eyes Or but looke on to cheere my feeble force That I faint not in this'great enterprize And you ô worthy you that take remorse Of my estate and helpe my thoughts to rise Continue still your grace that I may giue End to the worke wherein your worth may liue THE ARGVMENT OF THE FOVVRTH BOOKE Henry the fifth cuts off his enemy The earle of Cambridge that conspir'd his death Henry the fixt maryed vnluckely His and his countryes glory ruineth Suffolke that made the match preferd too hie Going to exile a pirat murthereth What meanes the Duke of Yorke obserud to gaine The worlds goodwill seeking the crowne t' attaine 1 CLose smothered lay the low depressed fire Whose after-issuing flames confounded all Whilst thou victorious Henry didst conspire The wracke of Fraunce that at thy feete did fall Whilst ioyes of gotten spoiles and new desire Of greater gaine to greater deedes did call Thy conquering troupes that could no thoughts retaine But thoughts of glorie all that working raigne 2 What do I feele ô now in passing by These blessed times that I am forst to leaue What trembling sad remorse doth terrefie M' amazed thought with what I do conceiue What doth my pen commit impietie To passe those sacred tropheis without leaue And do I sin not to salute your ghostes Great worthies so renown'd in forraine coasts 3 Who do I see out of the darke appeare Couered almost with clowdes as with the night That here presents him with a martiall cheere Seeming of dreadfull and yet louely fight Whose eye giues courage whose brow hath feare Both representing terror and delight And staies my course and off my purpose breakes And in obraiding wordes thus fiersly speakes 4 Vngratefull times that impiously neglect That worth that neuer times againe shall shew What merites all our toile no more respect Or else standes idlenes asham'd to know Those wondrous Actions that do so obiect Blame to the wanton sin vnto the slow Can England see the best that shee can boast Ly thus vngrac'd vndeckt and almost loft 5 Why do you seeke for fained Palladins Out of the sinoke of idle vanitie That maie giue glorie to the true dissignes Of Bourchier Talbot Neuile Willoughby Why should not you striue to fill vp your lines With wonders of your owne with veritie T' inflame their ofspring with the loue of Good And glorious true examples of their bloud 6 O what eternall matter here is found Whence new immortall Fliads might proceed That those whose happie graces do abound In blessed accents here maie haue to feed Good thoughts on no imaginary ground Of hungrie shadowes which no profit breed Whence musicke like instant delight may grow But when men all do know they nothing know 7 And why dost thou in lamentable verse Nothing but bloudshed treasons sin and shame The worst of timos th' extreame of ils rehearse To raise old staines and to renew dead blame As if the minds of th'evill and peruerse Were not far sooner trained from the same By good example of faire vertuous acts Then by the shew of foule vngodly facts 8 O that our times had had some sacred wight Whose wordes as happie as our swordes had bin To haue prepard for vs Tropheis aright Of vndecaying frames t' haue rested in Triumphant Arkes of perdurable might O holy lines that such aduauntage win Vpon the Sieth of time in spight of yeares How blessed they that gaine what neuer weares 9 What is it ô to do if what we do Shall perish nere as soone as it is donne What is that glorie we attaine vnto With all our toile if lost as soone as wonne O small requitall for so great a doo Is this poore present breath a smoake soone gone Or these dombe stones erected for our sake Which formles heapes few stormie chaunges make 10 Tell great ELIZA since her daies are grac'd With those bright ornaments to vs denide That she repaire what darknes hath defac'd And get our ruyn'd deedes reediside Shee in whose all directing eye is plac'd A powre the highest powers of wit to guide She may commaund the worke and ouersee The holy frame that might eternall bee 11 O would she be content that time should make A rauenous pray vpon her glorious raigne That darknes and the night should ouertake So cleere a brightnes shining without staine Ah no she softens some no doubt that wake For her eternity with pleasing paine And if she for her selfe prepare this good O let her not neglect those of her bloud 12 This that great Monarch Henry seemd to craue When weighing what a holy motiue here Vertue proposd and fit for him to haue Whom all times ought of dutie hold most deare I sighd and wishd that some would take t'ingraue With curious hand so proud a worke to reare To grace the present and to blesse times past That might for euer to our glorie last 13 So should our well taught times haue learn'd alike How faire shind vertue and how soule vice stood When now my selfe haue driuen to mislike Those deedes of worth I dare not vow for good I cannot mone who lose nor praise who seeke By mightie Actions to aduaunce their bloud I must faie who wrought most least honor had How euer good the cause the deedes were bad 14 And onely tell the worst of euery raine And not the intermedled good report I leaue what glorye vertue did attaine At th'euermemorable Agincorte I leaue to tell what wit what powre did gaine Th'assieged Roan Caen Dreux or in what sort How maiestic with terror did aduaunce Her conquering foote on all subdued Fraunce 15 All this I passe and that magnanimous King Mirror of vertue miracle of worth Whose mightie Actions with wise managing Forst prouder bosting climes to serue the North The best of all the best the
From all disturbs to be so long kept free And with such glory to discharge that place And therefore if by such a power thou be Stopt of thy course reckon it no disgrace Sith shee alone being priuiledg'd from hie Hath thys large Patent of eternite 52 This charge the Goddesse gaue when ready straight The subtill messenger accompayned With all her crew of crafts that on her wayt Hastes to effect what shee was counsailed And out shee pours of her mimens conceit Vpon such searching spirits as trauailed In penetrating hidden secrecies Who soone these meanes of misery deuise 53 And boldly breaking with rebellious minde Into theyr mothers close-lockt Treasury They mineralls combustible doe finde Which in stopt concaues placed cunningly They fire and fire imprisoned against kind Teares out away thrusts out his enemy Barking with such a horror as if wroth With man that wrongs himselfe and nature both 54 And this beginning had this cursed frame Which Yorke hath now planted against his King Presuming by his power and by the same His purpose vnto good effect to bring When diuers of the grauest Counsell came Sent from the King to vnderstand what thing Had thrust him into these proceedings bad And what he sought and what intent he had 55 Who with words mildly-sharp gently-seuere Wrought on those wounds that must bee toucht with heed Applying rather salues of hope then feare Least corasiues should desperat mischiefes breed And what my Lord sayd they should moue you here In thys vnseemely manner to proceed Whose worth being such as all the Land admires Hath sayrer wayes then these to your desires 56 Will you whose meanes whose many friends whose grace Can work the world in peace vnto your wil Take such a course as shall your blood deface And make by handling bad a good cause ill How many harts hazard you in thys case That in all quiet plots would ayde you still Hauing in Court a Partie far more strong Then you conceiue prest to redresse your wrong 57 Fy fy forsake thys hatefull course my Lord Downe with these Armes that will but wound your cause What peace may do hazard not with the sword Fly from the force that from your force with-drawes And yeeld and we will mediat such accord As shall dispence with rigor and the lawes And interpose thys solemne fayth of our Betwixt your fault and the offended power 58 Which ingins of protests and proffers kinde Vrg'd out of seeming greese and shewes of loue So shooke the whole foundation of his minde As it dyd all his resolution moue And present seem'd vnto theyr course inclind So that the King would Sommerset remoue The man whose most intollerable pride Trode downe his worth and all good mens beside 59 Which they there vow'd should presently be done For what will not pence-louers willing grant Where dangerous euents depend thereon And men vnfurnisht and the state in want And if with words the conquest will be won The cost is small and who holds breath so scant As then to spare tho' against his dignity Better discend then end in maiestie 60 And here-vpon the Duke dissolues his force Submits him to the King on publique vow The rather to presuming on thys course For that his sonne the Earle of March was now With mightier powers abroad which would enforce His peace which els the King would not allow For seeing not all of him in him he hath His death would but gyue life to greater wrath 61 Yet comming to the King in former place Hys foe the Duke of Sommerset he finds Whom openly reproching to hys face Hee charg'd with treason in the highest kinds The Duke returnes lyke speeches of dysgrace And fiery words bewrayd theyr flaming minds But yet the tryall was for them deferd Till fitter tyme allow'd it to be heard 62 At Westminster a Counsell gathered Deliberats what course the cause should end Of th' apprehended Duke of Yorke whose head Doth now on others doubtfull breath depend Law fiercely vrgd his deed and found him dead Frends fayld to speake where they could not defend Onely the King himselfe for mercy stood As prodigall of lyse nyggard of blood 63 And as if angry with the Lawes of death And why should you sayd he vrge things so far You that invr'd with mercinary breath And hyred tongue so peremptory are Brauing on him whom sorrow prostrateth As if you dyd with poore affliction war And pray on frailty folly hath betrayd Bringing the lawes to wound neuer to ayd 64 Dispence sometyme with sterne seueritie Make not the lawes still traps to apprehend Win grace vpon the bad with clemencie Mercy may mend whom malice made offend Death giues no thanks but checks authority And lyfe doth onely maiestie commend Reuenge dyes not rigor begets new wrath And blood hath neuer glory mercy hath 65 And for my part and my part should be chiefe I am most willing to restore his state And rather had I win him with reliefe Then loose him with despight and get more hate Pitty drawes loue bloodshed as natures griefe Compassion followes the vnfortunate And loosing him in him I loose my power We rule who liue the dead are none of our 66 And should our rigor lessen then the same Which we with greater glory should retaine No let hym lyue his lyfe must giue vs fame The chyld of mercy newly borne againe As often burials is Phisitions shame So many deaths argues a Kings hard raigne Why should we say the law must haue her vigor The law kills him but quits not vs of rigor 67 You to get more preferment by your wit Others to gaine the spoyles of misery Labour with all your power to follow it Shewing vs feares to draw on cruelty You vrge th' offence not tell vs what is fit Abusing wrong-informed maiestic As if our power were onely but to slay And that to sane were a most dangerous way 68 Thus out of pitty spake that holy King Whom mylde affections led to hope the best When Sommerset began to vrge the thing With words of hotter temper thys exprest Deare soueraigne Lord the cause in managing Is more then yours t' imports the publique rest We all haue part it touches all our good And lyfe's ill spard that 's spar'd to cost more blood 69 Compassion here is cruolty my Lord Pitty will cut our throats for sauing so What benefit shall we haue by the sword If mischiefe shall escape to draw on mo Why should we gyue what Law cannot afford To ' be ' accessaries to our proper wo Wisdom must iudge twixt men apt to amend And minds incurable borne to offend 70 It is no priuat cause I doe protest That moues me thus to prosecute his deede Would God his blood and myne had well releast The dangers that his pryde is lyke to breed Although at me he seemes to haue addrest His spight t is not his end he hath decreed I am not he alone hee doth pursue But thorow me
a Generall 90 Who weighing yet his force and theyr desire Turnes him about in priuate to his sonne A worthy sonne and worthy such a Sire Tells him the doubtfull ground they stood vpon Aduising him in secrete to retyre Seeing his youth but euen now begun Would make it vnto him at all no staine His death small fame his flight no shame could gaine 91 To whom th' agreeued sonne as if dysgrac'd Ah Father haue you then selected mee To be the man which you would haue displac'd Out of the role of immortalitie What haue I done thys day that hath defac'd My worth that my hands worke dispisd should bee God shield I should beare home a Cowards name I haue liu'd enough if I can dye with fame 92 At which the Father toucht with sorrowing-ioy Turnes him about shaking his head and sayes O my deere sonne worthy a better day To enter thy first youth in hard assayes And now had wrath impatient of delay Begun the fight and farther speeches stayes Fury thrusts on striuing whose sword should be First warmed in the wounds of th' enemie 93 Hotely these small but mighty minded Bands As if ambitious now of death doe straine Against innumerable armed hands And gloriously a wondrous fight maintaine Rushing on all what euer strength with-stands Whetting theyr wrath on blood and on disdaine And so far thrust that hard 't were to discry Whether they more desire to kill or dye 94 Franke of theyr owne greedy of others blood No stroke they giue but wounds no wound but kills Neere to theyr hate close to theyr worke they stood Hit where they would theyr hand obeyes their wills Scorning the blow from far that doth no good Loathing the crack vnlesse some blood it spills No wounds could let out life that wrath held in Till others wounds reueng'd dyd first begin 95 So much true resolution wrought in those That had made couenant with death before That theyr small number scorning so great foes Made Fraunce most happy that there were no more Sith these made doubtfull how Fate would dispose That weary day or vnto whom restore The glory of a conquest deerely bought Which scarce the Conqueror can think worth ought 96 For as with equall rdge and equa'll might Two aduers winds combat with billowes proude And neyther yeeld Seas skyes maintayne like fight Waue against waue opposd and clowd to clowd So war both sides with obstinate despight With like reuenge and neyther party bowd Fronting each other vvith confounding blowes No wound one sword vnto the other owes 97 Whilst Talbot whose fresh spirit hauing got A meruailous aduantage of his yeeres Carries his vnfelt age as if forgot Whirling about where any neede appeares His hand his eye his wits all present wrought The function of the glorious part he beares Now vrging here now cheering there he flyes Vnlocks the thickest troupes where most force lyes 98 In midst of wrath of wounds of blood and death There is he most whereas he may doe best And there the closest ranks he seueroth Driues back the stoutest powres that forward prest There makes his sword his way there laboureth Th'infatigable hands that neuer rest Scorning vnto his mortall wounds to yeeld Till Death became best muister of the field 99 Then lyke a sturdy Oake that hauing long Against the warrs of fiercest winds made head When with some forst tempestious rage more strong His downe-borne top comes ouer-maistered All the neere bordering Trees hee stood among Crusht with his waighty fall lye ruined So lay his spoyles all round about him slayne T' adorne his death that could not dye in vaine 100 On th' other part his most all-daring sonne Although the inexperience of his yeeres Made him lesse skyld in what was to be done Yet dyd it thrust him on beyond all feares Flying into the mayne Batallion Neere to the King amidst the chiefest Peeres With thousand wounds became at length opprest As if he scornd to dye but with the best 101 Who thus both hauing gaynd a glorious end Soone ended that great day that set so red As all the purple playnes that wide extend A sad tempestious season with essed So much a doe had toyling Fraunce to rend From vs the right so long inherited And so hard went we from what we possest As with it went the blood we loued best 102 Which blood not lost but fast layd vp with heed In euerlasting same is there held deere To seale the memory of thys dayes deed Th' eternall euidence of what we were To which our Fathers we and who succeed Doe owe a sigh for that it touch vs neere Who must not sinne so much as to neglect The holy thought of such a deere respect 103 Yet happy haples day blest-ill-lost breath Both for our better fortune and your owne For what soule wounds what spoyle what shamefull death Had by this forward resolution growne If at S. Albons Wakefield Barnet-heath It should vnto your in famie be showne Blest you that dyd not teach how great a faute Euen vertue is in actions that are naught 104 Yet would thys sad dayes losse had now been all That thys day lost then should we not much playne If hereby wee had come but there to fall And that day ended ended had our payne Then small the loste of Fraunce of Giuen small Nothing the shame to be turnd home againe Compard with other shames But now Fraunce lost Sheds vs more blood then all her winning cost 105 For loosing war abroad at home lost peace Be'ing with our vnsupporting selues close pent And no dissignes for pryde that did increase But our owne throats our owne punishment The working spyrit ceast not tho worke dyd cease Hauing fit time to practise dyscontent And styrre vp such as could not long lye still Who not imployd to good must needs doe ill 106 And now the greefe of our receiued shame Gaue fit occasion for ambitious care They draw the chiefe reproch of all the fame On such as naturally hated are Seeing them apt to beare the greatest blame That offices of greatest enuie beare And that in vulgar eares delight it breedes To haue the hated Authors of misdeodes 107 And therefore easily great Sommerset VVhom enuie long had singled out before VVith all the vollie of disgraces met As the maine marke Fortune had plac'd therefore On whose hard-wrought opinion spight dyd whet The edge of wrath to make it pierce the more Griefe being glad t' haue gotten now on whom To lay the fault of what must light on some 108 Whereon th'againe out-breaking Yorke beginnes To builde new models of his olde desire Se'ing the fayre bootie Fortune for him winnes Vpon the ground of thys enkindled ire Taking th' aduantages of others sinnes To ayde his owne and helpe him to aspire And doubting peace should better scanne deeds past Hee thinks not safe to haue his sword our last 109 Especially sith euery man now prest To innouation doe with rancor swell
THE POETICALL ESSAYES OF SAM DANYEL Newly corrected and augmented AEtas prima canat veneres postrema tumultus AT LONDON Printed by P. Short for Simon Waterson 1599. The Argumentes of these Essayes following THe ciuill wars betweene the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke Musophilus or a defence of learning The Epistle of Octauia to Antonius The Tragedy of Cleopatra corrected The complaint of Rosamond To the Right honorable Sir Charles Blunt Knight Lord Mountioy and Knight of the most Noble order of the Garter and his most worthy Lord. I Do not plant thy great respected name Here in this front to th' end thou shouldst protect These my endeuors from contempt or blame Which none but their own forces must effect Nor do I seeke to win thy more respect Most learned Lord by these Essaies of mine Since that cleere iudgement that did first elect To fauor me will alwaies keepe me thine Nor do I this more honor to assigne Vnto thy worth that is not more hereby Since th' offrings made vnto the powers deuine Enrich not them but shew mens pietie But this I do to th' end if destinie Shall any monument reserue of me Those times should see my loue how willing I That liu'd by thee would haue thee lius with me S. D. THE CIVIL WARS OF ENGLAND BEtween the two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke AEtas prima canat veneres postrema tumultus SAM DANIELL AT LONDON Printed by P. S. for Symon Waterson 1599. THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIRST BOOKE What times forgoe Richard the seconds raigne The fatall causes of this ciuile warre His Vnckles pride his greedte Minions gaine Glosters reuolt and death dcliuered are Herford accusd exild calld backe againe Pretends t' amend what others Rule did marre The King from Ireland hastes but did no good Whilst strange prodigious signes foretoken bloud 1 I Sing the ciuil warrs tumultuous broyles And bloudy factions of a mighty land VVhose people hauty proud with forain spoyles Vpon themselues turne back their conquering hand VVhilst Kin their Kin brother the brother foyles Like Ensignes all against like Ensignes band Bowes against bowes the Crowne against the crowne vvhil'st all pretending right all right throwen downe 2 What furie ô what madnes held you so Deare people to too prodigall of bloud To wast so much and warre without a foe Whilst France to see your spoyles at pleasure stood How much might you haue purchasd with lesse wo Thaue done you honor and your Nephewes good Yours might haue beene what euer lies betweene The Perenei and Alps Aquitayne and Rbeine 3 And yet ô God wee haue no cause to plaine Since hereby came the quiet calme we ioye The blisse of thee ELIZA happie gaine For all our losse for that no other waye The heauens could find then vnite againe The fatall seu'red families that they Might bring forth thee that in thy peace might grow That glory which no age could euer show 4 O sacred Goddesse I no muse but thee Invoke in this great worke I now entend Do thou inspire my thoughts infuse in mee A power to bring the same to happie end Raise vp a worke for latter times to see That may thy glorie and my paines commend Strengthen thy subiect strang thinges to rehearse And giue peace to my life life to my verse 5 And thou Charles Mountioy borne the worldes That hast receiu'd into thy quiet shore delight Me tempest-driuen fortune-tossed wight Tir'd with expecting and could hope no more And cheerest on my better yeares to write A sadder Subiect then I tooke before Receiue the worke I consecrate to thee Borne of that rest which thou dost giue to mee 6 And MEMORIE preseruresse of thinges done Come thou vnfold the wounds the wracke the wast Reucale to me how all the strife begunne Twixt Lancaster and Yorke in ages past How causes counsels and euents did runne So long as these vnhappie times did last Vnintermixt with fictions fantasies I versifie the troth not poetize 7 And to the end we maie with better ease Iudge the true progresse here bigin to showe What weare the times fore going nere to thease That these we maie with better profit knowe Tell how the world fell into this disease And how so great distemperature did growe So shall we see by what degrees it came How thinges grown full do sone grow out of frame 8 Ten kings had now raignd of the Norman race With variable fortune turning chaunce All in two hundreth sixtie one yeares space When Edward third of name and first of Fraunce Possest the crowne in fortunes highest grace And did to greatest state his state aduaunce When England might the largest limits see That euer any king attaind but hee 9 For most of all the rest toyld in vnrest What with wrong titles what with inward broyl Hardlie a true establishment possest Of what they sought with such exceeding toyle For why their power within it self opprest Scarce could breake forth to greatnes al that while Such wo the childhood of this state did passe Before it could attaine to what it wasse 10 For first the Norman conquering all by might By might was forst to keepe what hee had got Altring the lawes chaunging the forme of Right And placing barbarous Customes he had brought Maistring the mighty humbling the poorer wight With grieuous taxes tyranie had sought Scarce laide th' assured groundes to build vpon The chaunge so hatefull in such course begon 11 William his sonne tracing the selfesame wayes The great outworne with war or slaine in peace Onely vpon depressed weakenes prayes And treades down what was likeliest to increase Those that were left being left to wofull daies Had onely powre to wish for some release Whilst giuing beastes what did to men pertaine Tooke for a beast himselfe was after slaine 12 Henrie his brother raignes when he had donne Who Roberts title better to reiect The Norman Duke the Conquerours first sonne Lightens in shew rather then in effect Those greeuances his fatall race begunne Reformes the lawes which soone he did neglect Whose sons being drownd for whō he did prepare Leaues crowne strif to Maud his daughters care 13 Whom Stephen his Nephew falsifying his oath Preuents assailes the Realm obtaines the crown Raising such tumults as torment them both Whil'st both held nothing certainlie their owne Th' afflicted Realme deuided in their troth And partiall faith most miserable growne Endures the while till peace and Stephens death Conclude some hope of quiet to take breath 14 The sonne of Maud from Saxon bloud deriu'd By mothers line succeeds th'vnrightfull king Henrie the second in whose raigne reuiu'd Th' oppressed state and first began to spring And ô if he had not beene too long liu'd T' haue seene th'affliction that his age did bring By his vngodly sonnes then happie man For they against him warr'd for whom hewan 15 All Ireland Scotland th'Iles of Orcades Poytiers Guienna Brittany hee got And leades forth
sorrow from it selfe to thease Recouers strength at home so feeble brought Giues courage to the strong to weaker ease Ads to the state what England neuer sought Who him succeed the forraine bloud out growne Are home born kings by speech and birth our owne 16 Lo hitherto the new borne state in teares Was in her raw and wayling infancie During a hundred two and twentie yeares Vnder the hand of straungers tyranny And now some better strength and youth appeares Which promises a glad recouery For hard beginnings haue the greatest states What with their owne or neighbourers debates 17 Euen like to Rheine which in his birth opprest Strangled almost with rocks and mightie hils Workes out a way to come to better rest Wars with the mountaines striues against their wils Bringes forth his streames in vnitie possest Into the quiet bed he proudlie fils Carrying that greatnes which he cannot keepe Vnto his death and buriall in the deepe 18 So did the worldes proud Mistres Rome at first Striue with a hard beginning warr'd with need Forcing her strong Confiners to the worst And in her bloud her greatnes first did breed So Spaine at home with Moores ere forth it burst Did practize long and in it selfe did bleed So did our state begin with her owne woundes To try her strength ere it enlarg'd her boundes 19 But now comes Richard to succeed his fire Who much the glorie of our armes increast His fathers limits bound not his desire He spreeds the English Ensignes in the East And whilst his vertues would haue raisd him hyer Treason and malice his great actions ceast A faithles brother and a fatall king Cut off his growth of glory in the spring 20 Which wicked brother contrarie to course False John vsurpes his Nephew Arthurs right Gets to the crowne by craft by wrong by force Rules it with lust oppression rigor might Murders the lawfull heire without remorse Wherefore procuring all the worldes despight A Tyrant loth'd a homicide conuented Poysoned he dies disgrac'd and vnlamented 21 Henrie his sonne is chosen king though young And Lewes of Fraunce elected first beguilde After the mightie had debated long Doubtfull to choose a straunger or a child With him the Barons in these times grown strōg Warre for their auncient lawes so long exild He graunts the Charter that pretended ease And kept his owne yet did his owne appease 22 Edward his sonne a martiall king succeedes Iust prudent graue religious fortunate Whose happy ordred raigne most fertile breeds Plentie of mightie spirits to strength his state And worthy mindes to manage worthy deeds Th' experience of those times ingenerate For euer great imployment for the great Quickens the bloud and honour doth beget 23 And had not his mis-lead lasciuious sonne Edward the second intermitted so The course of glorie happilie begunne Which brought him and his fauorites to woe That happy current without stop had runne Vnto the full of his sonne Edwards flo But who hath often seene in such a state Father and sonne like good like fortunate 24 But now this great succeeder all repaires And rebrings-backe that discontinued good He buildes vp strength and greatnes for his heires Out of the vertues that adornd his bloud He makes his subiects Lords of more then theirs And sets their bounds farre wider then they stood Could greatnes haue but kept what he had gote It was enough he did and what he wrought 25 And had his heire surviu'd him in due course What limits England hadst thou found what barre What world could haue resisted so great force O more then men two thunderbolts of warre Why did not time your ioined worth diuorse T' haue made your seuerall glories greater farre Too prodigall was nature thus to doe To spend in one age what should serue for two 26 But now the scepter in this glorious state Supported with strong powre and victorie Was left vnto a child ordain'd by fate To stay the course of what might grow too hie Here was a stop that greatnes did abate When powre vpon so weake a base did lie For lest great fortune should presume too farre Such oppositions interposed are 27 Neuer this Iland better peopled stood Neuer more men of might and mindes addrest Neuer more Princes of the royall bloud If not too many for the publique rest Nor euer was more treasure wealth and good Then when this Richard first the crowne possest Second of name a name in two accurst And well we might haue mist all but the first 28 In this mans raigne began this fatall strife The bloudy argument where of we treate That dearely cost so many ' a Prince his life That spoild the weake euen consum'd the great That wherein all calamitie was rife That memory euen grieues her to repeate And would that time would now this knowledge lose But that t is good to learne by others woes 29 Edward the third being dead had left this child Sonne of his worthy sonne deceasd of late The crowne and Scepter of this Realme to wield Appointing the protectors of his state Two of his sonnes to be his better shield Supposing vnckles free from guile or hate Would order all things for his better good In the respect and honour of their bloud 30 Of these John Duke of Lancaster was one Too great a subiect growne for such a state The title of a king and what h 'had done In great exploits his mind did eleuate Aboue proportion kingdomes stand vpon Which made him push at what his issue gate The other Edmond Langley whose milde sprite Affected quiet and a safe delight 31 With these did interpose his proud vnrest Thomas of woodstocke one most violent Impatient of command of peace of rest Whose brow would shew that which his hart had ment His open malice and repugnant brest Procur'd much mischiefe by his discontent And these had all the charge of king and state Till by himselfe he might it ordinate 32 And in the first yeares of this gouernement Things past as first the warres in Fraunce proceede Though not with that same fortune and euent Being now not followed with such carefull heed Our people here at home growne discontent Through great exactions insurrections breed Priuate respectes hindred the common weale And idle ease doth on the mighty steale 33 Too many kings breed factions in the court The head too weake the members grown too great O this is that which kingdomes doth transport This plague the heauens do for iniustice threat When children rule who euer in this sort Confound the state their auncestors did get For the ambitious once inur'd to raigne Can neuer brooke a priuate state againe 34 And kingdomes euer suffer this distresse For one or manie guide the infant king Which one or manie tasting this excesse Of greatnes and command can neuer bring Their thoughts againe t' obay or to be lesse From hence these insolencies euer spring Contempt of others
takes Of what had past in sleepe and silent night Yet hereof no important reck'ning makes But as a dreame that vanisht with the light The day designes and what he had in hand Left it to his diuerted thoughts vnskand 94 Doubtfull at first he warie doth proceed Seemes not t' affect that which he did effect Or els perhaps seemes as he ment indeed Sought but his owne and did no more expect Then fortune thou art guilty of his deed That didst his state aboue his hopes erect And thou must beare some blame of his great sin That left'st him worse then when he did begin 95 Thou didst conspire with pride and with the time To make so easie an assent to wrong That he that had no thought so hie to clime With fauoring comfort still allur'd along Was with occasion thrust into the crime Seeing others weakenes and his part so-strong And ô in such a case who is it will Do good and feare that maie liue free with ill 96 We will not say nor thinke O Lancaster But that thou then didst meane as thou didst swere Vpon th' Euangelists at Doncaster In th' eie of heauen and that assembly there That thou but as an vpright orderer Sought'st to reforme th' abused kingdome here And get thy right and what was thine before And this was all thou would'st attempt no more 97 Though we might say thinke that this pretence Was but a shadow to th' intended act Because th' euent doth argue the offence And plainely seemes to manifest the fact For that hereby thou mightst win confidence With those whom els thy course might hap distract And all suspition of thy drift remoue Since easily men credit whom they loue 98 But God forbid we should so nerely pry Into the low deepe buried sinnes long past T' examine and conferre iniquity Whereof faith would no memory should last That our times might not haue t' exemplifie With aged staines but with our owne shame cast Might thinke our blot the first not done before That new-made sins might make vs blush the more 99 And let vnwresting charity beleeue That then thy oth with thy intent agreed And others faith thy faith did first deceiue Thy after fortune forc'd thee to this deed And let no man this idle censure giue Because th' euent proues so t was so decreed For ô what counsels sort to other end Then that which frailty did at first intend 100 Whilst those that are but outward lookers on That cannot sound these misteries of state Deemes things were so contriu'd as they are done Holding that policie that was but fate Wondring how strange t was wrought how close begun And thinke all actions else did tend to that When ô how short they come or cast too fare Making the happy wiser then they are 101 But by degrees he venters now on blood And sacrifiz'd vnto the peoples loue The death of those that chiefe in enuy stood As th' Officers who first these dangers proue The treasorer and those that they thought good Bushy and Greene by death he must remoue These were the men the people thought did cause Those great exactions and abusd the lawes 102 This done his cause was preacht with learned skil And th' Archbishop of Canterbury shew'd A pardon sent from Rome to all that will Take part with him and quit the faith they ow'd To Richard as a Prince vnfit and ill On whom the crowne was fatally bestow'd And easie-yeelding zeale was quickly caught With what the mouth of grauity had taught 103 O that this powre from euerlasting giuen The great alliance made twixt God and vs Th' intelligence that earth doth hold with heauen Sacred religion ô that thou must thus Be made to smooth our waies vniust vneuen Brought from aboue earth-quarrels to discusse Must men beguile our soules to winne our wils And make our zeale the furtherer of ils 104 But the ambitious to aduance their might Dispence with heauen and what religion would The armed will finde right or else make right If this meanes wrought not yet another should And this and other now doe all incite To strength the faction that the Duke doth hold Who easily obtained what he sought His vertues and his loue so greatly wrought 105 The king still busied in this Irish warre Which by his valour there did well succeede Had newes how here his Lords reuolted are And how the Duke of Herford doth proceed In these affaires he feares are growne too farre Hastes his returne from thence with greatest speed But was by tempests windes and seas debarr'd As if they likewise had against him warr'd 106 But at the length though late in wales he landes Where thorowly inform'd of Henries force And well aduertisd how his owne case stands Which to his griefe he sees tendes to the worse He leauest ' Aumarle at Milford all those bands He brought from Ireland taking thence his course To Conwaie all disguisd with fourteene more Toth ' Earle of Salisburie thither sent before 107 Thinking the Earle had raisd some forces there Whom there he findes for saken all alone The people in those partes which leuied were B'ing closely shronke away dispersd and gone The king had stayed too long and they in feare Resolued euery man to shift for one At this amasd such fortune he laments Foresees his fall whereto each thing consents 108 In this disturb'd tumultuous broken state Whilst yet th' euent stood doubtfull what should be Whilst nought but headlong running to debate And glittering troupes and armor men might see Fury and feare compassion wrath and hate Confusd through all the land no Corner free The strong all mad to strife to ruine bent The weaker waild the aged they lament 109 And blame their many yeares that liue so long To see the horrour of these miseries Why had not we said they dyde with the strong In forraine fields in honourable wise In iust exploits and lawfull without wrong And by the valiant hand of enemies And not thus now reserued in our age To home confusion and disordered rage 110 Vnto the Temples flocke the weake deuout Sad wailing women there to vow and pray For husbands brothers or their sonnes gone out To bloudshed whom nor tears nor loue could stay Here graue religious fathers which much doubt The sad euents these broyles procure them may As Prophets warne exclaime disswade these crimes By the examples fresh of other times 111 And ô what doe you now prepare said they Another conquest by these fatall waies What must your own hands make your selues a pray To desolation which these tumults raise What Dane what Norman shall prepare his way To triumph on the spoile of your decaies That which nor France nor all the world could doe In vnion shall your discord bring you to 112 Conspire against vs neighbour nations all That enuy at the height whereto w' are growne Coniure the barbarous North and let them call Straunge fury from far distant shores
they want of all And wanting you they nothing theirs can call 30 Here haue you craggy rockes to take your part That neuer will betray their faith to you These trustie mountaines here will neuer start But stand t' obraid their shame that are vntrue Here maie you fence your safetie with small art Against the pride of that confused Crew If men will not these very cliffes will fight And be sufficient to defend your right 31 Then keepe you here and here shall you behold Within short space the sliding faith of those That cannot long their resolution hold Repent the course their idle rashnes chose For that same mercenarie faith they sold With least occasions discontented growes And insolent those voluntarie bands Presuming how by them he chieflie stands 32 And how can he those mightie troupes sustaine Long time where now he is or any where Besides what discipline can he retaine Where as he dares not keepe them vnder feare For feare to haue them to reuolt againe So that it selfe when greatnes cannot beare With her owne waight must needes confusdly fall Without the helpe of other force at all 33 And hither to approach h' will neuer dare Where deserts rockes and hils no succours giue Where desolation and no comforts are Where few can do no good manie not liue Besides we haue the Ocean to prepare Some other place if this should not relieue So shall you tire his force consume his strength And weary all his followers out at length 34 Doe but referre to time and to small time And infinite occasions you shall find To quaile the reble euen in the prime Of all his hopes beyond all thought of mind For manie with the curse what they design'd And bad sucesse obraiding their ill fact Drawes them that others draw from such an act 35 For if the least imagind ouerture But of conceiud reuolt men once espie Straight shrinke the weake the great wil not indure Th' impatient run the discontented flie The friend his friends example doth procure And altogither haste them presently Some to their home some hide others that stay To reconcile themselues the rest betray 36 What hope haue you that euer Bullingbrooke Will liue a subiect that hath tride his fate Or what good reconcilement can you looke Where he must alwaies feare and you must hate And neuer thinke that he this quarrell tooke To reobtaine thereby his priuate state T was greater hopes that hereto did him call And he will thrust for all or else loose all 37 Nor trust this suttle Agent nor his oth You know his faith you tride it before hand His fault is death and now to loose his troth To saue his life he will not greatly stand Nor trust your kinsmans proffer since you both Shew bloud in Princes is no stedfast band What though he hath no title he hath might That makes a title where there is no right 38 Thus he when that good Bishop thus replies Out of a mind that quiet did affect My Lord I must confesse as your case lies You haue great cause your subiects to suspect And counterplot against their subtelties You all good care and honestie neglect And feare the worst what insolence maie doe Or armed fury maie incense them to 39 But yet my Lord feare maie as well transport Your care beyond the truth of what is ment As other wife neglect maie fall too short In not examining of their intent But let vs weigh the thing which they exhort T is Peace submission and a parlament Which how expedient t is for either part T were good we iudged with an vnpartiall hart 40 And first for you my Lord in griefe we see The miserable case wherein you stand Void here of succour helpe or maiestie On this poore promontory of your land And where how long a time your grace may be Expecting what may fall into your hand We know not sinceth ' euent of things do lie Clos'd vp in darknes far from mortall eie 41 And how vnsit it were you should protract Long time in this so dangerous disgrace As though that you good spirit and courage lackt To issue out of this opprobrious place When euen the face of kings do oft exact Feare and remorse in faulty subiects base And longer stay a great presumption drawes That you were guilty or did doubt your cause 42 What subiects euer so inragd would dare To violate a Prince t' offend the bloud Of that renowmed race by which they are Exalted to the glorie of this good What if some things by chance misguided were Which they haue now rebelliously withstood They neuer will proceed with that despight To wracke the state and to confound the right 43 Nor doe I thinke that Bulling brooke can do So blind ambitious to affect the crowne Hauing himselfe no title and doth see Others if you should faile must keepe him downe Besides the Realme though mad will neuer gree To haue a right succession ouerthrowne To raise confusion vpon them and theirs By preiudicing true and lawfull beires 44 And now it may be fearing the successe Of his attempts or with remorse of mind Or else distrusting secret practises He would be glad his quarrell were resignd So that there were some orderly redresse In those disorders which the Realme did find And this I thinke he now fees were his best Since farther actions farther but vnrest 45 And for the impossibility of peace And reconcilement which my Lords obiects I thinke when doying iniury shall cease The cause pretended then surcease th' effects Time and some other Actions may increase As may diuert the thought of these respects Others law of forgetting iniuries Maie serue our turne in like calamities 46 And for his oath my Lord I thinke in conscience True honour would not so be found vntrue Nor spot his bloud with such a fowle offence Against his soule against his God and you Our Lord for bid that euer with th' expence Of heauen and heauenly ioies that shall insue Mortality should buy this litle breath T' indure the horror of eternall death 47 And therefore as I thinke you safely maie Accept this proffer that determine shall All doubtfull courses by a quiet waie Needfull for you fit for them good for all And here my sou'raigne to make longer stay T' attend for what you are vnsure will fall May slippe th' occasion and incense their will For feare that 's wiser then the truth doth ill 48 Thus he perswades euen of a zealous mind Supposing men had spoken as they ment And vnto this the king likewise inclinde As wholy vnto peace and quiet bent And yeelds himselfe to th' earle goes leaues behind Safety Scepter honor gouernment For gone all 's gone he is no more his owne And they rid quite offeare he of the crowne 49 A place there is where proudly raisd there stands A huge aspiring rocke neighbou'ring the skies Whose surly brow imperiously commands The sea his bounds that
defend 107 Vpon these articles in parlament So haynous made inforst and vrgd so hard He was a diugd vnfit for gouernment And of all regall powre and rule debarr'd For who durst contradict the Dukes intent Or if they durst should patiently be heard Desire of change old wrongs new hopes fresh feare Being far the maior part the cause must beare 108 Yet must we thinke that some which saw the course The better few whom passion made not blind Stood carefull lookers on with sad commorse Amazd to see what headlong rage dessignd And in a more considerate discourse Of tragicall euents there of deuind And did or might their grieued harts to ease Vtter their sorrowes in like termes as these 109 What dissolute proceedings haue we here What strange presumptuous disobedience What vnheard sury void of awe or feare With monstrous vnexampled insolence Durst subiects euer here or any where Thus impiously presume so fowle offence To violate the power commanding all And into iudgement maiestie to call 110 O same conceale and doe not carry word To after-comming ages of our shame Blot out of bookes and rase out of Record All monuments memorials of the same Forget to tell how we did lift our sword And enuious idle accusations frame Against our lawfull fou'raigne when we ought His end and our release haue staid not sought 111 Since better yeares might worke a better care And time might well haue cur'd what was amisse Since all these faults fatall to greatnes are And worse desertes haue not beene punisht thus But ô in this the heauens we feare prepare Confusion for our sinnes as well as his And his calamity beginneth our For he his owne and we abusd his powre 112 Thus grieued they when to the king were sent Certaine that might perswade and vrge him on To leaue his crowne and make with free consent A voluntaric resignation Seeing he could no other way preuent The daunger of his owne confusion For not to yeeld to what feare would constraine Would barre the hope of life that did remaine 113 And yet this scarce could worke him to consent To yeeld vp that so soone men hold so deare Why let him take said he the gouernment And let me yet the name the title beare Leaue me that shew and I will be content And let them rule and gouerne without feare O can they not my shadowe now indure When they of all the rest do stand secure 114 Let me hold that I aske no other good Nay that I will hold Henrie doe thy worst For ere I yeeld my crowne I le loose my bloud That bloud that shall make thee and thine accurst Thus resolute a while he firmely stood Till loue of life and feare of being forst Vanquisht th' innated valour of his minde And hope and friends so wrought that he resignd 115 Then to the towre where he remained went The Duke with all the Peeres attended on To take his offer with his free consent And testifie his resignation And there of to informe the parlament That all things might more formally be done And men might rest more satisfide thereby As not done of constraint but wilsingly 116 And forth h' is brought vnto th'accomplishmēt Deckt with the crowne in princely robes that day Like as the dead in other landes are sent Vnto their graues in all their best aray And euen like good did him this ornament For what he brought he must not beare away But buries there his glory and his name Intombd for euermore in others blame 117 And there vnto th' assembly of these states His sorrow for their long indured wrong Through his abusd authority relates Excuses with confessions mixt among And glad he faies to finish all debates He was to leaue the rule they sought for long Protesting if it might be for their good He would as gladly sacrifice his bloud 118 There he his subiects all in generall Assoyles and quites of oth and fealty Renounces interest title right and all That appertaind to kingly dignity Subscribes thereto and doth to witnes call Both heauen and earth and God and saints on hie And all this did he but t' haue leaue to liue The which was all he crau'd that they would giue 119 T is said with his owne hands he gaue the crowne To Lancaster and wisht to God he might Haue better ioy thereof then he had knowne And that his powre might make it his by right And furthermore he crau'd of all his owne But life to liue apart a priuate wight The vanity of greatnes he had tride And how vnsurely standes the foote of pride 120 This brought to passe the lords returne with speed T' acquaint the Parlament with what is done Where they at large publisht the kings owne deed And manner of his resignation When Canterbury vrgd them to proceed Forthwith vnto a new election And Henry make his claime both by discent And resignation to the gouernement 121 Who there with full and generall applause Is straight proclaimd as king and after crownd The other cleane reiected by the lawes As one the Realme had most vnworthy found And yet ô Lancaster I would thy cause Had had as lawfull and as sure a ground As had thy vertues and thy glorious worth For Empire borne for Gouernment brought forth 122 Then had not ô that sad succeeding age Her fieldes engrain'd with bloud her riuers dide With purple streaming wounds of her owne rage Nor seene her Princes slaine her Peeres distroide Then hadst not thou deare country come to wage Warre with thy selfe nor those afflictions tride Of all-consuming discord here so long Too mighty now against thy selfe too strong 123 So had the bloud of thirteene battels fought About this quarrell fatall to our land Haue beene reseru'd with glory to haue brought Nations and kingdomes vnder our commaund So should all that thy sonne and thou had got With glorious praise haue still beene in our hand And that great worthy last of all thy name Had ioind the westerne Empire to the same 124 So should his great imperiall daughter now Th' admired glory of the earth hereby Haue had all this nere bordring world to bow To her immortalized maiestie Then proud Iberus Lord not seeking how T' attaine a false-conceiued Monarchie Had kept his barraine boundes and not haue stood In vaine attemptst ' inrich the seas with bloud 125 Nor interposd his greedy medling hand In other mens affaires t' aduance his owne Nor tyrannisd ouer so manie landes From late obscurity so mighty growne But we with our vndaunted conquering bandes Had lent our Ensignes vnto landes vnknowne And now with more audacious force began To march against th' earths-terror Ottoman 126 Where thou O worthy Essex whose deare blood Reseru'd from these sad times to honour ours Shouldst haue conducted Armies and now stood Against the strength of all the Easterne Powers There should thy valiant hand perform'd that good Against the barbarisme that all deuoures That all the
people that begun Reuenge of wrong and iustice to expect He causd be put to execution One that to doe this murther was elect A base meane man whom few or none would misse Who first did serue their turne and now serues his 15 And to abase the too high state of those That were accusd and lessen their degrees Aumarle Surry Exceter must lose The names of Dukes their titles dignities And what soeuer honour with it goes The Earles their titles and their Signories And all they gote in th' end of Richards raigne Since Glosters death they mustrestore againe 16 By this as if by Ostracisme t' abate That great presumptiue wealth whereon they stand For first hereby impou'rishing their state He kils the meanes they might haue to withstand Then equals them with other whom they hate Who by their spoiles are raisd to hie command That weake and enuied if they should conspire They wracke themselues and he hath his desire 17 And by this grace which yet must be a grace As both they and the world are made belieue He doth himselfe secure and them defuce Thinking not rigor that which life doth giue But what an error was it in this case To wrong so many and to let them liue But errors are no errors but by fate For oft th' euent make soule faults fortunate 18 The parlament which now is held decreed What euer pleasd the king but to propound Confirm'd the crowne to him and to his feed And by their oth their due obedience bound And ô b' it sinne t' examine how this deed How iust t is done and on how fure a ground Whether that Court maie change due course or no Or ought the realme against the realme can do 19 Here was agreed to make all more secure That Richard should remaine for euermore Close-prisoner least the realme might chāce indure Some new reuolt or any fresh vprone And that if any should such broile procure By him or for him he should die therefore So that a talke of tumult and a breath Would serue him as his passing-bell to death 20 Yet reuerent Carlile thou didst there oppose Thy holy voice to saue thy Princes bloud And freely check'st this iudgement and his foes When all were bad yet thou dar'st to be good Be it inrold that time may neuer lose The memory how firme thy vertues stood When powre disgrace nor death could ought diuart Thy glorious tongue thus to reueale thy hart 21 Graue reuerent Lords since that this sacred place Our Auentine Retire our holy hill This place soule of our state the Realmes best grace Doth priuiledge me speake what reason will O let me speake my conscience in this case Least sin of silence shew my hart was ill And let these walles witnes if you will not I do discharge my soule of this soule blot 22 Neuer shall this poore breath of mine consent That he that two and twenty yeeres hath raignd As lawfull Lord and king by iust discent Should here be iudged vnheard and vnaraignd By subiects two Iudges incompetent To iudge their king vnlawfully detaind And vn-brought forth to plead his guiltles cause Barring th' annointed libertie of lawes 23 Haue you not done inough blush to thinke Lay on your harts those hands those hands too rash Know that this staine that 's made doth farther sinke Into your soules then all your blouds can wash Leaue with the mischiefe done and doe not linke Sin vnto sin for heauen and earth will dash This ill accomplisht worke ere it be long For weake he builds that sences wrong with wrong 24 Stopt there was his too vehemēt speech with speed And he sent close to warde from where he stood His zeale vntimely deem'd too much t' exceed The measure of his wit and did no good They resolute for all this doe proceed Vnto that iudgement could not be withstood The king had all he crau'd or could compell And all was done we will not say how well 25 Now Muserelate a wofull accident And tell the bloudshed of these mighty Peeres Who lately reconcild rest discontent Grieu'd with disgrace remaining in their feares How euerseeming outwardly content Yet th' inward touch that wounded honor beares Rosts closely rankling and can find no ease Till death of one side cure this great disease 26 Meanes how to feele and learne each others hart By th' Abbot now of Westminster is found Who secretly disliking Henries part Inuites these Lords and those he ment to sound Feasts them with cost and drawes them on with art And darke and doubtful questions doth propound Then plainer speakes and yet vncertaine speakes Then wishes wel then off abruptly breakes 27 My Lord faith he I feare we shall not finde This long-desired king such as was thought But yet he may doe well God turne his minde T is yet new daies but ill bodes new and nought Some yet speed well though all men of my kind Haue cause to doubt his speech is not forgot That Princes had too little we too much God giue him grace but t is ill trusting such 28 This open-close apparent-darke discourse Drew on much speech and euery man replies And euery man ads heat and wordes inforce And vrge out words for when one man espies Anothers minde like his then ill breedes worse And out breakes all in th' end what closest lies For when men well haue fed th' bloud being warme Then are they most improuident of harme 29 Bewray they did their in ward boyling spight Each stirring other to reuenge their cause One saies he neuer should indure the sight Of that forsworne that wrongs both land and lawes Another vowes the same of his minde right A third t' a point more nere the matter drawes Sweares if they would he would attempt the thing To chaste th' vsurper and replace their king 30 Thus one by one kindling each others fire Till all inflam'd they all in one agree All resolute to prosecute their ire Seeking their owne and Countries cause to free And haue his first that their bloud did conspire For no way else they said but this could be Their wrong-detained honor to redeeme Which true-bred bloud shoulde more then life esteeme 31 And let not this our new-made faithles Lord Saith Surry thinke that we are lest so bare Though bare inough but we will find a sword To kill him with when hee shall not beware For he that is with life and will but stoor'd Hath for reuenge inough and needs not care For time will fit and furnish all the rest Let him but euen attend and doe his best 32 Then of the manner how t' effect the thing Consulted was and in the end agreed That at a maske and common reuelling Which should b' ordaind they should performe the deed For that would be least doubted of the king And fittest for their safety to proceed The night their number and the suddaine act Would dash all order and protect their fact 33 Besides they might vnder the
faire pretence Of Tilts and Turnements which they intend Prouide them horse and armour for defence And all things else conuenient for their end Besides they might hold sure intelligence Among themselues without suspect t' offend The king would think they sought but grace in court Withall their great preparing in this sort 34 A solemne oth religiously they make By intermutuall vowes protesting there This neuer to reueale nor to forsake So good a cause for daunger hope or feare The Sacrament the pledge of faith they take And euery man vppon his sword doth sweere By knighthood honor or what els should binde To assecure the more each others minde 35 And whenal this was done and thought welldone And euery one assures him good successe And easie seemes the thing to euery one That nought could crosse their plot or thē suppresse Yet one among the rest whole mind not wonne With th' ouerweening thought of hot excesse Nor headlong carried with the streame of will Nor by his owne election lead to ill 36 Sober milde Blunt whose learning valor wit Had taught true iudgement in the course of things Knew daungers as they were and th humerous fit Of ware-lesse discontent what end it brings Counsels their heat with calme graue words fit Words welfore thought that from experiēce springs And warnes a warier cariage in the thing Least blind presumption worke their ruining 37 My Lords saith he I know your wisedomes such As that of my aduise you haue no need I know you know how much the thing doth touch The maine of all your states your bloud your seed Yet since the same concernes my life as much As his whose hand is chiefest in this deed And that my foote must go as farre as his I thinke my tongue may speake what needfull is 38 The thing we enterprize I know doth beare Great possibility of good effect For that so many men of might there are That venter here this action to direct Which meaner wights of trust and credit bare Not so respected could not looke t' effect For none without great hopes will follow such Whose powre and honor doth not promise much 39 Besides this new and doubtfull gouernment The wauering faith of people vaine and light The secret hopes of many discontent The naturall affection to the right Our lawfull sou'raignes life in prison pent Whom men begin to pitty now not spight Our wel-laid plot and all I must confesse With our iust cause doth promise good successe 40 But this is yet the outward fairest side Of our disseigne within rests more of feare More dread of sad euent yet vndiscride Then ô most worthy Lords I would there were But yet I speake not this as to deuide Your thoughts from th' act or to dismay your cheere Onely to adde vnto your forward will A moderate feare to cast the worst of ill 41 Danger before and in and after th' act You needs must grant is great and to be waigh'd Before least while we doe the deed protract It be by any of our selues be wraid For many being priuy to the fact How hard it is to keepe it vnbetraid When the betrayer shall haue grace and life And rid himselfe of danger and of strife 42 For though some few contioue resolute Yet many shrinke which at the first would dare And be the formost men to execute If the act and motion at one instant were But intermission suffers men dispute What dangers are and cast with farther care Cold doubt cauils with honor skorneth fame And in the end feare waighes down faith with shame 43 Then in the act what perils shall we finde If either place or time or other course Cause vs to alterth ' order now assign'd Or that then we expect things happen worse If either error or a fainting minde An indiserect amazement or remorse In any at that instant should be found How much it might the act and all confound 44 After the deed the daungers are no lesse Least that our forwardnes not seconded By our owne followers and accomplices Being kept backe or flow or hindered The hastie multitude rush on t' oppresse Confused weaknes there vnsuccored Or raise another head of that same race T' auenge his death and prosecute the case 45 All this my Lords must be considered The best and worst of that which maie succeed That valour mixt with feare boldnes with dread May march more circumspect with better heed And to preuent these mischiefes mentioned Is by our faith our secrefie and speed For euen already is the worke begun And we rest all vndone till all be done 46 And ô I could haue wisht another course In open field t' haue hazarded my bloud But some are heere whose loue is of that force To draw my life whom zeale hath not withstood But like you not of your disseigne the worse If the successe be good your course is good And ending well our honor then begins No hand of strife is pure but that which wins 47 This said a sad still silence hold their minds Vpon the fearefull proiect of their woe But that not long ere forward fury finds Incouraging perswasions on to go We must said they we will our honour bindes Our safety bids our faith must haue it so We know the worst can come t is thought vpon We cannot shift being in we must goe on 48 And on indeed they went but ô not sarre A fatall stop trauersd their headlong course Their drist comes knowne and they discouered are For some of many will be False of force Aumarle became the man that all did marre Whether through indisoretions chance or worse He makes his peace with offring others bloud And shewes the king how all the matter stood 49 Then lo dismaid confusion all possest Th' afflicted troupe hearing their plot discride Then runnes amazd distresse with sad vnrest To this to that to flie to stand to hide Distracted terror knew not what was best On what determination to abide At last despaire would yet stand to the sword To trie what friends would doe or fate afford 50 Then this then that mans ayd they craue implore Post here for helpe seeke there their followers Coniure the frendes they had labor for more Sollicite all reputed fauorers Who Richards cause seem'd to affect before And in his name write pray send messengers To try what faith was left if by this art Anie would step to take afflictions part 51 And some were found some againe draw backe Vncertaine power could not it selfe retaine Intreat they may autority they lacke And here and there they march but all in vaine With desp'rat course like those that see their wracke Euen on the Rockes of death and yet they straine That death maie not them idly find t' attend Their certaine last but worke to meet their end 52 And long they stand not ere the chiefe surprizd Conclude with their deare bloud their tragedie And all the rest disperst run some disguisd
To vnknowne costes some to the shores do flie Some to the woodes or whether feare aduisd But running from all to destruction hye The breach once made vpon a battered state Downe goes distresse no shelter shroudes their fate 53 O now what horror in their soules doth grow What sorrowes with their frendes and nere allyes What mourning in their ruin'd houses now How many childrens plaints and mothers cryes How many wofull widowes left to bow To sad disgrace what perisht families What heires of hie rich hopes their thought smust frame To bace-downe-looking pouerty and shame 54 This slaughter and calamitie forgoes Thy eminent destruction wofull king This is the bloudie comet of thy woes That doth fortell thy present ruyning Here was thy end decreed when these men rose And euen with their this act thy death did bring Or hastened at the least vpon this ground Yet if not this another had beenbe found 55 Kinges Lordes of times and of occasions May take th' aduantage when and how they lift For now the Realme with these rebellions Vext and turmyld was thought would not resist Nor feele the wound when like confusions Should by this meanes be stayd as all men wist The cause be'ing once cut off that did molest The land should haue her peace and he his rest 56 He knew this time and yet he would not seeme Too quicke to wrath as if affecting bloud But yet complaines so far that men might deeme He would t were done and that he thought it good And wisht that some would so his life esteeme As rid him of these feares wherein he stood And therewith eies a knight that then was by Who soone could learne his lesson by his eie 57 The man he knew was one that willingly For one good looke would hazard soule and all An instrument for any villanie That needed no commission more at all A great ease to the king that should hereby Not need in this a course of iustice call Nor seeme to wil the act for though what 's wrought Were his own deed he grieues should so be thought 58 So soule a thing ô thou iniustice art That tortrest both the doer and distrest For when a man hath done a wicked part O how he striues t' excuse to make the best To shift the fault t'vnburthen his charg'd hart And glad to finde the least furmise of rest And if he could make his seeme others sin O what repose what easelie findes therein 59 This knight but ô why should I call him knight To giue impiety this reuerent stile Title of honour worth and vertues right Should not be giuen to a wretch so vile O pardon me if I doe not aright It is because I will not here defile My vnstaind verse with his opprobrious name And grace him so to place him in the same 60 This eaitise goes and with him takes eight more As desperat as himselfe impiously bold Such villaines as he knew would not abhorre To execute what wicked act he would And hastes him downe to Pomfret wherebefore The restles king conuaid was laide in hold There would he do the deed he thought should bring To him great grace and fauour with his king 61 Whether the soule receiue intelligence By her nere Genius of the bodies end And so impartes a sadnesse to the sense Forgoing ruine whereto it doth end Or whether nature else hath conference With profound sleope and so doth warning send By prophetizing dreames what hurt is neere And giues the heauie carefull hart to feare 62 How euer so it is the now sad king Tost here and there his quiet to confound Feeles a straunge waight of sorrowes gathering Vpon his trembling hart and sees no ground Feeles so dayne terror bring cold shiuering Lists not to eat still muses sleepes vnfound His sences droope his steedy eye vnquicke And much he ayles and yet hee is not sicke 63 The morning of that day which was his last After a weary rest rysing to paine Out at a little grate his eyes he cast Vppon those bordering hils and open plaine And viewes the towne and sees how people past Where others libertie makes him complaine The more his owne and grieues his soule the more Conferring captiue-Crownes with freedome pore 64 O happie man faith hee that lo I see Grazing his cattel in those pleasant fieldes O if he knew his good how blessed hee That feeles not what affliction greatnes yeeldes Other then what he is he would not bee Nor chaung his state with him that Scepters weildes O thine is that true life that is to liue To rest secure and not rise vp to gricue 65 Thou sit'st at home safe by thy quiet fire And hear'st of others harmes but feelest none And there thou telst of kinges and who aspire Who fall who rise who triumphs who doe mone Perhappes thou talkst of mee and dost inquire Of my restraint why here I liue alone O know tis others sin not my desart And I could wish I were but as thou art 66 Thrice-happie you that looke as from the shore And haue no venter in the wracke you see No sorrow no occasion to deplore Other mens trauayles while your selues sit free How much doth your sweet rest make vs the more To see our misery and what we bee O blinded greatnes thou with thy turmoyle Still seeking happie life mak'st life a toyle 67 But looke on mee and note my troubled raigne Examine all the course of my vext life Compare my little ioyes with my long paine And note my pleasures rare my sorrowes rife My childhood difrent in others pride and gaine My youth in daunger farther yeares in strise My courses crost my deedes wrest to the worst My honour spoild my life in daunger forst 68 This is my state and this is all the good That wretched I haue gotten by a crowne This is the life that costes men so much bloud And more then bloud to make the same their owne O had not I then better beene t' haue stood On lower ground and safely liu'd vnknowne And beene a heards man rather then a king Which inexperience thinkes so sweet a thing 69 O thou great Monarch and more great therefore For skorning that whereto vaine pride aspires Reckning thy gardens in Illiria more Then all the Empire took'st those sweet retires Thou well didst teach that ô he is not poore That little hath but he that much desires Finding more true delight in that small ground Then in possessing all the earth was found 70 But what do I repeating others good To vexe mine owne perplexed soule the more Alas how should I now free this poore bloud And care-worne body from this state restore How should I looke for life or liuely-hood Kept here distrest to die condemnd before A sacrifice prepared for his peace That can but by my death haue his release 71 Are kings that freedom giue themselues not free As meaner men to take what they maie giue O are
doth deliberate And finding how the certaine right did stand With full consent this man did ordinate The heyre apparent to the crowne and land Then iudge if this the king might nerely touch Although his might were smal his right being much 91 With these the Percyes them confederate And as three heades they league in one intent And instituting a Triumuirate Do part the land in triple gouerment Deuiding thus among themselues the state The Percyes should rule all the North from Trent And Glendowr Wales the Earle of March should bee Lord of the South from Trent and thus they gree 92 Then those two helpes which still such actors find Pretence of common good the kings disgrace Doth fit their course and draw the vulgar mind To further them and aide them in this cafe The king they accusd for cruell and vnkind That did the state and crowne and all deface A periurde man that held all faith in skorne Whose trusted othes had others made for sworne 93 Besides the odious detestable act Of that late murdered king they aggrauate Making it his that so had will'd the fact That he the doers did remunerate And then such taxes daily doth exact That were against the orders of the state And with all these or worse they him assaild Who late of others with the like preuaild 94 Thus doth contentious proud mortality Afflict each other and it selfe torment And thus o thou mind-tortring misery Restles ambition borne in discontent Turn st and retossest with iniquity The vnconstant courses frailty did inuent And fowlst faire order and defilst the earth Fostring vp warre father of bloud and dearth 95 Great seemd the cause and greatly to did ad The peoples loue thereto these crimes rehearst That manie gathered to the troupes they had And many more do flocke from costs disperst But when the king had heard these newes so bad Th'vnlookt for dangerous toyle more nearly perst For bēt t'wards Wales t' appease those tumults there H 'is for'st diuert his course and them forbeare 96 Not to giue time vnto th' increasing rage And gathering fury forth he hastes with speed Left more delay or giuing longer age To th' euill growne it might the cure exceed All his best men at armes and leaders sage All he prepard he could and all did need For to a mighty worke thou goest ô king To such a field that power to power shall bring 97 There shall young Hotespur with a fury lead Meete with thy forward sonne as fierce as he There warlike Worster long experienced In forraine armes shall come t' incounter thee There Dowglas to thy Stafford shall make head There Vernon for thy valiant Blunt shal be There shalt thou find a doubtfull bloudy day Though sicknesse keepe Northumberland away 98 Who yet reseru'd though after quit for this Another tempest on thy head to raise As if still wrong reuenging Nemesis Did meane t' afflict all thy continuall dayes And yet this field he happely might misse For thy great good and therefore well he staies What might his force haue done being ioynd thereto When that already gaue so much to do 99 The swift approch and vnexspected speed The king had made vpon this new-raisd force In th'vnconfirmed troupes much feare did breed Vntimely hindring their intended course The ioyning with the Welsh they had decreed Was hereby stopt which made their part the worse Northumberland with forces from the North Expected to be there was not set forth 100 And yet vndaunted Hotspur seeing the king So nere approch'd leauing the worke in hand With forward speed his forces marshalling Sets forth his farther comming to withstand And with a cheerfull voice incouraging By his great spirit his well imboldned band Bringes a strong host of firme resolued might And plac'd his troupes before the king in sight 101 This day saith he ô faithfull valiaunt frendes What euer it doth giue shall glorie giue This day with honor frees our state or endes Our misery with fame that still shall liue And do but thinke how well this day he spendes That spendes his bloud his countrey to relieue Our holie cause our freedome and our right Sufficient are to moue good mindes to fight 102 Besides th' assured hope of victory That wee may euen promise on our side Against this weake-constrained companie Whom force feare not will and loue doth guide Against a prince whose soule impiety The heauens do hate the earth cannot abide Our number being no lesse our courage more What need we doubt if we but worke therefore 103 This said and thus resolu'd euen bent to charge Vpon the king who well their order viewd And carefull noted all the forme at large Of their proceeding and their multitude And deeming better if he could discharge The day with safetie and some peace conclude Great proffers sendes of pardon and of grace If they would yeeld and quietnes imbrace 104 But this refusd the king with wrath incensd Rage against fury doth with speed prepare And ô faith he though I could haue dispensd With this daies bloud which I haue sought to spare That greater glory might haue recompensd The forward worth of these that so much dare That we might honor had by th' ouerthrown That th' wounds we make might not haue bin our own 105 Yet since that other mens iniquity Calles on the sword of wrath against my will And that themselues exact this cruelty And I constrained am this bloud to spill Then on my maisters on couragiously True-harted subiects against traitors ill And spare not them who seeke to spoile vs all Whose fowle confused end soone see you shall 106 Straight moues with equall motion equall rage The like incensed armies vnto blood One to defend another side to wage Foule ciuill war both vowes their quarrell good Ah too much heare to bloud doth now inrage Both who the deed prouokes and who withstood That valor here is vice here manhood sin The forward st hands doth ô least honor win 107 But now begin these fury-mouing soundes The notes of wrath that musicke brought from hell The ratling drums which trumpets voice cōfounds The cryes th' incouragements the shouting shrell That all about the beaten ayre reboundes Thundring confused murmurs horrible To rob all sence except the sence to fight Well handes may worke the mind hath lost his sight 108 O war begot in pride and luxury The child of wrath and of dissention Horrible good mischiefe necessarie The fowle reformer of confusion Vniust-iust scourge of our iniquitie Cruell recurer of corruption O that these sin-sicke states in need should stand To be let bloud with such a boystrous hand 109 And ô how well thou hadst bene spar'd this day Had not wrong counsaild Percy bene peruers Whose yong vndanger'd hand now rash makes way Vpon the sharpest fronts of the most fierce Where now an equall fury thrusts to stay And rebeat-backe that force and his disperse Then these assaile then those chace backe
againe Till staid with new-made hils of bodies slaine 110 There lo that new-appearing glorious starre Wonder of Armes the terror of the field Young Henrie laboring where the stoutest are And euen the stoutest forces backe to yeild There is that hand boldned to bloud and warre That must the sword in woundrous actions weild But better hadst thou learnd with others bloud A lesse expence to vs to thee more good 111 Hadst thou not there lent present speedy ayd To thy indaungerde father nerely tyrde Whom fierce incountring Dowglas ouerlaid That day had there his troublous life expirde Heroycall Couragious Blunt araid In habite like as was the king attirde And deemd for him excusd that fate with his For he had what his Lord did hardly misse 112 For thought a king he would not now disgrace The person then supposd but prince like shewes Glorious effects of worth that fit his place And fighting dyes and dying ouerthrowes Another of that forward name and race In that hotte worke his valiant life bestowes Who bare the standard of the king that day Whose colours ouerthrowne did much dismaie 113 And deare it cost and ô much bloud is shed To purchase thee this loosing victory O trauayld king yet hast thou conquered A doubtfull day a mightie enemy But ô what woundes what famous worthlyes dead That makes the winner looke with sorrowing eye Magnanimous Stafford lost that much had wrought And valiant Shorly who great glory gote 114 Such wracke of others bloud thou didst behold O furious Hotspur ere thou lost thine owne Which now once lost that heate in thine waxt cold And soone became thy Armie ouerthrowne And ô that this great spirit this courage bold Had in some good cause bene rightly showne So had not we thus violently then Haue termd that rage which valor should haue ben 115 But now the king retires him to his peace A peace much like a feeble sickemans sleepe Wherein his waking paines do neuer cease Though seeming rest his closed eyes doth keepe For ô no peace could euer so release His intricate turmoiles and sorrowes deepe But that his cares kept waking all his life Continue on till death conclude the strife 116 Whos 's harald sicknes being sent before With full commission to denounce his end And paine and griefe enforcing more and more Besiegd the hold that could not long defend And so consum'd all that imboldning store Of hote gaine-striuing bloud that did contend Wearing the wall so thin that now the mind Might well looke thorow and his frailty find 117 When lo as if the vapours vanisht were Which heate of boyling bloud health did breed To cloude the sence that nothing might appeare Vnto the thought that which it was indeed The lightned soule began to see more cleere How much it was abusd notes with heed The plaine discouered falsehood open laid Of ill perswading flesh that so betraid 118 And lying on his last afflicted bed Where death conscience both before him stand Th' one holding out a booke wherein he red In bloudie lines the deedes of his owne hand The other shewes a glasse which figured An ougly forme of fowle corrupted sand Both bringing horror in the hyest degree With what he was and what he straight should bee 119 Which seeing all confusd trembling with feare He lay a while as ouerthrowne in sprite At last commaunds some that attending were To fetch the crowne and set it in his sight On which with fixed eye and heauy cheere Casting a looke O God saith he what right I had to thee my soule doth now conceiue Thee which with bloud I gote with horror leaue 120 Wert thou the cause my climing care was such To passe those boundes nature and law ordaind Is this that good which promised so much And seemd so glorious ere it was attaind Wherein was neuer ioye but gaue a touch To checke my soule to thinke how thou wert gaind And now how do I leaue thee vnto mine Which it is dread to keepe death to resigne 121 With this the soule rapt wholy with the thought Of such distresse did so attentiue weigh Her present horror whilst as if forgote The dull consumed body senceles lay And now as breathles quite quite dead is thought When lo his sonne comes in and takes awaie The fatall crowne from thence and out he goes As if vnwilling longer time to lose 122 And whilst that sad confused soule doth cast Those great accounts of terror and distresse Vppon this counsell it doth light at last How she might make the charge of horror lesse And finding no way to acquit that 's past But onely this to vse some quicke redresse Of acted wrong with giuing vp againe The crowne to whom it seem'd to appertaine 123 Which found lightned with some small ioy shee hyes Rouses her seruaunts that dead sleeping lay The members of hir house to exercise One feeble dutie more during her stay And opening those darke windowes he espies The crowne for which he lookt was borne awaie And all-agrieu'd with the vnkind offence He causd him bring it backe that tooke it thence 124 To whom excusing his presumteous deed By the supposing him departed quite He said ô Sonne what needes thee make such speed Vnto that care where feare exceeds thy right And where his sinne whom thou shalt now succeed Shall still vpbraid thy ' inheritance of might And if thou canst liue and liue great from wo Without this carefull trauaile let it go 125 Nay father since your fortune did attaine So hye a stand I meane not to descend Replyes the Prince as if what you did gaine I were of spirit vnable to defend Time will appease them well that now complaine And ratefie our interest in the end What wrong hath not continuance quite outworne Yeares makes that right which neuer was so borne 126 If so God worke his pleasure said the king And ô do thou contend with all thy might Such euidence of vertuous deeds to bring That well may proue our wrong to be our right And let the goodnes of the managing Race out the blot of foule attayning quite That discontent may all aduauntage misse To wish it otherwise then now it is 127 And since my death my purpose doth preuent Touching this sacred warre I tooke in hand An action wherewithall my soule had ment T' appease my God and reconcile my land To thee is left to finish my intent Who to be safe must neuer idly stand But some great actions entertaine thou still To hold their mindes who else will practise ill 128 Thou hast not that aduantage by my raigne To riot it as they whom long descent Hath purchasd loue by custome but with payne Thou must contend to buy the worlds content What their birth gaue them thou hast yet to gaine By thine owne vertues and good gouernment And that vnles thy worth confirme the thing Thou canst not be the father to a king 129 Nor art thou
earth can bring Skarse equals him in what his raigne brought forth Being of a mind as forward to aspire As fit to gouerne what he did desire 16 His comely body was a goodly seate Where vertue dwelt most faire as lodgd most pure A bodic strong whene vse of strength did get A stronger state to do and to endure Making his life th' example to beget Like spirit in those he did to good in vre Most glorying to aduaunce true vertuous bloud As if he greatnes sought but to do good 17 Who as the chiefe and all-directing head Did with his subiects as his members liue And them to goodnes forced not but lead Winning not much to haue but much to giue Deeming the powre of his his powre did spread As borne to blesse the world not to grieue Adornd with others spoiles not subiects store No king exacting lesse none winning more 18 He after that corrupted faith had bred An ill inur'd obedience for commaund And languishing luxuriousnes had spred Feeble vnaptnes ouer all the land Yet he those long vnordred troupes so led Vnder such formall discipline to stand That euen his soule seemd only to direct So great a bodie such exployts t' effect 19 He bringes abrode distracted discontent Disperst ill humors into actions hie And to vnite them all in one consent Plac'd the faire marke of glorie in their eye That malice had no leasure to dissent Nor enuie time to practise treachery The present actions do diuert the thought Of madnes past while mindes were so well wrought 20 Here now were pride oppression vsury The canker-eating mischeifes of the state Cal'd forth to praie vppon the enemie Whilst the home-burthned better lightned sate Ease was not suffered with a gredie eye T' examine states or priuate wealthes to rate The silent Courtes warr'd not with busie wordes Nor wrested law gaue the contentious swordes 21 Now nothing entertaines th'attentiue care But stratagems assaults surprises fights How to giue lawes to them that conquered were How to articulate with yeelding wights The weake with mercie and the proud with feare How to retaine to giue desarts their right Were now the Arts and nothing else was thought But how to win and maintaine what was gote 22 Here ô were none that priuately possest And held alone imprisoned maiestie Proudly debarring entraunce from the rest As if the praie were theirs by victorie Here no detractor woundes who merits best Nor shameles brow cheeres on impietie Vertue who all her toyle with zeale had spent Not here all vnrewarded sighing went 23 But here the equally respecting eye Of powre looking alike on like desarts Blessing the good made others good thereby More mightie by the multitude of harts The field of glorie vnto all doth lie Open alike honor to all imparts So that the only fashion in request Was to bee good or good-like as the rest 24 So much ô thou example dost effect Being far a better maister then commaund That how to do by doing dost direct And teachest others action by thy hand Who followes not the course that kings elect When Princes worke who then will idle stand And when that dooing good is onely thought Worthy reward who will be bad for nought 25 And had not th' earle of Cābridge with vaine speed Vntimely practizd for anothers right With hope t' aduaunce those of his proper seed On whom yet rule seem'd destined to light The land had seene none of her owne to bleed During this raigne nor no aggrieued sight None the least blacknes interclouded had So faire a day nor any eye lookt sad 26 But now when Fraunce perceiuing from a far The gathering tempest growing on from hence Readie to fall threatning their state to marre They labor all meanes to prouide defence And practising how to preuent this warre And shut out such calamities from thence Do softer here some discord lately growne To hold Ambition busied with her owne 27 Finding those humors which they saw were fit Soone to be wrought and easie to be fed Swolne full with enuie that the crowne should sit There where it did as if established And whom it toucht in bloud to grieue at it They with such hopes and helps sollicited That this great Earle was drawne t' attempt the thing And practises how to depose the king 28 For being of mightie meanes to do the deed And yet of mightier hopes then meanes to do And yet of spirit that did his hopes exceed And then of bloud as great to ad thereto All which with what the gold of Fraūce could breed Being powers inough a climing mind to woo He so imploid that many he had wonne Euen of the chiefe the king relide vppon 29 The wel-known right of the Earle of March alurd A leaning loue whose cause he did pretend Whereby he knew that so himselfe procurd The Crowne for his owne children in the end For the Earle being as he was assurd Vnapt for issue it must needes descend On those of his being next of Clarence race As who by course of right should hold the place 30 It was the time when as the forward Prince Had all prepar'd for his great enterprize And readie stand his troupes to part from hence And all in stately forme and order lyes When open fame giues out intelligence Of these bad complots of his enemies Or else this time of purpose chosen is Though knowne before yet let run on till this 31 That this might yeeld the more to aggrauate Vpon so foule a deed so vilely sought Now at this time t' attempt to ruinate So glorious great disseignes so forward brought Whilst carefull vertue seekes t' aduaunce the state And for her euerlasting honor sought That though the cause were right and title strong The time of dooing it yet makes it wrong 32 And straight an vnlamented death he had And straight were ioyfully the Anchors weighd And all flocke fast aboord with visage glad As if the sacrifize had now beene payd For their good speed that made their stay so sad Lothing the least occasion that delayd And now new thoughts great hopes calme seas fair windes Whith present action intertaines their mindes 33 No other crosse ô Henry saw thy daies But this that toucht thy now possessed hold Nor after long till this mans sonne assaies To get of thine the right that he controwld For which contending long his life he paies So that it fatall seemd the father should Thy winning seeke to staie and then his sonne Should be the cause to loose when thou hadst won 34 Yet now in this so happie a meane while And inter lightning times thy vertues wrought That discord had no leasure to defile So faire attempts with a tumultuous thought And euen thy selfe thy selfe didst so beguile With such attention vppon what was sought That time affoordes not now with care or hare Others to seeke thee to secure thy state 35 Else ô how easie had it beene for thee All the
pretendant race t' haue laid full low If thou proceeded hadst with crueltie Not suffering anie fatall branch to grow But vnsuspicious magnanimitie Shames such effects of feare and force to show Busied in free and open Actions still Being great for being good hates to be ill 36 Which ô how much it were to be requir'd In all of might if all were like of mind But when that all depraued haue conspird To be vniust what saftie shall they find After the date of vertue is expird That do not practize in the selfe-same kind And countermine against deceite with guile But ô what mischiefe feeles the world the while 37 And yet such wronges are held meete to be don And often for the state thought requisite As when the publicke good depends thereon When most iniustice is esteemd most right But ô what good with doing ill is won Who hath of bloud made such a benefite As hath not fear'd more after then before And made his peace the lesse his plague the more 38 Far otherwise dealt this vndaunted king That cheerished the ofspring of his foes And his competitors to grace did bring And them his frendes for Armes and honors chose As if plaine courses were the safest thing Where vpright goodnes sure and stedfast goes Free from that subtile mask't impietie Which this depraued world calles policie 39 Yet how hath fate dispos'd of all this good What haue these vertues after times availd In what steed hath hy-raised valor stood When this continuing cause of greatnes faild Then when proud-growne the irritated bloud Enduring not it selfe it selfe assaild As though that Prowesse had but learnt to spill Much bloud abrode to cut her throte with skill 40 O doth th' Eternall in the course of thinges So mixe the causes both of good and ill That thus the one effects of th' other bringes As what seemes made to blisse is borne to spill What from the best of vertues glorie springes That which the world with miserie doth fill Is th' end of happines but wretchednesse Hath sin his plague and vertue no successe 41 Either that is not good the world holds good Or else is so confusd with ill that we Abused with th' appearing likelihood Run to offend whilst we thinke good to be Or else the heauens made man in furious bloud To torture man And that no course is free From mischiefe long And that faire daies do breed But storms to make more foule times that succeed 42 Who would haue thought but so great victories Such conquests riches land and kingdome gaind Could not but haue establish't in such wise This powreful state in state to haue remaind Who would haue thought that mischief could deuise A way so soone to loose what was attaind As greatnes were but shewd to grieue not grace And to reduce vs into far worse case 43 With what contagion France didst thou insect The land by thee made proud to disagree T'inrage them so their owne swords to direct Vpon themselues that were made sharpe in thee Why didst thou teach them here at home t' erect Trophees of their bloud which of thine should be Or was the date of thy affliction out And so was ours by course to come about 44 But that vntimely death of this Great King Whose nine yeares raign so mighty wōders wrought To thee thy hopes to vs despaire did bring Not long to keepe and gouerne what was gote For those that had th' affaires in managing Although their countries good they greatly sought Yet so ill accidents vnfitly fell That their desseignes could hardly prosper well 45 An infant king doth in the state succeed Skarse one yeare old left vnto others guide Whose carefull trust though such as shewd indeed They waighd their charge more then the world beside And did with dutie zeale and loue proceed Yet for all what their trauaile could prouide Could not woo fortune to remaine with vs When this her Minion was departed thus 46 But by degrees first this then that regaind The turning tide beares backe with flowing chaunce Vnto the Dolphin all we had attaind And fils the late low-running hopes of Fraunce When Bedford who our onely hold maintaind Death takes from vs their fortune to aduaunce And then home strife that on it selfe did fall Neglecting forraine care did soone loose all 47 Nere three score years are past since Bullinbrooke Did first attaine God knowes how iust the crowne And now his race for right possessors tooke Were held of all to hold nought but their owne When Richard Duke of Yorke begins to looke Into their right and makes his title knowne Wakening vp sleeping-wrong that lay as dead To witnes how his race was iniured 48 His fathers end in him no feare could moue T' attempt the like against the like of might Where long possession now of feare and loue Seem'd to prescribe euen an innated right So that to proue his state was to disproue Time law consent oth and allegeance quight And no way but the waie of bloud there was Through which with all confusion he must passe 49 O then yet how much better had it beene T' indure a wrong with peace then with such toyle T' obtaine a bloudie right since Right is sinne That is ill sought and purchased with spoile What madnes vnconstrained to begin To right his state to put the state in broyle Iustice her selfe maie euen do wrong in this No war be'ing right but that which needfull is 50 And yet that oportunity which led Him to attempt seemes likewise him t' excuse A feeble spirited king that gouerned Vnworthy of the Scepter he did vse His enemies that his worth maliced Who both the land and him did much abuse The poeples loue and his apparant right May seeme sufficient motiues to incite 51 Besides the now ripe wrath deferd till now Of that sure and vnfailing Justicer That neuer suffers wrong so long to grow And to incorporate with right so farre That it might come to seeme the same in show T' incourage those that euill minded are By such successe but that at last he will Confound the branch whose root was planted ill 52 Else might the ympious say with grudging spright Doth God permit the great to riot free And blesse the mighty though they doe vnright As if he did vnto their wrongs agree And only plague the weake and wretched wights For smallest faults euen in the highest degree When he but vsing them others to scourge Likewise of them at length the world doth purge 53 But could not ô for bloudshed satisfie The now well-ruling of th'ill-gotten crowne Must euen the good receiue the penaltie Of former sinnes that neuer were their owne And must a iust kings bloud with miserie Pay for a bad vniustly ouerthrowne Then ô I see due course must rightly goe And th' earth must trace it or else purchase woe 54 And sure this king that now the crowne possest Henry the sixt was one whose life was free From that
commaund of vice whereto the rest Of many mighty foueraignes subiectés be And numbred might haue beene among the best Of other men if not of that degree A right good man but yet an euill king Vnfit for what he had in managing 55 Mild meeke of spirit by nature patient No thought t' increase or scarse to keepe his owne Apter for pardoning then for punishment Seeking his bounty not his powre t' haue knowne Far from reuenge soone won soone made content As fitter for a cloyster then a crowne Whose holy minde so much addicted is On th' world to come that he neglecteth this 56 With such a weake good feeble godly king Hath Richard Duke of Yorke his cause to trie Who by th' experience of long managing The warres of Fraunce with supreame dignitie And by his owne great worth with furthering The common good against the enemie Had wrought that zeale and loue attend his might And made his spirit equall vnto his right 57 For now the Duke of Bedford beeing dead He is ordaind the Regent to succeed In Fraunce for fiue yeares where he trauailed Whith ready hand and with as carefull heed To seeke to turne backe fortune that now fled And hold vp falling power in time of need And gote and lost and reattaines againe That which againe was lost for all his paine 58 His time expird he should for fiue yeares more Haue had his charge prolong'd but Sommerset That still had enuide his commaund before That place and honor for himselfe did get Which ans that matter to th' alreadie store Of kindled hate which such a fire doth set Vnto the touch of that confounding flame As both their blouds could neuer quench the same 59 And now the weaknes of that feeble head That doth neglect all care but his soules care So easie meanes of practise ministred Vnto th' ambitious members to prepare Their owne desires to what their humors lead That all good Actions coldly followed are And seurall-tending hopes do wholy bend To other now then to the publique end 60 And to draw on more speedy misery The king vnto a fatall match is led With Rayners daughter king of Sicilie Whom with vnlucky starres he married For by the meanes of this affinitie Was lost all that his Father conquered Euen as if Fraunce had some Erynnis sent T' auenge their wrongs done by the insolent 61 This marriage was the Duke of Suffolks deed With great rewardes won to effect the same Which made him that he tooke so little heed Vnto his countries good or his owne shame Being a match could stand vs in no steed For strength for wealth for reputation fame But cunningly contriued for their gaine To cost vs more then Aniou Mauns and Maine 62 And yet as if he had accomplished Some mighty benefit vnto the land He gote his trauailes to be registred In Parliment for euermore to stand A witnes to approue all what he did To th' end that if hereafter it were scand Autoritie might yet be on his side As doing nought but what was ratifide 63 Imagining th' allowance of that place Would make that good the which he knew was naught And so would his negotiation grace As none would thinke it was his priuat faut Wherein though wit dealt wary in this case Yet in the end it selfe it ouer raught Striuing to hide he opened it the more His after care shewd craft had gone before 64 Deare didst thou buy ô king so faire a wife So rare a spirit so high a minde the while Whose portion was destruction dowry strife Whose bed was sorrow whose imbracing spoile Whose maintenance cost thee and thine their life And whose best comfort neuer was but toyle What Paris brought this booty of desire To set our mighty Ilium here on fire 65 I grieue that I am forst to say thus much To blame her that I yet must wonder at Whos 's so sweet beauty wit and worth were such As euerlasting admiration gat Yet doth my countries zeale so nerely touch That I am drawne to say I know not what And yet ô that my pen should euer giue Staine to that sex by whom her fame doth liue 66 For sure those vertues well deserud a crowne And had it not beene ours no doubt she might Haue matcht the worthiest that the world hath known And now sate faire with fame with glorie bright But comming in the way where sin was grown So foule and thicke it was her chance to light Amidst that grosse infection of those times And so came staind with blacke disgracefull crimes 67 And some the world must haue on whom to lay The heauie burthen of reproach and blame Against whose deedes th' afflicted may inuay As th' only Authors whence destruction came When yet perhaps t was not in them to stay The current of that streame nor helpe the same But liuing in the eie of Action so Not hindring it are thought to draw on wo. 68 So much vnhappie doth the mightie stand That stand on other then their owne defence When as distruction is so neare at hand That if by weakenes folly negligence They do not comming miserie withstand They shall be thought th'authors of the offence And to call in that which they kept not out And curst as those that brought those plagues about 69 And so remaine for euer registred In that eternall booke of infamie When ô how many other causes lead As well to that as their iniquitie The worst complots oftly close smothered And well ment deedes fall out vnluckily Whilst the aggrieued stand not t'waigh th' intent But euer iudge according to th' euent 70 I say not this t' excuse thy Sinne ô Queene Nor cleare their faults that mightie Actors are I cannot but affirme thy pride hath beene A speciall meanes this commonwealth to marre And that thy way ward will was plainly seene In vaine ambition to presume too farre And that by thee the onely way was wrought The Duke of Gloster to his death was brought 71 A man though seeming in thy thought to sit Betweene the light of thy desires and thee Yet did his taking thence plainly permit Others to looke to that they could not see During his life nor would aduenture it When his remoue quite made that passage free So by his fall thinking to stand alone Hardly could stand at all when he was gone 72 For this Duke as Protector many yeares Had rul'd the land during the kings young age And now the selfe same charge and title beares As if he still were in his pupillage With such disgrace vnto the Queene appeares That all incensd with an ambitious rage She doth conspire to haue him made awaie As who the course of her maine will doth staie 73 Thrust thereinto not onely with her pride But by her fathers counsell and consent That grieu'd likewise that any else beside Should haue the honor of the gouernment And therfore he such deepe aduise applide As forraine
craft and cunning could inuent To circumuent an vnsuspecting wight Before he should discerne of their despight 74 And manie ready hands shee straight doth find To aide her deede of such as could not brooke The length of one mans office in that kind That to himselfe th' affaires all wholly tooke And ruling all had neuer any minde T' impart a part with others that would looke To haue likewise some honor in their hands And grieu'd at such ingrossing of commaunds 75 And had he not had such a greedy loue Of still continuing of his charge too long Enuie had beene vnable to reproue His acted life without shee did him wrong But hauing liu'd so manie yeeres aboue He grieues now to descend to be lesse strong And kils that fame that vertue did beget Chose to be held lesse good then seene lesse great 76 O could the mighty but giue bounds to pride And weigh backe fortune ere shee pull them downe Contented with inough with honors satisfide Not striuing how to make so much their owne As to leaue nothing for the rest beside Who seeme by their high spreading ouergrowne Whilst they themselues remaine in all mens sight The odious marke of hatred and dispight 77 Then should not ô so many tragedies Burthen our knowledge with their bloudy end Nor their disgrac'd confounded families From so hye pride to so low shame descend But planted on that ground where safety lies Their branches should to eternity extend But euer those that ouerlooke so much Must ouersee themselues their state is such 78 Seuere he was and strictly did obserue Due forme of Iustice towardes euery wight Vnmoueable and neuer won to swerue For any cause in what he thought was right Wherein although he did so well deserue In the licentious yet it bread despight So that euen vertue seemes an Actor too To ruine those fortune prepares to vndoo 79 Those thus prouided whom the Queene wel knew Hated his might and glad to inoouate Vnto so great and strong a party grew As easie t' was to ouerthrow his state And onely hope of alteration drew Manie to yeeld that had no cause to hate For euen with goodnes men grow discontent Where states are ripe to fall and vertue spent 80 And taking all the rule into her hand Vnder the shadowe of that feeble king The Duke sh' excludes from office and command And in the reach of enmity doth bring From that respected height where he did stand Whilst malice scarce durst mutter anything When straight the worst of him comes all reueald Which former feare or rigor kept conceald 81 Now is he taxed that he rather sought His priuate profit then the publique good And many things presumptuously had wrought Other then with our lawes and customes stood As one that would into the land haue brought The ciuile forme in cases touching bloud And such poore crimes that shewd their spight was sound But yet bewraide their matter wanted ground 82 Yet seru'd they well the turne and did effect That which is easie wrought in such a case Where what suborned Iustice shall obiect Is to the purpose and must passe with grace And what the wretched bring of no effect Whose hainous faults his matter must deface For where powre hath decreed to find th' oftence The cause is better still then the defence 83 A Parlament at Berry summoned Dispatcht the deed more speedily then well For thither came the Duke without all dread Or ought imagining of what befell Where as the matter is so followed That he conuented is ere he could tell He was in danger or had done offence And presently to prison sent from thence 84 Which quicke and sodaine action gaue no time For men to weigh the iustice of the deed Whilst looking only on the vrged crime Vnto the farther drift they take no heed For these occasions taken in the prime Of courses new that old dislikes succeed Leaue not behind that feeling touch of wrong Sacietie makes passions still lesse strong 85 And yet they seem'd some mutiny to doubt For thus proceeding with a man of might Seeing he was most popular and stout And resolute would stand vpon his right And therefore did they cast this way about To haue him closely murdred out of sight That so his trouble and his death hereby Might come togither and togither dye 86 Reekning it better since his end is ment And must be wrought at once to rid it cleere And put it to the fortune of th' euent Then by long doing to be long in feare When in such courses of high punishment The deed and the attempt like daunger beare And oft things done perhaps doe lesse anoy Then may the doing handled with delay 87 And so they had it straight accomplished For that day after his committing he Is dead brought foorth being found so in his bed Which was by sodaine sicknes said to bee That had vpon his sorrowes gathered As by apparant to kens men might see And thus ô Sicknes thou art oft belide When death hath many waies to come beside 88 Are these the deedes hye forraine wits inuent Is this that wisedome whereof they so boast O then I would it neuer had beene spent Here amongst vs nor brought from out their coast O let their cunning in their limits pent Remaine amongst themselues that like it most And let the North they count of colder bloud Beheld more grosse so it remaine more good 89 Let them haue fairer citties goodlier soiles And sweeter fields for beautie to theeie So long as they haue these vngodly wiles Such detestable vile impietie And let vs want their vines their fruites the whiles So that we want not faith and honestie We care not for those pleasures so we may Haue better harts and stronger hands then they 90 Neptune keepe out from thy imbraced Ile This foule contagion of iniquitie Drowne all corruptions comming to defile Our faire proceedings ordred formally Keepe vs mere English let not craft beguile Honor and Iustice with strang subtiltie Let vs not thinke that that our good can frame Which ruinde hath the Authors of the same 91 But by this impious meanes that worthy man Is brought vnto this lamentable end And now that current with maine fury ran The stop remou'd that did the course defend Vnto the full of mischiefe that began T' a vniuersall ruine to extend That Isthmus failing which the land did keepe From the intire possession of the deepe 92 And now the king alone all open lay No vnderprop of bloud to stay him by None but himselfe standes weakely in the way Twixt Yorke and the affected sou'raignty Gone is that barre that would haue beene the stay T' haue kept him backe from mounting vp so hie But ô in what a state stand these men in That cannot liue without nor with their kin 93 The Queene hath yet by this her full desire And now she with her minion Suffolke raignes Now shee hath all authority intire And all affaires
vnto her selfe retaines And only Suffolke is aduanced hyre He is the man rewarded for his paines He that did her insteed most chiefly stand And more aduanc'd her then he did the land 94 Which when they saw who better did expect Then they beganne their error to descry And well perceiue that only the defect Was in their iudgements passion-drawne awry Found formall rigour fitter to direct Then pride and insolent inconstancie Better seuerity that 's right and iust Then impotent affections led with lust 95 And there upon in sorrow thus complaine O what great inconuenience do they feele Where as such imbecility doth raigne As so neglectes the care of common weale Where euer one or other doth obtaine So high a grace thus absolute to deale The whilst th'aggreieued subiect suffers still The pride of some predominating will 96 And euer one remou'd a worse succeedes So that the best that we can hope is warre Tumults and stirres that this disliking breedes The sword must mend what insolence doth marre For what rebellions and what bloudy deedes Haue euer followed where such courses are What oft remoues what death of counsailers What murder what exile of officers 97 Witnes the Spencers Gaueston and Vere The mighty minions of our feeblest kings Who euer subiects to their subiects were And only the procurers of these things When worthy Monarches that hold honor deare Maister themselues and theirs which euer brings That vniuersall reuerence and respect For who waighes him that doth himselfe neglect 98 And yet our case is like to be farre worse Hauing a king though not so bent to ill Yet so neglecting good that giuing force By giuing leaue doth all good order kill Suffring a violent woman take her course To manage all according to her will Which how she doth begin her deeds expresse And what will be the end our selues may gesse 99 Thus well they deem'd what after followed When now the shamefull losse of Fraunce much Which vnto Suffolke is attributed As who in all mens sight most hatefull liues grieues He with the enemy consedered Betraies the state and secret knowledge giues Of all our strength that all which we did hold By his corruption is or lost or sold. 100 And as he deales abroad so likewise here He robs at home the treasurie no lesse Here where he all authorities doth beare And makes a Monopoly of offices He is inricht h 'is raisd and placed neere And only he giues counsaile to oppresse Thus men obiect whilst many vp in armes Offer to be reuenged of these harmes 101 The Queene perceiuing in what case shee stood To loose her minion or ingage her state After with long contention in her bloud Loue and ambition did the cause debate Shee yeeldes to pride and rather thought it good To sacrifice her loue vnto their hate Then to aduenture else the losse of all Which by maintaining him was like to fall 102 Yet seeking at the first to temporize She tries if that some short imprisonment would calme their heat when that would not suffize Then to exile him shee must needes consent Hoping that time would salue it in such wise As yet at length they might become content And shee againe might haue him home at last When the first fury of this rage was past 103 But as he to his iudged exile went Hard on the shore he comes incountered By some that so far off his honor sent As put his backe-returne quite out of dread For there he had his rightfull punishment Though wrongly done and there he lost his head Part of his bloud hath Neptune part the sand As who had mischiefe wrought by sea and land 104 Whos 's death when swift-wingd fame at full conuaid Vnto the trauaild Queen misdoubting nought Despight and sorrow such affliction laid Vpon her soule as wondrous passions wrought O God saith she and art thou thus betraid And haue my fauours thy destruction brought Is this their gaine whom highnes fauoureth Who chiefe preferd stand as preferd to death 105 O fatall grace without which men complaine And with it perish what preuailes that we Thus beare the title of a soueraigne And suffred not to be that which we be O must our subiects limit and constraine Our sauors where as they themselues decree Must we our loue at their appointment place Do we commaund and they direct our grace 106 O will they then our powre and will deuide And haue we might but must not vse our might Poore maiestie that other men must guide Whose discontent can neuer looke aright For euermore we see those that abide Gracious in ours are odious in their sight Who would all-maistring maiesty defeat Of her best grace that is to make men great 107 Decre Suffolke ô I saw thy wofull cheere When thou perceiu'dst no helpe but to depart I saw that looke wherein did plaine appeare The lamentable message of thy heart That seemd to say O Queene and canst thou beare My ruine so the cause whereof thou art Canst thou indure to see them worke their will And not defend me from the hand of ill 108 Haue I for thee aduentured so much Made ship wracke of my honor faith and fame And doth my seruice giue no deeper touch To thy hard heart better to feele the same Or dost thou feare or is thy weakenes such As not of force to keepe me from this shame Or else now hauing seru'd thy turne of me Art well-content my ouerthrow to see 109 As if my sight did read vnto thy minde The lecture of that shame thou wouldst forget And therefore peraduenture glad to finde So fit occasion dost it forward set Or else thy selfe from dangerous toile t'vnwinde Downe on my necke dost all the burthen let Since kings must haue some hated worse then they On whom they may the waight of enuy lay 114 No Suffolke none of this my soule is cleere Without the thought of such impiety Yet must I needes confesse that too much feare Made me defend thee lesse couragiously Seeing more Princes euer ruind were By their immoderate fauoring priuately Then by seueritie in generall For best h 'is lik't that is alike to all 111 Thus in her passion lo shee vttered When as far greater tumults now burst out Which close and cunningly were practised By such as sought great hopes to bring about For vp in armes in Kent were gathered A mighty insolent rebellious rout Vnder a daungerous head who to deter The state the more himselfe nam'd Mortimer 112 The Duke of Yorke that did not idle stand But seekes to worke on all aduantages Had likewise in this course a secret hand And hartned on their chiefe accomplices To try how that the people of the land Would if occasion seru'd b' in readines To aide that line if one should come indeed To moue his right and in due course proceed 113 Knowing himselfe to be the onely one That must attempt the thing if any should And therefore lets the
Rebel now runne on With that false name t' effect the best he could To make a way for him to worke vpon That but on certaine ground aduenture would For if the traitor sped the gaine were his If not yet he standes safe and blamelesis 114 T' attempt with others dangers not his owne He countes it wisedome if it could be wrought And t' haue the honor of the people knowne Was now that which was chiefly to be sought For with the best he knew himselfe was growne In that account as made him take no thought Hauing obseru'd in those he ment to proue Their wit their wealth their cariage and their loue 115 With whom and with his owne alliances He first begins to open in some wise The right he had yet with such doubtfulnes As rather sorrow then his drift descries Complaining of his countries wretchednes In what a miserable case it lies And how much it importes them to prouide For their defence against this womans pride 116 Then with the discontented he doth deale In sounding theirs not vttering his intent As being sure not so much to reueale Where by they might be made againe content But when they grieued for the common weale He doth perswade them to be patient And to indure there was no other course Yet so perswades as makes their malice worse 117 And then with such as with the time did run He doth in most vpright opinion stand As one that neuer crost what they begun But seem'd to like what stil they tooke in hand Seeking all causes of offence to shun Praises the rule and blames th' vnrulie land Workes so with giftes and kindlie offices That euen of them he serues his turne no lesse 118 Then as for those that were his followers Being all choice men for vertues or desarts He so with grace and benefits prefers That he becomes the monarch of their harts He drawes the learned for his Counsailers And cherishes all men of rarest partes To whom good done doth an impression strike Of ioic and loue in all that are alike 119 And now by meanes of th'intermitted warre Manie most valiant men impou'rished Onely by him fed and relieued are Onely respected grac'd and honoured Which let him in vnto their hearts so farre As they by him were wholy to be led He onely treades the sure and perfect path To greatnes who loue and opinion hath 120 And to haue one some certaine prouince his As the maine body that must worke the feate Yorkeshire he chose the place wherein he is By title liuings and possessions great No country he preferres so much as this Here hath his bountie her abiding seat Here is his Iustice and relieuing hand Ready to all that in destresse do stand 121 What with his tenants seruants followers friends And their alliances and amities All that Shire vniuersally attendes His hand held vp to any enterprize And thus farre vertue with her power extendes The rest touching th' euent in fortune lies With which accomplement so mighty growne Forward he tendes with hope t' attaine a crowne The end of the fourth booke The fift Booke of the Ciuill warres betweene the two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke THE ARGVMENT The bad successe of Cades rebellion Yorks open practise and conspiracie His comming in and his submission Th' effect of Printing and Artillerie Burdeux reuolts craues our protection Talbot defending ours dyes gloriously The French Wars end York begins againe And at S. Albones Sommerset is slaine 1 THE furious trayne of that tumultuous rout Whom close subayding powre good successe Had made vnwisely proud and fondly stout Thrust headlong on oppresion to oppresse And now to fulnes growne boldly giue out That they the publique wrongs meant to redresse Formlesse themselues reforming doe pretend As if confusion could disorder mend 2 And on they march with theyr false-named head Of base and vulgar birth though noble fayn'd Who puft with vaine desires to London led His rash abused troupes with shadowes trayn'd When as the King thereof assertained Supposing some small power would haue restrain'd Disordred rage sends with a simple crew Syr Humfry Stafford whom they ouerthrew 3 Which so increasd th' opinion of theyr might That much it gaue to doe and much it wrought Confirm'd their rage drew on the vulgar wight Calld forth the timerous fresh pertakers brought For many though most glad theyr wrongs to right Yet durst not venture theyr estates for nought But see'ing the cause had such aduantage got Occasion makes them styr that els would not 4 So much he errs that scornes or els neglects The small beginnings of arysing broyles And censures others not his owne defects And with a selfe conceite himselfe beguiles Thinking small force will compasse great effects And spares at first to buy more costly toyles When true obseruing prouidence in war Still makes her foes far stronger then they are 5 Yet thys good fortune all theyr fortune mard Which fooles by helping euer doth suppresse For warelesse insolence whilst vndebard Ofbounding awe runnes on to such excesse That following lust and spoyle and blood so hard Sees not how they procure theyr owne distresse The better lothing courses so impure Rather will like theyr wounds then such a cure 6 For whilst thys wilde vnrained multitude Led with an vnfore-seeing greedy minde Of an imagin'd good that did delude Their ignorance in theyr desires made blind Ransack the Citty and with hands imbrude Run to all out-rage in th' extreamest kind Heaping vp wrath and horror more and more Adding fresh guilt to mischiefes done before 7 And seeing yet all thys draw to no end But to theyr owne no promisd ayde t' appeare No such pertakers as they dyd attend Nor such successes as imagin'd were Good men resolu'd the present to defend Iustice against them with a brow seuere Themselues feard of themselues tyr'd with excesse Found mischiefe was no sit way to redresse 8 Like when a greedy Pyrat hard in chace Pursuing of a rich supposed prize Works for the winds plyes sayles beares vp a pace Out-runnes the clowdes scoures after her that flyes Pryde in his hart and wealth before his face Keepes his hands wrought fixed keepes his eyes So long till that ingag'd within some straight He falls amid his foes layd close in wayt 9 Where all too late discouering round about Danger and death the purchase of his hast And no back flying no way to get out But there to perrish or to yeeld disgrast Cursing his error yet in th' error stout Hee toyles for life now charges now is chast Then quailes and then fresh courage takes againe Striuing t'vnwind himselfe but all in vaine 10 So stands thys rout in desperat comberment Enuirond round with horror blood and shame Crost of theyr course dispayring of th' euent When pardon that smooth bayt of basenes came Pardon the snare to catch the impotent Beeing once pronounc'd they straight embrace the same And as huge snowy Mountaines melt with
heat So they dissolu'd with hope and home they get 11 Leauing their Captaine to discharge alone The shott of blood consumed in theyr heat Too small a sacrifice for mischiefes done Was one mans breath which thousands dyd defeat Vnrighteous Death why art thou but all one Vnto the small offender and the great Why art thou not more then thou art to those That thousands spoyle and thousands liues doe lose 12 Thys fury passing with so quick an end Disclosd not those that on th' aduantage lay Who seeing the course to such disorder tend With-drew theyr foote asham'd to take that way Or els preuented whilst they dyd attend Some mightier force or for occasion stay But what they meant ill fortune must not tell Mischiefe be'ing oft made good by speeding well 13 Put by from thys the Duke of Yorke dissignes Another course to bring his hopes about And with those frends affinity combines In surest bonds his thoughts he poureth out And closely feeles and closely vndermines The fayth of whom he had both hope and doubt Meaning in more apparant open course To try his right his fortune and his force 14 Loue and aliance had most firmly ioynd Vnto his part that mighty family The fayre discended stock of Neuiles kind Great by theyr many issued progeny But greater by theyr worth that cleerely shind And gaue faire light to theyr nobilitie A mightie partie for a mighty cause By theyr vnited amitie hee drawes 15 For as the spreading members of proud Po That thousand-branched Po whose limmes embrace Thy fertile and delicious body so Sweet Lombardie and beautifies thy face Such seemd this powreful stock frō whence did grow So many great discents spreading theyr race That euery corner of the Land became Enricht with some great Heroes of that name 16 But greatest in renowne doth VVarwick sit That great King-maker VVarwick so far growne In grace with Fortune that he gouerns it And Monarchs makes and made againe puts downe What reuolutions his first mouing wit Heere brought about are more then too well known That fatall kindle-fire of those hote dayes Whose worth I may whose worke I cannot prayse 17 With him with Richard Earle of Salisbury Courtny and Brooke his most assured frends Hee intimates his minde and openly The present bad proceedings discommends Laments the state the peoples misery And that which such a pittyer seldom mends Oppression that sharpe two edged sword That others wounds and wounds likewise his Lord. 18 My Lord sayth he how things are carryed heere In thys corrupted state you plainly see What burden our abused shoulders beare Charg'd with the weight of imbecillitie And in what base account all we appeare That stand without their grace that all must be And who they be and how their course succeeds Our shame reports and time bewrayes theyr deeds 19 Aniou and Maine O maine that foule appeares Eternall scarre of our dismembred Land And Guien's lost that did three hundred yeeres Remaine subiected vnder our commaund From whence me thinks there sounds vnto our eares The voyce of those deere ghosts whose liuing hand Got it with sweat and kept it with theyr blood To doe vs thankles vs theyr of-spring good 20 And seeme to cry O how can you behold Their hatefull feet vpon our graues should tread Your Fathers graues who gloriously dyd hold That which your shame hath left recouered Redeeme our Tombes O spirits too too cold Pull backe these Towres our Armes haue honored These Towres are yours these Forts we built for you These walls doe beare our names and are your due 21 Thus well they may obrayd our rechlesnes Whilst we as if at league with infamie Ryot away for nought whole Prouinces Giue vp as nothing worth all Normandy Traffique strong holds sell Fortresses So long that nought is left but misery Poore Callice and these water-walls about That basely pownds vs in from breaking out 22 And which is worse I feare we shall in th' end Throwne from the glory of inuading war Be forst our propper limmits to defend Where euer men are not the same they are Where hope of conquest doth theyr spyrits extend Beyond the vsuall powres of valor far For more is he that ventureth for more Then who fights but for what he had before 22 Put to your hands therefore to reskew nowe Th'indangered state dere Lords from thys disgrace And let vs in our honor labour how To brings thys scorned Land in better case No doubt but God our action will allow That knowes my right and how they rule the place Whose weakenes calls vp our vnwillingnesse As opening euen the doore to our redresse 24 Though I protest it is not for a Crowne My soule is moou'd yet if it be my right I haue no reason to refuse myne owne But onely these indignities to right And what if God whose iudgements are vnknowne Hath me ordaynd the man that by my might My Country shall be blest if so it be By helping me you rayse your selues with me 25 In those whom zeale and amitie had bred A fore-impression of the right he had These styrring words so much encouraged That with desire of innouation mad They seem'd to runne before not to be led And to his fire doe quicker fuell ad For where such humors are prepard before The opening them makes them abound the more 26 Then counsell take they fitting theyr desire For nought that fits not theyr desire is wayghd The Duke is straight aduised to retyre Into the bounds of Wales to leauy ayde Which vnder smooth pretence he doth require T' amoue such persons as the state betrayd And to redresse th' oppression of the land The charme which weakenes seldom doth withstand 27 Ten thousand straight caught with this bait of breth Are towards greater lookt-for forces led Whose power the King by all meanes trauaileth In theyr arising to haue ruined But theyr preuenting head so compasseth That all ambushments warilie are fled Refusing ought to hazard by the way Keeping his greatnes for a greater day 28 And to the Citty straight directs his course The Citty seate of Kings and Kings cheefe grace Where finding of his entertainment worse By far then he expected in that place Much disappoynted drawes from thence his force And towards better trust marches a pace And downe in Kent fatall for discontents Nere to thy banks fayre Thames doth pitch his Tents 29 And there intrencht plants his Artillery Artillery th' infernall instrument New brought from hell to scourge mortality With hideous roring and astonishment Engin of horror fram'd to terrific And teare the earth and strongest Towers to rent Torment of Thunder made to mock the skyes As more of power in our calamities 30 O if the fire subtile Promethius brought Stolne out of heauen did so afflict mankind That euer since plagu'd wyth a curious thought Of styrring search could neuer quiet find What hath he done who now by stealth hath got Lightning and Thunder both in wondrous kind
faire vertues spread Be'ing secretarie now but to the dead The Argument Vpon the second agreement the first being broken through iealousie of a disproportion of eminencie betweene the Triumuiri Octauius Caesar Marcus Antonius and Lepidus Octauia the sister of Octauius Caesar was married to Antonius as a linke to combine that which neuer yet the greatest strength of nature or anie power of nearest respect could long holde togither who made but the instrument of others ends and deliuered vp as an Ostage to serue the oportunitie of aduantages met not with that integritie she brought but as highlie preferred to affliction encountered with all the greeuances that beate vppon the miserie of greatnes exposed tost and betwixt the diuers tending humours of vnquiet parties For Antonie hauing yet vpon him the letters of AEgypt layde on by the power of a most incomparable beautie could admit no new lawes into the state of his affection or dispose of himselfe being not himselfe but as hauing his heart turned Eastwarde whither the point of his desires were directed touchte with the strongest allurements that ambition and a licencious soueraintie could draw a man vnto could not trulie descend to the priuate loue of a ciuill nurtred Matrone whose entertainment bounded with modestie and the nature of her education knew not to cloth her affections in any other colours then the plain habit of truth wherein she euer suted alher actions and vsed all her best ornaments of honestie to win the good liking of him that helde her but as a Curtaine drawne betweene him and Octauius to shadow his other purposes withall which the sharpe sight of an equallie ie alous ambition could soone pierce into and as easily looke thorow and ouer bloud and nature as he to abuse it And therefore to preuent his aspiring he armes his forces either to reduce Antonic to the ranke of his estate or else to disranke him out of state and al. When Octauia by the imploiment of Antonie as being not yet ready to put his fortune to her triall throwes her selfe great with child and as big with sorrowe into the trauaile of a most labour some reconciliation taking her iourney from the farthest part of Greece to find Octauius with whom her care and teares were so good agents that they effected their commission beyond all expectation and for that time quite disarmed their wrath which yet long could not hold so For Antonius falling into the relaps of his former disease watching his oportunity got ouer againe into Egypt where he so forgot himselfe that he quite put off his own nature and wholely became a pray to his pleasures as if hee had wound himselfe out of the respect of Country bloud and alltance which gaue to Octauia the cause of much affliction and to me the Argument of this letter A Letter sent from Octauia to her husband Marcus Antonius into Egypt 1 To thee yet deere though most disloiall Lord Whom impious loue keepes in a barbarous land Thy wronged wife Octauia sendeth word Of th' vnkind wounds receiued by thy hand Grant Antony ô let thine eyes asford But to permit thy heart to vnderstand The hurt thou dost and do but read her teares That still is thine though thou wilt not be hers 2 Although perhaps these my complaints may come Wilst thou in th' armes of that incestious Queene The staine of Aegypt and the shame of Rome Shalt dallying sit and blush to haue them seene Whilst proud disdainfull she gessing from whome The message came and what the cause hath beene Wil skorning saie faith this comes from your Deere Now sir you must be shent for staying heere 3 From her indeed it comes delitious dame Thou royal Concubine and Queene of lust Whose Armes yet pure whose brests are voide of blame And whose most lawfull flame proues thine vniust T is shee that sendes the message of thy shame And his vntruth that hath betraid her trust Pardon deare Lord from her these sorrowes are Whose bed bringes neither infamie nor warre 4 And therefore heare her wordes that too too much Hath heard the wronges committed by thy shame Although at first my trust in thee was such As it held out against the strongest fame My heart would neuer let in once a touch Of least beliefe till all confirmd the same That I was almost last that would belieue Because I knew mee first that most must grieue 5 How oft haue poore abused I tooke parte With falshood onely for to make thee true How oft haue I argued against my heart Not suffring it to know that which it knew And for I would not haue thee what thou arte I made my selfe vnto my selfe vntrue So much my loue labourd against thy Sinne To shut out feare which yet kept feare within 6 For I could neuer thinke th' aspiring mind Of worthie and victorious Antonie Could be by such a Syren so declind As to be traynd a pray to Luxury I could not thinke my Lord would be f'vnkind As to despise his Children Rome and me But ô how soone are they deceiud that trust And more their shame that wil be so vniust 7 But now that certaine fame hath open layd Thy new relaps and straunge reuolt from mee Truth hath quite beaten all my hopes awaie And made the passage of my sorrowes free For now poore hart there 's nothing in the waie Remaines to stand betwixt despaire and thee All is throwne downe there comes no succors newe It is most true my Lord is most vntrue 8 And now I may with shame inough pull in The colours Iaduanced in his grace For that subduing powre that him did win Hath lost me too the honour of my face Yet why should I bearing no part of sinne Beare such a mightie part of his disgrace Yes though it be not mine it is of mine And his renowne being clips'd mine cannot shine 9 Which makes me as I do hide from the eie Of the misiudging vulgar that will deeme That sure there was in me some reason why Which made thee thus my bed to disesteeme So that alas poore vndeseruing I A cause of thy vncleane deserts shall seeme Though Iust takes neuer ioy in what is due But still leaues known delights to seeke out new 10 And yet my brother Caesar laboured To haue me leaue thy house and liue more free But God forbid Octauia should be led To leaue to liue inthine though left by thee The pledges here of thy forsaken bed Are still the obiects that remember me What Antony was once although false now And is my Lord though he neglect his vow 11 These walles that here do keepe me out of sight Shall keepe me all vnspotted vnto thee And testifie that I will do thee right I le neuer staine thy house though thou shame me The now sad Chamber of my once delight Shall be the temple of my pietie Sacred vnto the faith I reuerence Where I will paie my teares for thy offence 12 Although my youth
thy absence and this wrong Might draw my bloud to forfeit vnto shame Nor need I frustrate my delights so long That haue such meanes to carrie so the same Since that the face of greatnesse is so strong As it dissolues suspect and beares out blame Hauing all secret helps that long thereto That seldome wants there ought but will to do 13 Which yet to do ere lust this heart shall frame Earth swallow me aliue hel rap me hence Shall I because despisd contemne my shame And ad disgrace to others impudence What can my powre but giue more powre to fame Greatnesse must make it great incontinence Chambers are false the bed and all wil tell No doore keepes in their shame that do not well 14 Hath greatnesse ought peculiar else alone But to stand faire and bright aboue the base What doth deuide the cottage from the throne If vice shall laie both leuell with disgrace For if vncleannesse make them but all one What priuiledge hath honor by his place What though our sinnes go braue and better clad They are as those in rags as base as bad 15 I know not how but wrongfullie I know Hath vndiscerning custome plac'd our kind Vnder desart and set vs farre below The reputation to our sexe assign'd Charging our wrong reputed weakenes how VVe are vnconstant fickle false vnkinde And thogh our life with thousand proofs shewes no Yet since strength saies it weaknes must be so 16 Vnequall partage to b'allow'd no share Of power to do of lifes best benefite But stand as if we interdicted were Of vertue action libertie and might Must you haue all and not vouchsafe to spare Our weaknes any intrest of delight Is there no portion left for vs at all But sufferance sorrow ignorance and thrall 17 Thrice happie you in whom it is no fault To know to speake to do and to be wife VVhose words haue credit and whose deeds though naugh Must yet be made to seeme far otherwise You can be onely heard whilst we are taught To hold our peace and not to exercise The powers of our best parts because your parts Haue with our fredome robb'd vs of our hearts 18 We in this prison of our selues confin'd Must here shut vp with our own passions liue Turn'd in vpon vs and denied to find The vent of outward means that might relieue That they alone must take vp all our mind And no roome left vs but to thinke and grieue Yet oft our narrowed thoughts look more direct Then your loose wisdoms borne with wild neglect 19 For should we to as God forbid we should Carrie no better hand on our desires Then your strength doth what int'rest could Our wronged patience paie you for your hires What mixture of strange generations would Succeed the fortunes of vncertaine Sires What foule confusion in your blood and race To your immortall shame and our disgrace 20 What are there bars for vs no bounds for you Must leuitie stand sure though firmnes fall And are you priuiledg'd to be vntrue And we no grant to be dispens'd withall Must we inuiolable keepe your due Both to your loue and to your falshood thrall Whilst you haue stretch'd your lust vnto your will As if your strength were licenc'd to do ill 21 O if you be more strong then be more iust Cleere this suspition make not the world to doubt Whether in strong or weake be better trust Iffrailtie or else valour be more stout And if we haue shut in our harts from lust Let not your bad example let them out Thinke that there is like feeling in our bloud If you will haue vs good be you then good 22 Is it that loue doth take no true delight In what it hath but still in what it would Which drawes you on to do vs this vnright Whilst feare in vs of loosing what we hold Keepes vs in still to you that set vs light So that what you vnties doth vs infold Then loue t is thou that dost confound vs so To make our truth the occasion of our wo. 23 Distressed woman kind that either must For louing loose your loues or get neglect Whilst wantons are more car'd for then the iust And falshood cheerisht faith without respect Better she fares in whom is lesser trust And more is lou'd that is in more suspect VVhich pardon me shewes no great strength of mind To be most theirs that vse you most vnkind 24 Yet wel it fits for that sinne euer must Be tortur'd with the racke of his own frame For he that holds no faith shall find no trust But sowing wrong is sure to reape the same How can he looke to haue his measure iust That fils deceipt and reckons not of shame And being not pleas'd with what he hath in lot Shall euer pine for that which he hath not 25 Yet if thou couldst not loue thou mightst haue seem'd Though to haue seem'd had like wise beene vniust Yet so much are leane shewes of vs esteem'd That oft they feed though not suffice our trust Because our nature grieueth to be deem'd To be so wrong'd although we be and must And it 's some ease yet to be kindly vs'd In outward shew though secretly abus'd 26 But wo to her that both in shew despis'd And in effect disgrac'd and left forlorne For whom no comforts are to be deuis'd Nor no new hopes can euermore be borne O Antony could it not haue suffiz'd That I was thine but must be made her skorne That enuies all our bloud and doth deuide Thee from thy selfe onely to serue her pride 27 What fault haue I committed that should make So great dislike of me and of my loue Or doth thy fault but an occasion take For to dislike what most doth it reproue Because the conscience gladlie would mistake Her own misdeedes which she would faine remoue And they that are vnwilling to amend Will take offence because they will offend 28 Or hauing run beyond all pardon quite They flie and ioine with sin as wholy his Making it now their side their part their right And to turne backe would shew t' haue done amisse For now they thinke not to be opposite To what obraides their fault were wickednesse So much doth follie thrust them into blame That euen to leaue of shame they count it shame 29 Which do not thou deere Lord for I do not Pursue thy fault but sue for thy returne Backe to thy selfe whom thou hast both forgot With me poore me that doth not spight but mourne And if thou couldst as well amend thy blot As I forgiue these plaints had beene forborne And thou shouldst be the same vnto my hart VVhich once thou were not that which nowe thou art 30 Though deepe doth sit the hard recouering smart Of that last wound which God grant be the last And more doth touch that tender feeling part Of my sad soule then all th'vnkindnes past And Antony I appeale to thine own hart If th' hart
her away to Rome Whereof Dolabella a fauourite of Caesars and one that was growne into some good liking of her hauing certified her shee makes her humble petition to Caesar that hee would suffer her to sacrifice to the ghost of Antonius which beeing graunted her shee was brought vnto his Sepulcher where after her rytes perfourmed she returned to the Monument and there dined with great magnificence And in dinner time came there one in the habite of a Countrey-man with a Basket of Figges vnto her who vnsuspected was suffered to carrie them in And in that Basket among the Figges were conueyed the Aspicks wherewith she did herselfe to death Dinner beeing ended shee dispatched Letters to Caesar contayning great lamentations with an earnest supplication that she might bee intomb'd with Antonius Whereupon Caesar knowing what shee intended sent presentlie with all speede Messengers to haue preuented her death which not withstanding before they came was dispatched Caesario her sonne which she had by Iulius Caesar conuaied before vnto India out of the daunger of the warres was about the same time of her death murthered at Rhodes trayned thither by the falshoode of his Tutor corrupted by Caesar. And so hereby came the race of the Ptolomies to bee wholie extinct and the flourishing rich kingdome of Egypt vtterlie ouer-throwne and subdued The Scaene supposed Alexandria THE ACTORS Cleopatra Octauius Caesar. Proculeius Dolabella Titius seruant to Dolebella Arius Philosopher Philostratus Philosopher Seleucus secretarie to Cleopatra Rodon Tutor to Caesario Nuntius The Chorus all Egyptians THE TRAGEDIE OF CLEOPATRA ACTVS PRIMVS CLEOPATRA YET do I liue and yet doth breath extend My life beyond my life nor can my graue Shut vp my griefes to make my end my end Will yet confusion haue more then I haue Is th' honor wonder glory pompe and all Of Cleopatra dead and she not dead Haue I out-liu'd my selfe and seene the fall Of all vpon me and not ruined Can yet these eyes endure the gastly looke Of desolations darke and ougly face Wont but on fortunes fairest side to looke Where nought was but applause but smiles and grace Whiles on his shoulders all my rest relide On whom the burthen of m'ambition lay My Atlas and supporter of my pride That did the world of all my glory sway Who now thrown down disgrac'd confoūded lies Crusht with the weight of shame and infamie Following th' vnlucky party of my eies The traines of lust and imbecilitie Whereby my dissolution is become The graue of AEgypt and the wracke of all My vnforeseeing weakenesse must intoome My Countries fame and glory with my fall Now who would think that I were she who late With all the ornaments on earth inrich'd Enuiron'd with delights compast with state Glittering in pomp that harts and eies bewitch'd Should chus distrest cast down from of that heigth Leuell'd with low disgrac'd calamitie Vnder the waight of such affliction sigh Reduc'd vnto th' extreamest miserie Am I the woman whose inuentiue pride Adorn'd like Isis skornd mortalitie Is 't I would haue my frailty so belide That flattery could perswade I was notd Well now I see they but delude that praise vs Greatnesse is mockt prosperitie betraies vs. And we are but our selues although this clowd Of interposed smokes make vs seeme more These spreading parts of pompe wherof w' are prou'd Are not our parts but parts of others store Witnesse these gallant fortune-following traines These Summer Swallowes of felicitie Gone with the heate of all see what remaines This monument two maides and wretched I. And I t' adorne their triumphs am reseru'd A captiue kept to honor others spoiles Whom Caesar labors so to haue preseru'd And seekes to entertaine my life with wiles But Caesar it is more then thou canst do Promise flatter threaten extremitie Imploy thy wits and all thy force thereto I haue both hands and will and I can die Though thou of both my country and my crown Of powre of means al doost quite bereaue me Though thou hast wholy Egypt made thine own Yet hast thou left me that which will deceiue thee That courage with my bloud and birth innated Admir'd of all the earth as thou art now Can neuer be so abiectly abated To be thy Slaue that rull'd as good as thou Thinke Caesar I that liu'd and raign'd a Queene Doe skorne to buy my life at such a rate That I should vnder neath my selfe be seene Basely induring to suruiue my state That Rome should see my scepter-bearing hands Behind me bound and glory in my teares That I should passe whereas Octauia stands To view my misery that purchas'd hers No I disdaine that head which wore a crowne Should stoope to take vp that which others giue I must not be vnlesse I be mine owne T is sweet to die when we are forc'd to liue Nor had I staide behind my selfe this space Nor paid such intrest for this borrow'd breath But that hereby I seeke to purchase grace For my distressed seed after my death It 's that which doth my deerest bloud controule That 's it alas detaines me from my tombe VVhiles nature brings to contradict my soule The argument of mine vnhappy wombe You luckles issue of an wofull mother The wretched pledges of a wanton bed You Kings design'd must subiects liue to other Or else I feare scarse liue when I am dead It is for you I temporize with Caesar And staie this while to mediate your saftie For you I faine content and sooth his pleasure Calamity herein hath made me craftie But this is but to trie what may be done For come what will this stands I must die free And die my selfe vncaptiu'd and vnwon Bloud Children Nature all must pardon me My soule yeelds honor vp the victory And I must be a Queene forget a mother Though mother would I be were I not I And Queene would not be now could I be other But what know I if th' heauens haue de cred And that the sinnes of AEgypt haue deseru'd The Ptolomies should faile and none succeed And that my weakenes was thereto reseru'd That I should bring confusion to my state And fill the measure of iniquitie Luxuriousnesse in me should raise the rate Of loose and ill-dispensed libertie If it be so then what neede these delaies Since I was made the meanes of miserie Why shuld I striue but to make death my praise That had my life but for my infamie And let me write in letters of my bloud A fit memoriall for the times to come To be example to such Princes good As please themselues and care not what becom And Antony because the world takes note That my defects haue only ruin'd thee And my ambitious practises are thought The motiue and the cause of all to be Though God thou know'st how iust this staine is laid Vpon my soule whom ill successe makes ill Yet since condemn'd misfortune hath no ayd Against proud luck that argues what it will I haue no
meanes to vndeceiue their mindes But to bring in the witnesse of my bloud To testifie the faith and loue that bindes My equall shame to fall with whom I stood Defects I grant I had but this was worst That being the first to fall I dy'd not first Though I perhaps could lighten mine own side With some excuse of my constrained case Drawn down with powre but that were to deuide My shame to stand alone in my disgrace To cleere me so would shew m'affections naught And make th' excuse more hainous then the fault Since if I should our errours disunite I should confound afflictions onely rest That from stearn death euen steales a sad delight To die with friends or with the like distrest And since we tooke of either such firme hold In th'ouerwhelming seas of fortune cast What powre should be of powre to reunfold The armes of our affections lockt so fast For grapling in the ocean of our pride We sunke each others greatnesse both together And both made shipwracke of our fame beside Both wrought a like destruction vnto either And therefore I am bound to sacrifice To death and thee the life that doth reproue me Our like distresse I feele doth simpathize And euen affliction makes me truly loue thee Which Antony I must confesse my fault I neuer did sincerely vntill now Now I protest I do now am I taught In death to loue in life that knew not how For whilst my glory in her greatnesse stood And that I saw my state and knew my beautie Saw how the world admir'd me how they woo'd I then thought all men must loue me of dutie And I loue none for my lasciuious Court Fertile in euer fresh and new-choise pleasure Affoorded me of so bountifull disport That I to stay on loue had neuer leasure My vagabond desires no limits found For lust is endlesse pleasure hath no bound Thou comming from the strictnes of thy City And neuer this loose pomp of monarchs learnest Inu'rd to wars in womens wiles vnwitty Whilst others faynd thou fell'st to loue in earnest Not knowing how we like them best that houer And make least reckning of a doting louer And yet thou cam'st but in my beauties waine When new appearing wrinkles of declining Wrought with the hand of yeers seem'd to detain My graces light as now but dimly shining Euen in the confines of mine age when I Failing of what I was and was but thus When such as we do deeme in iealousie That men loue for themselues and not for vs Then and but thus thou didst loue most sincerely O Antony that best deseru'st it better This Autumne of my beauty bought so dearely For which in more then death I stand thy debter Which I will pay thee with so true a mind Casting vp all these deepe accoumpts of mine That both our soules and all the world shall find All recknings cleer'd betwixt my loue and thine But to the end I may preuent proud Caesar Who doth so eagerly my life importune I must preuaile me of this little leasure Seeming to sute my mind vnto my fortune Thereby with more conuenience to prouide For what my death and honor best shall fit An yeelding base content must wary hide My last dissigne till I accomplish it That hereby yet the world shall see that I Although vnwise to liue had wit to die Exit CHORVS Behold what furies still Torment their tortur'd brest Who by their doing ill Haue wrought the worlds vnrest Which when being most distrest Yet more to vex their sp'rite The hidious face of sinne In formes they must detest Stands euer in their sight Their conscience still within Th' eternall larum is That euer-barking dog that calles vpon their misse No meanes at all to hide Man from himselfe can finde No way to start aside Out from the hell of minde But in himselfe confin'd He still sees sinne before And winged-footed paine That swiftly comes behind The which is euer-more The sure and certaine gaine Impietie doth get And wanton loose respect that dooth it selfe forget And Cleopatra now Well sees the dangerous way She tooke and car'd not how Which led her to decay And likewise makes vs pay For her disordred lust The int'rest of our blood Or liue a seruile pray Vnder a hand vniust As others shall thinke good This hath her riot wunne And thus she hath her state herselfe and vs vndunne Now euery mouth can tell What close was muttered How that she did not well To take the course she did For now is nothing hid Of what feare did restraine No secrete closelie done But now is vttered The text is made most plaine That flattry glos'd vpon The bed of sinne reueal'd And all the luxurie that shame would haue conceal'd The scene is broken downe And all vncou'red lyes The purple actors knowne Scarce man whom men despise The complots of the wise Proue imperfections smoake And all what wonder gaue To pleasure-gazing eyes Lyes scattred dasht all broke Thus much beguiled haue Poore vnconsiderate wights These moment arie pleasures fugitiue delights ACTVS SECVNDVS CAESAR PROCVLEIVS KIngdoms I see we winne we conquere Climates Yet cannot vanquish hearts nor force obedience Affections kept in close-concealed limits Stand farre without the reach of sworde or violence Who forc'd do pay vs dutie pay not loue Free is the heart the temple of the minde The Sanctuarie sacred from aboue Where nature keeps the keies that loose bind No mortall hand force open can that doore So close shut vp and lockt to all mankind I see mens bodies onely ours no more The rest anothers right that rules the minde Behold my forces vanquisht haue this Land Subdu'd that strong Competitor of mine All Egypt yeelds to my all-conqu'ring hand And all their treasure and themselues resigne Onely this Queene that hath lost all this all To whom is nothing left except a minde Cannot into a thought of yeelding fall To be dispos'd as chance hath her assign'd But Proculei what hope doth she now giue Will shee be brought to condiscend to liue Proc. My Lord what time being sent frō you to try To win her forth aliue if that I might From out the Monument where wofully She liues inclos'd in most aficted plight No way I found no means how to surprize her But through a grate at th' entry of the place Standing to treat llabour'd to aduise her To come to Caesar and to sue for grace She said she crau'd not life but leaue to die Yet for her children pray'd they might inherite That Caesar would vouchsafe in clemencie To pittie them though she deseru'd no merite So leauing her for then and since of late With Gallus sent to trie another time The whilst he entertaines her at the grate I found the meanes vp to the Tombe to clime Where in descending in the closest wise And silent manner as I could contriue Her woman me descri'd and out she cries Poore Cleopatra thou art tane aliue With that
conclusion all is brought This is that rest this vaine world lends To end in death that all things ends ACTVS TERTIVS PHILOSTRATVS ARIVS HOW deepely Arius am I bound to thee That sau'dst from death this wretched life of mine Obtaining Caesars gentle grace for mee When I of all helps else dispaird but thine Although I see in such a wofull state Life is not that which should be much desir'd Sith all our glories come to end their date Our Countries honour and our own expir'd Now that the hand of wrath hath ouer-gone vs Liuing as 't were in th' armes of our dead mother With bloud vnder our feet ruine vpon vs And in a Land most wretched of all other When yet we reck on life our deerest good And so we liue we care not how we liue So deepe we feele impressed in our blood That touch which Nature with our breath did giue And yet what blasts of words hath learning found To blow against the feare of death and dying What comforts vnsicke eloquence can sound And yet all failes vs in the point of trying For whilst we reason with the breath of safety Without the compasse of destruction liuing What precepts shew we then what courage lofty In taxing others feares in counsell giuing When all this ayre of sweet-contriued words Proues but weake armour to defend the hart For when this life pale feare and terror boords Where are our precepts then where is our arte O who is he that from himselfe can turne That beares about the body of a man Who doth not toile and labour to adiorne The day of death by any meanes he can All this I speake to th' end my selfe t' excuse For my base begging of a seruile breath Wherein I grant my selfe much to abuse So shamefully to seek t' auoide my death Arius Philostratus that selfe same care to liue Possesseth all alike and grieue not then Nature doth vs no more then others giue Though we speak more then mē we are but mē And yet in truth these miseries to see Wherein we stand in most extreame distresse Might to our selues sufficient motiues be To loath this life and weigh our death the lesse For neuer any age hath better taught What feeble footing pride and greatnesse hath How ' improuident prosperitie is caught And cleane confounded in the day of wrath ' See how dismaid Confusion keepes those streetes That nought but mirth and musique late resounded How nothing with our eie but horror meeres Our state our wealth our pride and all confounded Yet what weake sight did not discerne from far This black-arisingtempest all confounding Who did not see we should be what we are When pride and ryot grew to such abounding VVhen dissolute impietie possest Th' vnrespectiue mindes of prince and people VVhen infolent Security found rest In wanton thoughts with lust ease made feeble Then when vnwary peace with fat-fed pleasure New-fresh inuented ryots still detected Purchac'd with all the Ptolomies ritch treasure Our lawes our gods our mysteries neglected VVho saw not how this confluence of vice This inundation of disorders must At length of force pay backe the bloody price Of sad destruction a reward for lust O thou and I haue heard and read and knowne Of like proude states as wofully incombred And fram'd by them examples for our own VVhich now among examples must be numbred For this decree a law from high is giuen An auncient Cannon of eternall date In Consistorie of the starres of heauen Entred the booke of vnauoided Fate That no state can in height of happinesse In th' exaltation of their glory stand But thither once ariu'd declining lesse Ruine themselues or fall by others hand Thus doth the euer-changing course of things Runne a perpetuall circle euer turning And that same day that hiest glory brings Brings vs vnto the point of back-returning For sencelesse sensualitie doth euer Accompany selicitie and greatnesse A fatal witch whose charmes do leaue vs neuer Till we leaue all in sorrow for our sweetnesse When yet our selues must be the cause we fall Although the same befirst decreed on hie Our errors still must beare the blame of all This must it be earth aske notheauen why Yet mighty men with wary iealous hand Striue to cut off all obstacles of feare All whatsoeuer seemes but to withstand Their least conceit of quiet held so deere And so intrench themselues with blood with crimes With all iniustice as their feares dispose Yet for all this we see how oftentimes The meanes they worke to keepe are meanes to lose And sure I cannot see howe this can stand With great Augustus safety and his honor To cut off all succession from our land For her offence that puld the wars vpon her Phi. Why must her issue pay the price of that Ari. The price is life that they are rated at Phi. Casario to issued of Caesars blood Ari. Pluralitie of Caesars are not good Phi. Alas what hurt procures his feeble arme Ari. Not for it doth but that it may do harme Phi. Then when it offers hurt represse the same Ari. T is best to quench a sparke before it flame Phi. T is inhumane an innocent to kill Ari. Such innocents sildome remaine so still And sure his death may best procure our peace Competitors the subiect deerely buies And so that our affliction may surcease Let great men be the peoples sacrifice But see where Caesar comes himselfe to try And worke the mind of our distressed Queene To apprehend some falsed hope whereby She might be drawn to haue her fortune seene But yet I thinke Rome will not see that face That queld her champiōs blush in base disgrace SCENA SECVNDA CAESAR CLEOPATRA SELEVCVS DOLABELLA Caes. WHat Cleopatra doost thou doubt so much Of Caesars mercy that thou hid'st thy face Or dost thou thinke thy ' offences can be such That they surmount the measure of our grace Cleo. O Caesar not for that I flie thy sight My soule this sad retyre of sorrow chose But that my'oppressed thoghts abhorring light Like best in darknes my disgrace t' inclose And here to these close limits of despaire This solitarie horror where I bide Caesar I thought no Roman should repaire More after him who here oppressed dyde Yet now here at thy conquering feete I lie Poore captiue soul that neuer thought to bow Whose happie foote of rule and Maiestie Stood late on̄y same ground thou standest now Caes. Rise Queene none but thy selfis cause of all And yet would all were but thine owne alone That others ruine had not with thy fall Brought Rome her sorowes to my triumphs mone For breaking off the league of loue and blood Thou mak'st my winning ioy a gain vnpleasing Sith th' eye of griefe must looke into our good Thorow the horror of our own blood shedding And all we must attribute vnto thee Cleo. To me Caesar what should a woman doe Opprest with greatnes what was it for me To contradict my
destruction thus pursude O why should th' heauens vs include Within the compasse of their fall Who of themselues procured all Or do the Gods in close decree Occasion take how to extrude Man from the earth with crueltie Ah no the Gods are euer iust Our faults excuse their rigor must This is the period Fate set downe To Egypts fat prosperitie Which now vnto her greatest growne Must perish thus by course must die And some must be the causers why This reuolution must be wrought As borne to bring their state to nought To change the people and the crowne And purge the worlds iniquitie Which vice so farre bath ouer-growne As we so they that treate vs thus Must one day perish like to vs. ACTVS QVARTVS SELEVCVS RODON Sel. NEuer friend Rodon in a better howre Could I haue met thee thē eu'n now I do Hauing affliction in the greatest powre Vpon my soule and none to tell it to For t is some ease our sorrowes to reueale If they to whom we shall impart our woes Seeme but to feele a part of what we feele And meete vs with a sigh but at a cloze Rod. And neuer friend Seleucus found'st thou one That better could beare such a part with thee Who by his own knows others cares to mone And can in like accord of griefe agree And therefore tell th' oppression of thy hart Tell to an eare prepar'd and tun'd to care And I will likewise vnto thee impart As sad a tale as what thou shalt declare So shall we both our mournefull plaints combine I le waile thy state and thou shalt pitty mine Sel. Well then thou know'st how I haue liu'din grace With Cleopatra and esteem'din Court As one of Counsell and of chiefest place And euer held my credite in that sort Till now in this confusion of our state When thinking to haue vs'd a meane to climbe And fled the wretched flowne vnto the great Following the fortune of the present time Am come to be cast down and ruin'd cleene And in the course of mine own plot vndonne For hauing all the secrets of the Queene Reueald to Caesar to haue fauor wonne My trechery is quited with disgrace My falshood loath'd and not without great reason Though good for him yet Princes in this case Do hate the Traitor though they loue the treason For how could hee imagine I would be Faithfull to him being false vnto mine owne And false to such a bountious Queene as shee That had me rais'd and made mine honor knowne He saw t was not for zeale to him I bare But for base feare or mine owne state to settle Weakenesse is false and faith in Cowards rare Feare findes out shifts timiditie is subtle And therefore scorn'd of him scorn'd of mine own Hatefull to all that looke into my state Despis'd Seleucus now is onely grown The marke of infamy that 's pointed at Rod. T is much thou faist and ôo too much to feele And I do grieue and do lament thy fall But yet all this which thou doost heere reueale Compar'd with mine wil make thine seem but smal Although my fault be in the selfe-same kind Yet in degree far greater far more hatefull Mine sprong of mischiefe thine from feeble mind I staind with bloud thou onely but vngratefull For vnto me did Cleopatra giue The best and deerest treasure of her blood Louely Caesario whom she would should liue Free from the dangers wherein Egypt stood And vnto me with him this charge she gaue Here Rodon take conuay from out this Coast This precious Gem the chiefest that I haue The iewell of my soule I value most Guide him to INDIA lead him far from hence Safeguard him where secure he may remaine Till better fortune call him backe from thence And Egypts peace be reconcil'd againe For this is he that may our hopes bring backe The rising Sunne of our declining state These be the hands that may restore our wrack And raise the broken ruines made of late He may giue limits to the boundles pride Of fierce Octauius and abate his might Great Julius of-spring he may come to-guide The Empire of the world as his by right O how he seemes the modell of his Syre O how I gaze my Caesar in his face Such was his gate so did his lookes a spire Such was his threatning brow such was his grace High shouldred and his forehead euen as hie And ô if he had not beene borne so late He might haue rul'd the worlds great Monarchy And now haue beene the Champion of our state Then vnto him ô my deere Sonne she saies Soone of my youth flie hence ô flie be gone Reserue thy selfe ordain'd for better daies For much thou hast to ground thy hopes vpon Leaue me thy wofull Mother to endure The sury of this tempest heere alone Who cares not for her selfe so thou be sure Thou mayst reuenge when others can but mone Rodon will see thee safe Rodon will guide Thee and thy waies thou shalt not need to feare Rodon my faithfull seruant will prouide What shall be best for thee take thou no care And ô good Rodon looke well to his youth The waies are long and dangers eu'ry where I vrge it not that I do doubt thy truth Mothers will cast the worst and alwaies feare The absent danger greater still appeares Lesse fears he who is neere the thing he feares And ô I know not what presaging thought My sp'rit suggests of luckles bad euent But yet it may be t is but loue doth dote Or idle shadowes with my feares present But yet the memory of mine own fate Makes me feare his And yet why should I feare His fortune may recouer better state And he may come in pompe to gouerne heere But yet I doubt the Genius of our race By some malignant spirit comes ouer-throwne Our bloud must be extinct in my disgrace Egypt must haue no more Kings of their owne Then let him stay and let vs fall together Sith it is fore-decreed that we must fall Yet who knowes what may come let him go thither What Merchaunt in one Vessell venters all Let vs deuide our stars Go go my sonne Let not the fate of Egypt find thee heere Try if so be thy destinie can shunne The common wracke of vs by being there But who is he found euer yet defence Against the heauens or hid him any where Then what need I to send thee so far hence To seeke thy death that maystas well die here And here die with thy mother die in rest Not trauailing to what will come to thee Why should we leaue our bloud vnto the East When Egypt may a Tombe sufficient be O my deuided soule what shall I do Where on shall now my resolution rest What were I best resolue to yeeld vnto When both are bad how shall I know the best Stay I may hap so worke with Caesar now That he may yeeld him to restore thy right Go Caesar neuer will
consent that thou So neere in bloud shalt be so great in might Then take him Rodon go my sonne fare-well But stay ther 's something else that I would say Yet nothing now but ô God speed thee well Least saying more that more may make thee stay Yet let me speake It may be t is the last That euer I shall speake to thee my Sonne Doe Mothers vse to part in such post-haste What must I end when I haue scarce begun Ah no deere hart t is no such slender twine Where-with the knot is tide twixt thee and me That bloud within thy vaines came out of mine Parting from thee I part from part of me And therefore I must speake Yet what O sonne Here more she would when more she could not say Sorrow rebounding backe whence it begun Fild vp the passage and quite stopt the way When sweet Caesario with a princely spirite Though comfortles himself did comfort giue With mildest words perswading her to beare it And as for him she should not need to grieue And I with protestations of my part Swore by that faith which sworn I did deceiue That I would vse all care all wit and arte To see him safe And so we tooke our leaue Scarce had we trauail'd to our iourneies end When Caesar hauing knowledge of our way His Agents after vs with speed doth send To labour me Caesario to betray Who with rewards and promises so large Assail'd me then that I grew soone content And backe to Rhodes did reconuay my charge Pretending that Octauius for him sent To make him King of Egypt presently And thither come seeing himselfe betray'd And in the hands of death through trechery Wailing his state thus to himselfe he said Lo here brought back by subtile train to death Betraide by Tutors faith or traytors rather My fault my bloud and mine offence my birth For being sonne of such a mighty Father From India whither sent by mothers care To be reseru'd from Egypts common wracke To Rhodes so long the armes of tyrants are I am by Caesars subtile reach brought backe Here to be made th' oblation for his feares Who doubts the poore reuenge these hands may doe him Respecting neither blood nor youth nor yeeres Or how small safety can my death be to him And is this all the good of beeing borne great Then wretched greatnesse proud rich misery Pompous distresse glittering calamity Is it for this th' ambitious Fathers swear To purchase bloud death for thē and theirs Is this the issue that their glories get To leaue a sure destruction to their heyros O how much better had it beene for me From low descent deriu'd of humble birth T' haue eat the sweet-sowre bread of pouertie And drunke of Nilus streams in Nilus earth Vnder the cou'ring of some quiet Cottage Free from the wrath of heauen secure in mind Vntoucht when sad euents of princes dotage Confounds what euer mighty it doth find And not t' haue stood in their way whose condition Is to haue all made cleere and all thing plaine Betweene them and the marke of their ambition That nothing let the ful sight of their raigne Where nothing stands that stands not in submission Where greatnesse must all in it selfe containe Kings will be alone Competitors must downe Neere death he stands that stands too neere a Crowne Such is my case for Caesar will haue all My bloud must seale th' assurance of his state Yet ah weake state that blood assure him shall Whose wrongfull shedding Gods men do hate Iniustice neuer scapes vnpunisht still Though men reuenge not yet the heauens wil. And thou Augustus that with bloodie hand Cutt'st off succession from anothers race Maist find the heauens thy vowes so to withstand That others may depriue thine in like case When thou maist see thy proud contentious bed Yeelding thee none of thine that may inherite Subuert thy blood place others in their sted To pay this thy iniustice her due merite If it be true as who can that denie Which sacred Priests of Memphis doe fore-say Some of the of-spring yet of Antonis Shall all the rule of this whole Empire sway And then Augustus what is it thou gainest By poore Antillus blood or this of mine Nothing but this thy victorie thou slainest And pull'st the wrath of heauen on thee and thine In vaine doth man contend against the starr's For that he seekes to make his wisdom marr's Yet in the mean-time we whom Fates reserue The bloodie sacrifices of ambition We feele the smart what euer they deserue And woindure the present times condition The iustice of the heauens reuenging thus Doth onely satisfie it selfe not vs. Yet t is a pleasing comfort that doth ease Affliction in so great extremitie To thinke their like destruction shall appease Our ghosts who did procure our miserie But dead we are vncertaine what shall bee And liuing we are sure to feele the wrong Our certaine ruine we our selues do see They ioy the while and we know not how long But yet Caesario thou must die content For men will mone and God reuenge th' innocent Thus he cōplain'd thus thou hear'st my shame Sel. But how hath Caesar now rewarded thee Rod. As he hath thee And I expect the same As fell to Theodor to fall to mee For he one of my coate hauing betraid The young Antillus sonne of Anthonie And at his death from off his necke conuaid A iewell which being askt he did denie Caesar occasion tooke to hang him straight Such instruments with Princes liue not long Although they need such actors of deceit Yet still our sight seemes to vpbraid their wrong And therefore we must needes this daunger runne And in the net of our owne guile be caught We must not liue to brag what we haue done For what is done must not appeare their fault But here comes Cleopatra wofull Queene And our shame will not that we should be seene Exeunt Cleopatra WHat hath my face yet powre to win a Louer Can this torne remnant serue to grace me so That it can Caesars secrete plots discouer What he intends with me and mine to do Why then poore Beautie thou hast done thy last And best good seruice thou could'st do vnto mee For now the time of death reueal'd thou hast Which in my life didst serue but to vndoe mee Heere Dolabella far forsooth in loue Writes how that Caesar meanes forthwith to send Both me and mine th' ayre of Rome to proue There his Triumphant Chariot to attend I thanke the man both for his loue and letter The one comes fit to warne me thus before But for th' other I must die his debter For Cleopatra now can loue no more But hauing leaue I must go take my leaue And last farewell of my dead Anthonie Whose deerly honour'd tombe must here receiue This sacrifice the last before I die O sacred euer-memorable stone That hast without my teares within my flame Receiue th' oblation of
the wofull'st mone That euer yet from sad affliction came And you deare reliques of my Lord and Loue The sweetest parcels of the faithfull'st liuer O let no impious hand dare to remoue You out from hence but rest you here for euer Let Egypt now giue peace vnto you dead That liuing gaue you trouble and turmoile Sleepe quiet in this euer-lasting bed In forraine land preferr'd before your soile And ô if that the sp'rits of men remaine After their bodies and do neuer die Then heare thy ghost thy captiue spouse cōplaine And be attentiue to her miserie But if that labour some mortalitie Found this sweete error onely to confine The curious search of idle vanitie That would the deapth of darknes vndermine Or rather to giue rest vnto the thought Of wretched man with th' after-comming ioy Of those conceiued fields whereon we dote To pacifie the present worlds anoy If it be so why speake I then to th' ayre But t is not so my Anthonie doth heare His euer-liuing ghost attends my prayer And I do know his houering sp'rit is neere And I will speake and pray and mourne to thee O pure immortall loue that daign'st to heare I feele thou answer'st my credulitie With touch of comfort finding none elswhere Thou know'st these hands cotomb'd thee here of late Free and vnsorc'd which now must seruile be Reseru'd for bands to grace proud Caesars state Who seekes in me to triumph ouer thee O if in life we could not seuerd be Shall death deuide our bodies now asunder Must thine in Egypt mine in Italie Be kept the Monuments of Fortunes wonder If any powres be there where as thou art Sith our owne Country Gods betray our case O worke they may their gracious helpe impart To saue thy wofull wife from such disgrace Do not permit she should in triumph shew The blush of her reproch ioyn'd with thy shame But rather let that hatefull Tyrant know That thou and I had powre t' auoyde the same But what doe I spend breath and idle winde In vaine inuoking a conceiued ayde Why do I not my selfe occasion find To breake the bounds where in my'selfe am staid Words are for them that can complaine and liue Whose melting hearts compos'd of baser frame Can to their sorrowes time and leisure giue But Cleopatra may not do the same No Anthonie thy loue requireth more A lingring death with thee deserues no merit I must my selfe force open wide a dore To let out life and so vnhouse my spirit These hands must breake the prison of my soule To come to thee thereto enioy like state As doth the long-pent solitaric Foule That hath escapt her cage and found her mate This Sacrifice to sacrifize my life Is that true incense that dooth best beseeme These rites may serue a life-desiring wife Who doing them t' haue done inough doth deeme My hart blood should the purple flowers haue been Which heere vpon thy Tombe to thee are offred No smoake but dying breath should heere been seen And this it had beene to had I beene fufired But what haue I saue these bare hands to do it And these weake fingers are not iron-poynted They cannot pierce the flesh be'ing put vnto it And I of all meanes else am disappointed But yet I must away and meanes seeke how To come vnto thee what so ere I doo O Death art thou so hard to come by now That we must pray intreate and seeke thee too But I will find thee where so ere thou lie For who can stay a minde resolu'd to die And now I go to works th' effect indeed He neuer send more words or sighes to thee He bring my soule my selfe and that with speede My selfe will bring my soule to Antbonie Come go my Maides my fortunes sole attenders That minister to miserie and sorrow Your Mistris you vnto your freedom renders And will discharge your charge yet ere to morrow And now by this I thinke the man I sent Is neere return'd that brings me my dispatch God grant his cunning sort to good euent And that his skill may well beguile my watch So shall I shun disgrace leaue to be sorie Flie to my loue scape my foe free my soule So shall I act the last of life with glorie Die like a Queene and rest without controule Exit CHORVS Mysterious Egypt wonder breeder strict religions strange obseruer State-ordrer zeale the best rule-keeper Fostring still in temp'rate feruor O how cam'st thou to lose so wholy All religion law and order And thus become the most vnholy of all Lands that Nylus border How could confus'd Disorder enter Where sterne Law sute so sewerely How durst weake lust and riot venter th' eye of Iustice looking neerely Could not those means that made thee great Be still the means to keepe thy state Ah no the course of things requireth change and alteration euer That same continuance man desireth th'vnconstant world yeeldeth neuer We in our counsels must be blinded And not see what doth import vs And often-times the thing least minded is the thing that most must hurt vs. Yet they that haue the sterne in guiding t is their fault that should preuent it For oft they seeing their Country sliding take their ease as though contented We imitate the greater powres The Princes manners fashion ours Th' example of their light regarding Vulgar loosenes much incences Vice vncontrould growes wide inlarging Kings small faults be great offences And this hath set the window open vnto licence lust and riot This way confusion first found broken whereby entred our disquiet Those lawes that olde Sesostris founded and the Ptolomies obserued Hereby first came to be confounded which our state so long preserued The wanton luxurie of Court Did forme the people of like sort For all respecting priuate pleasure vniuersally consenting To abuse their time their treasure in their owne delights contenting And future dangers nought respecting whereby ô how easie matter Made this so generall neglecting confus'd weakenesse to discatter Caesar found th' effect true tried in his easie entrance making Who at the sight of armes descryed all our people all forsaking For ryot worse then warre so sore Had wasted all our strength before And thus is Egypt seruile rendred to the insolent destroyer And all their sumptuous treasure tendred All her wealth that did betray her Which poison O if heauen be right full may so far infect their sences That Egypts pleasures so delightfull may breed them the like offences And Romans learne our way of weakenes be instructed in our vices That our spoiles may spoile your greatnes ouercome with our deuises Fill full your hands and carry home Inough from vs to ruine Rome ACTVS QVINTVS DOLABELLA TITIVS Dol. Come tell me Titius eu'ry circumstance How Cleopatra did receiue my newes Tell eu'ry looke each gesture countenance That she did in my Letters reading vse Tit. I shal my Lord so far as I could note Or my conceite obserue in any wise
to leaue calamitie As did those others smooth state-pleasers all Who followed but my fortune and not me T is thou must do a seruice for thy Queene Wherein thy faith and skill must do their best Thy honest care and duty shall be seene Performing this more then in all the rest For al what thou hast don may die with thee Although t is pitty that such faith should die But this shall euermore remembred be A rare example to posterity And looke how long as Cleopatra shall In after ages liue in memory So long shall thy cleere fame endure withall And therefore thou must not my sute denie Nor contradict my will For what I will I am resolu'd and this t is thou must do me Go find mee out with all thy art and skill Two Aspicqs and conuay them close vnto me I haue a worke to do with them in hand Enquire not what for thou shalt soone see what If the heauens do not my disseignes withstand But do thy charge and let me shift with that Being thus coniur'd by her t' whom I 'had vow'd My true perpetuall seruice forth I went Deuising how my close attempt to shrowde So that there might no art my art preuent And so disguis'd in habite as you see Hauing found out the thing for which I went I soone return'd againe and brought with me The Aspicqs in a basket closely pent Which I had fill'd with figges and leaues vpon And comming to the guard that kept the dore What hast thou there said they and looke thereon Seeing the figgs they deem'd of nothing more But said they were the fairest they had seene Taste some said I for they are good and pleasant No no said they go beare them to thy Queene Thinking me some poore māy brought a present Well in I went where brighter then the Sunne Glittering in all her pompous rich aray Great Cleopatra sate as if sh 'had wonne Caesar and all the world beside this day Euen as she was when on thy cristall streames O Cydnos she did shew what earth could shew When Asia all amaz'd in wonder deemes Venus from heauen was come on earth below Euen as she went at first to meete her Loue So goes she now at last againe to find him But that first did her greatnes onely proue This last her loue that could not liue behind him Yet as she fate the doubt of my good speed Detracts much from the sweetnes of her looke Cheer-marrer Care did then such passions breed That made her eye bewray the care she tooke But she no sooner sees me in the place But straight her sorow-clowded brow she cleeres Lightning a smile from out a stormie face Which all her tempest-beaten sences cheeres Looke how a stray'd perplexed trauailer When chas'd by theeues euē at point of taking Descrying suddainly some towne not far Or some vnlookt-for aid to him-ward making Cheers vp his tired sp'rits thrusts forth his strēgth To meet that good that comes in so good houre Such was her ioy perceiuing now at length Her honour was t' escape so proude a powre Forth from her seat she hastes to meet the present And as one ouer-ioy'd she caught it straight And with a smiling cheere in action pleasant Looking among the figs findes the deceite And seeing there the vgly venemous beast Nothing dismaid she stayes and viewes it well At length th' extreamest of her passion ceast When she began with words her ioy to tell O rarest beast saith she that Affrick breedes How deerly welcome art thou vnto me The fairest creature that faire Nylus feedes Me thinks I see in now beholding thee What though the euer-erring worlde doth deeme That angred Nature fram'd thee but in spight Little they know what they so light esteeme That neuer learn'd the wonder of thy might Better then Death Deaths office thou dischargest That with one gentle touch can free our breath And in a pleasing sleepe our soule inlargest Making our selues not priuie to our death If Nature err'd ô then how happy error Thinking to make thee worst she made thee best Sith thou best freest vs from our liues worst terror In sweetly bringing soules to quiet rest When that inexorable Monster Death That followes Fortune flies the poore destressed Tortures our bodies ere he takes our breath And loads with paines th' already weak oppressed How oft haue I begg'd prayd intreated him To take my life and yet could neuer get him And when he comes he comes so vgly grim That who is he if he could chuse would let him Therefore come thou of wonders wonder chiefe That open canst with such an easie key The doore of life come gentle cunning thiefe That from our selues so steal'st our selues away Well did our Priests discerne something diuine Shadow'd in thee and therefore first they did Offrings and worships due to thee assigne In whom they found such mysteries were hid Comparing thy swift motion to the Sunne That mou'st without the instruments that moue And neuer waxing olde but alwayes one Doost sure thy strange diuinitie approue And therefore to the rather vnto thee In zeale I make the offring of my blood Calamitie confirming now in me A sure beliefe that pietie makes good Which happy men neglect or hold ambiguous And onely the afflicted are religious And heere I sacrifice these armes to Death That Lust late dedicated to Delights Offring vp for my last this last of breath The complement of my loues dearest rites With that she bares her arme and offer makes To touch her death yet at the touch with-drawes And seeming more to speake occasion takes Willing to die and willing to to pause Looke how a mother at her sonnes departing For some far voyage bent to get him fame Doth intertaine him with anidle parling And stil doth speake and still speakes but the same Now bids farewell and now recalls him backe Tels what was told and bids againe fare-well And yet againe recalls for still doth lacke Something that loue would faine and cannot tell Pleas'd he should go yet cannot let him go So she although she knew there was no way But this yet this she could not handle so But she must shew that life desir'd delay Faine would she entertaine the time as now And now would faine that Death would seaze vpō her Whilst I might see presented in her brow The doubtful combattry'd twixt Life and Honor. Life bringing Legions of fresh hopes with her Arm'd with the proofe of time which yeelds we say Comfort and helpe to such as do refer All vnto him and can admit delay But Honour scorning Life loe forth leades he Bright immortalitie in shining armour Thorow the rayes of whose cleere glorie shee Might see Lifes basenes how much it might harm her Besides she saw whole armies of Reproches And base Disgraces Furies fearfull sad Marching with Life and Shame that stil incroches Vpon her face in bloodie colours clad Which representments seeing worse then death She deem'd to yeeld to Life
where-with my kinde and youth did staine it My body found a graue where to containe it A sheete could hide my face but not my sin For Fame findes neuer tombe t' inclose it in And which is worse my soule is now denied Her transport to the sweet Elisian rest The ioifull blisse for ghosts repurified The euer-springing Gardens of the blest Caron denies me waftage with the rest And saies my soule can neuer passe the Riuer Till Louers sighes on earth shall it deliuer So shall I neuer passe for how should I Procure this sacrifice amongst the liuing Time hath long since worne out the memorie Both of my life and liues vniust depriuing Sorrow for me is dead for aye reuiuing ROSAMOND hath little left her but her name And that disgrac'd for time hath wrong'd the same No muse suggests the pitty of my case Each pen doth ouerpasse my iust complaint Whilst others are preferd though far more base Shores wife is grac'd and passes for a Saint Her Legend iustifies her foule attaint Her wel-told tale did such compassion find That she is pass'd and I am left behind Which seene with griefe my miserable ghost Whilome inuested in so faire a vaile Which whilst it liu'd was honored of the most And being dead giues matter to bewaile Comes to sollicite thee since others faile To take this taske and in thy woful song To forme my case and register my wrong Although I know thy iust lamenting Muse Toild in th' affliction of thine owne distresse In others cares hath little time to vse And therefore maist esteeme of mine the lesse Yet as thy hopes attend happie redresse Thy ioies depending on a womans grace So moue thy mind a wofull womans case DELIA may hap to deigne to read our storie And offer vp her sigh among the rest Whose merit would suffice for both our glorie Whereby thou might'st be grac'd and I be blest That indulgence would profit me the best Such power she hath by whom thy youth is led To ioy the liuing and to blesse the dead So I through beautie made the wofull'st wight By beautie might haue comfort after death That dying fairest by the fairest might Find life aboue on earth and rest beneath She that can blesse vs with one happie breath Giue comfort to thy Muse to do her best That thereby thou maistioy and I might rest Thus said forth-with mou'd with a tender care And pittie which my selfe could neuer find What she desir'd my Muse deign'd to declare And therefore will'd her boldly tel her mind And I more willing tooke this charge assignd Because her griefes were worthy to be known And telling hers might hap forget mine own Then write quoth she the ruine of my youth Report the down-fall of my slippry state Of all my life reueale the simple truth To teach to others what I learnt too late Exemplifie my frailty tell how Fate Keepes in eternall darke our fortunes hidden And ere they come to know theÌ„ t is forbidden For whilst the sun-shine of my fortune lasted Iioy'd the happiest warmth the sweetest heate That euer yet imperious beauty tasted I had what glory euer flesh could get But this faire morning had a shamefull set Disgrace darkt honor sin did clowd my brow As note the sequel and I le tell thee how The bloud I staind was good and of the best My birth had honour and my beauty fame Nature and Fortune ioin'd to make me blest Had I had grace t' haue knowne to vse the same My education shew'd from whence I came And all concurd to make me happie first That so great hap might make me more accurst Happie liu'd I whilst parents eie did guide The indiscretion of my feeble waies And Country home kept me from being eide Wher best vnknown I spent my sweetestdaics Til that my friends mine honor sought to raise To higher place which greater credit yeelds Deeming such beauty was vnfit for feelds From Country then to Court I was preferr'd From calme to stormes from shore into the deepes There where I perish'd where my youth first err'd There where I lost the flowre which honor keepes There where the worser thriues the better weepes Ah me poore wench on this vnhappy shelfe I grounded me and â—â—st awaie my selfe For thither com'd when yeeres had arm'd my youth With rarest proofe of beautie euer seene When my reuiuing eie had 〈◊〉 the truth That it had power to make the winter greene And flowre affections whereas none had beene Soone could I teach my brow to tyrannize And make the world do homage to mine eies For age I saw though yeeres with cold conceit Congeald their thoughts against a warme desire Yet sigh their want and looke at such a baite I saw how youth was waxe before the fire I saw by stealth I fram'd my looke a lyre Yet wel perceiu'd how Fortune made me then The enuie of my sexe and wonder vnto men Looke how a Comet at the first appearing Drawes all mens eies with wonder to behold it Or as the faddest tale at suddaine hearing Makes silent listning vnto him that told it So did my speech when Rubies did vnfold it So did the blazing of my blush appeare T' amaze the world that holds such sights so deere Ah beauty Syren faire enchaunting good Sweet silent rhetorique of perswading'eies Dombe eloqueÌ„ce whose power doth moue the bloud More then the words or wisdome of the wife Still harmony whose diapason lies Within a brow the key which passions moue To rauish sence and play a world in loue What might I then not do whose power was such What cannot women do that know their power What women knowes it not I feare too much How blisse or bale lies in their laugh or lowre Whilst they enioy their happy blooming flowre Whilst nature decks them in their best attires Of youth and beautie which the world admires Such one was I my beautie was mine owne No borrowed blush which bank-rot beauties seeke That new-found shame a sinne to vs vnknowne Th' adulterate beauty of a falsed cheeke Vilde staine to honour and to women eeke Seeing that time our fading must detect Thus with defect to couer our defect Impietie of times chastities abator Falshood wherein thy selfe thy selfe deniest Treason to counterfeit the seale of nature The stampe of heauen impressed by the hiest Disgrace vnto the world to whom thou liest Idoll vnto thy selfe shame to the wise And all that honour thee idolatrise Far was that finne from vs whose age was pure When simple beauty was accounted best The time when women had no other lure But modestie pure cheeks a vertuous brest This was the pompe where with my youth was blest These were the weapons which mine honor wun In all the conflicts which my eies begun Which were not small I wrought on no meane obiect A Crowne was at my feet Scepters obeide me WhoÌ„ Fortune made my King Loue made my subiect Who did command the Land most humbly praid me
HENRIE the second that so highlie weigh'd me Found well by proofe the priuiledge of beautie That it had powre to counter-maund all dutie For after all his victories in FRAVNCE And all the triumphes of his honor wun Vnmatch'd by sword was vanquisht by a glaunce And hotter wars within his brest begun Wars whom whole Legions of desires drew on Against all which my chastitie contends With force of honour which my shame defends No armour might be found that could defend Transpearcing raies of Christal pointed eies No stratagem no reason could amend No not this age yet old men should be wise But shewes deceiue outward appearance lies Let none for seeming so thinke faints of others For all are men and all haue suckt their mothers Who would haue thought a Monarch would haue euer Obeyd his hand-maid of so meane estate Vultur ambition feeding on his liuer Age hauing worne his pleasures out of date But hap comes neuer or it comes too late For such a daintie which his youth found nor Vnto his feeble age did chaunce a-lot Ah Fortune neuer absolutelie good For that some crosse stil counter-checks our luck As heere behold th' incompatible blood Of age and youth was that whereon we stuck Whose lothing we from natures brests do suck As opposite to what our bloud requires For equall age doth equall like desires But mightie men in hiest honour sitting Nought but applause and pleasure can behold Sooth'd in their liking carelesse what is fitting May not be suffred once to thinke the ' are old Not trusting what they see but what is told Miserable fortune to forget so farre The state of flesh and what our frailties are Yet must I needes excuse so great defect For drinking of the Lethe of mine eies H 'is forc'd forget himselfe and all respect Of maiestie whereon his state relies And now of loues and pleasures must deuise For thus reuiu'd againe he serues and su'th And seekes al meanes to vndermine my youth Which neuer by assault he could recouer So well incamp'd in strength of chast desires My cleane-arm'd thoughts repell'd an vnchast louer The Crowne that could commaund what it requires I lesser priz'd then chastities attires Th'vnstained vaile which innocents adornes Th'vngathred Rose defended with the thornes And safe mine honour stood till that in truth One of my sexe of place and nature bad Was set in ambush to intrap my youth One in the habite of like frailty clad One who the liu'ry of like weakenes had A seeming Matron yet a sinfull monster As by her words the chaster sort may conster She set vpon me with the smoothest speech That court and age could cunningly deuise Th' one autentique made her fit to reach The other learnt her how to subtelise Both were enough to circumuent the wise A document that well might teach the sage That ther 's no trust in youth nor hope in age Daughter said she behold thy happie chaunce That hast the lot cast downe into thy lap Whereby thou maist thy honor great aduance Whilst thou vnhappie wilt not see thy hap Such fond respect thy youth doth so inwrap T' oppose thy selfe against thine own good fortune That points thee out seemes thee to importune Doost thou not see how that thy King thy Ioue Lightens forth glory on thy darke estate And showres down gold treasure from aboue Whilst thou doost shut thy lap against thy fate Fie fondling fie thou wilt repent too late The error of thy youth that canst not see What is the fortune that doth follow thee Thou must not thinke thy flowre can alwaies florish And that thy beauty will be still admired But that those raies which all these flames do nourish Canceld with Time will haue their date expired And men will scorne what now is so desired Our frailties doome is written in the flowers Which flourish now and fade ere many howers Reade in my face the ruines of my youth The wracke of yeeres vpon my aged brow I haue beene faire I must confesse the truth And stood vpon as nice respects as thou I lost my time and I repent it now But were I to begin my youth againe I would redeeme the time I spent in vaine But thou hast yeers and priuiledge to vse them Thy priuiledge doth beare Beauties great seale Besides the law of nature doth excuse them To whom thy youth may haue a iust appeale Esteeme not Fame more then thou doost thy weale Fame wherof the world seems to make such choice Is but an Eccho and an idle voice Then why should this respect of honor bound vs In th' imaginarie lifts of reputation Titles which cold seueritie hath found vs Breath of the vulgar foe to recreation Melancholies opinion Customes relation Pleasures plague beauties scourge hel to the faire To leaue the sweet for Castles in the aire Pleasure is felt opinion but conceau'd Honor a thing without vs not our owne Whereof we see how many are bereau'd Which should haue reap'd the glory they had sowne And manie haue it yet vnworthy knowne So breathes his blast this many-headed beast Whereof the wisest haue esteemed least The subtile Citty-women better learned Esteeme them chast enough that best seeme so Who though they sport it shal not be discerned Their face bewraies not what their bodies do T is warie walking that doth safeliest go With shew of vertue as the cunning knowes Babes are beguild with sweets men with showes Then vse thy tallent youth shall be thy warrant And let not honour from thy sports detract Thou must not fondly think thy selfe transparent That those who see thy face can iudge thy fact Let her haue shame that cannot closely act And seeme the chast which is the chiefest arte For what we seeme each see none knowes our hart The mightie who can with such sinnes dispence In steed of shame do honors great bestow A worthie author doth redeeme th' offence And makes the scarlet sinne as white as snow The maiestie that doth descend so low Is not defilde but pure remaines therein And being sacred sanctifies the sin What doost thou stand on this that he is old Thy beautie hath the more to worke vpon Thy pleasures want shall be suppli'd with gold Cold age dotes most when heat of youth is gone Enticing words preuaile with such a one Alluring shewes most deepe impression strikes For age is prone to credite what it likes Heere interrupt she leaues me in a doubt When loe began the combat in my blood Seeing my youth inuirond round about The ground vncertaine where my reasons stood Small my defence to make my partie good Against such powers which were so surelie laid To ouer-throw a poore vnskilfull Maid Treason was in my bones my selfe conspiring To sel my selfe to lust my soule to sin Pure blushing shame was euen in retiring Leauing the sacred hold it glori'd in Honor lay prostrate for my flesh to win Whē cleaner thoughts my weaknes gan vpbray Against my selfe and shame
did her full reuenge refer Oh poore weake conquest both for him and her Then straight my conscience summons vp my sin T' appeare before me in a hideous face Now doth the terror of my soule begin When eu'ry corner of that hatefull place Dictates mine etror and reueales disgrace Whilst I remaine opprest in euery part Death in my bodie horror at my hart Downe on my bed my loathsome selfe I cast The bed that likewise giues in euidence Against my soule and tels I was vnchast Tels I was wanton tels I followed sence And therefore cast by guilt of mine offence Must heere the right of heauen needes satisfie And where I wanton lay must wretched die Heere I began to waile my hard mishap My suddaine strange vnlookt for miserie Accusing them that did my youth intrap To giue me such a fall of infamie And poore distressed ROSAMOND said I Is this thy glory got to die forlorne In Dezarts where no eare can heare thee morne Nor any eye of pittie to behold The wofull end of thy sad tragedie But that thy wrongs vnseene thy tale vntold Must here in secret silence buried lie And with thee thine excuse togither die Thy sin reueal'd but thy repentance hid Thy shame aliue but dead what thy death did Yet breathe out to these walls the breath of mone Tell th' ayre thy plaints since men thou canst not tell And though thou perish desolate alone Tell yet thy selfe what thy selfe knowes too well Vtter thy griefe where with thy soule doth swell And let thy hart pittie thy harts remorse And be thy selfe the mourner and the Corse Condole thee here clad all in blacke dispaire With silence onely and a dying bed Thou that of late so flourishing so faire Did glorious liue admir'd and honoured And now from friends from succor hither led Art made a spoyle to lust to wrath to death And in disgrace forc'd hecre to yeeld thy breath Did Nature O for this deliberate To shew in thee the glory of her best Framing thine eye the star of thy ill fate And made thy face the foe to spoile the rest O beautie thou an enemy profest To chastitie and vs that loue thee most Without thee how w' are loath'd and with thee loft O you that proude with libertie and beautie And ô may well be proude that you be so Glitter in Court lou'd and obseru'd of durie O that I might to you but ere I goe Speake what I feele to warne you by my woe To keep your feet in pure clean paths of shame That no inticing may diuert the same See'ng how against your tender weaknes still The strength of wit of gold and all is bent And all th' assaults that euer might or skill Can giue against a chaste and clean intent Ah let not greames worke you to ' consent The spot is forde though by a Monarch made Kings cannot priuiledge a sinne forbade Lock vp therefore the treasure of your loue Vnder the surest keyes of feare and shame and let no powers haue powre chast thoughts to moue To make a lawlesse entry on your fame Open to those the comfort of your flame Whose equall loue shall march with equall pace In those pure waies that lead to no disgrace For see how many discontented beds Our owne aspiring or our Parents pride Haue caus'd whilst that ambition vainely weds Wealth and not loue honor and nought beside Whilst married but to titles we abide As wedded widowes wanting what we haue When shadowes cannot giue vs what we craue Or whilst we spend the freshest of our time The sweet of youth in plotting in the aire Alas how oft we fall hoping to clime Or wither as vnprofitably faire Whilst those decaies which are without repaire Make vs neglected scorned and reprou'd And ô what are we if we be not lou'd Fasten therefore vpon occasions fit Least this or that or like disgrace as mine Do ouer-take your youth to ruine it And clowde with infamie your beauties shine Seeing how many seeke to vndermine The treasurie that 's vnpossest of any And hard t is kept that is desir'd of many And flie ô flie these Bed-brokers vncleane The monsters of our sexe that make a pray Of their owne kind by an vnkindly meane And euen like Vipers eating out a way Th'row th'wombe of their owne shame accursed they Liue by the death of Fame the gaine of sin The filth of lust vncleannes wallowes in O is it not enough that we poore wee Haue weaknes beautie gold and men our foes But we must haue some of our selues to bee Traitors vnto our selues to ioyne with those Such as our feeble forces doe disclose And stil betray our cause our shame our youth To lust to follie and to mens vntruth Hatefull confounders both of blood and lawes Vilde Orators of shame that pleade delight Vngracious Agents in a wicked cause Factors for darknes messengers of night Serpents of guile diuels that do inuite The wanton taste of that forbidden tree Whose fruit once pluckt will shew how foule we be You in the habite of a graue aspect In credite by the trust of yeeres can shoe The cunning wayes of lust and can direct The faire and wilie wantons how to goe Hauing your lothsome selues your youth spent so And in vncleannes euer haue beene fed By the reuenue of a wanton bed By you haue beene the innocent betraid The blushing fearefull boldned vnto sin The wife made subtile subtile made the maid The husband scorn'd dishonoured the kin Parents disgrac'd children infamous been Confus'd our race and falsi-fied our blood Whilst fathers sonnes possesse wrong Fathers good This and much more I would haue vttred then A testament to be recorded still Signd with my bloud subscrib'd with Conscience pen To warne the faire and beautifull from ill And ô I wish by th' example of my will I had not left this sin vnto the faire But dyde intestate to haue had no heire But now the poison spread through all my vaines Gan dispossesse my liuing sences quite And nought respecting death the last of paines Plac'd his pale colours th'ensigne of his might Vpon his new-got spoile before his right Thence chac'd my soule setting my day ere noone When I least thought my ioies could end so soone And as conuaid t'vntimely funerals My scarce cold corse not suffred longer stay Behold the King by chaunce returning fals T'inconnter with the same vpon the way As he repaird to see his deerest ioy Not thinking such a meeting could haue been To see his Loue and seeing beene vnseene Iudge those whō chance depriues of sweetest treasure What t is to lose a thing we hold so deere The best delight wherein our soule takes pleasure The sweet of life that penetrates so neere What passions feeles that hart inforc'd to beare The deepe impression of so strange a sight That ouer whemls vs or confounds vs quite Amaz'd he stands nor voice nor body stcares Words had no passage teares no