heare my prayre That Bullingbrooke now placde in Richards chaire Such cause of woe vnto their wiues may be As those rebellious Lords haue beene to me And that prowd Dame which now controlleth all And in her pompe triumpheth in my fall For her great Lord may water her sad eyne With as salt teares as I haue done for mine And mourne for Henry Hotspur her deere sonne As I for my sweete 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 When woe becomes a comforter to woe Yet much me thinkes of comfort I could say If from my hart pale feare were rid away Something there is which tells 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 voide 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 staid to behold his comming in little thinking to haue seene her husband thus ledde in triumph by his foe and now seeming to hate her eyes that so much had graced her mortall enemie Wherein great Norfolks forward course was staid She remembreth the meeting of two Dukes of Herford and Norfolke at Couentry vrging the iustnesse of Mowbrayes quarrell against the Duke of Herford and 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 being so neerely alied as Cosin german to king Richard his sonne in Law which he did simply little thinking that hee 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 and Mackemur which rebelled at what time Henry entred here at home and robd him of all kingly dignitie Affirmde by Church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegitâ—imate 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 deathbed being then her Confessor that Iohn of Gaunt was the son of a Flemming and that shee was brought to bed of a woman childe at Gaunt which was smothered in the cradle by mischance that she obtained this childe of a poore woman making the king beleeue it was her owne greatly fearing his displeasure Fox eâ— Chron. Alban 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 their faith vnto the Crownes true heire Their noble kinsman 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 heire apparant to the Crowne whose Aunt called Ellinor this Lord Piercie had married O would Aumerle had suncke when he betrayd The complâ—t which that holy Abbot layd The Abbot of Westminster had plotted the death of King Henry to haue beene done at a Tilt at Oxford of which confederacie there was Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey the Duke of Aumerle Mountacute Earle of Salsbury 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 and Bushie to be executed at Bristow as vile persons which had seduced this King to this lasciuious and wicked life Damn'd be the oth he made at Doncaster After Henries exile at his returne into England he tooke his oth at Doncaster vpon the Sacrament not to claime the crowne or Kingdome of England but onely the Dukedome of Lancaster his owne 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 Shrewsbury Richard the second to Queene Isabell WHat may my Queene but hope for froÌ„ that hand Vnfit to write vnskilfull to coÌ„mand A Kingdomes greatnesse hardly can he sway That wholesome counsaile neuer did obay Ill this rude hand did guide a Scepter then Worse 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 prowd Bullingbroke may boast What I haue beene doth but this comfort bring That no woe is to say I was a King This lawlesse life which first procurde my hate This tongue which then denounc'd my regall state This abiect minde that did consent vnto it This hand that was the instrument to doe it All these be witnesse 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 waies Driuen by aukward windes and boist'rous seas And left 's great Burbon for thy loue to mee Who 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 receiue thee To miserable banishment to leaue thee And in my downefall and my fortunes wracke Forsaken thus to France to send thee backe When quiet sleepe the heauie hearts reliefe Hath rested sorrow somwhat lesned griefe My passed greatnes vnto minde I call And thinke this while I dreamed of my fall With this conceit my sorrowes I beguile That my faire Queene is but with-drawne a while And my attendants in some chamber by As in the height of my prosperitie Calling alowd and asking who is there The Eccho
late duke Humfries old alies With banisht Elnors base complices Attending their reuenge grow wondrous crouse And threaten death and vengeance to our house And I lone the wofull remnant am T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham I pray thee Poole haue care how thou doost passe Neuer the Sea yet halfe so dangerous was And one foretolde by Water thou shouldst die Ah! foule befall that foule tongues prophecie And euery night am troubled in my dreames That I doe see thee tosst in dangerous streames And oft-times shipwrackt cast vpon the land And lying breathlesse on the queachy sand And oft in visions see thee in the night Where thou at Sea maintainst a dangerous fight And with thy proued target and thy sword Beatst backe the pyrate which would come aboord Yet be not angry that I warne thee thus The truest loue is most suspitious Sorrow doth vtter what vs still doth grieue But hope forbids vs sorrovve to belieue And in my counsell yet this comfort is It can not hurt although I thinke amisse Then liue in hope in triumph to returne When cleerer dayes shall leaue in cloudes to mourne But so hath sorrow girt my soule about That that word Hope me thinks comes slowly out The reason is I know it heere vvould rest Where it vvould still behold thee in my breast Farewell sweete Pole faine more I would indite But that my teares doe blot as I do write ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Or brings in Burgoyne to ayde Lancaster PHillip Duke of Burgoyne and his sonne were alwaies great fauorites of the house of Lancaster howbeit they often dissembled both with Lancaster and Yorke Who in the North our lawfull claime commends To win vs credite with our valiant friends The chiefe Lords of the North parts in the time of Henry the fixt withstood the Duke of Yorke at his rising giuing him two great ouerthrowes To that allegeance Yorke was bound by oth To Henries heires and safety of vs both No longer now he meanes Records shall beare it He will dispence with heauen and will vnsweare it The Duke of Yorke at the death of Henry the fift and at this Kings coronation tooke his oth to be true subiect to him and his heires for euer but afterward dispensing therewith claimed the crowne as his rightfull and proper inheritance If three sonnes faile shee 'le make the fourth a King The Duke of Yorke had foure sonnes Edward Earle of March that afterward was Duke of Yorke and King of England when he had deposed Henry the sixt and Edmund Earle of Rutland slaine by the Lord Clifford at the battel at Wakefield and George Duke of Clarence that was murthered in the Tower and Richard Duke of Gloster who was after he had murthered his brothers sonnes King by the name of Richard the third He that 's so like his Dam her yongest Dicke That fowle illfauored crookeback'd Stigmaticke c. Till this verse As though begot an age c. This Richard whom ironically she heere calls Dicke that by treason after his Nephewes murthered obtained the crowne was a man low of stature crooke-back'd the left shoulder much higher then the right and of a very crabbed and sower countenance his mother could not be deliuered of him hee was borne toothd with his feet forward contrary to the course of nature To ouershadow our vermilian Rose The red Rose was the badge of the house of Lancaster and the white Rose of Yorke which by the marriage of Henry the seauenth with Elizabeth indubitate heire of the house of Yorke was happily vnited Or who will muzzell that vnruly beare The Earle of Warwicke the setter vp and puller downe of Kings gaue for his Armes the white Beare rampant and the ragged staffe My Daisie flower which erst perfumde the ayre Which for my fauour Princes once did weare c. The Daisie in French is called Margaret which was Queene Margarets badge where-withall the Nobilitie and chiualrie of the Land at the first arriuall were so delighted that they wore it in their hats in token of honour And who be starres but Warwikes bearded staues The ragged or bearded staffe was a part of the Armes belonging to the Earledome of Warwicke Slandring Duke Rayner with base beggery Rayner Duke of Aniou called himselfe King of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem hauing neither inheritance nor tribute from those parts and was not able at the marriage of the Queene of his owne charges to send her into England though he gaue no dower with her which by the Dutchesse of Glocester was often in disgrace cast in her teeth A Kentish rebell a base vpslart groome This was Iacke Cade which caused the Kentish-men to rebell in the 28. yeere of King Henry the fixth And this is he the white Rose must prefer By Clarence daughter match'd to Mortimer This Iacke Cade instructed by the Duke of Yorke pretended to be descended from Mortimer which married Lady Phillip daughter to the Duke of Clarence And makes vs weake by strengthning Ireland The Duke of Yorke being made Deputy of Ireland first there began to practise his long pretended purpose strengthning himselfe by all meanes possible that hee might at his returne into England by open warre claime that which so long he had priuily gone about to obtaine Great Winchester vntimely is deceasde Henry Benford Bishop and Cardinall of Winchester sonne to Iohn of Gaunt begot in his age was a prowd and ambitious Prelate fauouring mightily the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke continually heaping vp innumerable treasure in hope to haue beene Pope as himselfe on his death-bed confessed With France t' vpbraide the valiant Somerset Edmund Duke of Somerset in the 24. of Henry the sixth was made Regent of France and sent into Normandie to desend the English territories against the French inuasions but in short time he lost all that King Henry the fifth won for which cause the Nobles and Commons euer after hated him T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham Humfrey Duke of Buckingham was a great fauorite of the Queenes faction in the time of Henry the sixt And one sore-told by water thou shouldst die The Witch of Eye receiued answer from her spirit that the Duke of Suffolke should take heede of water which the Queene forwarnes him of as remembring the Witches prophecie which afterwards came to passe Finis To the Right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Munson Knight SIR amongst many which most deseruedly loue you though I the least yet am loth to be the last whose endeuours may make knowne how highly they esteeme of your noble and kinde disposition Let this Epistle Sir I beseech you which vnworthily weares the badge of your worthy name acknowledge my zeale with the rest though much lesse deseruing which for your sake doe honour the house of the Mounsons I know true generositie accepteth what is zealously offred though not euer deseruingly excellent yet for loue of the Art from whence it receiueth resemblance The light Phrigian harmony
haue alreadie lost But your owne madnesse needsly make it more Will you seeke safety in a forraine Coast Your wiues and children pittied you before But when your own blood your own swords imbrue Who pitties them which once did pittie you 19 The neighbouring groues dispoiled of their trees For boates and timber to assay this flood Where men are laboring as the Summer bee Some hollowing truncks som binding heaps of wood Some on their breasts some working on their knees To winne the bancke whereon the Barrons stood Which o're this current they by strength must tew To shed that blood that many ages rew 20 Some sharpen swords some on their Murrians set The Greaues and pouldrons others riuet fast The archers now their bearded arrowes whet Whilst euery where the clamerous Drums are bra'st Some taking view where surest ground to get And euery one advantage doth fore-cast In ranks and fyles each plaine and meadow swarmes As though the land were clad in angry Armes 21 The crests and honours of the English name Against their owne opposed rudely stand As angry with th'atchieuements whence they came That to their vertues gaue the generous brand O you vnworthy of your ancient fame Against your selues to lift your conqu'ring hand Since forraine swords your height could not abate By your owne powre your selues to ruinate 22 Vpon his surcoate valiant Neuell bore A siluer saltoyre grac'd on martiall red A Ladies sleeue hie-spirited Hastings wore Ferrer his Taberd with rich verry spred Wel knowne in many a warlike match before A Rauen sate on Corbets warlike head Cou'ring his Helmet Culpepper inrayld On maiden Armes a bloodie bend engrayld 23 The noble Percy in this furious day With a bright Cressant in his guide-home came In his faire Cornet Verdoon dooth display A Geuly fret priz'd in this mortall game That had beene taskt in many a doubtfull fray His launces pennons stained with the same The angry horse chafde with the stubborne bit The ruinous earth with rage and horror smit 24 I could the summe of Staffords arming show What colours Courtney Rosse and Warren holde Each sundry blazon I could let you know And all the glorious circumstance haue tolde What all the Ensignes standing in arow But wailing in a Muse ah me thou arte controlde When in remembrance of this horred deede My pen for inke euen drops of blood doth sheede 25 Th' imperiall standard in this place is pitcht With all the hatchments of the English crowne Great Lancaster with all his power enricht Sets the same Leopards in his Colours downe O if with furie you be not bewitcht Haue but remembrance on your selfe you frowne A little note or difference is in all How can the same stand when the same dooth fall 26 Behold the Eagles Lyons Talbots Beares The badges of your famous ancestries And shall they now by their inglorious heires Stand thus oppos'd against their families More honoured markes no Christian nation weares Reliques vnworthie of their progenies Those beasts you beare do in their kindes agree O that than beasts more sauage men should bee 27 But whilst the king no course concluded yet In his directions variably doth houer See how misfortunes still her time can fit Such as were sent the Country to discouer As vp and downe from place to place they flit Had found a foord to land their forces ouer Ill newes hath wings and with the winde doth goe Comfort 's a Cripple and comes euer slow 28 When Edward fearing Lancasters supplies Prowd Richmond Surry and great Penbrooke sent On whose successe his chiefest hope relies Vnder whose conduct halfe his Army went The neerest way conducted by thespies And he himselfe and Edmond Earle of Kent Vpon the hill in sight of Burton lay Watching to take aduantage of the day 29 Stay Surry stay thou mai'st too soone be gone Pawse till this rage be somewhat ouer past Why runn'st thou thus to thy destruction Richmond and Penbrooke whither doe you haste You labour still to bring more horror on Neuer seeke sorrow for it comes too fast Why do you striue to passe this fatall flood To fetch new wounds and shed your natiue blood 30 Great Lancaster sheath vp thy angry sword On Edwards armes whose edge thou shouldst not whet Thy naturall kinsman and thy soueraigne Lord Are you not one both true Plantaginet Call but to mind thy once-engaged word Canst thou thy oath to Longshankes thus forget Consider well before all other things Our vowes be kept we make to Gods and Kings 31 The windes are hush'd no little breath doth blow Which seemes so still as though it listning stood With trampling crouds the verie earth doth bow And through the smoke the sunne appeares like blood What with the shout and with the dreadfull show The heirds and flockes runne bellowing to the wood When drums and trumpets giue the fearfull sound As they would shake the clowds vnto the ground 32 The Earles then charging with their power of horse Taking a signall when they should beginne Being in view of the imperiall force Which at the time assay'd the bridge to winne That now the Barrons change th' intended course T' auoide the danger they were lately in Which on the suddaine had they not fore-cast Of their blacke day this howre had beene the last 33 When from the hill the Kings maine power comes downe Which had Aquarius to their valiant guide Braue Lancaster and Herford from the towne Now issue forth vpon the other side Peere against peere the crowne against the crowne The one assailes the other munifide Englands red crosse vpon both sides doth flie Saint George the king S. George the Barrons crie 34 Like as an exhalation hote and dry Amongst the ayre-bred moistie vapors throwne Spetteth his lightning forth outragiously Rending the grosse clowdes with the thunder-stone Whose fierie splinters through the thin ayre flie That with the terror heauen and earth doth grone With the like clamor and confused woe To the dread shocke these desp'rate Armies goe 35 Now might you see the famous English Bowes So fortunate in times we did subdue Shoote their sharpe arrowes in the face of those which many a time victoriously them drew Shunning their aime as troubled in the loose The winged weapons mourning as they slew Cleaue to the string now in potent and slacke As to the Archers they would faine turne backe 36 Behold theremnant of Troyes auntient stocke Laying on blowes as Smiths on Anuils strike Grapling together in this fearefull shocke whereas the like incountreth with the like As firme and ruthlesse as th' obdurate Rocke Deadly opposed at the push of pike Still as the wings or battels brought together when Fortune yet giues vantage vnto neither 37 From battred caskes with euery enuious blow The scattred plumes flie loosly heere and there which in the ayre dooth seeme as drifts of snow which euery light breath on his wings dooth beare As they had sence and feeling of our woe And thus affrighted with
matchlesse Gentleman was the first cherisher of my Muse which had beene by his death left a poore Orphan to the world had he not before bequeathed it to that Lady whom he so deerely liued Vouchsafe then my deere Lord to accept this epistle which I dedicate as zealously as I hope you will patronize willingly vntill some more acceptable seruice may be witnesse of my loue to your honour Your Lordships euer Michaell Drayton Queene Isabell to Richard the second The Argument Queene Isabel the daughter of Charles king of France being the second wife of Richard the second the son of Edward the Blacke Prince the eldest sonne of King Edward the third After the saide Richard her husband was deposed from his crowne and kingly dignitie by Henry duke of Herford the eldest son of Iohn of Gaunt duke of Lancaster the fourth sonne of Edward the third this Ladie being then very yong was sent backe againe into Fraunce without dowre at what time the deposed King her husband was sent from the Tower of London as a prisoner vnto Pomfret Castle Whether this poore Lady bewailing her husbands misfortunes writeth this Epistle from France AS dooth the yeerely Auger of the spring In deapth of woe thus I my sorrow sing Words tunde with sighes teares falling oft among A dolefull burthen to a heauy song Words issue forth to finde my griefe some way Teares ouertake them and doe bid them stay Thus whilst one striues to keepe the other backe Both once too forward now are both too slacke If fatall Pomfret hath in former time Nurrisht the griefe of that vnnaturall clime Thether I send my sorrowes to be sed But where first boâ—ne where fitter to be bred They vnto France be aliens and vnknowne England from her doth challenge these her owne They say all mischiefe commeth from the North It is too true my fall doth set it forth But why should I thus limite Griefe a place When all the world is filld with our disgrace And we in bounds thus striuing to containe it The more resists the more we doe restraine it Oh how euen yet I hate these wretched eies And in my glasse oft call them faithlesse spies Preparde for Richard that vnwares did looke Vpon that traitor Henry Bulingbrooke But that excesse of ioy my sence bereau'd So much my sight had neuer bin deceau'd Oh how vnlike to my lou'd Lord was hee Whom rashly I sweet Richard tooke for thee I might haue seene the Couâ—sers selfe did lacke That Princely rider should bestride his backe He that since Nature her great worke began Shee made to be the mirrour of a man That when she meant to forme some matchlesse lim Still for a patterne tooke some part of him And iealous of her cunning brake the mould In his proportion done the best she could Oh let that day be guiltie of all sinne That is to come or heeretofore hath bin Wherein great Norffolkes forward course was staide To prooue the treasons he to Hersord laide When with sterne furie both these Dukes enragde Their warlike gloues at Couentry engag'd When first thou didst repeale thy former grant Seal'd to braue Mowbray as thy Combatant From his vnnumbred howres let time deuide it Lest in his minutes he should hap to hide it Yet on his brow continually to beare it That when it comes all other daies may feare it And all ill-boding Planets by consent That day may hold their dreadfull parlement Be it in heauens decrees enroled thus Blacke dismall fatall inauspitious Prowd Herford then in height of all his pride Vnder great Mowbraies valiant hand had dide Nor should not thus from banishment retire The fatall brand to set our Troy on fire O why did Charles relieue his needy state A vagabond and stragling runnagate And in this Court with grace did entertaine This vagrant exile this abiected Caine Who with a thousand mothers curses went Mark'd with the brand often yeeres banishment When thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell Millions of knees vpon the pauements fell And euery where th' applauding ecchoes ring The ioyfull showts that did salute a King Thy parting hence what pompe did not adorne At thy returne who laugh'd thee not to scorne Who to my Lord a looke vouchsafde to lend Then all too few on Herford to attend Princes like sunnes be euermore in sight All see the clowdes betwixt them and their light Yet they which lighten all downe from the skies See not the clowdes offending others eyes And deeme their noone-tide is desir'd of all When all expect cleere changes by their fall What colour seemes to shadow Herfords claime When law and right his fathers hopes doth maime Affirm'd by church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegiâ—timate Whom his reputed mothers tongue did spot By a base Flemish Boore to be begot Whom Edwards Eglets mortally did shun Daring with them to gaze against the Sun Where lawfull right and conquest doth allow A triple crowne on Richards princely brow Three kingly Lions beares his bloody field No bastards marke doth blot his conquering shield Neuer durst he attempt our haplesse shore Nor set his foote on fatall Rauensporâ— Nor durst his slugging Hulkes approch the strand Nor stoope a top as signall to the land Had not the Percyes promisde aide to bring Against their oath vnto their lawfull King Against their faith vnto our crownes true heire Their valiant kinsman Edmond Mortimer When I to England came a world of eyes Like starres attended on my faire arise At my decline like angry Planets frowne And all are set before my going downe The smooth fac'd ayre did on my comming smile But with rough stormes are driuen to exile But Bullingbrooke deuisâ—e we thus should part Fearing two sorrowes should possesse one heart To make affliction stronger doth denie That one poore comfort left our miserie He had before diuorc'd thy crowne and thee Which might suffice and not to widdow mee But that to proue the vtmost of his hate To make our fall the greater by our state Oh would Aumerle had suncke when he betraid The complot which that holy Abbot laid When he infring'd the oth which he first tooke For thy reuenge on peâ—iurde Bullingbrooke And beene the ransome of our friends deere blood Vntimely lost and for the earth too good And we vntimely mourne our hard estate They gone too soone and we remaine too late And though with teares I from my Lord depart This curse on Horford fall to ease my heart If the fowle breach of a chaste nuptiall bed May bring a curse my curse light on his head If murthers guilt with blood may deepely staine Greene Scroope and Bushie die his fault in graine If periury may heauens pure gates debar Damn'd be the oth he made at Dancaster If the deposing of a lawfull King The curse condemne him if no other thing If these disioynde for vengeance cannot call Let them vnited strongly curse him all And for the Percyes heauen may
answering tells me Woe is there And when mine armes would gladly thee enfold I clip the pillow and the place is cold Which when my waking eyes precisely view T is a true token that it is too true As many minutes as in the howres there be So many howres each minute seemes to me Each howre a day morne noone-tide and a set Each day a yeare with miseries complet A winter spring-time summer and a fall All seasons varying but vnseasoned all In endelesse woe my thrid of life thus weares By minutes howres daies months lingring yeares They praise the summer that enioy the South Pomfret is closed in the Norths cold mouth There pleasant summer dwelleth all the yeere Frost-starued-winter dooth inhabite heere A place wherein dispaire may fitly dwell Sorrow best suting with a cloudy Cell When Herford had his iudgement of exile Saw I the peoples murmuring the while Th' vncertaine Commons toucht with inward care As though his sorrowes mutually they bare Fond women and scarse speaking children mourne Bewaile his parting wishing his returne Then being forcde t' abridge his banisht yeeres When they bedewd his footsteps with their teares Yet by example could not learne to know To what his greatnes by this loue might grow Whilst Henry boasts of our atchiuements done Bearing the trophies our great fathers wonne And all the storie of our famous warre Now grace the Annales of great Lancaster Seauen goodly siens in their spring did flourish Which one selfe root brought forth one stock did noâ—ish Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Nature in him her vtmost power did see Who from the bud still blossomed so faire As all might iudge what fruite it meant to beare But I his graft of eu'ry weede ore-growne And from the kind as refuse forth am throwne From our braue Grandsire both in one degree Yet after Edward Iohn the yongst of three Might Princely Wales beget an impe so base That to Gaunts issue should giue soueraigne place That leading Kings from France returned home As those great Caesars brought their spoiles to Rome Whose name obtained by his fatall hand Was euer fearefull to that conquered land His fame increasing purchasde in those warres Can scarcely now be bounded with the starres With him is valour quite to heauen fled Or else in me is it extinguished Who for his vertue and his conquests sake Posteritie a demy god shall make And iudge this vile abiect spirit of mine Could not proceede from temper so diuine What earthly humor or what vulgar eie Can looke so lowe as on our misery When Bullingbrooke is mounted to our throne And makes that his which we but calld our owne Into our counsells he himselfe intrudes And who but Henry with the multitudes His power disgrades his dreadfull frowne disgraceth He throwes them downe whome our aduancement placeth As my disable and vnworthy hand Neuer had power belonging to command He treades our sacred tables in the dust And proues our acts of Parlament vniust As though he hated that it should be saide That such a law by Richard once was made Whilst I deprest before his greatnes lie Vnder the weight of hate and infamie My backe a footstoole Bullingbrooke to raise My loosenes mockt and hatefull by his praise Out-liu'd mine honour buried my estate And nothing left me but the peoples hate Sweet Queene I le take all counsell thou canst giue So that thou bidst me neither hope nor liue Succour that comes when ill hath done his worst But sharpens griefe to make vs more accurst Comfort is now vnpleasing to mine eare Past cure past care my Bed become my Beere Since now misfortune humbleth vs so long Till heauen be growne vnmindfull of our wrong Yet they forbid my wrongs shall euer die But still remembred to posteritie And let the crowne be fatall that he weares And euer wet with woefull mothers teares Thy curse on Percie angry heauens preuent Who haue not one curse left on him vnspent To scourge the world now borrowing of my store As rich of woe as I a King am poore Then cease deere Queene my sorrowes to bewaile My wounds too great for pittie now to heale Age stealeth on whilst thou complainest thus My griefes be mortall and infectious Yet better fortunes thy faire youth may trie That follow thee which still from me doth flie ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Thiâ— tongue which first denounc'd my regall state RIchard the second at the resignation of the crowne to the duke of Herford in the Tower of London deliuering the same with his owne hand there confessed his disabilitie to gouerne vtterly denouncing all kingly authoritie And left'st great Burbon for thy love to me Before the Princesse Isabell was maried to the king Lewes duke of Burbon sued to have had her in marriage which was thought he had obtained if this motion had not fallen out in the meane time This Duke of Burbon sued againe to have received her at her comming into France after the imprisonment of king Richard but King Charles her Father then crost him as before and gave her to Charles sonne to the Duke of Orleans When Herford had his judgement of exile When the combate should have beene at Couentrie betwixt Henrie Duke of Herford and Thomas Duke of Norfolke where Herford was adiudged to banishment for ten yeares the commons exceedingly lamented so greatly was he ever favored of the people Then being forc'd t' abridge his banisht yeeres When the Duke came to take his leave of the King beeing then at Eltham the King to please the Commons rather then for any love he bare to Herford repleaded foure yeares of his banishment Whilest Henry boasts of our atchieuements done Henry the eldest Sonne to Iohn Duke of Lancaster at the first Earle of Darby then created Duke of Herford after the death of the Duke Iohn his father was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford Earle of Darby Leicester and Lincolne and after he had obtained the Crowne was called by the name of Bullingbrooke which is a towne in Lincolneshire as vsually all the Kings of England bare the name of the places where they were borne Seauen goodly syens in their spring did flourish Edward the third had seuen sonnes Edward Prince of Wales after called the blacke Prince William of Hatfield the second Lionell Duke of Clarence the third Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth Edmund of Langley Duke of York the fifth Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Gloster the sixth William of Winsore the seuenth Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Truly boasting himselfe to be the eldest Sonne of Edward the blacke Prince Yet after Edward Iohn the yongst of three As disabling Henry Bullingbrooke being but the son of the fourth brother William and Lionell being both before Iohn of Gaunt That leading Kings from France returned home Edward the blacke Prince taking Iohn king of France prisoner at the battel of Poicters brought him into England where at the Sauoy he died
dares And Vere so famous in the Irish warres Who though my selfe so great a Prince were borne The worst of these my equall neede not scorne But Henries rare perfections and his parts As conquering Kingdomes so he conquer'd hearts As chaste was I to him as Queene might bee But freed from him my chaste lone vow'd to thee Beautie doth fetch all fauour from thy face All perfect courtship resteth in thy grace If thou discourse thy lips such accents breake As loue a spirit forth of thee seemâ—d to speake The Brittish language which our vowels wants And iarres so much vpon harsh consonants Comes with such grace from thy mellifluous tongue As do the sweete notes of a well set song And runnes as smoothly from those lips of thine As the pure Tuskan from the Florentine Leauing such seasoned sweetenes in the eare As the voyce past yet still the sound is there In Nisus Tower as when Apollo lay And on his golden viall vsde to play Where sencelesse stones were with such musicke drownd As many yeares they did retaine the sound Let not the beames that greatnes doth reflect Amaze thy hopes with timerous respect Assure thee Tudor maiesty can be As kinde in loue as can the mean'st degree And the embraces of a Queene as true As theirs might iudge them much aduanc'd by you When in our greatnes our affections craue Those secret ioyes that other women haue So I a Queene be soueraigne in my choice Let others fawne vpon the publique voice 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 do belong Let old men speake of chances and euents And Lawyers talke of titles and discents Leaue fond reports to such as stories tell And couenants to those that buy and sâ—ll Loue my sweete Tudor that becomes thee best And to our good suceesse referre the rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie Great Henry sought to accomplish his desire Armed c. HEnry the fift making claime to the Crowne of France 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 sixion of Semele in Ouid which by the crafty 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 appointed place of parley betweene the two Kings of England and France to which place Isabell the Qucene of France and the Duke of Burgoyne brought the yong Princesse Katherine where King Henry first saw her And on my temples set a double Crowne Henry the fift and Queene Katherine were taken as King and Queene of France and during the life of Charles the French king Henry was called King of England and heire of France and after the death of Henry the fift Henry the sixt his sonne then being very yong was crowned at Paris as true and lawfull King of England and France At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy Troy in Champaine was the place where that victorious king Henry the fift married the Ptincesse Katherine in the presence of the chiefe nobilitie of the Realmes of England and France Nor these great tules vainely will I bring Wife daughter mother c. Few Queenes of England or France were euer more princely alied then this Queene as it hath beene noted by Historiographers Nor thinke so Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne c. Noting the discent of Henry her husband from Iohn Duke of Lancaster the fourth sonne of Edward the third which Duke Iohn was sirnamed Gaunt of the Cittie of Gaunt in Flanders where he was borne Nor stirre the English blood the Sunne and Moone Trepine c. Alluding the greatnes of the English line to Phoebus and Phoebe fained to be the children of Latona whose heauenly kind might seorne to be ioyned with any earthly progenie yet withall boasting the blood of France as not inferior 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 children of Niobe slaine for which the wofull mother became a rocke gushing forth continually a sountaine of teares And Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied Lheellin or Leolin ap Iorweth married Ioane daughter to king Iohn a most beautifull Lady Some Authors affirme that she was base borne Lhewellin ap Gryfith married Ellenor daughter to Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester and Cosin to Edward Long-shankes both which Lhewellins were Princes of Wales Of Camilot and all her Pentecosts A Nephewes roome c. Camilot the antient Pallace of King Arthur to which place all the Knightes of that famous order yeerely repaired at Penticost according to the law of the Table and most of the famous home-borne Knights were of that Country as to this day is perceiued by their antient monuments When bloody Rutus sought your vtter sacke Noting the ill successe which that William Rufus bad in two voyages he made into Wales in which a number of his chiefe Nobilitie were slaine And oft returnde with glorious victorie Noting the diuers sundry incursions that the Welchmen made into England in the time of Rufus Iohn Henry the second and Longshankes ⧠Owen Tudor to Queene Katherine WHen first mine eyes heheld your princely name And found from whence this friendly letter came As in excesse of ioy my selfe forgot Whether I saw it or I saw it not My panting heart 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 speak are dombe kist it And leaues the paper in my trembling hand When all my sences so amazed stand Euen as a mother comming to her childe Which from her presence hath been long exilde With tender armes his gentle necke doth straine Now kissing him now clipping him againe And yet excessiue ioy deludes her so As still she doubts if this be hers or no At length awak'ned from this pleasing dreame When passion somwhat leaues to be extreame My longing eyes with their faire obiect meete Where 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 Wales to England came For Christian Rhodes and our religious truth To great atchieuements first had wonne 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 Whose vncomprised wisedomes did fore-see That you in marriage should be linck'd to
allow I should not neede to feare it For then my true nobilitie should beare it If counsell ayde that Fraunce will tell I know Whose townes lie waste before the English foe When thrice we gaue the conquered French the foile At Agincourt at Crauant and Uernoile If faith auaile these armes did Henry hold To claime his crowne yet scarcely nine months 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 Humfries 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 prowd Benford 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 Which are of power to abrogate our lawes That for those summes the wealthy church should pay Vpon the needy Commontie to lay His ghostly counsells onely doe aduise The meanes how Langlies progenie may rise Pathing young Henries vnaduised waies A Duke of Yorke from Cambridge house to raise which after may our title vndermine Grafted since Edward in Gaunts famous line Vs of succession safely to depriue which they from Clarence fainedly deriue Knowing the will old Cambridge euer bore To eateh the wreathe that famous Henry wore With Gray and Scroope when first he laide the plot From vs and ours the gaâ—land to haue got As from the Match-borne Mortimer to raigne Whose title Glendour stoutly did maintaine When the prowde Percies haughty March and hee Had sharde the Land by equall partes in three His Priesthoode now sterne Mowbray doth restore To stirre the fire that kindled was before Against the Yorkists shall their claime aduance To steele the poynt of Norffolkes sturdie lance Vpon the breast of Herfords issue bent In iust reuenge of antient banishment He dooth aduise to let our prisâ—er goe And doth enlarge the faithlesse Scottish foe Giuing our heires in marriage that their dowres May bring inuasion vpon vs and ours Ambitious Suffolke so the helme doth guide With Benfords damned policies supplide He and the Queene in counsell still conferre How to raise him who hath aduanced her But my deere heart how vainely do I dreame And flie from thee whose sorrowes are my theame My loue to thee and England thus diuided With the most parte how hard to be decided Or thee or that to whether I am loath So neere are you so deere vnto me both Twixt that and thee for equall loue I finde England in gratefull and my Elnor kind But though my country iustly I reproue For countries sake vnkinde vnto my loue Yet is thy Humfrey to his Elnor now As when fresh beauty triumpht on thy brow As when thy graces I admired most Or of thy fauours might the frankli'st boast Those beauties were so infinite before That in abundance I was onely poore Of which though time hath taken some againe I aske no more but what doth yet remaine Be patient gentle heart in thy distresse Thou arte a Princesse not a whit lesse Whilst in these breasts we beare about this life I am thy husband and thou arte my wife Cast not thine eie on such as mounted be But looke on those cast downe as lowe as we For some of them which prowdly pearch so hie Ere long shall come as lowe as thou or I. They weepe for ioy and let vs laugh in woe We shall exchange when heauen will haue it so We mourne and they in after time may mourne Woe past may once laugh present woe to scorne And worse than hath beene we can neuer taste Worse cannot come than is already past In all extreames the onely depth of ill Is that which comforts the afflicted still Ah would to God thou wouldst thy griefes denie And on my backe let all the burthen lie Or if thou canst resigne make thine mine owne Both in one carrige to be vndergone Till we againe our former hopes recouer And prosp'rous times blow these misfortunes ouer For in the thought of those forepassed yeares Some new resemblance of old ioy appeares Mutuall our care so mutuall be our loue That our affliction neuer can remoue So rest in peace where peace hath hope to liue Wishing thee more than I my selfe can giue ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie At Agincourâ— at Grauant and Vernoyle THe three famous battels fought by the Englishmen in France Agincourt by Henry the fift against the whole power of France Crauant fought by Montacute Earle of Salisburie and the Duke of Burgoyne against the Dolphine of France William Stuart Constable of Scotland Vernoile fought by Iohn Duke of Bedford against the Duke of Alanson and with him most of the Nobilitie of France Duke Humfrey an Especiall Councellour in all these expeditions In Flaunders Almain Boheme Burgundie Here remembring the auncient amitie which in his ambassaes he concluded betwixt the King of England and Sigismund Emperour of Almaine drawing the Duke of Burgoyne into the same league giuing himselfe as an hostage for the duke of saint Omers while the Duke came to Calice to confirme the league With his many other imployments to forraine Kingdoms That crosier staffe in his imperious hand Henry Beuford Cardinall of Winchester that proud haughtie Prelate receyued his Cardinals hat at Calice by the Popes Legate which dignitie Henry the fift his nephew forbade him to take vpon him knowing his haughtie and malicious spirit vnfit for that robe and calling The meanes how Langleis progenie may rise As willing to shew the house of Cambridge to bee descended of Edmund Langley Duke of Yorke a yonger brother to Iohn of Gaunt his Grand-father as much as in him lay to smother the title that the Yorkists made to the crowne from Lionell of Clarence Gaunts elder brother by the daughter of Mortimer His priesthood now sterne Mowbray doth restore Nothing the ancient grudge betweene the house of Lancaster and Norffolke euer since Mowbray duke of Norffolke was banished for the accusation of Henry duke of Herford after the king of England father to duke Humfrey which accusation hee came as a Combatant to haue made good in the Lists at Couentry And giues our heires in marriage that their dowers Iames Stuart King of Scots hauing bin long prisoner in England was released and tooke to wife the daughter of Iohn duke of Somerset sister to Iohn duke of Somerset neece to the Cardinall and the duke of Excester and coosin germain remooued to the King this King broke the oath he had taken and became after a great enemie to England FINIS ¶ To my Honored Mistris Mistris Elizabeth Tanfield the sole daughter and heire of that famous and learned Lawyer Lawrence Tanfield Esquire FAire and vertuous Mistres since first it was my good fortune to bee a witnesse of the many
Whose name atchieued by his fatall hand Called the Blacke Prince not so much of his complexion as of the famous battell he fought as is shewed before in the glosse vpon the Epistle of Edward to the Countesse of Salisbury And prooues our Actes of Parlement vniust In the text parlement after Richards resignation of the crown Henry caused to be annihilated all the lawes made in the Parliament called the wicked Parliament held in the twenty yeere of king Richards raigne Finis To sir Iohn Swinerton Knight and one of the Aidermen of the Citie of London VOrthy Sir so much mistrust I my owne abilitie to doe the least right to your vertues that I could gladly wish any thing that is truely mine were woorthy to beare your name so much reucrend Sir I esteeme you and so ample interest haue you in my loue To some honourable friends haue I deaicated these Poemes with whom I ranke you may I escape prejumption Like not this Britaine the worse though after some former Impressions he be lastly to 〈…〉 crated in this like an honest man that would part 〈…〉 his owne woorth before he would presume his 〈…〉 ronage with whom you shall euer commaund my 〈◊〉 and haue my best wishes That loue you truely Mich Drayton Queene Katharine to Owen Tudor The Argument After the death of that victorious Henry the fift Queene Katharine the Dowager of England and France daughter to Charles the French King holding her estate with Henry her sonne then the fixt of that name falleth in loue with Owen Tuder a Welchman a braue and gallant Gentleman of the Wardrobe to the yong King her son yet grently fearing if her loue shoulde be discouered the Nobilitie woulde crosse her purposed marriage or fearing that if her faire and princely promises should not assure his good successe this high and great attempt might perhappes daunt the forwardnesse of his modest and shamefast youth wherefore to breake the ice to her intent she writeth vnto him this Epistle following IVdge not a Princesse worth impeacht hereby That loue thus triumphs ouer maiestie Nor thinke lesse vertue in this royall hand Which now intreates that wonted to command For in this sort though humbly now it wooe The day hath beene thou wouldst haue kneeld vnto Not thinke that this submission of my state Proceedes from frailtie rather iudge it fate Alcides ne're more fit for warres sterne shocke Then when for loue sate spinning at the rocke Neuer lesse cloudes did Phoebus glory dim Then in a clownes shape when he couered him Ioues great commaund was neuer more obeyd Than when a Satyres anticke parts he playd He was thy king that sued for loue to mee Shee is thy Queene that sues for loue to thee When Henry was what 's Tuders now was his Whilst yet thou arte what 's Henries Tuders is My loue to Owen him my Henry giueth My loue to Henry in my Owen liueth Henry woode me whilst warres did yet increase I wooe my Tuder in sweet calmes of peace To force affection he did conquest proue I fight with gentle arguments of loue Incampt at Melans in warres hote alarmes First saw I Henry clad in princely armes At pleasant Windsore first these eies of mine My Tuder iudgde for wit and shape diuine Henry abroade with pâ—issance and with force Tuder at home with courtship and discourse He then thou now I hardly can iudge whether Did like me best Plantaginet or Tether A march a measure battell or a daunce A courtly rapier or a conquering launce His princely bed hath strengthned my renowne And on my temples set a double crowne Which glorious wreathe as Henries lawfull heire Henry the sixt vpon his brow doth beare At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy My Brydall rites to England brought from Troy In England now that honour thou shalt haue Which once in Champaine famous Henry gaue I seeke not wealth three kingdomes in my power If these suffice not where shall be my dower Sad discontent may euer follow her Which doth base pelfe before true loue prefer If titles still could our affections tie What is so great but Maiestie might buy As I seeke thee so Kings do me desire To what they would thou easily mai'st aspire That sacred fire once warmde my heart before The fuell fit the flame is now the more And meanes to quench it I in vaine do proue We may hide treasure but not hide our loue And since it is thy fortune thus to gaine it It were too late nor will I now restraine it Nor these great titles vainely will I bring Wife daughter mother sister to a King Of grandsire father husband sonne and brother More thou alone to me then all the other Nor feare my Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne great Lancastrian line Nor stir the English blood the Sunne and Moone T'repine at Lorame Burbon A lansoon Nor do I thinke there is such different ods They should alone be numbred with the Gods Of Cadmus earthly issue reckoning vs And they from Ioue Mars Neptune Eolus Of great Latonas of-spring onely they And we the brats of wofull Niobe Our famous grandsires as their owne bestride That horse of fame that God begotten steede Whose bounding hoofe plow'd that Boetian spring Where those sweete maides of memory do sing Not onely Henries Queene but boast as well To be the childe of Charles and Isabell Nor do I know from whence their grief should grow They by this match should be disparag'd so When Iohn and Longshankes issue both affied And to the Kings of Wales in wedlocke tied Shewing the greatnesse of your blood thereby Your race and royall consanguinity And Wales as well as haughty England boasts Of Camilot and all her Penticosts A nephewes roome in great Pendragons race At Arthurs Table held a princely place If by the often conquest of your land They boast the spoiles of their victorious hand If these our antient Chronicles be true They altogether are not free from you When bloodie Rufus sought your vtter sacke Twice entring Wales yet twice was beatenbacke When famous Cambria wash'd her in the flood Made by th' effusion of the English blood And oft returnde with glorious victory From Worster Herford Chester Shrowesbury Whose power in euery conquest so preuailes As once expulsde the English out of Wales Although my beautie made my Countries peace And at my Bridall former broyles did cease Yet more then power had not his person beene I had not come to England as a Queene Nor tooke I Henry to supply my wont Because in France that time my choice was scant When he had robde all Christendome of men And Englands flower remainde amongst vs then Gloster whose counsells Nestor-like assist Couragious Bedford that great martiallist Clarence for vertue honoured of his foes And Yorke whose fame yet daily greater growes Warwicke the pride of Neuels haughty race Great Salebury so fearde in euery place That valiant Poole whom no atchieuement
mee By our great Merlin was it not fore-told Amongst his holy prophecies enrold When first he did of Tudors name diuine That Kings and Queenes should follow in our line And that the Helme the Tudors antient 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 faire daughter you the Lilly weare As Henries Queene the blushing Rose you beare By France'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 When 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 When I to Venus giue the golden ball Nor when the Graecians wonder I enioy None in reuenge to kindle fire in Troy And haue not strange euents diuinde to vs That in our loue we should be prosperous When in your presence I was call'd to dance In lofty trickes whilst I my selfe aduance And in my turne my footing failde by hap Was 't not my chance to light into your lap Who would not iudge it Fortunes greatest grace Sith he must fall to fall in such a place His birth from heauen your Tudor not deriues Nor stands on tip-toes in superlatiues Although the enuious English do deuise A thousand ieasts of our hyperbolies Nor do I claime that plot by antient deedes Where Phoebus pastures his firie-breathing steedes Nor do I boast my god-made Grandsires scarres Nor Giants trophies in the Titans warres Nor faine my birth your princely eares to please By three nights getting as was Hercules Nor doe I forge my long descent to runne From aged Neptune or the glorious Sunne And yet in Wales with them most famous be Our learned Bards doe sing my pedigree And boast my birth from great Cadwallader From old Cair-septon in mount Palador And from Eneons line the South-wales king By Theâ—dor the Tuders name do bring My royall mothers princely stocke began From her great grandam faire Gwenellian By true descent from Leolin the great As well from North-wales as faire Powslands seat Though for our princely genealogie I doe not stand to make apologie Yet who with iudgements true vnpartiall eyes Shall looke from whence our name at first did rise Shall finde that Fortune is to vs in debt And why not Tuder as Plantaginet Nor that terme Croggen nicke-name of disgrace Vsde as a by-word now in euery place Shall blot our blood or wrong a Welchmans name Which was at first begot with Englands shame Our valiant swords our right did still maintaine Against that cruell prowde vsurping Dane And bucklde in so many dangerous fights With Norwayes Swethens and with Muscouits And kept our natiue language now thus long And to this day yet neuer changde our tong When they which now our Nation faine would tame Subdude haue lost their country and their name Nor neuer could the Saxons swords prouoke Our Brittaine neckes to beare their seruile yoke Where Cambrâ—aes pleasant Countries bounded bee With swelling Seuerne and the holy Dee And since great Brutus first arriu'd haue stood The onely remnant of the Trâ—â—an blood To euery man is not allotted chaunce To boast with Henry to haue conqueâ—d Fraunce Yet if my fortunes thus may raised be This may presage a farther good to me And our S. Dauid in the Brutaines right May ioyne with Grorge the sainted English knight And old Caer-marden Merlins famous towne Not scorn'd by London though of such renowne Ah would to God that houre my hopes attend Were with my wish brought to desired end Blame me not Madame though I thus desire When eies with enuie doe my hap admire Till now your beauty in nights bosome slept What eie durst stâ—â—re where awfull Henry kept Who durst attempt to saile but neere the bay Where that all-conquering great Alcides lay Thy beauty now is set a royall prize And Kings repaire to cheapen merchandize If thou but walke to take the breathing aire Orithia makes me that I Boreas feare If to the fire Ioue once in lightning came And faire Egina make me feare the flame If in the Sunne then sad suspition dreames Phoebus should spread Lucothoe in his beames If in a fountaine thou doost coole thy blood Neptune I feare which once came in a flood If with thy maides I dread Apolloes rape Who coosned Chion in an old wiues shape If thou doost banquet Bacchus makes me dread Who in a grape Erigone did feede And if my selfe the chamber doore should keepe Yet feare I Hermes comming in a sleepe Pardon sweete Queene if I offend in this In these delayes loue most impatient is And youth wants powre his hote splene to suppresse When Hope already banquets in excesse Though Henries fame in me you shall not finde Yet that which better shall content your minde But onely in the title of a King Was his aduantage in no other thing If in his loue more pleasure you did take Neuer let Queene trust Brittaine for my sake Yet iudge me not from modestie exempt That I another Phaetons charge attempt My minde that thus your fauours dare aspire Declare a temper of celestiall fire If loue a fault the more is Beauties blame When she her selfe is author of the same All men to some one qualitie incline Onely to loue is naturally mine Thou arte by Beauty famous as by birth Ordainde by heauen to cheere the drowping earth Adde faithfull loue vnto your greater state And then alike in all things fortunate A King might promise more I not deny But yet by heauen he lou'd not more than I. And thus I leaue till time my faith approue I cease to write but neuer cease to loue ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie And that the helme the Tudors ancient Crest THe armes of Tudor was the helmes of mens heads whereof he speaketh as a thing prophetically fore-told of Merlin When in thy presence I was call'd to daunce Owin Tudor being a courtly and actiue Gentleman commrunded once to daunce before the Queen in a turne not being able to recouer himselfe fell into her lappe as shee sate vpon a little stoole with many of her Ladies about her And yet with them in Wales most famous be Our learned Bards c. This Berdh as they call it in the Brittish tongue or as we more properly say Bard or Bardus be their Poets which keepe the records of Petigrees and discents and sing in odes and measures to the Harps after the old maner of the Lirick Poets And boast my blood from great Cadwallader Cadwallader the last king of the Britaines descended of the noble and ancient race of the Troyans to whom an Angell appeared commaunding him to goe to Rome to Pope Sergius where he ended his life Since faire Caer-Septon in mount
diet to bee kept whither came the Embassadours of the Empire Spaine Hungary Denmarke to entreate for a perpetuall peace to bee made betweene the two Kings of England and Fraunce By truo descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicilie and Ierusalem Rainer Duke of Aniou father to Queene Margaret called him selfe King of Naples Cicily and Ierusalem hauing the title alone of King of those Countries A fifteene taxe in Fraunce I freely spent The Duke of Suffolke after the marriage concluded twixt King Henry and Margaret daughter to duke Rayner asked in open Parliament a whole fifteenth to fetch her into England Seene thee for England but imbarqu'd at Deepe Deepe is a towne in Fraunce bordering vpon the Sea where the Duke of Suffolke with Queene Margaret tooke shippe for England As when arriu'd in Porchester faire Roade Porchester a hauen towne in the South-west part of England where the King tarried expecting the Queenes arriuall whom from thence he conuayed to South-hamton Queene Margaret to VVilliam de-la-Poole Duke of Suffolke WHat newes sweet Pole look'st thou my liues shuld tell But like the tolling of the dolefull Bell Bidding the deaths-man to prepare the graue Expect from me no other newes to haue My brest which once was mirths imperiall throne A vast and desart wildernesse is growne Like that cold Region from the world remote On whose breeme seas the icie mountaines flote Where those poore creatures banisht from the light Do liue imprisond in continuall night No ioy presents my soules eternall eies But diuination of sad tragedies And Care takes vp her solitarie inne Where youth and ioy their court did once beginne As in September when our yeere resignes The glorious Sunne vnto the watrie signes Which through the clouds looks on the earth in scorn The little bird yet to salute the morne Vpon the naked branches sets her foote The leaues now lying on the mossie roote And there a seely chitipping dooth keepe As though she faine would sing yet fame would weep Praising faire summer that too soone is gone Or sad for winter too fast comming on In this strange plight I mourne for thy depart Because that weeping cannot ease my hart Now to our aide who stirs the neighbouring kings Or who from France a puissant armie brings Who moues the Norman to abet our warre Or stirs vp Burgoyne to ayde Lancaster Who in the North our lawfull claime commends To win vs credite with our valiant friends To whom shall I my secret griefe impart Whose breast I made the closet of my hart The ancient Heroes fame thou didst reuine And didst from them thy memorie deriue Nature by thee both gaue and taketh all Alone in Poole she was too prodigall Of so diuine and rich a temper wrought As heauen for him perfections deepe had sought VVell knew king Henry what he pleaded for when he chose thee to be his Orator VVhose Angell-eye by powerfull influence Doth vtter more than humane eloquence That when Ioue would his youthful sports haue tride But in thy shape himselfe would neuer hide which in his loue had bin of greater power Then was his Nymph his flame his swan his shower To that allegiance Yorke was bound by oath To Henries heires and safety of vs both No longer now he meanes record shall beare it He will dispence with heauen and will vnsweare it He that 's in all the worlds blacke sinnes forlorne Is carelesse now how oft he be forsworne And now of late his title hath set downe By which he make his claime vnto the Crowne And now I heare his hatefull duchesse chats And rips vp their descent vnto her brats And blesseth them as Englands lawfull heires And tells them that our diademe is theirs And if such hap her goddesse Fortune bring If three sonnes faile shee le make the fourth a King He that 's so like his Damme her yongest Dicke That foule il-fauored crooke backt stigmaticke That like a carcas stolne out of a tombe Came the wrong way out of hir mothers wombe with teeth in 's head his passage to haue torne As though begot an age ere he was borne Who now will curbe prowde Yorke when he shal rise Or armes out right against his enterprize To crop that bastard weede which daily growes To ouer-shadow our vermilian Rose Or who will muzzel that vnruly Beare Whose presence strikes our peoples harts with feare Whilst on his knees this wretched King is downe To saue them labour reaching at his Crowne Where like a mounting Cedar he should beare His plumed top aloft into the ayre And let these shrubs sit vnderneath his shrowdes Whilst in his armes he doth embrace the clowdes O that he should his fathers right inherite Yet be an alien to that mightie spirite How were those powers dispersde or whether gone Should sympathize in generation Or what apposed influence had force So much t' abuse and alter natures course All other creatures follow after kinde But man alone doth not beget the minde My Daisie-flower which erst perfumde the ayre Which for my fauours Princes once did weare Now in the dust lies troden on the ground And with Yorkes garlands euery one is crownd When now his rising waites on our decline And in our setting he beginnes to shine Now in the skies that dreadful Comet waues And who be starres but Warwickes bearded staues And all those knees which bended once so low Grow stiffe as though they had forgot to bow And none like them pursue me with despite Which most haue cride God saue Queene Margarite When fame shall brute thy banishment abroade The Yorkish faction then will lay on loade And when it comes once to our westerne coast O how that hag Dame Elinor will boast And labour strait by all the meanes she can To be calld home out of the I le of Man To which I know great Warwicke will consent To haue it done by act of Parlement That to my teeth my birth she may defie Slaundring duke Rayner with base beggerie The onely way she could deuise to grieue me wanting sweete Suffolke which shouldst most relieue me And from that stocke doth sprowt another bloome A Kentish rebell a base vpstart groome And this is he the white Rose must preferre By Clarence daughter matcht with Mortimer Thus by Yorkes meanes this rascall pesant Cade Must in all haste Plantaginet be made Thus that ambitious duke sets all on worke To sound what friends affect the claime of Yorke whilst he abroad doth practise to command And makes vs weake by strengthning Ireland More his owne power still seeking to increase Then for king Henries good or Englands peace Great Winchester vntimely is deceasde That more and more my woes should be increasde Beuford whose shoulders prowdly bare vp all The Churches prop that famous Cardinall The Commons bent to mischiefe neuer let with Fraunce t' vpbraid that valiant Sommerset Rayling in tumults on his souldiers losse Thus all goes backeward crosse comes after crosse And now of
efficient cause of Roberts ruining Whenas his friends so well to him that meant And for this day did wholly them prepare Seeing him thus their purpose to preuent And how thereby t' was like with him to fare Now vpon Henry bended all their care Giuing their power their peace with him to make Gathered at first the Norman part to take And I by whom yet euery thing had beene Since Norman William conquest heere begunne To shew my selfe the worlds emperious Queene Direct my course against his eldest sonne Things falling out disastrously to runne On Englands part gainst Normandie to stand Conquerd but lately by the Norman hand The conquest William made vpon this I le When Norman blood the Englishmen did tame That natiue now enriched with her stile Turnde with reuenge to captiuate the same As backe descending whence it lately came As Norman power did English thrall prouoke That Norman neckes should beare the English yoke For which being vp and fallne to open Armes Such mortall hate betweene them daily growes And pressing in where deadly perill swarmes The angry brothers dealing furious blowes Backe to regaine what they before did loose Either to quit him of the others thrall Either to rise or euermore to fail Him on whome late in Palestine I smilde Returnde from Fraunce now dreadfully I frowne Being calld home that chiefly is exilde And in his kingdome onely leaues his crowne Him in the deluge of mischance to drowne Lastly himselfe contemptfully doth lose Leauing his realme to his iniurious foes Which home to England prisner doe him bring Left as a spoile and prey vnto his owne Become her captiue should haue bin her king Such was the lot vpon his life was throwne Where he remaining in continuall mone Prescrib'd to one poore solitarie place Whose lawfull bounds the ocean did embrace Could humane knowledge comprehend my hate Or reason sound the depth of things diuine The world amazed at Duke Roberts state Might thinke no might to be comparde with mine And all the chaunces vnto me resigne In Roberts fall apparantly to see Amongst the starres the strength that rests in mee That sword vpon him which resumes such powre Yet is too weake to consumate his daies Time whose swift course doth euery thing deuoure In his most neede prolongs him with delaies Whilst he his brothers tyrannie obeies That he in life a thousand deaths might die In euery course so forcible am I. And whilst in such extreamity he lies Depriude of all comfort but the blessed light Yet t' was not this that could my rage suffice But to abridge that rob him of his sight To sute his daies directly with the night That that to all men lastly which should be Due to the wretchedst him denide by me That Robert so infortunately blinde No outward obiect night dispearse his care The better to illuminate his minde To see his sorrowes throughly what they are To do so much vnto this Prince I dare That being depriu'd of that which was the chiefe Did of the other amplifie the griefe And when bereaued of his nightly rest With the remembrance of so great a wrong Fastning so deepely on his pensiue breast His heart the while that violently stung Nature in him doth shew herselfe so strong That griefe which many doth of life depriue Seemes to preserue and keeps him still aliue Him I denide his enemy to kill Nor by his owne hand wretchedly to die That life vnto him should be loathsome still And that death from him euermore should flie Making them both to him an enemie Willing to die by life him double killing Vrged to liue twice dying he vnwilling So many yeares as he hath worne a Crowne So many yeares as he hath hopde to rise So many yeares vpon him did I frowne So many yeares he liues without his eyes So many yeares in dying e're he dies So many yeares shut vp in prison strong Sorrow doth make the shortest time seeme long Thus sway I in the course of earthly things That time might worke him euerlasting spight To shew how I can tyrannize on Kings And in the fall of great ones do delight In fined things my working infinite All worldly changes at my will disposed For that in me all wonder is inclosed At Fortunes speech amazed whilst they stand And Fame herselfe yet wondreth at his woe When from Duke Robert Fortune takes her hand Whose misery she thus had let them know When now to answer her dispightfull foe Fame from deepe silence seeming to awake Thus for her Client modestly bespake Quoth she returning from renowned Rome Seeking my selfe in Europe to aduance To winne her Princes to regaine the tombe Which had beene lost by her misgouernance Calling to England Germany and France At length perswaded happily by me From Pagan hands faire Palestine to free That holy hermite long that did bemone This their so great and euident a losse With famous Godfrey forwards that was gone Bearing the banner of the bloody Crosse Now whilst in so faire forwardnes it was And euery care attentiue now did stand To this great buisnes onely then in hand Thither did all the noblest spirites resort Which I that time successefully did bring Allured by the confident report That from so great an enterprise did spring T'aduenture in so popular a thing And no man deemed worthy to be mine That was not forward in this great designe Where now this duke the Conqu'rors eldest sonne Which with his birthright Normandie did wrest When of what else his noble father wonne His brother Rufus strongly was possest Which whilst he striueth from his hands to rest This great attempt now gloriously broke forth Which was by me divulged through the north Which hauing got free entrance to his care Such entertainement happily did finde As no perswasion suffreth to be there From this high purpose to diuert his minde And being so religiously inclinde woo'd with this offer fitly doth prepare Himselfe to furnish to this great affaire That kingdome he dooth carelesly neglect His brother Rufus wrongfully doth keepe And onely that doth constantly respect where he once in his sepulchre did sleepe At whose deere death the very rockes did weepe His crown of gold this christian Prince doth scorn So much he lou'd him that was crownd with thorne The want that him did grieuously oppresse Of those great summes in leuying power were spent Himselfe againe of England to possesse Much hindreth his religious intent Yet could not this his purpose so preuent Although a while it seemd delay to make Of that which he did brauely vndertake Wherefore this noble and high spirited Lord. whilst novv his buisnes standeth at this stay And since his state no better could afford In gage to Henry Normandie doth lay Prouiding first his souldiers how to pay Rather himselfe chose kingdomlesse to leaue His countries hopes then basely to deceaue To his victorious ensigne comes from farre Th'inlled Red-shanks toucht with no remorse The light-foote Irish that with
none not pitti'd now of any And for opposde by men of greatest might The King my danger that had wisely waide That did pursue me with such deadly spight Me into Ireland secretly conuaide Vntill he might my peace againe procure And his owne safety better might assure As one whose house remedilesly burning Seeing his goods now heapt together lost His griefe no whit disburthen'd by his mourning Taking some one thing that he loueth most To some remote place doth with that retire Leauing the rest to 'th mercie of the fire Yet he so much that still did me esteeme That euer stroue to couer my disgrace To make my absence otherwise to seeme And to the world to beare a fairer Face Lest my exile suggested by their hate Might ouerthrow my liuelihoode and estate By their neere councell that were him about His Deputy of Ireland doth me make And causde it each-where to be giuen out My iourney thither instantly to take To stop their mouthes that gladly would embrace Any report might tend to my disgrace There liu'd I in that honourable sort As to my high place purchased renowne vvith no lesse bountie managing a court Then hourely crau'd th'reuenues of a Crowne To me his loue such soueraigntie did bring That though he raignde I absolutely King Few weekes there went but some the channell crosst With some such present Princes holde in price Some jewell that him infinitely cost Or sumptuous roabe of excellent deuise When they that sawe what he vpon me cast Found that his treasure long time could not last And since the floud me followed in this wise His fulnes I as amply entertaine It might shew folly to be found precise That to refuse which fell as did the raine Such as no age before did euer winne And since his being yet hath neuer bin When now th'abated Baronry that found The cunning vsde for couering of my flight That me but shifted to a surer ground On which so vainely they bestow'd their might Perceiu'd farre off where greater perill rose Then they could finde how rightly to dispose Like those that striue to stop some violent sourse vvhose plenty Nature planted not for boundes Climes aboue all the opposers of his course Or let at large the neighboring plaine surrounds That in it selfe s'enated is bless'd That will the more be more it depress'd And fearing now the force I had abroade vvho knew the way the Irish harts to winne Fitter by farre at home to be bestow'd And to the State more safety found therein vvhere though my riots they could not preuent Yet might suruey the giddy course I went Whereof they scarsly entertain'd the thought And did thereto but seemingly descend But that his loue immediately it caught Nor cares he by it what they doe intend Plot what they could so he therby might gaine him That with delight which still did entertaine him O how thy presence maiestie commands That so seuerely humbleth euery eie vvhose onely selfe actes more than many handes In thee such vertue secretly doth lie Hauing about thee the high power of fate Art both emperious ouer loue and hate He that occasion neuer did neglect That aught vnto my happinesse might winne My buisnes did so carefully effect That euer was so fortunate therein As he to passe doth prouidently bring Before deemde so impossible a thing And Messengers immediately are sent Me into England instantly to call Authorizde by the generall consent Although not likde of inwardly of all Yet t was sufficient that it freedome gaue me But to be there where he desirde to haue me My sailes now swelling with a prosperous winde The boisterous seas do homage to mine eies That much aboue their vsuall course are kinde All lowring clouds abandoning the skies Nothing discern'd that any whit might feare me Fortune herselfe sittes at the helme to steare me What time the King his progresse then did take That part of Wales pretending now to see For which he forward instantly did make vvhich was indeede there but to meete with me with all the fauour that he could deuise To giue me honour in the publique eies Where for my landing long he did prouide That â—ought might want intending my delight And at each place as leasurely we ride Did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with some pleasing sight And vnto Lâ—ndon to the pompous Court Bring me in the magnificentest sort Which prou'd but spurres to my vntamde desire Giuing the 〈◊〉 to my 〈…〉 ious will â—ho let me forth vnto my full caâ—â—re On places slippeâ—y and my manage ill Small my forefight and ouermuch my haste That me alas infortunately cast The Princes eare that hauing at command That who would aught haue me must entertaine And yet before it passde my gripple hand Got the greatst share vnto my priuate gaine Nor carde I what from any I did wring Many thereby too much impouerishing And daily begging of Monopolies Taking the lands belonging to the Crowne 〈◊〉 â—ence transporting those commodities 〈◊〉 England vsefull comming of her owne And basely selling offices ere then The due reward of best deseruing men And being irrecouerably prowd Held all things vile that suted not my vaine Nothing might passe my iudgement not allow'd A great opinion to my wit to gaine Giuing vile termes and nicke-names of disgrace To men that sate in honourable place By which brake out that execrable rage That long before had boiled in their blood And for reuenge they boldly them ingage When lastly for their libertie they stood And in this quarrell open Armes they take Or to marre all or better it to make They durst affirme my mother was a witch And for the fact condemned burnt to be And I her sonne and rightly of her pitch She had bequeath'd her damned Art to me Vrging it an inseperable thing That I by Magicke wrought vpon the King And into France did charge me to conuay A goodly table that was massie gold A relique kept at Windsor many a day â—â—at to King Arthur did belong of old Vpon whose margent as they did surmise Merlin ingraued many prophecies And by appealing to the sea of Rome A Legat thence procuring to the land With malediction by the Churches doome On any one that on my part should stand The King suspending should he not consent And ratifie the generall intent Which they did but to prosperously effect Being so strong to counterprize his force The Clergy still being ready to direct Them the best way in all their restlesse course That at the last they strongly him procure By solemne oth me euer to abiure Th' vncertaine biding of each earthly thing Set out most liuely in my starre-crost state That doth remaine in Fortunes mannaging Appearing in my variable fate On me that frown'd and flattered me so oft Casting me downe and setting me aloft To Flanders then my present course I cast Which being the near'st lay fittest for my ease Safest the way the sooner it was past All not my friends that were abroad at