shall returne their Disaduantage thus If ye obserue no shore is left the which may shelter vs And so hold out amidst the Rough whil'st they hale in for Lee Whereas whil'st men securely sayle not seldome shipwracks bee What should I cite your passed Acts or tediously incence To present Armes your faces shewe your hearts conceiue offence Yea euen your courages deuine a Conquest not to faile Hope then your Duke doth prophecie and in that hope preuaile A People braue a terren Heauen both Obiects wroth your warres Shall be the Prizes of your Prow's and mount your fame to Starres Let not a Traytors periur'd Sonne exâ—rude vs from our right He dyes to liue a famous life that doth for Conquest fight By this the furious Battels ioyne a bloody day to eyther And long they fight the victory inclining vnto neyther At length the English had the ods who keeping close aray Vnto the Duchie Forces gaue no entraunce any way Who fayning feare and Martially retyring as opprest The English so became secure and follow on disperst To which aduantage furiously the Normanes did returne And got a bloody victorie In vayne the English spurne Amidst the Pikes against the pricke King Harold then was slayne From whom began the Normanes sole but soone conioyned rayne For second Henry Mawd her Sonne freed Englands blood agayne Since when and euer may they so that Of-spring ruled vs Of whose Coniunction in the Crowne the Genalogue is thus King Edmund Irn-side Issue had Edward the Out-law he Had Margaret Mawd by Malcolme theÌ„ the King of Scots had she Mawd to the Conqueror his Sonne first Henry Mawd did beiâ—e This second Mawd the Angeos wife had second Henry heire EDward King Harolds Preregnant of the same Change foretold Who present and succeeding times thus dying did vnfold It is a world to note quoth he the wayes that men adore And how Hypocrisie hath bred of Godlike Deuils store That speake to seeme that seeme to shift that shift to spoyle by guile That smooth sooth yeat deceiue with Scriptum est meane while But let them heaue their hands to Heauen they haue their hier in Hell That seeme deuout to cloake deceit and say but doe not well The Rich are retchles in their willes their liking is for law The Poore repine and Goods not theirs by idle shiftings claw The Lords and Landed ouer-rent and cunningly the same The Parasite doth ouer-reach and beares away the game One riseth by anothers fall and some doe clime so fast That in the Clowdes they doe forget what Climates they haue past But Eagle-winged mindes that fly to nestle in the Sunne Their lofty heads haue leaden heeles and end where they begun It is a common point on which the aged grossely ronne Once to haue dared sayd and seene more then was euer done The Youth are foolish-hardie or lesse hardie then they ought Effeminate phantasticall in few not few are nought At Cyprus not the wanton Saint nor yeat her wylie Sonne Did want her Orgies nor at Rome did Vesta lacke her Nonne The Lampsacens gaue Pryapus his filthie Rites and Create To Ioue his Bulles and Siâ—ilie to Ceres tithed Wheat The Thracians with their Bacchanales did Lybers Temple fill And Italie did blood of Babes on Saturnes Altars spill And fatall wreathes of Myrâ—ill boughes were sacred vnto Dys In fewe there was no Pagane God his Sacrifice did mis. But English-men nay Christian men not onely seeme prophane But Man to Man as Beast to Beast holds ciuill dueties vayne Yea Pulpits some like Pedlers packs yeeld forth as men affect And what a Synode shall conclude a Sowter will correct The rude thus boasting Litrature one Schisme begets another And grossely though a Sehisâ—â—e yeat hath cach Schismatike his Soother Meane while the learned want their Meed none with profit heares The tedious Doult whose artles tongue doth preach to weary eares Here could I enter in a Field of matter more than much But gesse that all is out of frame and long time hath bin such And what shall be let time disclose This onely will I touch A Greene Tree cut from withered Stock deuided Furlongs three From proper Roote it shall reioyne and after fruitfull bee Thus sayd the King And thus doe some expound that Prophesee The Tree this Land the Stock and Roote the thralled English line King Harâ—ld and the VVilliams twaine the Furlongs some define Henry the Normane that begot on Mawde his English Queene Mawde second Henries Mother was the Trees Returne to greene King Stephen first though not so firme did in this Turne proceede But second Henrie perfectly restalled VVodens Seede THE FIFTH BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XXIII ASsisted by the former Bowne persist my Muse and tell How by the Normane Conquest here an other world befell New lawes not Labyrinths as now through wrested Quirkes came in New Lords also at whom for most our auncient Crests begin The English sinke the Normanes swimme all topsie turute was Vntill the Conquerour had brought his whole command to pas Then was one Edgar sonne vnto the out-law Edward he To holy Edward had been heire had not King Harold be And VVilliam pleading too by sword admits no milder law So Edgar in his soonest flight his safest issue saw Who with his mother daughter to the King of Hungarie And Sisters did attempt into his Grandsiers Realme to flie Thus Englands hope with Englands heir in one same Barke did sayl When desprate from their villanage was English blood of baile 〈◊〉 God that to the hopeles is not helples if he please Did driue the storm-beate English ship into the Scottish seas Wheare cast a shore King Malcolme soone had notice of the wracke And did become a gracious Lord vnto their present lacke And Agatha a Votarisse tooke Margaret to Queene Protects her brother euen by Armes against King Williams teene Vntill by warre and wise conuay he so to passe did bring That Edgar reconciled was vnto the English King In credit though withheld his Crowne and thus at least did good His flight Scotch-queen'd his Sister she regraded Englands blood For let we Edgar gainst the haer preserued as exprest And either VVilliam luckie Knight at armes interred rest And set first VVilliams yongest sonne first Henry on the Throne Through him the royall English and the Normane bloods grew one On Mawd Scotch Malcomes daughter by the foresaid Margaret he Had Mawd that solie did suruiue her drowned brothers three Her Empresse to the Emperour then newly being ded Did Geffrey Plantaganet the Earle of Anioy wed And she vnto Plantaganet did second Henry beire Of England Angeo Gascoyne and of Normandie the heire Yeat Stephen first VVilliams daughters son whoÌ„ th' Earle of Bloys did marrie Did with the Empresse and her son now King now Captiue varrie But lastly tyred and inter'd all England by his death Was quietly second Henries who was lawfulst heire by birth With Hengests blood our droupen Muse it
nor till her our humbled sailes we strike For should we at her Grandsier reare our Colome yet too poore We could not write as Hercules on his Beyond no more For he lackt search our Muse hath Kend an Ocean is in store Euen matter that importeth worth coparing all before THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XXXIV NOw let vs poste-alone to Mars and Mercury repaâ—r At least so farforth as wee maye without controwlment daer Richard the third Henry the Seauenth last subiects of our pen Was slaine was crownde with hate with loue as worste as best of men So not with Yorke and Lancaster doth wonted enuie raigne Nor can Aeneas Off-springs now of Orphansie complaine But that Cadwalladers Fore-doomes in Tuders should effect Was vnexpected saue that God doth destinies direct Els Owen Tuder had not wiu'd Fift Henries noble Queene Nor had they of their bodies Earles Penbrooke and Richmon seene Nor Margret Somersets sole heire to Richmon had beene weade Nor they the heire of Lancaster Henry the Seuenth had bread Nor he of Yorks Inheritrix Elizabeth had sped Nor they vnited either house all other titles dead Yeat eare this vnion Either so ariued to their right As Psiches on an errant sent to Hell by Venus spight Worse Ferrymen than Charon Hoods contagious more than Styx Worse Porters than fowle Cerberus were pleas'd past stood betwix How therefore Either dangerously their Labyrinth did passe Shall not be ouerpassed Thus their seuerall fortune was Henries the fourth the fifte and sixt successiuely did raigne Vntill fourth Edwards sword to him did lawfull Empier gaine Lancastrians droupe the Yorkests had their long expected day Sixt Henry and the Prince his sonne by stabbes were made away The foresaid Margaret sole heire of Somerset earst wife Of Tuder Earle of Richmond had by him a Sonne in life To whom from her the Crowne-right of LancastriaÌ„s did accrewe He from his English foes himselfe by secrete stealth withdrewe To little Brutaine wheare he found the Duke a frendfull trewe This Henry Earle of Richmond now poore Lancasters Remaine Was by fourth Edward practis'd home by many a subtell traine Whome once the gentle Duke beguilde with promises vnment Deliuered to the English-men with whome he homewards went Forsaken Ladd for yet he was a Ladd what did remaine But certaine death so to assure his foes vncertaine raine Which to establish many a Prince of his Allies weare slaine But him eare broughta-boorde the Duke aduised better stayd And him as if by câ—â—â—nce escapte to Sanctuarie conuaid The Lambe so rescued from the Wolfe that priuiledged place Assured him till Edwards death and then he hoped grace But he that was Protector of his murthered Nephewes than Vsurped England and became a Monsture not a man Richard the third omitting all his tyrannies beside To be possessed of the Earle by many a message tride Great wealth was sent greater assum'de but nothing might preuail The gracious Duke abhord to set his guiltles frend to sayle But furnished with money men and armor shipt him thence To winne his right yeat churlish Seas did lett such kind pretence Full hardly Richmonds threatned Ship escapt our armed Shoore For Richard of the Riuall got intelligence before Return'de the Duke did sicken and Landoise did beare the sway And he for Masses great was brib'de Earle Henry to betray Yeat through wise Bishop Murtons meanes by stealth he scap'te away In trauell then from Brutaine to his Grome himselfe was Grome By interchaunged rayment till to Anger 's they weare come The French King pittying his distresse pretended asked aide And secrete platformes for his weale his English friends had laide Henry in France at home his Friends bester them and the Foe Meane time with hope with fraud with feare imployde his witts also Now of the Earles conspiracy the totall drift was this Elizabeth the daughter of fourth Edward vow'd he his And she was vow'd to him if God with victory him blisse Our wounded Englands healing balme for thus thereof ensew'de The factious Families vnite the Tyrant was subdew'de And thence the surname Tuder doth Plantagenet include AS hardly as her husband did Elizabeth escape For why like Stratageme for both did bloody Richard shape Whilste that her Father liued now a King and now exilde Her Crosses then did happen from such victors as weare milde But now the same that murthered her Brothers to be King That did withfraud begin and then with bloud conclude ech thing That flattred friends to serue his turne and then destroyde the same That was her Vncle yeat did hate her Mothers very name That thought he liued not because his Neeces weare vndead Theis now and blame her not in her a world of terror bread But of vnpriuiledged bloud yet had he store to spill Yet sanctuaries weare not forc'te yet but expecting ill Theareofte the Queene her Mother Shee and Sisters would reporte Their happie and vnhappie daâ—es the fewer of first sorte Happy was I the olde Queene said when as a Maide vnweade Nor Husbands weale nor Childrens woe mistempered my head Yeat I beloued loued and so left that free estate And thought me happyer than before for louely was my Mate Iohn Gray a sweet Esquier for his prowysse dubbed Knight Was as behoued all my ioy who slaine in factious fight Your Father Daughters late my Lord and Husband now in earth From me had many a secrete curse as motyue of his death Lancastrian was my husband and that faction had the wourste So to releeue my Widdowhood I kneel'd to whom I curste Edward for Henry was depoes'de and Edward seaz'd the Crowne I wot not for what forme of mine did raise me kneeled downe And gaue me chearefull wordes and tooke me curteously aside And playd the ciuell Wanton and me amoroufâ—y he eide His plea was loue my sute was Land I plie him he plies me Too baece to be his Queene too good his Concubine to be I did conclude and on that point a while we disagree But when I was his Queene sweete King not for I was his Queene But for himselfe and for the loue that passed vs betweene I held me happiest vnderheauen yea when his aduerse Line Discrowned him I had inough that I was his he mine Then after fortunes often change he died and I suruiue A life exceeding death for griefe and greefes Superlatiue My heart ah Sonnes my heart deare Hearts was dead eare yee did die Too yong weare yee to censure of your vncles tyranny Then wept shee and her daughters wept their onely talke alwaies Was passed ioyes or present woes nor hope they better daies But in Earle Richmonds good successe that now a power did raise Too soone had Richard notice that Earle Henry would ariue By precontract his eldest Neece Elizabeth to wiue And well he knew in Yorks descent she was immediate heire And Henry like in Lancaster a Match for him to feare Which to preuent he flattered his Neeces from their mother Who fearefull Ladies
each wheare for All Whereforeto Paris at the time flockt Caueliers ful tall With Princes braue and Ladies faire of euery Realme about And hence with moe Charles Brandon in fine Chiualrie most stout Whose bodie fitted to his mind whose mind was puesant and Whose puesance yeelded not to Mars this Mars in France did laÌ„d With whoÌ„ incouÌ„tred valiaÌ„t knights but none might him withstaÌ„d The English-French Queene standing theare admir'd for beautie rare Behild the Tryumphs in the which high Feates performed ware But Brandon yet no Duke he was the Knight aboue the rest That in her eye nor did she erre acquited him the best For whether that he trots or turnes or bounds his barded Steede Did runne at Tylt at Randon or did cast a Speare with heede Or fight at Barriers he in all did most her fancie feede Weake on a Couch her King lay theare whoÌ„ though she loued well Yeat likte she Brandon and the same lou'd her ere this befell For chastly had they fancied long before she came to Fraunce Or that from meane estate to Duke Henry did him aduaunce The dayes of Triumph weare expir'd and English Peeres with praise Come home and Lewes King of France decea'st within few daies Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke then with honour furnisht hence Was sent to France for to returne the widow Queene from thence Who had been wed scarce thâ—ice three weekes vnto a sickly King To her a fayre young Queene therefore smal time might solace bring Yet lesse did timethaÌ„ braue Duke Charles asswage fair Maries griefe He chats she cheers he courts she coyes he wowes she yeelds in briefe No windes thought she assist those Sayles that seeke no certain Shore Nor find they constant liues that but they liue respect no more Let each ones life ayme some one end as if it be to marrie Then see heare loue and soone conclude it betters not to tarrie To cast too many doubts thought she weare oft to erre no lesse Than to be rash And thus no doubt the gentle Queene did gesse That seeing This or That at first or last had likelyhood A man so much a manly Man weare dastardly withstood Then Kisses reuel'd on their Lips to eithers equall good And least King Henry should dissent they secretly did wead And then sollicet his good will and of their wishes spead The periut'd valiaÌ„t Scotch-King Iames slayn at braue Flodons Slaughter Had also left in widowhood Englands fayre elder Daughter She also weds a Scottish Earle vnlicenc'st of her Brother And was to her Sons Daughters Sonne now sixt Iames great-Grandmother A Scruple after twentie yeares did enter Henries mind For wedding of Queene Katherin a Ladie fayre and kind Spaynes Daughter then the Emperours Aunt and for her vertuous life Well worthie Henry But for she had beene his Brothers wife And also of their coiture surmise directed Lawes He seem'd in conscience toucht and sought to rid him of the Cause Then was the matter of Deuorse through Christendome disputed The Match of all adiudged voyd and so the Queene non-suted She after teares to him from whom she was to be deuorste Did humbly say and am I not my Lord to be remorste That twentie yeeres haue bene your Wife borne your Children and Haue lou'd and liu'd obediently and vnsuspected stand I am ah too too sweetly err'd I was poore Soule the same Whom once you did preferre nor now of me you neede to shame The blossomes of my beautie was your Bootie nor my fauour Now alters so to alter so from me your late behauour But Conscience is the colour of this quarrell well I wot I also haue a conscience that in this accuseth not But as the same perhaps might say that me succeedes say I That for the pleasure of a Prince goe many things awry Which her Fore-doomes seem'd to effect in her that her succeeded In Queene Anne Bullyn who for she in Lutherâ—sme proceeded Was hated of the Papists and enui'd because preferr'd And through the Kings too light beleefe for Kinges haue sometimes err'd She lost her head and might haue sayd some thought ere she did dye That for the pleasure of the Prince goe many things awry So dyde the gracious Mother of our now most glorious Queene Whose zeale in reuerent Fox his works autenticall is seene The Kings foure other Queenes for why he dide a Sexamus Shall passe though Iane did beare a Sonne to him a King to vs Edward the Sixt and of the same we shall deliuer thus CHAP. XXXV SVCH as was Loue in Figure of Ascanius wheÌ„ the same In kisses slie did sheade himselfe into the Tyrian Dame Or such as was sweete Hyacint Apollos louely Boy Or Iupiters Ganymaedes rapt vp to heauen from Troy Or rather like young Salomon in sentencing betwixt Two mothers claiming one same Child was young Edward the Sixt. Now Rome fell sicke in England but how long she lay in traunce We list not write alonly death to her did neuer chaunce For old Rome neuer lackt that durst their liues for her bestoe Not new Rome that to Hell for her dare soules and bodies goe Then true Religion might be sayd with vs in Primatiue The Preachers and the people both then practiuely did thriue Our decent Church-Rites still in print not practise worthie those Whose reuerent heads collected them froÌ„ whence true wisedoÌ„ groes Not mangled then of Nouesses and curious Doults which now Would haue they know not what would reform they know not how Omitting or admitting as their owne Conceits allow Did then put forth her Braunches and weare fruitfull in the bood And weare our Church-Lords now for zeale as Church-lawes now for good Soone might like vnion be now by indifferencie withstood For giue to vulgar Heads the head and looke for all confused At once they publish and repeale al els saue Order vsed And as Kytts Campe ill-form'd good forme at their reforming Tree Sonnes ost by aime consorting voice their Fathers hang'd should be So wheare the Multitude preuaile they censure ere they see But might I be so bould to speake to them should speake to mee A good example would doe good in Church-men seeing thay In saying â—â—oth are lesse beleeu'd not doing as the say I know our Churchmen know that Faith is dead where lack good works Yeat know I not what pollicie in Almes vnpreached lurks Some teach wel that these concurre but few doe vrge the Theame Of charitie affeard perhaps our More should vrge their Beame But feare not Fathers preach at full Loue good workes Remorse More will your bad Examples let than shall your words inforce To preach by halfes is to be worse than those tongue-holly Iauells That cite good words but shift off works and Discipline by Cauells Oft haue ye handled pithily not preached without neede What good to giue what hurt to take froÌ„ those that Soules do feede But so obscurely hath beene blancht of good workes elsewheare done As many boasting only
to prouide their second scourge saild Hercules away For comming back with Iasons Prize from Colchos he complaines Of churlish King Laomedon and so an armie gaines At Troy the Greekâ—sh Peeres and he did land their armed men Whome to resist Laomedon did range his Battailes then The Troyans they bestird them well the Grecians stood not still Laomedon fights valiantlie and many a Greeke did kill Till Hercules disgesting ill to see his Foe pursue Such good successe encounters him whom easilie he slue And hauing slaine the traiterous King he ceaseth not to die His Thaebian Club in phrigian bloud till all began to flie But with the Troyans Telamon and Hercules both twaine And by their valour all the Greekes the gates and Citie gaine And kill who so of Troy they caught and rased to the ground The Citie whilest that house by house or stone on stone they found When ventrous Telamon for that he entred first the gate For Prize had faire Hesione of Troy the latest fate For priamus to quit her Rape long after sent his Sonne To rauish Hellen from the Greekes So thirdly warre begonne Hesione the cause to Troy and Hellen to the Greekes And all did worke that Troyan Brute the Albian Climate seekes THE SECOND BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. VII THe twise-sackt Towne the Grecians then did merrilie forsake And Hercules for new affaires did land in Aegypt take There in a Porte hee did espie a Fleete of Shippes from farre Well fraught with Men Munition and what else pertaines to warre When Affer he chiefe Captaine was of that same Fleete did spie The Ensignâ—s of the famous Greeke he knew them by and by And entertaining on his knees the Owner of the same Reioyced to behold the man so honoured by fame With Affer sailed Hercules to Lybia to put downe The Gyant King Aniaeus that had aided to the Crowne Of Aeâ—ypt gainst th' Aegyptians willes Busiris lately slaine By Hercules in whose conduct the doubt not to obtaine The taking land in Lybia now and hauing in their sight The threatned Citie of the Foe his Tents did Affer pâ—ght And giâ—ts it with a sodaine Siege The Giant then did shake His hideous head and vow'd reuenge yea sharpe reuenge to take But isâ—ning out his Citie gates he â—ound the â—oe so hot That notwithstanding such his bragges the worst Antaeus got For Hercules did canuase so his carkes that at length He did retire himselfe and men as trustlesse of his strength His Libians slaine and he not sound Antaeus Truce did craue For graunt whereof vnto his Foes meane time he victuals gaue And whilest the Month of Truce did last the Giant brused sore Did heale his wounds and to his part sollicits Aiders more Meane while the Greeke to Mauritain did passe vnknowne of all And theare in King Antaeus aide he found supplies not small And for he looked souldier-like they brought him to the King Who offered pay not so quoth he I meane an other thing Discharge these Bands or else will I discharge thee of thy breath That all alone to thee and thine oppose me to the death When Atlas knew him Hercules that conquered of late The Iland which his daughters held and brought to latest fate His Giant that defended them and captâ—uated than His friend Philoctes he twixt feare and fiercenesse waxed vvan And looke how fast the ratling haile vpon an house dooth fall So fast they lay on Hercules that holdeth wage gainst all For as the Smith with Hammour beats his forged Mettall so He dubs his Club about their pates and sleas them on a row And whilest not daring to looke downe by heaps on him they flie Some stumbling on the bodies dead are smoldred so and die Some sliding in their slippery bloud where with the place did swimme Were strangled so some others whilest disorderedly at him They freat and foyne are crowded on by those that hindmost be And with their weapons spoyle themselues and fellowes two or three Some others with the wounding points of broken weapons die And others daring with their Foe their bootles force to trie Were in a moment slaine by him and thus in little space Without resistance Hercules had Lordship of the place And maugre swords or studied Starres brought Atlas to the Seas Whereas Philoctes did in time his pensiuenes appease And to his friend commends the Foe for bountie which at last Himselfe did finde and when as time his griefe had ouerpast The same that for Astrologie the Skies support was said In such his Science Hercules a perfect Artist made The Month of Truce by this had end and Hercules returnes To Affer that incamped at the Lybian walles soiournes A second battell then begonne Antaeus like a Baer Bestires himselfe amongst his Foes whilest Hercules did faer As roughly with contrarie bloes till none to fight did daer But humblie all submitting them subdued by his might He gaue them grace and staied theare to doe them law and right Meane time Antaeus lately fled returnes from Mauritain And with a mightie Troupe of Moores renewed fight againe And all the Fields with Carcases of mangled men were filde And numbers failed to the Moores that Hercules had kild But when Antaeus saw his men to lessen more and more Resoluing or to win the Spurres or lose himselfe therefore He makes a bloudie glade vntill the Thaebane he espide And finding him bestowe on me thy bloes the Giant cride That am both able to endure and to repay the same A Flie is not an Eagles praie nor Mouse a Lyons game My death might countenance thy deedes if that it so would be But make account that I anon will triumph ouer thee In saying which he smites his Foe perfourming wondrous might And bodie vnto bodie they with equall dammage fight But Hercules disdaining that so long Antaeus standes With him in combat griping him betwixt his angrie handes Did crush his Carkasse in the ayre that life did leaue him so And thus did reape a Monarchie and rid a mightie Foe Then Hercules Antaeus dead with ease he ouercame All Lybia with Prouinces and Kingdomes of the same And maketh â—ffer King of all that beares the Donees name IN expedition of which warre when Hercules would dwell No longer time but purposed to bid his friends farewell A warlike wench an Amazon salutes him by his name And said know Hercules if it thou knowest not by same How that the Scythian Ladies late expeld their natiue Land By King of Aegypt haue contriu'd amongst themselues a bande And with the same haue conquered all Asia Aegypt and All Cappadocia Now for that we Victors vnderstand The Africanes are our Allies we minding to proceed In further Conquests tendring them haue therefore thus decreed That you two Champions shall elect and we will also send Two Ladies that for victorie shall with your Knights contend And if your Champions vanquish ours then we will tribute pay But if that ours doe vanquish yours then
conclude by Combacy to winne or loose the Game Within a little Island neare round which the Armies stand The Kingly Champions trie their Force by fighting hand to hand They spur their Horses breake their Speares beat at Barriars long And then dismounting did renew a Battell braue and strong Whil'st eyther King thus Martially defends and did offend They breathing King Canutus said we both I see shall end Eâ—e Empire shall begin to one then be it at thy choyce To fight or part With it their Knights crie out with common voyce Deuide most valiant Kings deuide enough ye haue of Fight And so the Champions did embrace forgetting malice quite Partition equally was made betwixt these Princes twaine And Brother-like they liue and loue till by a deu'lish traine Earle Edricus a Traytor to the Father and the Sonne Did murther Edmund and his head supposing to haue wonne The fauour of Canutus so presenting sayd O King For loue of thee I thus haue done Amazed at the thing Canutus sayd and for that thou hast headed him for me Thy head aboue all English heads exalted it shall be The Earle was headed and his head poold vp for all to see Of England Danske Norway then Canut was perfect Lord And in this triple Regiment all with vertue did accord Harold Hardi-knought his sonnes each th' other did succeede Of either which small certaine Fame of well or ill we reede Saue by their Raigns to Englâ—sh-men did grieuous thraldoÌ„ breede But after Hardt-knought his death the Danes were chased hence Not intermedling with the state of England euersince CHAP. XXII OF foresaid Egelred his Sonnes Alured and his brother Was Edward King for Goodwins guile had made away that other Religious chaste wise fortunate stout francke and milde was hee And from all Taxes wrongs and Foes did set his Kingdome free By ouer-ruling of his Lords intreating long the same Least dying Issuelesse he leaue succession out of frame He tooke to Queene a Damsell faire howbeit by consent In vowes of secret chastitie their louing liues they spent The Father of this maiden-wife he sitting by the King And seeing one that stumbled but not falling vp to spring Did laughing say the brother theare the brother well hath eas'd His meaning was the Stumblers feete And haddest thou so pleas'd So had my Brother quoth the King bin easing vnto me The traitrous Earle tooke bread and sayd so this digested be As I am guiltlesse of his death these words he scarcely spoke But that in presence of the King the bread did Goodwyn choke His sonne Harold by Hardi-knoghts late daughter him suruiues He crossed by contrary winds in Normandie ariues Where Goodwins sonne did take an oth Duke VVilliam vrging so To keepe vnto the Duke his vse when Edward hence should go The Crowne of England claimed by Adoption and by blood But Harold after Edwards death not to his promise stood And for he was in wealth in friends in blood and Armor strong And title had his Mothers right he forced not the wrong But arming him against the Duke so vrged vnto wroth Did seaze the Crowne vnto himselfe contrary to his oth Whil'st VVilliam therfore works for war King Harold had not rest For Harold Hare-foote King of Danes and Norwaies much opprest The English with his puissant Bands But Harold him assailes And after fearce and doubtfull fight most valiantly preuailes And with the Norgaine Prince he slew his people almost all When for deuision of the spoyle did much contention fall Betwixt the King and English-men and many a noble Knight Not onely murmur and maligne but did forsake him quight Such malice growing VVilliam with his Normanes taking land Found hot hot spur Harold prest in Armes his puissance to withstand And either Battell Marshalled as either Captaine wild The King of England eagerly the Normane Oste behild And with his cheerefull speeches thus his men with courage fild See valiant War-friends yonder be the first the last and all The Agentes of our Enemies they hencefoorth cannot call Supplies for weedes at Normandie by this in Porches groe Then Conquer these would Conquer you and dread no further Foe They are no stouter than the Brutes whom we did hence exile Nor stronger than the sturdy Danes or victory er while Not Saxoâ—â—e could once containe or scarce the world beside Our Fathers who did sway by sword where listed them to bide Then doe not ye degenerate take courage by discent And by their burialles not abode their force and flight preuent Ye haue in hand your Countries cause a Conquest they pretend Which were ye not the same ye be euen Cowards would defend I graunt that part of vs are fled and linked to the Foe And glad I am our Armie is of Traytours cleered so Yea pardon hath he to depart that stayeth Mal-content I prize the minde aboue the man like zeale hath like euent Yeat troth it is no well or ill this Iland euer had But through the well or ill Support of Subiects good or bad Not Caesar Hengest Swayn or now which neretheles shall fayle The Normane Bastard Albion true did could or can preuaile But to be selfe-false in this Isle a selfe-Foe euer is Yeat wot I neuer Traytour did his Treasons Sâ—ipend mis. Shrinke who wil shrinke let Armor's wayte presse downe the burdned earth My Foes with wondring eyes shal see I ouer prize my death But since ye all for all I hope a like affected bee Your Wiues your Children liues and Land from sâ—â—uitude to free Are Armed both in shew and zeale then gloriously contend To winne and weare the home brought Spoyles of Victorie the end Let not the Skinners daughters Sonne possesse what he pretends He liues to die a noble death that life for freedome spendes As Harold hartned thus his men so did the Normane his And looking wishly on the earth Duke William speaketh this To liue vpon or lie within this is my Ground or Graue My louing Souldiers one of twaine your Duke resolues to haue Nor be ye Normanes now to seeke in what you should be stout Ye come amidst the English Pikes to hewe your honors out Ye come to winne the same by Launce that is your owne by law Ye come I say in righteous warre reuenging swords to draw Howbeit of more hardie Foes no passed Fight hath spead ye Since Rollo to your now-Abode with Bands victorious lead ye Or Turchus Sonne of Troylus in Scythian Fazo bread ye Then worthy your Progenitors ye Seede of Pryams sonne Exployt this businesse Rollons do that which ye wish be done Three People haue as many times got and forgone this shore It resteth now ye Conquer it not to be Conqured more Fot Normane and the Saxon Blood conioyning as it may From that consorted Seede the Crowne shall neuer passe away â—efore vs are our armed Foes behind vs are the Seas On either side the Foe hath Holdes of succour and for ease But that Aduantage
did expect like deaths as had their brother And as they feare did he affect which for the troubles then Was vneffected now behou'd to winne him loue of men Yeat casts he how he might conuay to him his Neeces right Soone compassing his Wifes dispatch whose life stood in his light Then plyes he his amazed Neece to his inâ—â—â—tious bead Of her abhor'd Shee in conceite by faith fore-plighted spead This marrage motion gawles her more than any former griefe Her selfe Friends Realme Conspiracie all it toucht in breefe And therefore death late feared now she fantaseth in cheefe Meane while did Henry land incampe fight and subdewe his Foe And marrying her long ciuill warres in England ended so CHAP. XXXV SEauenth Henries forraine busenes had succesfull honor heere Three schol'd Dâ—dalien Icarists whose mounting cost them deere Did interrupt the peace The first a Priests bace Puple he By his Complottors was pretenst'e Duke Clarence sonne to bee A many of our natiue Peeres some forraine Princes too Submissiuly behight him aide in all that they might doo The Lad was lofty for himselfe he harrollized well At full he could his lessons and a formale lie would tell For him was fought a bloody field the Victory the Kinges Lambert the forged Yorkest and the Priest that fram'd his winges Weare taken For minority the Icarus was quit The Dedalâ—s for cleargie tites was but intowr'd for it Thus scapte the Priest The mother Queene to her that now was Queene Found harder sentence for a crime more venale as I weene Shee that did forward Henry with her friends her purse her wit That had conspir'd conceil'd concur'd for him the Crowne to git And had him now her sonne in law vnchauncy Queene fore-went Her whole reuenewes and her age as if in durance spent Because against her heart good Soule for bootles to withstand See yeelded all her daughters to the late Vsurpers hand Whereby the Vnion might haue quaild and for it might she must Indure such law strict law to her of mallice not vniust THan good old Queene Elizabeth our next young Phaeton Had gentlier Iudgement He till then froÌ„ Realm to Realm had gone And now in Ireland hoping no such honor was at Corke Saluted by some Rebels theare for Richard Duke of Yorke Fourth Edwards second son Those Stiles to him were strange but thay Did feofe them on the bace-borne Muffe and him as King obay The Yorkesh Faction though they knew the error let not slip Occasion that they now might haue Lancastrians on the hip Margret fourth Edwards sisters heart for ioy hereof did skip Shee had him soone to Burgone and informes him cuery thing That might concerne Yorks pettegree or apted for a King Maliciously repining still at Lancasters successe And often would thus or thus-like her heart with tongue expresse God hath forgot our house of Yorke nay Yorke it selfe forgot To my late Brother Richards soule cleaue euermore this blot He made away our friends to make a way vnto our Foe To Lancaster proud Lancaster I thence these teares doc floe Had he stock't vp that hated stocke had he raâ—'st out that Race Python had ceast and he had bene Apollo in that cace That Henry was Lancastrian and that Henry was aliue And where he liu'd that he should not liue if we would thrâ—â— He knew ywis yeat knew he not his death how to contriue The Duke of Brutaine is no God then how the diuell y'ste That both my brothers laboring him for whome they 〈◊〉 Their Sinons weare too simple and their bribes but petite geere WheÌ„ had they bought him with their souls they had not bought him deere The heire of Lancaster fie how it loathes to sound that name Enioyes the Crowne nay worse enioyes to wife a Yorkesh Dame Worser the name Plantâ—genet is buryed in the same And worst of all their Title such as law bids vs disclame Who would haue lookt such change to chaunce oh howe I feed like will As Aeâ—as daughter Aesons house with tragedies to fill Who can endure to see their friends decline their Foes ascend I see it and for seeing so doe wish my life had end When that her darling had his looer she left him to his wings Who flead not to worse company or at lesse game than Kings He lighteth in the French Kings Court wheare honord as the same From whom he falsely would contriue a Crowne by forged name He had Supplies and English ayds and Irish troupes also With which he lands in England where King Henry met the Foe On either part the Battell was right bloodie but at length The King subdues and Perkeâ— flead the land dispoyld of strength Then as the French the Scotch King did repute of him whereby He wyu'd a Lady passing fayre and of the Kings Allie The Earle of Huntlies daughter of the scotch-blood-royall bread Shee both before and after that her low-pris'd Mate was dead When well she knew his parentage and felt his ebbed state In onely sorrow did abound in loue no whit abate Howbeit in the English Court prefer'd to high estate Theare for she was of comely parts and vncompeered face Shee often brauely courted yeelds no Courtier labor'd grace To one among'st the rest that most admierd her aunswers chaste She sayd besides the sinne and that I so might liue disgrac'ste A Presedent of wrong and woe did make me long since vow Chastly to liue the Loue of him whom Fates should me allow I knew quoth she a Knight a Knight he was in each respecte I knew a Ladie fayre she was but fouly to be chect They loued long if that to loue and leaue may loue be sayd Till lastly she conceyued loue wheare loue should be denayd Then he whose Sowles Soule goddiz'd her perceiuing her vntruth Became vnlike himselfe and mou'd saue her each one to ruth At last he runs'distraught about and what his moods conceited He did confusedly he wept askt answerd and intreated Ah many a time for though his words lackt methode yeat they moued He had these speeches arguments how earnestly he loued CHAP. XXXVI MY Mistresse is a Paragon the fayrest fayre aliue Atrides and Aeacides for faire lesse faire did striue Her colour fresh as Damaske Rose her breath as Violet Her bodie white as Iuorie as smooth as polisht Iet As soft as Downe were she down Ioue might come down kisse A Loue so fresh so sweet so white so smooth so soft as this The Cleonâ—an Lions spoyles for her I would redresse I would the Lernan Hydras heads with sword and fire suppresse My force the Erymantheon Bore should brauely ouermatch The swift-foote golden horned Stag I running would orâ—catch My bow the Birds of Stymphalus from wastfull prayes should chace Of her proud Baldricke would I spoyle the Amazon at Thrace Augeas washed Stables should my seauenth Labour end I with the Bull of Calidon victorious would contend On horse-deuoured Diomede like honour should be wonne 〈◊〉 Spanish Robber