sencelesse stones were with such musick drownd As many yeeres they did retaine the sound Let not the beames that greatnes doth reflect Amaze thy hopes with timerous respect Assure thee Tudor maiestie can be As kinde in loue as can the mean'st degree And the embraces of a Queene as true As theyrs might iudge them much aduaunc'd by you vvhen in our greatnes our affections craue Those secret ioyes that other women haue So I a Queene be soueraigne in my choyse Let others fawne vpon the publique voyce Or what by this can euer hap to thee Light in respect to be belou'd of mee Let peeuish worldlings prate of right and wrong Leaue plaints and pleas to whom they doe belong Let old men speake of chaunces and euents And Lawyers talke of titles and discents Leaue fond reports to such as stories tell And couenaunts to those that buy and sell Loue my sweet Tudor that becomes thee best And to our good successe referre the rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie Great Henry sought to accomplish his desire Armed c. HEnry the fift making clayme vnto the Crowne of Fraunce first sought by Armes to subdue the French and after sought by marriage to confirme what he got by conquest the heate and furie of which inuasion is alluded to the fixtion of Semele in Ouid which by the craftie perswasion of Iuno requested Ioue to come vnto her as he was wont to come vnto his wife Iuno who at her request hee yeelding vnto destroyed her in a tempest Incamp'd at Melans in wars hote alarmes First c. Neere vnto Melans vpon the Riuer of Scyne was the appoynted place of parley betweene the two Kings of England and Fraunce to which place Isabell the Queene of Fraunce and the Duke of Burgoyne brought the young Princesse Katherine where King Henry first saw her And on my temples set a double Crowne Henry the fift and Queene Katherine vvere taken as King and Queene of Fraunce and during the life of Charles the French King Henry was called King of England and heire of Fraunce after the death of Henry the fift Henry the sixt his son then being very young was crowned at Paris as true and lawfull king of England Fraunce At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy Troy in Champayn was the place where that victorious king Henrie the fift maried the Princesse Katherine in the presence of the chiefe nobilitie of the Realmes of England and Fraunce Nor these great tytles vainely will I bring Wife daughter Mother c. Few Queenes of England or Fraunce were euer more princelie alied then this Queene as it hath been noted by Historiographers Nor thinke so Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne◠c. Noting the descent of Henry her husband frō Iohn Duke of Lancaster the fourth son of Edward the third which Duke Iohn was sirnamed Gaunt of the citty of Gaunt in Flaunders where he was borne Nor stir the English blood the sunne and Moone T'repine c. Alluding the greatnes of the English line to Phoebus Phoebe fained to be the children of Latona whose heauenly kind might scorne to be ioyned with any earthlie progenie yet withall boasting the blood of Fraunce as not inferiour to theirs And with this allusion followeth on the historie of the strife betwixt Iuno and the race of Cadmus whose issue was afflicted by the wrath of heauen The chyldren of Niobe slaine for which the wofull mother became a Rock gushing forth continually a fountaine of teares And Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied Lhewellin or Leolin ap Iorwerth married Ioane daughter to King Iohn a most beautifull Lady Some Authours affirme that shee was base borne Lhewellin ap Gryfith maried Ellenor daughter to Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester and Cosin to Edward Longshanks both which Lhewellins were Princes of Wales Of Camilot and all her Pentecosts A Nephewes roome c Camilot the auncient Pallace of King Arthur to which place all the Knights of that famous order yeerely repaired at Penticost according to the lawe of the Table and most of the famous home-borne Knights were of that Countrie as to this day is perceiued by theyr auncient monuments When bloody Rufus sought your vtter sacke Noting the ill successe which that William Rufus had in two voyages he made into Wales in which a number of his chiefe Nobilitie were slaine And oft return'd with glorious victorie Nothing the diuers sundry incursions that the Welchmen made into England in the time of Rufus Iohn Henry the second Longshankes Owen Tudor to Queene Katherine WHen first mine eyes beheld your princely name And found from whence this friendly letter came As in excesse of ioy my selfe forgot vvhether I saw it or I saw it not My panting hart doth bid mine eyes proceede My dazeled eye inuites my tongue to reede Mine eye should guide my tongue amazed mist it My lips which now should speake are dombe and kist it And leaues the paper in my trembling hand vvhen all my sences so amazed stand Euen as a mother comming to her child vvhich from her presence hath beene long exil'd vvith tender armes his gentle necke doth straine Now kissing him now clipping him againe And yet excessiue yoy deludes her so As still she doubts if this be hers or no At length awak'ned from this pleasing dreame vvhen passion som-what leaues to be extreame My longing eyes with their faire obiect meete vvhere euery letter 's pleasing each word sweete It was not Henries conquests nor his Court That had the power to win me by report Nor was his dreadfull terror-striking name The cause that I from VVales to England came For Christian Rhodes and our religious truth To great atchieuements first had wone my youth Before aduenture did my valour proue Before I yet knew what it was to loue Nor came I hether by some poore euent But by th' eternall Destinies consent vvhose vncomprised wisedomes did fore-see That you in marriage should be linck'd to mee By our great Merlin was it not fore-told Amongst his holy prophecies enrold vvhen first he did of Tudors fame diuine That Kings and Queenes should follow in our line And that the Helme the Tudors auncient Crest Should with the golden Flower-delice be drest And that the Leeke our Countries chiefe renowne Should grow with Roses in the English Crowne As Charles fayre daughter you the Lilly weare As Henries Queene the blushing Rose you beare By Fraunce's conquest and by Englands oth You are the true made dowager of both Both in your crowne both in your cheeke together Ioyne Tethers loue to yours and yours to Tether Then make no future doubts nor feare no hate vvhen it so long hath beene fore-told by Fate And by the all-disposing doome of heauen Before our births vnto one bed were giuen No Pallas heere nor Iuno is at all vvhen I to Venus giue the golden ball Nor when the Graecians wonder I enioy None in reuenge to kindle fire in
vaward led Heere Talbot charg'd and heere the Frenchmen fled Heere with our Archers valiant Scales did lie Heere stood the Tents of famous VVilloughbie Heere Mountacute rang'd his vnconquered band Heere forth we march'd and heere we made a stand VVhat should we stand to mourne and grieue all day For that which time doth easily take away VVhat fortune hurts let patience onely heale No wisedome with extremities to deale To know our selues to come of humane birth These sad afflictions crosse vs heere on earth A taxe imposd by heauens eternall law To keepe our rude rebellious will in awe In vaine we prise that at so deere a rate vvhose best assurance is a fickle state And needlesse we examine our intent vvhen with preuention we cannot preuent vvhen we our selues fore-seeing cannot shun That which before with destinie doth run Henry hath power and may my life depose Mine honour mine that none hath power to lose Then be as cheerefull beautious royall Queene As in the Court of Fraunce we erst haue beene As when arriu'd in Porchesters faire roade vvhere for our comming Henry made aboad vvhen in mine armes I brought thee safe to land And gaue my louâ— to Henries royal hand The happy houres we passed with the King At faire South-hampton long in banquetting vvith such content as lodg'd in Henries brest vvhen he to London brought thee from the VVest Through golden Cheape when he in pompe did ride To VVestminster to entertaine his Bride Notes of the Chronicle Historie Our Faeulcons kinde cannot the Cage indure HE alludes in these verses to the Faulcon which was the ancient deuice of the Poles comparing the greatnes and hautines of his spirit to the nature of this bird This was the meane proud Warwickâ— did inuent To my disgrace c. The Commons at this Parliament through Warwickâ— meanes accused Suffolk of treason and vrged the accusation so vehemently that the king was forced to exile him for fiue yeares That onely my base yeelding vp of Maine Should be the losse of fertile Aquitaine The Duke of Suffolke being sent into France to conclude a peace chose Duke Rainers daughter the Ladie Margaret whom he espoused for Henry the sixt deliuering for her to her Father the Countries of Aniou and Maine and the Citie of Mauns Wherevpon the Earle of Arminach whose daughter was before promised to the King seeing himselfe to be deluded caused all the Englishmen to be expulsed Aquitaine Gascoyne and Guyen With the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the heire of good Duke Humfreys name This Richard that was called the great Earle of Warwicke when Duke Humfrey was dead grew into exceeding great fauour with the Commons With Salisbury his vile ambitious Sire In Yorks sterne breast kindling long hidden fire By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle Ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt Richard Plantaginet Duke of Yorke in the time of Henry the sixt claimed the Crowne being assisted by this Richard Neuell Earle of Salisburie and father to the great Earle of Warwicke who fauoured exceedingly the house of Yorke in open Parliament as heire to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third Sonne of Edward the third making his title by Anne his Mother wife to Richard Earle of Cambridge Sonne to Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke which Anne was daughter to Roger Mortimer Earle of March which Roger was sonne and heire to Edmund Mortimer that married the Lady Phillip daughter and heire to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward to whom the Crowne after Richard the seconds death lineally descended he dying without issue And not to the heires of the Duke of Lancaster that was younger brother to the Duke of Clarence Hall cap. 1. Tit. Yor. Lanc. Vrg'd by these enuious Lords to spend their breath Calling reuenge on the Protectors death Humfrey Duke of Glocester and Lord Protector in the 25. yeere of Henry the sixt by the meanes of the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke was arrested by the Lord Beumond at the Parliament holden at Berrie and the same night after murthered in his bed If they would know who robd him c. To this verse To know how Humfrey died and who shall raigne In these verses he iestes at the Protectors wife who being accused and conuicted of treason because with Iohn Hun a Priest Roger Bullenbrooke a Negromancer and Margerie Iordane called the Witch of Eye shee had consulted by sorcâ—rie to kill the King was adiudged to perpetuall prison in the I le of Man to do penance openly in three publique places in London For twentie yeeres and haue I seru'd in Fraunce In the sixt yeere of Henry the sixt the Duke of Bedford being deceased then Lieuetenant generell and Regent of Fraunce this Duke of Suffolke was promoted to that dignitie hauing the Lord Talbot Lord Scales and the Lord Mountacute to assist him Against great Charles and bastard Orleance This was Charles the seauenth that after the death of Henry the fifth obtained the crowne of Fraunce and recouered againe much of that his father had lost Bastard Orleance was sonne to the Duke of Orleance begotten of the Lord Cawnies wife preferred highly to many notable offices because he being a most valiant Captaine was continuall enemie to the Englishmen daily infesting them with diuers incursions And haue I seene Vernoyla's batfull fields Vernoyle is that noted place in Fraunce where the great battell was fought in the beginning of Henry the sixt his raigne where the most of the French Cheualry were ouercome by the Duke of Bedford And from Aumerle with-drew my warlike powers Aumerle is that strong defenced towne in Fraunce which the Duke of Suffolke got after 24. great assaults giuen vnto it And came my selfe in person first to Towers Th'Embassadours for truâ—e to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungary and Spaine Towers is a Citie in Fraunce built by Brutus as he came into Brittaine where in the twentie and one yeere of the raigne of Henry the sixt was appointed a great diet to be kept whether came the Embassadours of the Empire Spaine Hungary and Denmarke to intreat for a perpetuall peace to be made betweene the two Kings of England and France By true descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem Rayner Duke of Aniou Father to Queene Margaret called himselfe King of Naples Cicily and Ierusalem hauing the title alone of King of those Countries A fifteenes taxe in Fraunce I freely spent The Duke of Suffolke after the marriage concluded twixt King Henry and Margarit daughter to Duke Rayner asked in open Parliament a whole fifteenth to fetch her into England Seene thee for England but imbaqu'd at Deepe Deepe is a Towne in Fraunce bordering vpon the Sea where the Duke of Suffolk with Queene Margaret tooke ship for England As when arriu'd in Porchesters faire Roadel Porchester a Hauen Towne in the South-west part of England where the King tarried expecting the Queenes arriuall whom from thence
THE BARRONS WARS in the raigne of Edward the second VVITH ENGLANDS Heroicall Epistles ¶ By Michaell Drayton AT LONDON Printed by I. R. for N. Ling. 1603. To the worthy and his most honored friend Ma. VValter Aston I vvill not striue m' invention to inforce vvith needlesse words your eyes to entertaine T' obserue the formall ordinarie course That euery one so vulgarly doth faine Our interchanged and deliberate choice Is with more firme and true election sorted Then stands in censure of the common voyce That with light humor fondly is transported Nor take I patterne of anothers praise Then what my pen may constantly avow Nor walke more publique nor obscurer waies Then vertue bids and iudgement will alow So shall my loue and best endeuours serue you And still shall studie still so to deserue you Michaell Drayton To the Reader The Quadrin doth neuer double or to vse a word of Heraldrie neuer bringeth foorth Gemells The Quinzain too soone The Sestin hath Twinnes in the base but they detaine not the Musicke nor the Cloze as Musitions terme it long enough for an Epick Poem The stanza of seauen is touched before This of eight both holds the tune cleaue through to the base of the columne which is the couplet at the foote or bottom closeth not but with a full satisfaction to the eare for so long detention Briefely this sort of stanza hath in it maiestie perfection soliditie resembling the piller which in Architecture is called the Tuscan whose shaft is of sixe diameters bases of two The other reasons this place will not beare but generally all stanzas are in my opinion but tyrants and torturers when they make inuention obey theyr number which sometime would otherwise scantle it selfe A fault that great Maisters in this Art striue to auoyde Concerning the deuision which I vse in this Poem I am not ignorant that antiquitie hath vsed to distinguish workes into Bookes and euery one to beare the number of theyr order Homers Iliads and Vlysiads indeede are distinguished by seuerall letters of the Greeke Alphabet as all the world knowes and not by the numerall letters onely which to Iota are digit and afterward compound the Alpha beeing our vnit for the Greekes had no figures nor cyphers in their Arithmeticke Virgils AEneis Statius Thebais Silius worke of the Carthagenian war Illyricus Argonauticks Vidas Christeis are all deuided into books The Italians vse Cantos so our first late great Reformer Ma. Spenser that I assume another name for the sections in this volum cannot be disgratious nor vnauowable Lastly if I haue not already exceeded the length of an Epistle I am to intreat that he who wil as any man may that wil make himselfe a party to this of ours would be pleased to remeÌ„ber that Spartan Prince who beeing found by certaine Embassadors playing among his children requested them to forbeare to censure til also they had some of their owne To such I giue a sample power and priuiledge as euer Ius liberorum could in Rome crauing backe againe at their hands by a regrant the like of that which I impart for great reason there is that they should vndergoe the licence which themselues challenge suffer that in their fames which they would wrongly put vpon others according to the most indifferent law of the Talio Fare you well To Ma. Michaell Drayton WHat ornament might I deuise to fit Th' aspiring height of thy admired spirit Or what faire Garland worthy is to sit On thy blest browes that compasse in all merit Thou shalt not crowned be with common Bayes Because for thee it is a crowne too low Apolloes tree can yeeld thee simple prayse It is too dull a vesture for thy brow But with a wreath of starres shalt thou be crown'd vvhich when thy working temples doe sustaine vvill like the Spheares be euer moouing round After the royall musick of thy braine Thy skill doth equall Phoebus not thy birth He to heauen giues musick thou to earth Thomas Greene. To Ma. Michaell Drayton THose painfull wits which natures depth admire And view the causes of vnconstant strife Doe tremble least the Vniuerse expire Through lasting iarres the enemies of life On earthly signes let not such Sages looke Nor on the cleere aspects of hopefull starres But learne the worlds continuance from thy booke vvhich frames past Natures force eternall warres vvherein the Muses shewing perfect glory Adorne it so with gracefull harmonie That all the acts of this lamented storie Seeme not perform'd for peoples liberty Nor through the awe of an imperious King But that thy verses their deepe wounds might sing Iohn Beumont THE FIRST BOOKE of the Barrons warres The Argument The grieuous plagues and the prodigious signes That this great warre and slaughter doe foreshow Th' especiall cause the Barronage combines The Queenes strong griefe whence many troubles grow The time by course vnto our fall inclines And how each country doth to battell goe VVhat cause to yeeld the Mortimers pretend And their commitment perfecting the end 1 THe bloody factions and rebellious pride Of a strong nation whose vnmanag'd might Them from their naturall Soueraigne did diuide Their due subiection and his lawfull right VVhom their light error loosely doth misguide Vrg'd by lewd Minions tyrannous despight Me from soft layes and tender loues doth bring Of dreadfull fights and horred warres to sing 2 VVhat hellish furie poysned your hie blood Or should bewitch you with accursed charmes That by pretending of the generall good Rashly extrudes you to tumultuous armes And from the safety wherein late you stood Reft of all taste and feeling of your harmes That Fraunce and Belgia with affrighted eyes vvere sad beholders of your miseries 3 Th'inueterate ranckor in their boosoms bred vvho for their charter wag'd a former war Or through your vaines this raging venom spred vvhose next-succeeding Nephewes now you are Or that hote gore your bowes in conquest shed Hauing enlarg'd your countries bounds so far Ensigne to ensigne furiously oppose vvith blades of Bilbo dealing English blowes 4 O thou the great director of my Muse On whose free bounty all my powers depend Into my breast a sacred fire infuse Rauish my spirit this great worke to attend Let the still night my laboured lines peruse That when my Poems gaine their wished end They whose sad eyes shall read this tragique story In my weake hand shall see thy might and glory 5 VVhat care would plot discentions quickly crosse vvhich like an earthquake rends the tottering state By which abroade we beare a publique losse Betrayd at home by meanes of priuate hate vvhilst vs these strange calamities doe tosse The daily nurse of mutinous debate Confusion still our Countries peace confounds No helpe at hand and mortall all our wounds 6 Thou Church then swelling in thy mightinesse Tending the care and safety of the â—oule O nurse not factions flowing in excesse That vvith thy members shouldst theyr griefe condole In thee rests
Lyon hauing slipp'd his chaine As in a feuer makes King Edward quake vvhich knew too well ere he was oaught againe Deere was the blood must serue his thirst to slake Many the labours had been spent in vaine And he inforc'd a longer course to take Saw further vengeance hanging in the wind That knew the pride and greatnes of his mind 27 The faction working in this lingering iarre How for the Scot free passage might be made To lay the ground of a succesfull warre That hope might breede fresh courage to inuade And whilst our safety standeth ouâ— so farre More dangerous proiects eu'ry where are layd That some in hand home troubles to enâ—re Others in Fraunce doe forraine broyles pâ—ocure 28 By these discentions that were lately sowne Incyting Charles to open Armes againe vvho seazing Guyne pretended as his owne That Edward should vnlawfully detaine Proceeds to make a further title knowne T' our Lands in Pontieu and in Aquitaine vvhen wanted homage hath desolu'd the truce vvaking his wrongs by Isabels abuse 29 This plot concluded that was long in hand vvhich to this issue prosperously had thriâ—'d The Base whereon a mighty frame must stand vvith mickle art yet with more feare contriu'd So strongly builded by this factious band As from the same their safety is deriu'd Till theyr full-rooted and inuetterate hate Getting more strength might deeply penetrate 30 VVhen choise of such to sway this French affaire vvhich as a shapelesse and vnweldy masse Might well imploy the strength of all their care So hard and per'lous â—o be brought to passe vvhich it behooues them quickly to prepare That beeing now so setled as it was Craues a graue spirit whose eminence and power Might like a stiffe gale check this threatning showâ—e 31 This must a Session seriously debate That depth of iudgment crau'd to be discust That so concernes the safety of the state And in a case so plausible and iust As might haue quench'd all sparcks of former hate And might be thought euen pollicy might trust Could enuy maister her distracted will Or apprehend saciety in ill 32 Torleton whose tongue mens eares in chaynes could tie And as a fearefull thunderbolt could pierce In which there more authority did lie Then in the Sybils sage propheticke verse VVhose senâ—ence was so absolute and hie As had the power a iudgment to reuerse On the Queenes part with all his might doth stand To lay this charge on her well-guiding hand 33 VVhat helps her presence to the cause might bring Beeing a wife a sister and a mother And in so great and pertinent a thing To right her sonne her husband and her brother Her gracious helpe to all distributing To take of her what they should hold of other vvhich colour serues t' effect in these extreames That which God knowes King Edward neuer dreamesâ— 34 Torleton is this thy spirituall pretence VVould God thy thoughts were more spirituall Or lesse perswasiue were thy eloquence But ô thy actions are too temporall Opinion lends too great preheminence Thy reasons subtile and sophisticall vvould all were true thy supposition saith Thy arguments lesse force or thou more faith 35 These suddaine broyles that weare begun of late Still kept in motion by their secret sleight By false suggestions so interminate That as a ballast of some solid weight Betwixt these aduerse currents of debate Kept theyr proceeding in a course so streight As lends the Queene an ampler colour still By generall meanes to worke a generall ill 36 Shee which thus fitly found both wind and tyde And sees her leysure serue the howre so neare All her endeuours mutually apply'd vvhilst for her purpose things so fitly weare And this aduantage quickly had espy'd As one whose fortunes taught the worst to feare Seeing the times so variously inclind And eu'ry toy soone altring Edwards mind 37 Her followers such as friendlesse else had stood Sunck and deiected by the Spensers pride vvho bare the brands of treason in their blood vvhich but with blood there was no way to hide vvhose meane was weake whose will was but too good vvhich to effect did but the howre abide And knew all meanes that mischiefe could inuent That any way might further her intent 38 VVhilst Mortimer which now so long hath laine From our iust course by fortune lately crost In Fraunce now strugling how he might regaine That which before he had in England lost All present meanes doth gladly entertaine No iot dismayde in all these tempests tost Nor his great minde can thus be ouerthrowne All men his friends all countries are his owne 39 And Muse transported by thy former zeale Led in our progresse where his fortune lyes To thy fayre ayde I seriously appeale To sing this great man his magnanimous guise The auncient Heroes vnto me reueale vvhose worths may raise our nobler faculties That in my verse transparent nete and cleere His character more liuely may appeere 40 Such one he was of him we boldly say In whose rich soule all soueraigne powers did sute In whom in peace th' elements all lay So mix'd as none could soueraignty impute As all did gouerne yet all did obey His liuely temper was so absolute That t'seemd when heauen his modell first began In him it showd perfection in a man 41 So throughly season'd and so rightly set As in the leuell of cleere iudgements eye Time neuer tuch'd him with deforming fret Nor had the power to warpe him once awry vvhose stedfast course no crosse could euer let His eleuation was so heauenly hie Those giddy tempests that the base world proue Sate vnder where he planet like did moue 42 vvhich this faire Queene that had a knowing spirit And saw the beauties resting in his mind One that had throughly look'd into his merit Aboue the value of the vulgar kind That rightly did his Grandâ—ires deedes inherit vvhen now the ages in theyr course declin'd vvhen the old world beeing weake began to â—ow To th' effeminate basenes that it rests at now 43 vvhat waies he wealth or what his VVigmore left Let needlesse heapes things momentary stand He counts not his that can be rap'd by theft Man is the sole Lord both of sea and land And still is rich of these that is not reft vvho of all creatures hath an vpright hand And by the starres is onely taught to know That as they progresse heauen he earth should doe 44 VVherefore wise Nature forc'd this face of ground And through the deeps shew'd him the secreâ— way That in the floods her iudgments might be found vvhere she for safety did her treasure lay vvhose store that he might absolutly sound Shee gaue him courage for her onely kay That he alone of all her creatures free Her glory and her wondrous works should see 45 Let wretched worldlings sweat for mud and earth vvhose groueling bosoms licke the recreant stones And pesants carke for plenty and for dearth Fame neuer lookes vpon these prostrate drones Man is allotted at
triumpheth in my fall For her great Lord may water her sad eyne vvith as salt teares as I haue done for mine And mourne for Henry Hotspur her deere sonne As I for my sweet Mortimer haue done And as I am so succourlesse be sent Lastly to taste perpetuall banishment Then loose thy care where first thy crowne was lost Sell it so deerely for it deerely cost And sith they did of libertie depriue thee Burying thy hope let not thy care out-liue thee But hard God knowes with sorrow doth it goe vvhen woe becomes a comfort to woe Yet much me thinks of comforter I could say If from my hart pale feare were rid away Some thing there is which tels me still of woe But what it is that heauen aboue doth know Griefe to it selfe most dreadfull doth appeare And neuer yet was sorrow voyde of feare But yet in death doth sorrow hope the best And with this farewell wish thee happy rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie If fatall Pomfret hath in former time POmfret Castle euer a fatall place to the Princes of England and most ominous to the blood of Plantaginet Oh how euen yet I hate these wretched eyes And in my glasse c. When Bullingbrooke returned to London from the West bringing Richard a prisoner with him the Queene who little knew of her Husbands hard successe stayd to behold his comming in little thinking to haue seene her Husband thus ledde in tryumph by his foe and nowe seeming to hate her eyes that so much had graced her mortall enemie Wherein great Norfolks forward course was stayd She remembreth the meeting of the two Dukes of Herforde and Norfolke at Couentry vrging the iustnes of Mowbrayes quarrell against the Duke of Herford the faithfull assurance of his victorie O why did Charles relieue his needie state A vagabond c. Charles the French King her father receiued the Duke of Herford in his Court and releeued him in Fraunce beeing so neerely alied as Cosin german to king Richard his sonne in Lawe which he did simply little thinking that he should after returne into England and dispossesse King Richard of the Crowne When thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell King Richard made a voyage with his Armie into Ireland against Onell Mackemur which rebelled at what time Henry entred here at home and robd him of all kinglie dignitie Affirm'd by Church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegitimate William Wickham in the great quarrell betwixt Iohn of Gaunt and the Clergy of meere spight and malice as it should seeme reported that the Queene confessed to him on her death-bed being then her Confessor that Iohn of Gaunt was the sonne of a Flemming that she was brought to bed of a woman child at Gaunt which was smothered in the cradle by mischaunce and that she obtained this chylde of a poore woman making the king belieue it was her own greatlie fearing his displeasure Fox ex Chron. Albanâ— No bastards marke doth blot our conquering shield Shewing the true and indubitate birth of Richard his right vnto the Crowne of England as carrying the Armes without blot or difference Against theyr fayth vnto the Crownes true heire Their noble kindsman c. Edmund Mortimer Earle of March sonne of Earle Roger Mortimer which was sonne to Lady Phillip daughter to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne to king Edward the third which Edmund king Richard going into Ireland was proclaimed heyre apparant to the Crowne whose Aunt called Ellinor this Lord Fiercie had married O would Aumerle had suncke when he betrayd The complot which that holy Abbot layd The Abbot of Westminster had plotted the death of king Henry to haue been done at a Tylt at Oxford of which confederacie there was Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey the Duke of Aumerle Mountacute Earle of Salisbury Spenser Earle of Gloster the Bishop of Carlile Sir Thomas Blunt these all had bound themselues one to another by Indenture to performe it but were all betrayd by the Duke of Aumerle Scroope Greene and Bushie die his fault in graine Henry going towards the Castle of Flint where King Richard was caused Scroope Greene Bushie to be executed at Bristow as vile persons which had seduced this king to this lasciuious wicked life Damn'd be the oath he made at Doncaster After Henries exile at his returne into England he tooke his oath at Doncaster vpon the Sacrament not to claime the crown or kingdom of England but onely the Dukedome of Lancaster his own proper right and the right of his wife And mourne for Henry Hotspur her deere sonne As I for my c. This was the braue couragious Henry Hotspur that obtained so many victories against the Scots which after falling out right with the curse of Queene Isabell was slaine by Henry at the battaile at Shrewsburie Richard the second to Queene Isabell. WHat may my Queene but hope for from that hand Vnfit to write vnskilful to command A kingdoms greatnes hardly can he sway That wholesome counsaile neuer did obey Ill this rude hand did guide a Scepter then VVorse now I feare me gouerneth a pen How shall I call my selfe or by what name To make thee know from whence these letters came Not from thy husband for my hatefull life Hath made thee widdow being yet a wife Nor from a King that title I haue lost Now of that name proud Bulling brooke may boast vvhat I haue beene doth but this comfort bring That no woe is to say I was a King This lawlesse life which first pâ—ocur'd my hate This tong which then denounc'd my regall state This abiect mind that did consent vnto it This hand that was the instrument to doe it All these be witnes that I doe denie All passed hopes all former soueraigntie Didst thou for my sake leaue thy fathers Court Thy famous Country and thy virgine port And vndertook'st to trauaile dangerous waves Driuen by aukward winds and boyst'rous seas And left 's great Burbon for thy loue to me vvho su'd in marriage to be linck'd to thee Offring for dower the Countries neighbouring nie Of fruitfull Almaine and rich Burgundie Didst thou all this that England should receaue thee To miserable banishment to leaue thee And in my downfall and my fortunes wracke Forsaken thus to Fraunce to send thee backe VVhen quiet sleepe the heauie harts reliefe Hath rested sorrow somwhat lesned griefe My passed greatnes vnto minde I call And thinke this while I dreamed of my fall vvith this conceite my sorrowes I beguile That my fayre Queene is but with-drawne awhile And my attendants in some chamber by As in the height of my prosperitie Calling aloud and asking who is there The Eccho answering tells me VVoe is there And when mine armes would gladly thee enfold I clip the pillow and the place is cold vvhich when my waking eyes precisely view T is a true token that it is too true
is shewed in this verse following Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force Nor su'd to Rome to hasten my deuorce Caused great warres by reason that the Duke of Burgoyne tooke part with Brabant against the Duke of Glocester which being arbittated by the Pope the Ladie was adiudged to be deliuered backe to her former husband Nor Bedfords spouse your noble sister Anne That Princely issued braue Burgunian Iohn Duke of Bedford that scourge of Fraunce and the glory of the Englishmen married Anne sister to the Duke of Burgundy a vertuous and beautifull Ladie by which marriage as also by his victories attained in Fraunce he brought great strength to the English nation Where 's Greenewich now thy Elnors Court of late That faire and goodly Pallace of Greenewich was first builded by that famous Duke whose rich and pleasant situation might remaine an assured monument of his wisedome if there were no other memorie of the same They say the Druides once liued in this I le It would seeme that there were two Ilands both of them called Mona though now distinquished the one by the name of Man the other by the name of Anglesey both which were full of many infernall ceremonies as may appeare by Agricolaes voyage made into the hither most Man described by his sonne in law Cornelius Tacitus And as superstition the daughter of bararisme and ignorance so amongst these northerly nations like as in America Magicke was most esteemed Druidae were the publique ministers of their religion as throughly taught in all rites thereof their doctrine concerned the immortalitie of the soule the contempt of death and all other points which may conduce to resolution fortitude and magnanimitie their abode was in Groues and Woods whereupon they haue their name their power extended it selfe to maister the soules of men diseased and to confer with Ghosts and other spirits about the successe of things Plutarch in his profound and learned discourse of the defect of Oraâ—les reporteth that the outmost Brittish Iles were the prison of I wote not what Demigods but it shall not need to speake any farther of the Druidae then that which Lucan doth Et vos barbaricus ritus moremque sinestrum Sacrorum Druidae positis repetistis ab armis Did not the heauens her comming in withstand Noting the prodigious and fearefull signes that were seene in England a little before her comming in which Elinor expresseth in this Epistle as fore-shewing the dangers which should casue vpon this vnlucky marriage The hallowing of the magique instruments The instruments which Bullenbrooke vsed in his coniurations according to the deuillish ceremonies and customes of these vnlawfull Artes were dedicated at a Masse in the Lodge in Harnsey Parke by Southwell Priest of Westminster Hauing procur'd by hopes of golden gaine This was one of the Articles that Duke Humfrey vrg'd against the Cardinall Beuford that conspired the death of Henry the fift by conuaying a villaine into his chamber which in the night should haue murthered him but what ground of truth he had for the same I leaue to dispute Duke Humfrey to Elinor Cobham ME thinks thou should'st not doubt I could forget Her whom so many doe remember yet No no our ioyes away like shadowes slide But sorrowes firme in memory abide Nay I durst answere thou doo'st nothing lesse But moou'd with passion vrg'd by thy distresse No Elnor no thy wooes thy greefe thy wrong Haue in my breast beene resident too long Oh when report in euery place had spred My Elnor was to sanctuarie fled with cursed Onley and the vvitch of Eye As guilty of their vile conspiracie The dreadfull spirits when they did inuocate For the succession and the Realmes estate vvhen Henries Image they in waxe had wrought By which he should vnto his death be brought That as his picture did consume away His person so by sicknes should decay Griefe that before could nere my thoughts controule That instant tooke possession of my soule Ah would to God I could forget thine ill As for mine owne let that instruct me still But that before hath taken too sure hold Forget it said I would to God I could Of any woe if thou hast but one part I haue the whole remaining in my hart I haue no neede of others cares to borrow For all I haue is nothing else but sorrow No my sweet Nell thou took'st not all away Though thou went'st hence here still thy woes doe stay Though from thy husband thou wert forst to goe Those still remaine they will not leaue me so No eye bewailes my ill moanes my distresse Our greefe is more but yet our debt is lesse vve owe no teares no mourning daies are kept For those that yet for vs haue neuer wept vve hold no obijts no sad exequies Vpon the death-daies of vnweeping eyes Alas good Nell what should thy patience moue T' vpbraid thy kind Lord with a forraine loue Thou might'st haue bidd all former ils adue Forgot the old we haue such store of new Did I omit thy loue to entertaine vvith mutuall griefe to answere griefe againe Or think'st thou I vnkindly did forbeare To bandy woe for woe and teare for teare Did I omit or carelesly neglect Those shewes of loue that Ladies so respect In mournefull blacke was I not seene to goe By outward shewes to tell my inward woe Nor drerie words were wasted in lament Nor clowdy brow bewraid my discontent Is this the cause if this be it know then One griefe conceal'd more grieuous is then ten If in my breast those sorrowes sometimes were And neuer vtter'd still they must be there And if thou know'st they many were before By time increasing they must needs be more England to me can challenge nothing lent Let her cast vp what is receiu'd what spent If I her owne can she from blame be free If she but proue a stepdame vnto me That if I should with that proud bastard striue To plead my birth-right and prerogatiue If birth alow I should not need to feare it For then my true nobility should beare it If counsell ayde that Fraunce will tell I know vvhose townes lie wast before the English foe vvhen thrice we gaue the conquered French the foyle At Agincourt at Crauant and Vernoyle If faith auaile these armes did Henry hold To claime his crowne yet scarcely nine month 's old If Countries care haue leaue to speake for me Gray haires in youth my witnes then may be If peoples tongues giue splendor to my fame They adde a title to Duke Humfreys name If toyle at home French treason English hate Shall tell my skill in managing the state If forraine trauell my successe may try In Flaunders Almaine Boheme Burgundy That Robe of Rome proud Beuford now doth weare In euery place such sway should neuer beare The crosier staffe in his imperious hand To be the Scepter that controules the land That home to England despensations drawes vvhich are of power to abrogate our lawes That
Nor let the enuie of enuenom'd tongues vvhich still is grounded on poore Ladies wrongs Thy noble breast diasterly possesse By any doubt to make my loue the lesse My house from Florence I doe not pretend Nor from Giraldi claime I to descend Nor hold those honours insufficient are That I receiue from Desmond or Kyldare Nor adde I greater worth vnto my blood Than Irish milke to giue me Infant food Nor better ayre will euer boast to breathe Then that of Lenster Mounster or of Meathe Nor craue I other forraine farre alies Then VVindsor or Fitz-geralds families It is enough to leaue vnto my heires If they will but acknowledge me for theirs To what place euer did the Court remoue But that the house giues matter to my loue At VVindsor still I see thee sit and walke There mount thy courser there deuise there talk The roabes the garter and the state of Kings Into my thoughts thy hoped greatnes brings Nonsuch the name imports me thinks so much None such as thou nor as my Lord none such In Hamptons great magnificence I finde The liuely image of thy Princely minde Faire Richmonds towers like goodly pillers stand Rear'd by the power of thy victorious hand VVhitehalls tryumphing Galleries are yet Adorn'd with rich deuises of thy wit In Greenwich yet as in a glasse I view vvhere last thou badst thy Geraldine adiew vvith euerie little gentle breath that blowes How are my thoughts confus'd with ioyes and woes As through a gate so through my longing eares Passe to my hart whole multitude of feares O in a map that I might see thee show The place where now in daunger thou dost goe In sweet discourse to trauaile with our eye Romania Tuscaine and faire Lumbardy Or with thy penne exactly to set downe The modell of that Tempell or that Towne And to relate at large where thou hast beene And there there what thou there hast seen Or to describe by figure of thy hand There Naples lies and there doth Florence stand Or as the Grecians finger dip'd in wine Drawing a Riuer in a little line And with a drop a gulfe to figure out To modell Venice moted round about Then ading more to counterfet a Sea And draw the front of stately Genoa These from thy lips were like harmonious tones vvhich now doe sound like Mandrakes dreadfull grones Some trauell hence t' enrich their minds with skill Leaue heere their good and bring home others ill vvhich seeme to like all countries but their owne Affecting most where they the least are knowne Their leg their thigh their backe their necke their head There form'd there fetch'd there found there borrowed In their attire their iesture and their gate Fond in each one in all Italionate Italian French Dutch Spanish altogether Yet not all these nor one entirely neyther So well in all deformitie in fashion Borrowing a limme of euery seuerall Nation And nothing more then England hold in scorne So liue as strangers where as they were borne But thy returne in this I doe not reed Thou art a perfect Gentleman indeed O God forbid that Howards noble line From auncient vertue should so farre decline The Muses traine whereof your selfe are chiefe Onely with me participate their griefe To sooth their humours I doe lend them eares He giues a Poet that his verses heares Till thy returne by hope they onely liue Yet had they all they all away would giue The world and they so ill according bee That wealth and Poets neuer can agree Few liue in Court that of their good haue care The Muses friends are euery where so rare Some praise thy worth thy worth that neuer know Onely because the better sort doe so vvhose iudgement neuer further doth extend Then it doth please the greatest to commend So great an ill vpon desert doth chaunce vvhen it doth passe by beastly Ignorance VVhy art thou slacke whilst no man puts his hand To raise the Mount where Surreys Towers must stand Or who the groundsill of that worke doth lay vvhilst like a wandrer thou abroad doost stray Clip'd in the armes of some lasciuious Dame vvhen thou shouldst reare an Ilion to thy name VVhen shall the Muses by faire Norwich dwell To be the Citie of the learned VVell Or Phoebus Altars there with Incense heap'd As once in Cyrrha or in Thebae kept Or when shall that faire hoofe-plow'd spring distill From great Mount Surrey out of Leonards hill Till thou returne the Court I will exchaunge For some poore cottage or some countrey Grange vvhere to our distaues as we sit and spin My mayde and I will tell of things haue bin Our Lutes vnstrung shall hang vpon the wall Our lessons serue to wrap our Towe withall And passe the night whilst winter tales we tell Of many things that long agoe befell Or tune such homely Carrols as were song In Countrey sports when we our selues were yong In prittie Riddles to bewray our loues In questions purpose or in drawing gloues The noblest spirits to vertue most inclind These heere in Court thy greatest want doe find Other there be on which we feed our eye Like Arras worke or such like Imagerie Many of vs desire Queene Katheâ—ines state But very few her vertues imitate Then as Vlisses wife write I to thee Make no reply but come thy selfe to mee Notes of the Chronicle Historie Then Windsâ—re or Fitzgeralds families THE cost of many Kings which from time to time haue adorned the Castle at Windsor with their princely magnificence hath made it more noble then that it neede to be spoken of now as though obscure and I hold it more meet to refer you to our vulgar moniments for the founders and â—inishers thereof then to meddle with matter nothing neere to the purpose As for the family of the Fitz-geralds of whence this excellent Ladie was lineally descended the originall was English though the branches did spread themselues into distant places and names nothing consonant as in former times it was vsuall to denominate themselues of their manours or forenames as may pattly appeare in that which ensueth the light whereof proceeded from my learned and verie woorthy friend Maister Fraâ—cis Thynâ— Walter of Windsor the sonne of Oterus had issue William of whom Henry now Lord Windsor is descended and Robert of Windsor of whom Robert the now Earle of Essex and Gerald of Windsor his third sonne who married the daughter of Rees the great Prince of Wales of whom came Nesta paramour to Henry the first Which Gerald had issue Maurice Fitzgerald auncestor to Thomas Fitzmaurice Iustice of Iâ—eland buried at Trayly leauing issue Iohn his eldest sonne first Earle or Kildare ancestor to Geraldine and Maurice his second sonne first Earle of Desmond To rayse the mount where Surreys Towers must stand Alludeth to the sumptuous house which was afterward builded by him vpon Leonards hill right against Norwich which in the rebellion of Norfolke vnder Kett in King Edward the 6. time was