should touch the halowed shrine To surfet sicknes on the sound mans diet To rob Content yet still to liue vnquiet And hauing all to be of all beguild And yet still longing like a little childâ— VVhen Marques Dorset and the valiant Grayes To purchase fame first crost the narrow Seas vvith all the Knights that my associates went In honour of thy nuptiall turnament Thinkst thou I ioy'd not in thy Beauties pride vvhen thou in triumph didst through Paris ride vvhere all the streets as thou didst pace along vvith Arras Bisse and Tapestry were hong Ten thousand gallant Cittizens prepar'd In rich attire thy princely selfe to guard Next them three thousand choise religious men In golden vestments followed on agen And in procession as they came along vvith Hymeneus sang thy marriage song Then fiue great Dukes as did theyr places fall To each of these a Princely Cardinall Then thou on thy imperiall Chariot set Crown'd with a rich imperled Coronet vvhilst the Parisian Dames as thy traine past Their precious Incence in aboundance cast As Cinthia from the waue-embatteld shrouds Opening the west comes streaming through the clouds vvith shining troupes of siluer-tressed stars Attending on her as her Torch-bearers And all the lesser lights about her throne VVith admiration stand as lookers on vvhilst shee alone in height of all her pride The Queene of light along her spheare doth glide VVhen on the tylt my Horse like thunder came No other signall had I but thy name Thy voyce my trumpet and my guide thine eyes And but thy beautie I esteem'd no prize That largeâ— limd Almaine of the Gyants race vvhich bare strength on his breast feare in his face vvhose sinewed armes with his steele-tempered blade Through plate and male such open passage made Vpon whose might the French-mens glory lay And all the hope of that victorious day Thou saw'st thy Brandon beate him on his knee Offring his shield a conquered spoile to thee But thou wilt say perhaps I vainely boast And tell thee that which thou alreadie know'st No sacred Queene my valour I denie It was thy beautie not my chiualry One of thy tressed curles vvhich falling downe As loth to be imprisoned in thy Crowne I saw the soft ayre sportiuely to take it To diuers shapes and sundry formes to make it Now parting it to foure to three to twaine Now twisting it and then vntwist againe Then make the threds to dally with thine eye A sunny candle for a golden flie At length from thence one little teare it got vvhich falling downe as though a star had shot My vp-turnd eye pursues it with my sight The which againe redoubleth all my might T is but in vaine of my descent to boast vvhen heauens Lampe shines all other lights be lost Faulcons gaze not the Eagle sitting by vvhose broode suruayes the sunne with open eye Else might my blood finde issue from his force In Bosworth plaine beate Richard from his horse vvhose puissant Armes great Richmond chose to weeld His glorious colours in that conquering feeld And with his sword in his deere soueraignes fight To his last breath stood fast in Henries right Then beautious Empresse thinke this safe delay Shall be the euen to a ioyfull day Fore-sight doth still on all aduantage lie vvise-men must giue place to necessity To put backe ill our good we must forbeare Better first feare then after still to feare T were ouer-sight in that at which we ayme To put the hazard on an after-game vvith patience then let vs our hopes attend And till I come receiue these lines I send Notes of the Chronicle Historie When Longauile to Mary was affied THE Duke of Longauile which was prisoner in England vpon the peace to be concluded between England France was deliuered and maried the Princesse Mary for Lewes the French king his masterâ— How in a storme thy well rigg'd ships were tost And thou c. As the Queene sayled for Fraunce a mighty storme arose at sea so that the Nauy was in great danger was seuered some driuen vpon the coast of Flanders some on Brittaine the ship wherin the queene was was driuen into the Hauon at Bullen with very great danger When thou to Abuile heldst th' appointed day King Lewes met her by Abuile neere to the Forrest of Arders and â—rought her into Abuile with great solemnitie Appear'dst vnto him like the Queene of Light Expressing the sumptuous attire of the Queene her traine attended by the chiefe of the Nobilitie of England with 36. Ladies all in cloth of siluer their horses trapped with Crimson veluet A cripple King laid bedrid loâ—g before King Lewes was a man of great yeeres troubled much with the gout so that he had of long time before little vse of legs When Marques Dorset and the valiant Grayes The Duke of Suffolk when the proclamation came into England of Iusts to be holden in Fraunce at Paris he for the Queenes sake his Mistres obtained of the King to goe thither with whom went the Marques Dorcet and his foure brothers the Lord Clynton Sir Edward Neuell Sir Gyles Chappell Tho. Cheyney which went all ouer with the Duke as his assistants When thou in triumph didst through Paris ride A true description of the Queenes â—ntring into Paris after her coâ—onation performd at S. Dennis Then fiue great Dukes as did their places fall The Dukes of Alansoon Burbon Vandome Longauile Suffolke with fiue Cardinals That large-limd Almaine of the Gyants race Frauncis Valoys the Dolphin of France enuying the glory that the Englishmen had obtained at the tilt brought in an Almaine secretly a man thought almost of incomparable strength which encountred Charles Brandon at Barriers but the Duke grappling with him so beaâ— him about the head with the pomel of his sword that the blood came out of the sight of his Caske Else might my blood find issue from his force In Bosworth c. Sir William Brandon standard-beater to the Earle of Richmond after Henry the 7. at Bosworth field a braue and gallant Gentleman who was slaine by Richard there this was Father to this Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke FINIS To my most deere friend Maister Henry Lucas sonne to Edward Lucas Esquire SIR to none haue I beene more beholding then to your kind parents far I must truly confesse aboue the measure of my deserts Many there be in England of whom for some particularitie I might iustly challenge greater merit had I not beene borne in so euill an houre as to be poisoned with that gaule of ingratitude to your selfe am I ingaged for many more curtesies then I imagined could euer haue beene found in one of so few yeares nothing doe I more desire then that those hopes of your toward and vertuous youth may prooue so pure in the fruite as they are faire in the bloome long may you liue to their comfort that loue you most and may I euer wish you the encrease of all good fortunes Yours
seeke safety in a forraine Coast Your wiues and children pittied you before But when your owne blood your owne swords imbrue vvho pitties them which once did pitty you 19 The neighbouring groues dispoyled of their trees For boates and tymber to assay this flood vvhere men are labouring as the Summer bees Some hollowing truncks some bynding heapes of wood Some on their breasts some working on their knees To winne the banck whereon the Barrons stood vvhich 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 vvhilst euery where the clamerous Drums are bra'st Some taking view where surest ground to get And euery one aduantage doth fore-cast In ranks and fyles each plaine and medow 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 theyr vertues gaue that generous brand O you vnworthy of your auncient fame Against your selues to lift your conquering hand Since forraine swords your height could not abate By your owne power your selues to ruinate 22 Vppon his surcoate valient Neuell bore A siluer saltoyre grac'd on martiall red A Ladyes sleeue hie-spirited Hastings wore Ferrer his Taberd with rich verry spred vvell knowne in many a warlike match before A Rauen sat on Corbets warlike head Cou'ring his Helmet Culpepper inrayld On mayden Armes a bloody bend engrayld 23 The noble Percy in this furious day vvith a bright Cressant in his guid-home came In his fayre Cornet Verdooâ— doth display A Geuly fret priz'd in this mortall game That had beene task'd in many a doubtful fray His Launces pennons stayned with the same The angry horse chaf'd with the stubborne bit The ruinous earth with rage horror smit 24 I could the summe of Staffords arming show vvhat cullours Courtney Rosse VVarren hold Each sundry blazon I could let you know And all the glorious circumstance haue told vvhat all the Ensignes standing in a row But wailing Muse ah me thou art controld vvhen in remembrance of this horred deed My pen for inck euen drops of blood doth sheede 25 Th' imperiall standard in this place is pitch'd vvith all the hatchments of the English crowne Great Lancaster with all his power enrich'd Sets the same Leopards in his Colours downe O if with furie you be not bewitch'd Haue but remembrance on your selfe you frowne A little note or difference is in all How can the same stand when the same doth fall 26 Behold the Eagles Lyons Talbots Beares The badges of your famous ancestries And shall they now by their inglorious heires Stand thus opposd against their famelies More honoured marks no Christian nation weares Reliques vnworthy of their progenies Those beasts you beare doe in their kindes agree O that then beasts more sauage man should be 27 But whilst the King no course concluded yit 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 wind doth goe Comforts a Cripple and comes â—uer flow 28 VVhen Edward fearing Lancasters supplies Proud Richmond Surry and â—reat Penbrooke sent On whose successe his chiefest hope relies Vnder whose conduct halfe his Army went The neerest way conducted by the Spies And he himselfe and Edmond Earle of Kent Vpon the hill in sight of â—â—â—ton lay vvatehing to take aduantage of the day 29 Stay Surry stay thou mai'st too soone be gone Pause till this rage be somewhat ouer-past VVhy runn'st thou thus to thy destruction Richmond and Penbrooke whether doe you hast You labour still to bring more horror on Neuer seeke sorrow for it comes too fast vvhy doe 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 should'st 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 Longshancks thus forget Consider well before all other things Our vowes be kept we make to Gods and Kings 31 The winds are â—ush'd no little breath doth blow vvhich seemes so still as though it listning stood vvith trampling crouds the very earth doth bow And through the smoke the sunne appeares like blood vvhat with the shout and with the dreadfull show The heards and flocks runne bellowing to the wood vvhen drums and trumpets giue the fearefull sound As they would shake the cloudes vnto the ground 32 The Earles then charging with their power of horse Taking a signall when they should begin Beeing in view of the imperiall force vvhich at the time assay'd the bridge to win That now the Barrons change th' intended course T' auoyde the danger they were lately in VVhich on the suddaine had they not fore-cast Of their black day this howre hâ—d beene the last 33 VVhen from the hill the Kings maine power comes downe vvhich 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 munifi'd Englands red Crosse vpon both sides doth flie Saint George the King S. George the Barrons cry 34 Like as an exhalation hote and dry Amongst the ayre-bred moisty vapors throwne Spetteth his lightning forth outragiously Rending the grosse cloudes with the thunderstone vvhose fiery splinters through the thin ayre flie That with the terror heauen and earth doth grone vvith the like clamor and confused woe To the dread shocke these desperate 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 vvhich many a time victoriously them drew Shunning theyr ayme as troubled in the loose The winged weapons mourning as they flew Cleaue to the string now impotent and slack As to the Archers they would â—aine turne back 36 Behold the remnant of Troves auncient stock Laying on blowes as Smiths on Anuils strike Grapling together in this feareâ—ull shocke VVhere as the like incountreth with the like As firme and ruthlesse as th' obdurate Rock Deadly opposed at the push of pyke Still as the wings or battels brought together VVhen fortune yet giues vanâ—age vnto neither 37 From battered Casks with euery enuious blow The scattered plumes flie loosly heere and there vvhich in the ayre doth seeme as drifts of snow vvhich eu'ry light breath on his wings doth beare As they had â—ence and feeling of our woe And thus affrighted with the present â—eare Now back now forward such strange windings make As though vncertaine
sencelesse stones were with such musick drownd As many yeeres they did retaine the sound Let not the beames that greatnes doth reflect Amaze thy hopes with timerous respect Assure thee Tudor maiestie can be As kinde in loue as can the mean'st degree And the embraces of a Queene as true As theyrs might iudge them much aduaunc'd by you vvhen in our greatnes our affections craue Those secret ioyes that other women haue So I a Queene be soueraigne in my choyse Let others fawne vpon the publique voyce Or what by this can euer hap to thee Light in respect to be belou'd of mee Let peeuish worldlings prate of right and wrong Leaue plaints and pleas to whom they doe belong Let old men speake of chaunces and euents And Lawyers talke of titles and discents Leaue fond reports to such as stories tell And couenaunts to those that buy and sell Loue my sweet Tudor that becomes thee best And to our good successe referre the rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie Great Henry sought to accomplish his desire Armed c. HEnry the fift making clayme vnto the Crowne of Fraunce first sought by Armes to subdue the French and after sought by marriage to confirme what he got by conquest the heate and furie of which inuasion is alluded to the fixtion of Semele in Ouid which by the craftie perswasion of Iuno requested Ioue to come vnto her as he was wont to come vnto his wife Iuno who at her request hee yeelding vnto destroyed her in a tempest Incamp'd at Melans in wars hote alarmes First c. Neere vnto Melans vpon the Riuer of Scyne was the appoynted place of parley betweene the two Kings of England and Fraunce to which place Isabell the Queene of Fraunce and the Duke of Burgoyne brought the young Princesse Katherine where King Henry first saw her And on my temples set a double Crowne Henry the fift and Queene Katherine vvere taken as King and Queene of Fraunce and during the life of Charles the French King Henry was called King of England and heire of Fraunce after the death of Henry the fift Henry the sixt his son then being very young was crowned at Paris as true and lawfull king of England Fraunce At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy Troy in Champayn was the place where that victorious king Henrie the fift maried the Princesse Katherine in the presence of the chiefe nobilitie of the Realmes of England and Fraunce Nor these great tytles vainely will I bring Wife daughter Mother c. Few Queenes of England or Fraunce were euer more princelie alied then this Queene as it hath been noted by Historiographers Nor thinke so Tudor that this loue of mine Should wrong the Gaunt-borne◠c. Noting the descent of Henry her husband frō Iohn Duke of Lancaster the fourth son of Edward the third which Duke Iohn was sirnamed Gaunt of the citty of Gaunt in Flaunders where he was borne Nor stir the English blood the sunne and Moone T'repine c. Alluding the greatnes of the English line to Phoebus Phoebe fained to be the children of Latona whose heauenly kind might scorne to be ioyned with any earthlie progenie yet withall boasting the blood of Fraunce as not inferiour to theirs And with this allusion followeth on the historie of the strife betwixt Iuno and the race of Cadmus whose issue was afflicted by the wrath of heauen The chyldren of Niobe slaine for which the wofull mother became a Rock gushing forth continually a fountaine of teares And Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied Lhewellin or Leolin ap Iorwerth married Ioane daughter to King Iohn a most beautifull Lady Some Authours affirme that shee was base borne Lhewellin ap Gryfith maried Ellenor daughter to Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester and Cosin to Edward Longshanks both which Lhewellins were Princes of Wales Of Camilot and all her Pentecosts A Nephewes roome c Camilot the auncient Pallace of King Arthur to which place all the Knights of that famous order yeerely repaired at Penticost according to the lawe of the Table and most of the famous home-borne Knights were of that Countrie as to this day is perceiued by theyr auncient monuments When bloody Rufus sought your vtter sacke Noting the ill successe which that William Rufus had in two voyages he made into Wales in which a number of his chiefe Nobilitie were slaine And oft return'd with glorious victorie Nothing the diuers sundry incursions that the Welchmen made into England in the time of Rufus Iohn Henry the second Longshankes Owen Tudor to Queene Katherine WHen first mine eyes beheld your princely name And found from whence this friendly letter came As in excesse of ioy my selfe forgot vvhether I saw it or I saw it not My panting hart doth bid mine eyes proceede My dazeled eye inuites my tongue to reede Mine eye should guide my tongue amazed mist it My lips which now should speake are dombe and kist it And leaues the paper in my trembling hand vvhen all my sences so amazed stand Euen as a mother comming to her child vvhich from her presence hath beene long exil'd vvith tender armes his gentle necke doth straine Now kissing him now clipping him againe And yet excessiue yoy deludes her so As still she doubts if this be hers or no At length awak'ned from this pleasing dreame vvhen passion som-what leaues to be extreame My longing eyes with their faire obiect meete vvhere euery letter 's pleasing each word sweete It was not Henries conquests nor his Court That had the power to win me by report Nor was his dreadfull terror-striking name The cause that I from VVales to England came For Christian Rhodes and our religious truth To great atchieuements first had wone my youth Before aduenture did my valour proue Before I yet knew what it was to loue Nor came I hether by some poore euent But by th' eternall Destinies consent vvhose vncomprised wisedomes did fore-see That you in marriage should be linck'd to mee By our great Merlin was it not fore-told Amongst his holy prophecies enrold vvhen first he did of Tudors fame diuine That Kings and Queenes should follow in our line And that the Helme the Tudors auncient Crest Should with the golden Flower-delice be drest And that the Leeke our Countries chiefe renowne Should grow with Roses in the English Crowne As Charles fayre daughter you the Lilly weare As Henries Queene the blushing Rose you beare By Fraunce's conquest and by Englands oth You are the true made dowager of both Both in your crowne both in your cheeke together Ioyne Tethers loue to yours and yours to Tether Then make no future doubts nor feare no hate vvhen it so long hath beene fore-told by Fate And by the all-disposing doome of heauen Before our births vnto one bed were giuen No Pallas heere nor Iuno is at all vvhen I to Venus giue the golden ball Nor when the Graecians wonder I enioy None in reuenge to kindle fire in
ouerthrowne by the Welchmen which word Croggen hath since beene vsed to the Welchmens disgrace which was at first begun with their honour And old Caer-Merdin Merlins famous towne Caer-Merdin or Merlins Towne so called of Merlins beeing found there This was Ambrose Merlin whose prophecies weâ— haue There was another of that name called Merlin Siluestris borne in Scotland surnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophecied And kept our natiue language now thus long The Welchmen be those auncient Brittaines which when the Picks Danes and Saxons inuaded heere were first diuen into those parts where they haue kept their language euer fince the first without commixion with any other language FINIS To my worthy and deerely esteemed Friend Maister Iames Huish SIR your owne naturall inclination to vertue your loue to the Muses assure mee of your kinde acceptance of my dedication It is seated by custome from which wee are now bolde to assume authoritie to beare the names of our friends vpon the fronts of our bookes as Gentlemen vse to set theyr Armes ouer theyr gates Some say this vse beganne by the Heroes and braue spirits of the old world which were desirous to bee thought to patronize learning and men in requitall honour the names of those braue Princes But I thinke some after put the names of great men in their bookes for that men shoulde say there was some thing good onely because indeed their names stoode there But for mine owne part not to dissemble I find no such vertue in any of theyr great titles to doe so much for anie thing of mine and so let them passe Take knowledge by this I loue you in good faith worthy of all loue I thinke you which I pray you may supply the place of further complement Yours euer M. Drayton Elinor Cobham to Duke Humfrey The Argument Elinor Cobham daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough and wife to Humfry Plantaginet Duke of Glocester the son of Henry the fourth King of England sirnamed Bullingbrooke This noble Duke for his great wisedome and iustice called the good was by King Henry the fift brother to this Duke at his death appointed Protector of the Land during the nonage of Henry the sixt this Elinor Duches of Glocester a proud and ambitious woman knowing that if young Henry died without issue the duke her husband was the neerest of the blood conspired with one Bullenbrooke otherwise called Onely a great Magitian Hun a priest and Iourdane witch of Eye by sorcery to make away the king by coniuration to know who should succeede Of this beeing iustly conuicted she was adiudged to do penance three seuerall times openly in London then to perpetuall banishment in the I le of Man from whence she writeth this Epistle ME thinks not knowing who these lines should send Thou straight turn'st ouer to the latter end VVhere thou my name no sooner hast espi'd But in disdaine my letters casts aside VVhy if thou wilt I will my selfe denie Nay I 'le affirme and sweare I am not I Or if in that thy shame thou doost perceiue I le leaue that name that name my selfe shall leaue And yet me thinks amaz'd thou shouldst not stand Nor seeme so much appauled at my hand For my misfortunes haue inur'd thine eye Long before this to sights of misery No no read on t is I the very same All thou canst read is but to reade my shame Be not dismaid nor let my name afright The worst it can is but t' offend thy sight It cannot wound nor doe thee deadly harme It is no dreadfull spell nor magique charme If shee that sent it loue Duke Humfrey so I st possible her name should be his foe Yes I am Elnor I am very shee vvho brought for dower a virgins bed to thee Though enuious Beuford slaunder'd me before To be Duke Humfreys wanton Paramore And though indeed I can it not denie To magique once I did my selfe apply I won thee not as there be many thinke vvith poysoning Philters and betwitching drinke Nor on thy person did I euer proue Those wicked potions so procuring loue I cannot boast to be rich Hollands heyre Nor of the blood and greatnes of Bauier Yet Elnor brought no forraine Armies in To fetch her backe as did thy Iacomin Nor clamorous husbands folowed me that fled Exclaiming Humfrey to defile his bed Nor wast thou forc'd the slaunder to suppresse To send me backe as an adulteresse Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force Nor su'd to Rome to hasten my deuorce Nor Belgias pompe defac'd with Belgias fire The iust reward of her vniust desire Nor Bedfords spouse your noble sister Anne That princely-issued great Burgunnian Should stand with me to moue a womans strife To yeeld the place to the Protectors wife If Cobhams name my birth can dignifie Or Sterborough renowne my familie VVhere 's Greenewich now thy Elnors Court of late vvhere she with Humfrey held a princely state That pleasant Kent when I abroade should ride That to my pleasure layd forth all her pride The Thames by water when I tooke the ayre Daunc'd with my Barge in lanching from the stayre The anchoring ships that when I pass'd the roade vvere wont to hang their chequered tops abroad How could it be those that were wont to stand To see my pompe so goddesse-like on land Should after see mee mayld vp in a sheete Doe shamefull penance three times in the streete Rung with a bell a Taper in my hand Bare-foote to trudge before a Beedles wand That little babes not hauing vse of tongue Stoode poynting at me as I came along VVher 's Humfreys power where was his great command vvast thou not Lord-protector of the Land Or for thy iustice who can thee denie The title of the good Duke Humfrey Hast thou not at thy life and in thy looke The seale of Gaunt the hand of Bullingbrooke VVhat blood extract from famous Edwards line Can boast it selfe to be so pure as thine vvho else next Henry should the Realme prefer If it allow of famous Lancaster But Rayners daughter must from Fraunce be fet And with a vengeance on our throne be set Mauns Maine and Aniou on that begger cast To bring her home to England in such hast And what for Henry thou hast laboured there To ioyne the King with Arminacks rich heyre Must all be dash'd as no such thing had been Poole needs must haue his darling made a Queen How should he with our Princes else be plac'd To haue his Earleship with a Dukedome grac'd And raise the ofspring of his blood so hie As Lords of vs and our posteritie O that by Sea when he to Fraunce was sent The ship had sunck wherein the traytor went Or that the sands had swallowed her before Shee ere set foote vpon the English shore But all is well nay we haue store to giue vvhat need we more we by her lookes can liue All that great Henries conquests
vaward led Heere Talbot charg'd and heere the Frenchmen fled Heere with our Archers valiant Scales did lie Heere stood the Tents of famous VVilloughbie Heere Mountacute rang'd his vnconquered band Heere forth we march'd and heere we made a stand VVhat should we stand to mourne and grieue all day For that which time doth easily take away VVhat fortune hurts let patience onely heale No wisedome with extremities to deale To know our selues to come of humane birth These sad afflictions crosse vs heere on earth A taxe imposd by heauens eternall law To keepe our rude rebellious will in awe In vaine we prise that at so deere a rate vvhose best assurance is a fickle state And needlesse we examine our intent vvhen with preuention we cannot preuent vvhen we our selues fore-seeing cannot shun That which before with destinie doth run Henry hath power and may my life depose Mine honour mine that none hath power to lose Then be as cheerefull beautious royall Queene As in the Court of Fraunce we erst haue beene As when arriu'd in Porchesters faire roade vvhere for our comming Henry made aboad vvhen in mine armes I brought thee safe to land And gaue my louâ— to Henries royal hand The happy houres we passed with the King At faire South-hampton long in banquetting vvith such content as lodg'd in Henries brest vvhen he to London brought thee from the VVest Through golden Cheape when he in pompe did ride To VVestminster to entertaine his Bride Notes of the Chronicle Historie Our Faeulcons kinde cannot the Cage indure HE alludes in these verses to the Faulcon which was the ancient deuice of the Poles comparing the greatnes and hautines of his spirit to the nature of this bird This was the meane proud Warwickâ— did inuent To my disgrace c. The Commons at this Parliament through Warwickâ— meanes accused Suffolk of treason and vrged the accusation so vehemently that the king was forced to exile him for fiue yeares That onely my base yeelding vp of Maine Should be the losse of fertile Aquitaine The Duke of Suffolke being sent into France to conclude a peace chose Duke Rainers daughter the Ladie Margaret whom he espoused for Henry the sixt deliuering for her to her Father the Countries of Aniou and Maine and the Citie of Mauns Wherevpon the Earle of Arminach whose daughter was before promised to the King seeing himselfe to be deluded caused all the Englishmen to be expulsed Aquitaine Gascoyne and Guyen With the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the heire of good Duke Humfreys name This Richard that was called the great Earle of Warwicke when Duke Humfrey was dead grew into exceeding great fauour with the Commons With Salisbury his vile ambitious Sire In Yorks sterne breast kindling long hidden fire By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle Ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt Richard Plantaginet Duke of Yorke in the time of Henry the sixt claimed the Crowne being assisted by this Richard Neuell Earle of Salisburie and father to the great Earle of Warwicke who fauoured exceedingly the house of Yorke in open Parliament as heire to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third Sonne of Edward the third making his title by Anne his Mother wife to Richard Earle of Cambridge Sonne to Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke which Anne was daughter to Roger Mortimer Earle of March which Roger was sonne and heire to Edmund Mortimer that married the Lady Phillip daughter and heire to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward to whom the Crowne after Richard the seconds death lineally descended he dying without issue And not to the heires of the Duke of Lancaster that was younger brother to the Duke of Clarence Hall cap. 1. Tit. Yor. Lanc. Vrg'd by these enuious Lords to spend their breath Calling reuenge on the Protectors death Humfrey Duke of Glocester and Lord Protector in the 25. yeere of Henry the sixt by the meanes of the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke was arrested by the Lord Beumond at the Parliament holden at Berrie and the same night after murthered in his bed If they would know who robd him c. To this verse To know how Humfrey died and who shall raigne In these verses he iestes at the Protectors wife who being accused and conuicted of treason because with Iohn Hun a Priest Roger Bullenbrooke a Negromancer and Margerie Iordane called the Witch of Eye shee had consulted by sorcâ—rie to kill the King was adiudged to perpetuall prison in the I le of Man to do penance openly in three publique places in London For twentie yeeres and haue I seru'd in Fraunce In the sixt yeere of Henry the sixt the Duke of Bedford being deceased then Lieuetenant generell and Regent of Fraunce this Duke of Suffolke was promoted to that dignitie hauing the Lord Talbot Lord Scales and the Lord Mountacute to assist him Against great Charles and bastard Orleance This was Charles the seauenth that after the death of Henry the fifth obtained the crowne of Fraunce and recouered againe much of that his father had lost Bastard Orleance was sonne to the Duke of Orleance begotten of the Lord Cawnies wife preferred highly to many notable offices because he being a most valiant Captaine was continuall enemie to the Englishmen daily infesting them with diuers incursions And haue I seene Vernoyla's batfull fields Vernoyle is that noted place in Fraunce where the great battell was fought in the beginning of Henry the sixt his raigne where the most of the French Cheualry were ouercome by the Duke of Bedford And from Aumerle with-drew my warlike powers Aumerle is that strong defenced towne in Fraunce which the Duke of Suffolke got after 24. great assaults giuen vnto it And came my selfe in person first to Towers Th'Embassadours for truâ—e to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungary and Spaine Towers is a Citie in Fraunce built by Brutus as he came into Brittaine where in the twentie and one yeere of the raigne of Henry the sixt was appointed a great diet to be kept whether came the Embassadours of the Empire Spaine Hungary and Denmarke to intreat for a perpetuall peace to be made betweene the two Kings of England and France By true descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem Rayner Duke of Aniou Father to Queene Margaret called himselfe King of Naples Cicily and Ierusalem hauing the title alone of King of those Countries A fifteenes taxe in Fraunce I freely spent The Duke of Suffolke after the marriage concluded twixt King Henry and Margarit daughter to Duke Rayner asked in open Parliament a whole fifteenth to fetch her into England Seene thee for England but imbaqu'd at Deepe Deepe is a Towne in Fraunce bordering vpon the Sea where the Duke of Suffolk with Queene Margaret tooke ship for England As when arriu'd in Porchesters faire Roadel Porchester a Hauen Towne in the South-west part of England where the King tarried expecting the Queenes arriuall whom from thence
it that time celestiall signes hath done 2 VVhilst our ill thriuing in those Scottish broyles Theyr strength and couâ—age greatly doth aduaunce That beeing made fat and wealthy by our spoyles vvhen we still weakned by the iarres in Fraunce And thus dishartned by continuall foyles Yeelds other cause whereat our Muse may glaunce And Herckleys treasons lastly brings to view vvhose power of late the Barrons ouerthrew 3 Now when the Scot with an inuasiue hand By daily inroads on the borders made Had spoyld the Country of Northumberland The buildings leuell with the ground weare layd And finding none that dare his power withstand vvithout controlement eu'ry where had pray'd Bearing with pride what was by pillage got As our last fall appointed to theyr lot 4 For vvhich false Herckley by his Soueraigne sent T' intreate this needfull though dishonored peace Cloking his treasons by this fayn'd intent Kinling the warre which otherwise might cease And with the Scot new mischiefes doth inuent T' intrap King Edward and their feare release For which their faith they constantly haue plight In peace and warre to stand for eithers right 5 For which the King his sister doth bestow Vpon this false Lord which to him affy'd Maketh too plaine and euident a show Of what before his trust did closely hide But beeing found from whence this match should grow By such as now into their actions pry'd Displayes the treasons which not quickly crost vvould shed more blood then all the warres had cost 6 VVhether the Kings weake counsels causes are That eu'ry thing so badly forteth out Or that the Earle did of our state despaire vvhen nothing prosper'd that was gone about And therefore carelesse how these matters fare I le not define but leaue it as a doubt Or some vaine title his ambition lackt Hatch'd in his breast this treasonable act 7 VVhich now reueal'd vnto the iealous King For apprehension of this tray't rous Peere To the Lord Lucy leaues the managing One whose knowne faith he euer held so deere By whose dispatch and trauell in this thing He doth well worthy of his trust appeare In his owne Castell carelesly defended The trecherous Herckley closely apprehended 8 For which ere long vnto his tryall led In all the roabes befitting his degree VVhere Scroope chiefe Iustice in King Edwards sted vvas now prepar'd his lawfull Iudge to be Vrging the proofes by his enditement red vvhere they his treasons euidently see vvhich now themselues so plainly doe expresse As might at first declare his bad successe 9 His honor'd title backe againe restord Noted with tearmes of infamie and scorne And then disarmed of his knightly sword On which his faith and loyaltie was sworne And by a varlet of his spurres dispur'd His coate of Armes in peeces hal'd and torne To tast deserued punishment is sent T'a trayterous death that trayterously had ment 10 VVhen such the fauorers of this fatall war vvhom this occasion doth more sharply whet Those for this cause thet yet impris'ned are Boldly attempt at liberty to set vvhose purpose frustrate by the others care Doth greater wounds continually beget vvarning the King more strictly looke about These secret fires still daily breaking out 11 And Hereford in Parlement accusd Of treasons which apparantly were wrought That with the Queene and Mortimers were vsd vvhereby subuersion of the Realme was sought And both his calling and his trust abusd vvhich now to aunswere when he should be brought Ceaz'd by the Clergy in the Kings despight Vnder the colour of the Churches right 12 VVhilst now the Queene from England day by day That of these troubles still had certaine word vvhose friends much blam'd her tedious long delay vvhen now the time occasion doth afford vvith better hast doth for herselfe puruay Bearing prouision presently abord Ships of all vses daily rigging are Fit'st for inuasion to transport a warre 13 The Earle of Kent by 's soueraigne brother plac'd As the great Generall of his force in Gwine vvho in his absence here at home disgra'st And frustrated both of his men and coyne By such lewd persons to maintaine theyr wast From the Kings treasúres ceas'd not to proloyne Th'lasciuious Prince though mou'd regardlesse still Both of his owne losse and his brothers ill 14 VVhos 's discontentment beeing quickly found By such as all aduantages await That still apply'd strong corsiues to the wound And by their sharpe and intricate deceit Hindred all meanes might possibly redound This fast-arising mischiefe to defeate Vntill his wrongs vvere to that fulnesse growne That they haue made him absolute their owne 15 VVhose selfe-like followers in these faithlesse warres Men most experienc'd and of worthiest parts vvhich for their pay receaued onely scarres vvhilst the inglorious reap'd their due desarts And Mineons hate of other hope debarres vvith too much violence vrg'd their grieued harts On Iohn of Henault wholy doe rely vvho led a great and valiant company 16 That in this conquest doe themselues combine The Lords Pocelles Sares and Boyseers Dambretticourt the young and valiant Heyn Estoteuill Comines and Villeers Others his Knights Sir Michaell de la Lyne Sir Robert Balioll Boswit and Semeers Men of great power whom spoile and glory warmes Such as were wholly dedicate to Armes 17 Three thousand souldiers mustred men in pay Of French Scotch Almaine Swiser and the Dutch Of natiue English fled beyond the Sea vvhose number neere amounted to asmuch VVhich long had look'd for this vnhappy day vvhom her reuenge did but too neerely tuch Her friends now ready to receaue her in And new commotions eu'ry day begin 18 VVhen she for England fitly setting forth Spreading her proud sayles on the watry plaine Shaping her course directly to the North vvith her young Edward Duke of Aquitaine vvith th' other three of speciall name and worth The destain'd scurges of his lawlesse raine Her souldier Beumount with the Earle of Kent And Mortimer that mighty malcontent 19 A for-wind now for Harwich fitly blowes Blow not too fast to kindle such a fire vvhilst with full saile and fairer tide she goes Turne gentle wind and force her to retire The fleet thou driu'st is fraughted with our woes But winds and seas doe Edwards wracke conspire For when iust heauen to chastice vs is bent All things conuert to our due punishment 20 Thy coasts be kept with a continuall ward Thy Beacons watch'd her comming to discry O had the loue of subiects beene thy guard T 'had beene t' effect that thou didst fortifie But whilst thou stand'st gainst for raine foes prepard Thou art betrayd by thy home enemy Small helpe by this thou art but like to win Shutting death out thou keep'st destruction in 21 VVhen Henry brother to that haplesse Prince The first great engine of this ciuill strife Deere Lancaster whom law did late conuince And that at Pomfret left his wretched life This Henry in whose great hart euer since Reuenge lay couer'd smoother'd vp in griefe Like fire in some fat
howsoeuer they be marshalled how can I be iustly appeached of vnaduisement For the third because the worke might in truth be iudged brainish if nothing but amorous humor were handled therein I haue enter wouen matters historicall which vnexplaned might defraud the minde of much content as for example in Queene Margarites Epistle to VVilliam dela Pole My Daizie flower which once perfum'd the ayre Margarite in French signifies a Daizie which for the allusion to her name this Queene did giue for her deuise and this as others more haue seemed to me not vnworthy the explaning Now though no doubt I had neede to excuse other thinges beside yet these most especially the rest I ouerpasse to eschue tedious recitall or to speake as malicious enuy may for that in truth I ouersee them If they be as harmlesly taken as I meant them it shall suffice to haue onely tâ—uched the cause of the title of the dedications and of the notes whereby emboldned to publish the residue these not beeing accounted in mens opinions relishlesse â— shall not lastly be afrayd to beleeue and acknowledge thee a gentle Reader M. D. To M. Michaell Drayton HOw can he write that broken hath his pen Hath rent his paper throwne his Inke away Detests the world and company of men Because they grow more hatefull day by day Yet with these broken reliques mated mind And what a iustly-greeued thought can say I giue the world to know I nere could find A worke more like to liue a longer day Goe verse an obiect for the proudest eye Disdaine those which disdaine to reade thee ouer Tell them they know not how they should discry The secret passions of a wittie louer For they are such as none but those shall know whom Beauty sâ—hooles to hold the blind Boyes bow Once I had vow'd ô who can all vowes keepe Hence-forth to smother my vnlucky Muse Yet for thy sake she started out of sleepe Yet now she dies Then doe as kindsfolks vse Close vp the eyes of my now-deing-stile As I haue op'ned thy sweet babes ere-while E. Sc. Gent. Duris decus omen To M. Michaell Drayton LOng haue I wish'd and hop'd my weaker Muse In nothing strong but my vnhappy loue VVould giue me leaue my fortune to approue And view the world as named Poets vse But still her fruitlesse bosome doth refuse To blesse me with indifferencie of praise Not daring like to many to abuse That title which true worth should onely raise Thus bankerout and dispairing of mine owne I set my wish and hope kind friend on thee vvhose fruite approu'd and better fortune knowne Tels me thy Muse my loues sole heire must be So barren wombes embrace their neighbours yong So dumbe men speake by them that haue a tong Thomas Hassall Gent. To M. Michaell Drayton NOw I perceaue Pythagoras deuin'd vvhen he that mocked Maxim did maintaine That spirits once spoyl'd reuested were againe Though chang'd in shape remaining one in mind These loue-sicke Princes passionate estates VVho feeling reades he cannot but allow That Ouids soule reuiues in Drayton now Still learn'd in loue still rich in rare conceits This pregnant spirit affecting further skill Oft alt'ring forme from vulgar wits retir'd In diuers Ideoms mightily admir'd Did prosecute that sacred studie still vvhile to a full perfection now attain'd He sings so sweetly that himselfe is stain'd VVilliam Alexander Scotus To the excellent Lady Lucie Countesse of Bedford MAdam after all the admired wits of this excellent age which haue laboured in the sad complaints of faire and vnfortunate Rosamond and by the excellency of inuention haue sounded the depth of her sundry passions I present to your Ladiship this Epistle of hers to King Henry whom I may rather call her louer then beloued Heere must your Ladishippe behold variablenes in resolution woes constantly grounded laments abruptly broken off much confidence no certainty words begetting teares teares confounding matter large complaints in little papers and many deformed cares in one vniformed Epistle I striue not to effect singularity yet would faine flie imitation prostrate mine own wants to other mens perfections Your iudiciall eye must modell foorth what my pen hath layd together much would she say to a King much would I say to a Countesse but that the methed of my Epistle must conclude the modesty of hers which I wish may recommend my euer vowed seruice to your honour Michaell Drayton The Epistle of Rosamond to King Henrie the second ¶ The Argument Henry the second of that name King of England the sonne of Geffrey Plantaginet Earle of Aniou and Maude the Empresse hauing by long sute and princely gifts wonne to his vnlawfull desire faire Rosamond the daughter of the Lord VValter Clyfford and to auoyde the danger of Ellinor his iealous Queene had caused â— Labyrinth to be made within his Pallace at VVoodstocke in the center whereof he had lodged his beauteous paramore VVhilst the King is absent in his warres in Normandie this poore distressed Lady inclosed in this solitarie place tutcht with remorse of conscience writes vnto the King of her distresse and miserable estate vrging him by all meanes and perswasions to cleere himselfe of this infamie and her of the griefe of minde by taking away her wretched life IF yet thine eyes great Henry may endure These tainted lines drawne with a hand impure vvhich faine would blush but feare keepes blushes back And therefore suted in dispayring black This in loues name ô that these lips might craue But that sweet name vile I prophaned haue Punish my fault or pittie mine estate Reade it for loue if not for loue for hate If with my shame thine eyes thou faine wouldst feede Heere let them surfeit on my shame to reede This scribled paper which I send to thee If noted rightly doth resemble mee As this pure ground whereon these letters stand So pure was I ere stained by thy hand Ere I was blotted with this foule offence So cleere and spotlesse was mine innocence Now like these marks which taint this hatefull scroule Such the black sinnes which spot my leprous soule O Henry why by losse thus should'st thou win To get by conquest to enrich with sinne VVhy on my name this slaunder doost thou bring To make my fault renowned by a King Fame neuer stoopes to things but meane and poore The more our greatnes makes our fault the more Lights on the ground themselues doe lessen farre But in the ayre each small sparke seemes a starre VVhy on a womans frailtie would'st thou lay This subtile plot mine honour to betray Or thy vnlawfull pleasure should'st thou buy vvith vile expence of kingly maiestie T was not my minde consented to this ill Then had I beene transported by my will For what my body was ensorst to doe Heauen knowes my soule did not consent vnto For through mine eyes had she her liking seene Such as my loue such had my Louer beene True loue is simple like his mother Truth Kindly
his Towers and Castles set on fire Knitting vp her Epistle with a great and constant resolution Though Dunmow giue no refuge heere at all Dunmow can giue my body buriall FINIS To the vertuous Lady the Lady Anne Harrington wife to the honourable Gentleman Sir Iohn Harrington Knight MY singuler good Lady your many vertues knowne in generall to all and your gracious fauours to my vnwoorthy selfe haue confirmed that in mee which before I knew you I onelie sawe by the light of other mens iudgements Honour seated in your breast findes herselfe adorned as in a rich pallace making that excellent which makes her admirable which like the Sunne from thence begetteth most precious things of this earthly worlde onely by the vertue of his rayes not the nature of the mould VVorth is best discerned by the worthie deiected mindes want that pure fire which should giue vigor to vertue I referre to your great thoughts the vnpartiall Iudges of true affection the vnfained zeale I haue euer borne to your honorable seruice and so rest your Ladiships humbly to commaund Mich Drayton Queene Isabell to Mortimer ¶ The Argument Queene Isabell the wife of Edward the second called Edward Carnaruan beeing the daughter of Phillip de Beau King of Fraunce forsaken by the King her husband who delighted onely in the companie of Piers Gaueston his minion and fauorite and after his death seduced by the euill counsaile of the Spensers This Queene thus left by her husband euen in the glory of her youth drewe into her especiall fauour Roger Mortimer Lorde of VVigmore a man of a mightie and inuinsible spirit This Lord Mortimer rising in armes against the King with Thomas Earle of Lancaster and the Barons was taken ere he could gather his power and by the King committed to the Tower of London During his imprisonment he ordained a feast in honour of his birth-day to which he inuited Sir Stephen Segraue Lieutenant of the Tower and the rest of the officers where by meanes of a drinke prepared by the Queene hee cast them all into a heauie sleepe and with Ladders of cords beeing ready prepared for the purpose he escapeth and flieth into Fraunce whether shee sendeth this Epistle complaining her owne misfortunes and greatly reioycing at his safe escape THough such sweet comfort comes not now from her As Englands Queene hath sent to Mortimer Yet what that wants which might my power approue If lines can bring thys shall supply with loue Me thinks affliction should not fright me so Nor should resume these sundry shapes of woe But when I faine would find the cause of this Thy absence shewes me where the errout is Oft when I thinke of thy departing hence Sad sorrow then posseth ' euery sence But finding thy deere blood preseru'd thereby And in thy life my long-wish'd libertie vvith that sweet thought my selfe I onely please Amidst my griefe which somtimes giues me ease Thus doe extreamest ils a ioy possesse And one woe makes another woe seeme lesse That blessed night that milde-aspected howre vvherein thou mad'st escape out of the Tower Shall consecrated euer-more remaine VVhat gentle Planet in that howre did raigne And shall be happy in the birth of men vvhich was chiefe Lord of the Ascendant then O how I feard that sleepy iuyce I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent Or that some vnseene misterie might lurke vvhich wanting order kindly should not worke Oft did I wish those dreadfull poysoned lees That clos'd the euer-waking Dragons eyes Or I had had those sence-bereauing stalkes That grow in shady Proserpines darke walkes Or those blacke weedes on Lethe bankes below Or Lunary that doth on Latmus flow Oft did I feare this moist and foggie clime Or that the earth waxt barraine now with time Should not haue hearbes to help me in this case Such as doe thriue on Indias parched face That morrow when the blessed sunne did rise And shut the lids of all heauens lesser eyes Forth from my pallace by a secret stayre I steale to Thames as though to take the ayre And aske the gentle flood as it doth glide Or thou didst passe or perrish by the tide If thou didst perrish I desire the streame To lay thee softly on her siluer teame And bring thee to me to the quiet shore That with her teares thou might'st haue some teares more VVhen suddainly doth rise a rougher gale vvith that me thinks the troubled waues looke pale And sighing with that little gust that blowes vvith this remembrance seeme to knit theyr browes Euen as this suddaine passion doth affright me The cheerefull sunne breakes from a clowde to light mee Then doth the bottome euident appeare As it would shew me that thou wast not there VVhen as the water flowing where I stand Doth seeme to tell me thou art safe on land Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Nauarre vvhen Fraunce enuied those buildings onely blest Grac'd with the Orgies of my bridall feast That English Edward should refuse my bed For that incestuous shameles Ganimed And in my place vpon his regall throne To set that girle-boy wanton Gaueston Betwixt the feature of my face and his My glasse assures me no such difference is That a foule witches bastard should thereby Be thought more worthy of his loue then I. VVhat doth auaile vs to be Princes heyres vvhen we can boast câ—r birth is onely theyrs vvhen base dissembling flatterers shall deceiue vs Of all our famous Auncestors did leaue vs And of our princely iewels and our dowers vvee but enioy the least of what it ours vvhen Minions heads must weare our Monarchs crownes To raise vp dunghils with our famous townes vvhen beggers-brats are wrapt in rich perfumes Their buzzard wings impt with our Eagles plumes And match'd with the braue issue of our blood Alie the kingdome to theyr crauand brood Did Longshanks purchase with his conquering hand Albania Gascoyne Cambria Ireland That young Caernaruan his vnhappy sonne Should giue away all that his Father wonne To backe a stranger proudly bearing downe The braue alies and branches of the crowne And did great Edward on his death-bed giue This charge to them which afterwards should liue That that proude Gascoyne banished the Land No more should tread vpon the English sand And haue these great Lords in the quarrell stood And seald his last will with theyr deerest blood That after all this fearefull massaker The fall of Beauchamp Lasy Lancasterâ— Another faithlesse fauorite should arise To cloude the sunne of our Nobilities And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That now a Spenser should succeede in all And that his ashes should another breed vvhich in his place and empire should succeede That wanting one a kingdoms wéalth to spend Of what that left thys now shall make an end To wast all that our Father won before Nor leaue our sonne a sword to conquer more Thus but in vaine we fondly doe resist vvhere power can doe
euen all things as it list And with vniust men to debate of lawes Is to giue power to hurt a rightfull cause vvhilst parlements must still redresse theyr wrongs And we must starue for what to vs belongs Our wealth but fuell to theyr fond excesse And we must fast to feast theyr wantonnesse Think'st thou our wrongs then insufficient are To moue our brother to religious war And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquytaine And if not that yet hath he broke the truce Thus all accur to put backe all excuse The sisters wrong ioynd with the brothers right Me thinks might vrge him in this cause to fight Be all those people sencelesse of our harmes vvhich for our country ought haue manag'd armes Is the braue Normans courage now forgot Or the bold Brittaines lost the vse of shot The big-bon'd Almaines and stout Brabanders Theyr warlike Pikes and sharp-edg'd Semiters Or doe the Pickards let theyr Crosbowes lie Once like the Centaurs of old Thessalie Or if a valiant Leader be theyr Lacke vvhere thou art present who should driue them backe I doe coniure thee by what is most deere By that great name of famous Mortimer By auncient VVigmors honourable Crest The Tombes where all thy famous Grandsires rest Or if then these what more may thee approue Euen by those vowes of thy vnfained loue That thy great hopes may moue the Christian King By forraine Armes some comfort yet to bring To curbe the power of traytors that rebell Against the right of princely Isabell. Vaine vvitlesse woman why should I desire To adde more heate to thy immortall fire To vrge thee by the violence of hate To shake the pillers of thine owne estate vvhen whatsoeuer we intend to doe To our misfortune euer sorts vnto And nothing els remaines for vs beside But teares and coffins onely to prouide VVhen still so long as Burrough beares that name Time shall not blot out our deserued shame And whilst cleere Trent her wonted course shall keepe For our sad fall her christall drops shall weepe All see our ruine on our backs is throwne And to our selues our sorrowes are our owne And Torlton now whose counsell should direct The first of all is slaundred with suspect For dangerous things dissembled sildome are vvhich many eyes attend with busie care VVhat should I say my griefes doe still renew And but begin when I should bid adiew Few be my words but manifold my woe And still I stay the more I striue to goe As accents issue forth griefes enter in And where I end mee thinks I but begin Till then fayre time some greater good affoords Take my loues payment in these ayrie words Notes of the Chronicle Historie O how I feard that sleepie drinke I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent MOrtimer beeing in the Tower and ordayning a feast in honour of his byrth-day as hee pretended and inuiting there-vnto sir Stephen Segraue Constable of the Tower with the â—est of the officers belonging to the same he gaue them a sleepie drinke prouided him by the Queene by which meanes he got libertie for his escape I steale to Thames as though to take the ayre And aske the gentle streame as it doth glide Mortimer being got out of the Tower swam the riuer of Thames into Kent whereof she hauing intelligence doubteth of his strength to escape by reason of his long imprisonment being almost the space of three yeeres Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Naeuarre Edward Carnaruan the first Prince of Wales of the English blood married Isabell daughter of Phillip the faire at Bulloyne in the presence of the Kings of Almaine Nauarre and Cicile with the chiefe Nobilitie of Fraunce and England which marriage was there solemnized with exceeding pompe and magnificence And in my place vpon his regall throne To set that girle-boy wanton Gaueston Noting the effeminacie luxurious wantonnesse of Gaueston the Kings Minion his behauiour and attire euer so womanlike to please the eye of his lasciuious Prince That a foule Witches bastard should thereby It was vrged by the Queene and the Nobilitie in the disgrace of Piers Gauestone that his mother was conuicted of witchcraft burned for the same and that Piers had bewitched the King Albania Gascoyne Cambria Ireland Albania Scotland so called of Albanact the second sonne of Brutus and Cambria Wales so called of Camber the third son the foure Realmes countries brought in subiection by Edward Longshankes When of our princely Iewels and our dowers We but enioy the least of what is ours A complaint of the prodigalitie of King Edward giuing vnto Gaueston the iewels treasure which was left him by the auncient Kings of England and enriching him with the goodly Manor of Wallingford assigned as parcel of the dower to the queens of this famous I le And ioyn'd with the braue issue of our blood Alie our kingdome to their crauand brood Edward the second gaue to Piers Gaueston in mariage the daughter of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester begot of the Kings sister Ione of Acres maried to the said Earle of Glocester Should giue away all that his Father won To backe a stranger King Edward offered his right in Fraunce to Charles his brother in law and his right in Scotland to Robert Bruse to be ayded against the Barrons in the quarrell of Piers Gaueston And did great Edward on his death-bed giue Edward Longshanks on his death-bed at Carlile commanded yong Edward his sonne on his blessing not to call backe Gaueston which for the misguiding of the Princes youth was before banished by the whole counsell of the Land That after all this fearefull massaker The fall of Beuchamp Lasy Lancaster Thomas Earle of Lancaster Guy Earle of Warwick Henry Eaâ—le of Lincolne who had taken their oaths before the deceased King at his death to withstand his sonne Edward if hee should call Gauestone from exile being a thing which he much feared now seeing Edward to violate his Fathers coÌ„maundement rise in Armes against the king which was the cause of the ciuill war the ruine of so many Princes And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That now a Spenser should succeed in all The two Hugh Spensers the Father the sonne after the death of Gaueston became the great fauourites of the King the sonne beeing created by him lord Chamberlaine the father Earle of Winchester And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homaage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquitaine Edward Longshanks did homage for those Citties and Territories to the French King which Edward the second neglecting moued the French King by the subornation of Mortimer to cease those Countries into his hands By auncient Wigmors honourable Crest Wigmore in the marches of Wales was the auncient house of the Mortimers that noble and couragious familie That still so long as Borrough beares that name The Queene remembreth the great
triumpheth in my fall For her great Lord may water her sad eyne vvith as salt teares as I haue done for mine And mourne for Henry Hotspur her deere sonne As I for my sweet Mortimer haue done And as I am so succourlesse be sent Lastly to taste perpetuall banishment Then loose thy care where first thy crowne was lost Sell it so deerely for it deerely cost And sith they did of libertie depriue thee Burying thy hope let not thy care out-liue thee But hard God knowes with sorrow doth it goe vvhen woe becomes a comfort to woe Yet much me thinks of comforter I could say If from my hart pale feare were rid away Some thing there is which tels me still of woe But what it is that heauen aboue doth know Griefe to it selfe most dreadfull doth appeare And neuer yet was sorrow voyde of feare But yet in death doth sorrow hope the best And with this farewell wish thee happy rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie If fatall Pomfret hath in former time POmfret Castle euer a fatall place to the Princes of England and most ominous to the blood of Plantaginet Oh how euen yet I hate these wretched eyes And in my glasse c. When Bullingbrooke returned to London from the West bringing Richard a prisoner with him the Queene who little knew of her Husbands hard successe stayd to behold his comming in little thinking to haue seene her Husband thus ledde in tryumph by his foe and nowe seeming to hate her eyes that so much had graced her mortall enemie Wherein great Norfolks forward course was stayd She remembreth the meeting of the two Dukes of Herforde and Norfolke at Couentry vrging the iustnes of Mowbrayes quarrell against the Duke of Herford the faithfull assurance of his victorie O why did Charles relieue his needie state A vagabond c. Charles the French King her father receiued the Duke of Herford in his Court and releeued him in Fraunce beeing so neerely alied as Cosin german to king Richard his sonne in Lawe which he did simply little thinking that he should after returne into England and dispossesse King Richard of the Crowne When thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell King Richard made a voyage with his Armie into Ireland against Onell Mackemur which rebelled at what time Henry entred here at home and robd him of all kinglie dignitie Affirm'd by Church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegitimate William Wickham in the great quarrell betwixt Iohn of Gaunt and the Clergy of meere spight and malice as it should seeme reported that the Queene confessed to him on her death-bed being then her Confessor that Iohn of Gaunt was the sonne of a Flemming that she was brought to bed of a woman child at Gaunt which was smothered in the cradle by mischaunce and that she obtained this chylde of a poore woman making the king belieue it was her own greatlie fearing his displeasure Fox ex Chron. Albanâ— No bastards marke doth blot our conquering shield Shewing the true and indubitate birth of Richard his right vnto the Crowne of England as carrying the Armes without blot or difference Against theyr fayth vnto the Crownes true heire Their noble kindsman c. Edmund Mortimer Earle of March sonne of Earle Roger Mortimer which was sonne to Lady Phillip daughter to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne to king Edward the third which Edmund king Richard going into Ireland was proclaimed heyre apparant to the Crowne whose Aunt called Ellinor this Lord Fiercie had married O would Aumerle had suncke when he betrayd The complot which that holy Abbot layd The Abbot of Westminster had plotted the death of king Henry to haue been done at a Tylt at Oxford of which confederacie there was Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey the Duke of Aumerle Mountacute Earle of Salisbury Spenser Earle of Gloster the Bishop of Carlile Sir Thomas Blunt these all had bound themselues one to another by Indenture to performe it but were all betrayd by the Duke of Aumerle Scroope Greene and Bushie die his fault in graine Henry going towards the Castle of Flint where King Richard was caused Scroope Greene Bushie to be executed at Bristow as vile persons which had seduced this king to this lasciuious wicked life Damn'd be the oath he made at Doncaster After Henries exile at his returne into England he tooke his oath at Doncaster vpon the Sacrament not to claime the crown or kingdom of England but onely the Dukedome of Lancaster his own proper right and the right of his wife And mourne for Henry Hotspur her deere sonne As I for my c. This was the braue couragious Henry Hotspur that obtained so many victories against the Scots which after falling out right with the curse of Queene Isabell was slaine by Henry at the battaile at Shrewsburie Richard the second to Queene Isabell. WHat may my Queene but hope for from that hand Vnfit to write vnskilful to command A kingdoms greatnes hardly can he sway That wholesome counsaile neuer did obey Ill this rude hand did guide a Scepter then VVorse now I feare me gouerneth a pen How shall I call my selfe or by what name To make thee know from whence these letters came Not from thy husband for my hatefull life Hath made thee widdow being yet a wife Nor from a King that title I haue lost Now of that name proud Bulling brooke may boast vvhat I haue beene doth but this comfort bring That no woe is to say I was a King This lawlesse life which first pâ—ocur'd my hate This tong which then denounc'd my regall state This abiect mind that did consent vnto it This hand that was the instrument to doe it All these be witnes that I doe denie All passed hopes all former soueraigntie Didst thou for my sake leaue thy fathers Court Thy famous Country and thy virgine port And vndertook'st to trauaile dangerous waves Driuen by aukward winds and boyst'rous seas And left 's great Burbon for thy loue to me vvho su'd in marriage to be linck'd to thee Offring for dower the Countries neighbouring nie Of fruitfull Almaine and rich Burgundie Didst thou all this that England should receaue thee To miserable banishment to leaue thee And in my downfall and my fortunes wracke Forsaken thus to Fraunce to send thee backe VVhen quiet sleepe the heauie harts reliefe Hath rested sorrow somwhat lesned griefe My passed greatnes vnto minde I call And thinke this while I dreamed of my fall vvith this conceite my sorrowes I beguile That my fayre Queene is but with-drawne awhile And my attendants in some chamber by As in the height of my prosperitie Calling aloud and asking who is there The Eccho answering tells me VVoe is there And when mine armes would gladly thee enfold I clip the pillow and the place is cold vvhich when my waking eyes precisely view T is a true token that it is too true
to the Countesse of Salisburie And proues our acts of Parlement vniust In the next Parlement after Richards resignation of the Crowne Henry caused to be annihilated all the lawes made in the Parlament called the wicked Parlement helde in the twenty yeere of king Richards raigne FINIS Queene Katherine to Owen Tudor The Argument After the death of that victorious Henry the fift Queene Katherine the dowager of England and Fraunce daughter to Charles the French King holding her estate with Henrie her sonne then the sixt of that name falleth in loue with Owen Tuder a VVelshman a braue and gallant Gentleman of the VVardrope to the young King her son yet greatlie fearing if her loue shoulde bee discouered the Nobilitie would crosse her purposed marriage or fearing that if her faire princely promises should not assure his good successe this high and great attempt might perhaps daunt the forwardnesse of his modest and shamefast youth wherefore to breake the Ice to her intent shee writeth vnto him this Epistle following IVdge not a Princesse worth impeach'd heereby That loue thus tryumphs ouer maiestie Nor thinke lesse vertue in this royall hand vvhich now intreats that wonted to commaund For in this sort though humbly now it wooe The day hath beene thou would'st haue kneeld vnto Nor thinke that this submission of my state Proceedes from frailty rather iudge it fate Alcides nere more fit for wars sterne shock Then when for loue sate spinning at the rock Neuer lesse clowdes did Phoebus glory dim Then in a clownes shape when he couered him â—oues great commaund was neuer more obey'd Then when a Satyres anticke parts he plai'd He was thy King that sued for loue to mee Shee is thy Queene that sues for loue to thee VVhen Henry was what 's Tudors now was his vvhilst vet thou art what 's Henries Tudors is My loue to Owen him my Henry giueth My loue to Henry in my Owen liueth Henry woo'd me whilst wars did yet increase I wooe my Tudor 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 VVindsore first these eyes of mine My Tudor iudg'd for wit and shape diuine Henry abroade with puissance and with force Tudor 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 vvhich glorious wreath as Henries lawfull heire Henry the sixt vpon his brow doth beare At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy My bridal-rites to England brought from Troy In England now that honour thou shalt haue vvhich once in Champaine famous Henry gaueâ— I seeke not wealth three kingdoms in my power If these suffise not where shall be my dower Sad discontent may euer follow her vvhich doth base pelfe before true loue prefer If â—itles still could our affections tie vvhat is so great but maiestie might buy As I seeke thee so Kings doe me desire To what they would thou easily mai'st aspire That sacred fire once warm'd my hart before The fuell fit the flame is now the more And meanes to quench it I in vaine doe proue vve 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 vvife daughter mother sister to a King Of grandsire father husband sonne 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 linâ— Nor stir the English blood the Sunne and Moone T'repine at Loraine Burbon Alansoon Nor doe I thinke there is such different ods They should alone be numbred with the Gods Of Cadmus earthly issue reckoning vs And they from â—oue Mars Neptune Eolus Of great Latonas of-spring onely they And we the brats of wofull Niobe Our famous Grandsires as theyr owne bestrid That horse of fame that God-begotten steed vvhose bounding hoofe plow'd that Boetian spring vvhere those sweet maides of memory doe sing Not onely Henries Queene but boast as well To be the childe of Charles and Isabell. Nor doe I know from whence their griefe should grow They by this match should be disparag'd so vvhen Iohn and Longshanks issue both affied And to the Kings of VVales in wedlocke tyed Showing the greatnes of your blood thereby Your race and royall consanguinitie And VVales as well as haughty England boasts Of Camilot and all her Penticosts A nephewes roome in great Pondragons race At Arthurs table held a princely place If by the often conquest of your land They boast the spoyles of theyr victorious hand If these our auncient Chronicles be true They altogether are not free from you VVhen bloody Rufus fought your vtter sack Twice entring VVales yet twice was beaten back VVhen famous Cambria wash'd her in the flood Made by th' effusion of the English blood And oft return'd with glorious victorie From VVorster Herford Chester Shrowesbury vvhose power in euery conquest so preuailes As once expuls'd the English out of VVales 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 want Because in Fraunce that time my choise was scant vvhen we had robd all Christendome of men And Englands flower remain'd amongst vs then Gloster whose counsels Nestor-like assist Couragious Bedford that great martiallist Clarence for vertue honoured of his foes And Yorke whose fame yet daily greater growes VVarwicke the pride of Neuels haughtie race Great Salisburie so fear'd in euery place That valiant Poole whom no atchiuement dares And Vere so famous in the Irish warres vvho 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 kingdoms so he conquer'd harts As chast was I to him as Queene might bee But freed from him my chast loue 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 foorth of thee seem'd to speake The Brittish language which our vowels wants And iarrs so much vpon harsh consonants Comes with such grace from thy mellifluous tongâ—e As doe the sweet notes of a well set song And runnes as smoothly from those lips of thine As the pure Thuskan from the Florantine Leauing such seasoned sweetnes in the eare As the voyce past yet still the found is there In Nisus Tower as when Apollo lay And on his golden viall vs'd to play vvhere
for those sums the wealthy Church should pay Vpon the needie Commentie to lay His ghostly counsels onely doe aduise The meanes how Langleys progenie may rise Pathing young Henries vnaduised waies A Duke of Yorke from Cambridge house to raise vvhich after may our title vndermine Grafted since Edward in Gaunts famous line Vs of succession falfely to depriue vvhich they from Clarence fainedly deriue Knowing the will old Cambridge euer bore To catch the wreath that famous Henrie wore VVith Gray and Scroope when first he laid the plot From vs and ours the garland to haue got As from the march-borne Mortimer to raigne vvhose title Glendour stoutly did maintaine vvhen the proud Percies haughtie March and he Had shar'd the Land by equall parts in three His Priesthood now sterne Mowbray doth restore To stir the fire that kindled was before Against the Yorkists shall their claime aduaunce To steele the poynt of Norfolks sturdie Launce Vpon the brest of Herfords issue bent In iust reuenge of auncient banishment He doth aduise to let our prisoner 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 vvith Beufords damned policies supplide He and the Queene in counsell still confer How to raise him who hath aduanced her But my deare hart how vainely do I dreame And flie from thee whose sorrowes are my theamâ— My loue to thee and England thus deuided vvhich the most part how hard to be decided Or thee or that to whether I am loth So neere are you so deere vnto me both Twixt that and thee for equall loue I finde England ingratefull and my Elnor kinde 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 beautie triumph'd 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 Or which though time hath taken some againe I aske no more but what doth yet remaine Be patient gentle hart in thy distresse Thou art a Princesse not a whit the lesse VVhilst in these breasts we beare about this life I am thy husband and thou art my wife Cast not thine eye on such as mounted be But looke on those cast downe as low as we For some of them which proudly pearch so hie Ere long shall come as low as thou or I. They weepe for ioy and let vs laugh in woe vve shall exchange when heauen will haue it so VVe mourne and they in after time may mourne vvoe past may once laugh present woe to scorne And worse then hath beene we can neâ—er â—ast vvorse cannot come then is already past In all extreames the onely depth of ill Is that which comforts the afflicted still Ah would to God thou would'st thy grieâ—â—s denie And on my backe let all the burthen lie Or if thou canst resigne make thine mine owne Both in one carridge to be vndergone Till we againe our former hopes recouer And prosperous times blow these misfortunes ouer For in the thought of those forepassed yeeres 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 vvishing thee more then I my selfe can giue Notes of the Chronicle Historie At Agincourt at Crauant and Vernoyle THe three famous battels fought by the English men in Fraunce Agincourt by Henry the fift against the whole power of Fraunce Grauant fought by Mountacute Earle of Salisburie and the Duke of Burgoyne against the Dolphine of Fraunce William Stuart Constable of Scotland Vernoyle fought by Iohn Duke of Bedford against the Duke of Alanson and with him most of the Nobilitie of Fraunce Duke Humfry an especiall Counsellour in all these expeditions In Flaunders Almaine Boheme Burgundie Heere remembring the auncient amitie which in his Embassics he concluded betwixt the King of England and Sigismond Emperour of Almaine drawing the Duke of Burgoyne into the same league gyuing himselfe as an hostage for the Duke of Saint Omers while the Duke came to Calice to confirme the league With his many otheâ— imployments to forraine kingdoms That crosier staffe in his imperious hand Henry Beuford Cardinall of Winchester that proude and haughty Prelate receiued his Cardinals haâ—te at Calice by the Popes Legate which dignitie Henry the fift his nephewe forbad him to take vpon him knowing his haughtie and malicious spirit vnfit for that robe and calling The meanes how Langleys progenie may rise As willing to shew the house of Cambridge to bee descended of Edmund Langley Duke of York a yonger brother to Iohn of Gaunt his Grandfather as much as in him lay to smother the title that the Yorkists made to the crowne from Lâ—onell of Clarence Gaunts â—lder brother by the daughter of Mortimer His priesthood now sterne Mowbray doth restore Noting the ancient grudge betweene the house of Lancaster and Norfolke euer since Mowbray Duke of Norfolke was banished for the accusation of Henry Duke of Herford after the King of England Father to Duke Humfry which accusation he came as a Combatant to haue made good in the Lists at Couentry And giues our heiresin marriage that their dowers Iames Stuart King of Scots hauing beene long prisoner in England was released and tooke to wife the daughter of Iohn Duke of Sommerset sister to Iohn Duke of Somerset neeâ—e to the Cardinall and the Duke of Excester and Cosin germaine remou'd to the king this King broke the oath he had taken and became after a great enemie to England FINIS To my honoured Mistres Mistres Elizabeth Tanfelde the sole daughter and heyre of that famous and learned Lawyer Lawrence Tanfelde Esquire FAire and vertuous Mistres since first it was my good fortune to be a witnes of the many rare perfections wherewith nature and education â—aue adorned you I haue been forced since that time to attribute more admiration to your sexe then euer Petrarch could before perswade mee to by the prayses of his Laura Sweet is the Frâ—â—ch tongue more sweet the Italian but most sweet are they both if spoken by your admired selfe If poesie were praiselesse your vertues alone were a subiect sufficient to make it esteemed though among the barbarous Getes by how much the more your tender yeres giue scarcely warrant for your more then woman-like wisedome by so much is your iudgment and reading the more to be wondred at The Graces shall haue one more Sister by your selfe and England to herselfe shall adde one Muse more to the Muses I rest the humble deuoted seruaunt to my deere and modest Mistresse to whom I wish the happiest fortunes I can deuise Michaell Drayton William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke to Queene Margaret ¶ The Argument VVilliam de la Pole
my counsell yet this comfort is It cannot hurt although I thinke amisse Then liue in hope in tryumph to returne vvhen cleerer dayes shall leaue in clowdes 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 would rest vvhere it would still behold thee in my brest Farewell sweete Pole faine more I would indite But that my teares doe blot as I doe write Notes of the Chronicle Historie Or brings in Burgoyne to ayde Lancaster PHillip Duke of Burgoyne and his sonne were alwayes 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 6. withstoode the Duke of Yorke at his risingâ— giuing him two great ouerthrowes To that allegeance Yorke was bound by oath To Henries heyres and safetie of vs both No longer now he meanes records shall beare it He will dispence with heauen and wil vnsweare it The duke of Yorke at the death of Henry the fift at this kings coronation tooke his oath to be true subiect to him and his heyres for euer but afterward dispensing therewith claymed the crowne as his rightfull and proper inhearitance 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 Edmond Earle of Rutland slaine by the lord Clifford at the battell at Wakefield George duke of Clarence that was murthered in the Tower and Richard duke of Glocester vvho was after he had murthered his brothers sonnes King by the name of Richard the third 〈◊〉 that 's so like his Dam her youngest Dicke That foule â—fauoured crookback'd Stigmaticke c. Till this verse As though begot an age c. This Richard whom ironically she here calls Dicke that by treason after his Nephewes murthered obtained the crowne was a man low of stature crookeback'd the left shoulder much higher then the right of a very crabbed sower countenaunce his mother could not be deliuered of him he was borne toothed with his feete forward contrarie to the course of nature To ouershadow our vermilian Rose The redde 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 heyre of the house of Yorke was happilie vnited Or who will muzzell that vnrulie beare The Earle of Warwicke the setter vp and puller downe of Kings gaue for his Armes the white Beare rampant the ragged staffe My Daysie flower which erst perfum'd the ayre Which for my â—auour Priâ—â—â—es once did were c. The Daysie in French is called Margaret which was Queene Margarets badge where-withall the Nobilitie and chiualrie of the Lande at the first arriuall were so delighted that they wore it in theyr Hats in token of honour And who be starres but Warwicks bearded slaues The ragged or bearded staffe was a part of the Armes belonging to the Earledome of Warwick Slaundring Duke Rayner with base baggary Rayner Duke of Aniou called himselfe King of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem hauing neither inhearitance nor tribute from those parts 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 Dutches of Glocester was often in disgrace cast in her teeth A Kentish Rebell a base vpstart Groome This was Iacke Cade which caused the Kentish-men to rebell in the 28. yeere of Henry the sixth 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 beganne to practise his long pretended purpose strengthning himselfe by all meanes possible that he 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 deceas'd Henry Beuford Bishop and Cardinall of Winchester sonne to Iohn of Gaunt begot in his age was a proude ambitious Prelate fauouring mightily the Queene the Duke of Suffolke continually heaping vp innumerable treasure in hope to haue beene Pope as himselfe on his death bed confessed With Fraunce t' vpbrayd the valiant Somerset Edmund Duke of Somerset in the 24. of Henry the sixt was made Regent of Fraunce and sent into Normandie to defend the English territories against the French inuasions but in short time hee lost all that King Henry the fifth won for which cause the Nobles and the Commons euer after hated him T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham Humfry duke of Buckingham was a great fauorite of the Queenâ— Faction in the time of Henry the sixt And one fore-told by water thou should'st die The Witch of Eye receiued aunswer by her spirit that the duke of Suffolke should take heede of water which the Queene forwarnes him of as remembring the Witches prophecie which afterward came to passe FINIS To the Right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Munson Knight SIR amongst many which most deseruedly loue you though â— the least yet am loth to be the last whose endeuours may make knowne howe highly they esteeme of your noble and kind disposition Let this Epistle Sir I beseech you which vnworthily weares the badge of your woorthy 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 offered though not euer deseruingly excellent yet for loue of the Art froÌ„ whence it receiueth resemblance The light Phrigian harmony stirreth delight as well as the melancholy Doricke moueth passion both haue theyr motion in the spirit as the liking of the soule moueth the affection Your kinde acceptance of my labourâ— shall giue some life to my Muse which yet â—ouers in the vncertainetie of the generall censure Mich Drayton Edward the fourth to Shores wife ¶ The Argument This Mistres Shore king Edward the fourths beautious paramour was so called of her husband a Goldsmith dwelling in Lombard streete Edward the fourth sonne to Richard Duke of Yorke after hee had obtained the crowne by deposing Henry the sixth which Henry was after murthered in the Tower by Richard Crookeback after the battel fought at Barnet where the famous Earle of VVarwicke was slaine and that King Edward quietly possessed the crowne hearing by report of many the rare and wonderfull beautie of the aforesaid Shores wife commeth himselfe disguised to London to see her where after he had once beheld her he was so
through then the Thames Much is reported of the Graund Canale in Venice for that the Fronts on eyther side are so gorgeous That might intice some foule-mouth'd Mantuan Mantuan a pastorall Poet in one of his Eglogs bitterly inucyeth against woman-kinde some of the which by way of an Appendex might be heere inserted seeing the fantasticke insolent humors of many of that sexe deserue much sharper phisick were it not that they are growne wiser then to amende for such an idle Poets speech as Mantuan yea or for Euripides himselfe or Senecas inflexible Hippolitus The circuite of the publique Theater Ouid a most fit Authour for so dissolute a Sectarie calls that place Chastities ship wracke for though Shores wife wantonly pleade for libertie which is the true humor of a Curtizan yet much more is the prayse of modestie then of such libertie Howbeit the Vestall Nunnes had seates assigned them in the Romaine Theater whereby it should appeare it was counted no impeachment to modestie though they offending therein were buried quicke a sharpe lawe for them who may say as Shores wife doth When though abroad restrayning vs to rome They very hardly keepe vs safe at home FINIS To the Right Worshipfull Sir Henry Goodere of Powlesworth Knight SIR this Poeme of mine which I imparted to you at my being with you at your lodging at Lōdon in May last brought at length to perfection emboldned by your wonted fauors I aduenture to make you Patron of Thus Sir you see I haue aduentured to the world with what like or dislike I know not if it please which I much doubt of I pray you then be partaker of that which I shall esteeme not my least good if dislike it shal lessen some part of my griefe if it please you to allow but of my loue howsoeuer I pray you accept it as kindly as I offer it which though without many protestations yet I assure you with much desire of your honor Thus vntil such time as I may in some more larger measure make knowne my loue to the happy generous familie of the Gooderes to which I confesse my selfe to be beholding to for the most part of my education I wish you al happinesse Mich Drayton Mary the French Queene to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke The Argument Mary the daughter of that renowned Prince King Henry the seauenth being very young at her Fathers death after by her brother King Henry the eyght was giuen in marriage to Lewes King of Fraunce beeing a man olde and decrepit This faire and beautifull Lady long before had placed her affection on Charles Brandon Duke of suffolke a braue and couragious young Gentleman and an especiall fauorite of the King her brother and a man raised by him King Lewes the husband of this beautifull Queene liued not long after he was married and Charles Brandon hauing commission from the King to bring her backe into England but being delayed by some sinister meanes the French Queene writeth this Epistle to hasten the Duke forward on his intended voyage to Fraunce SVch health from heauen my selfe may wish to mee Such health from Fraunce Queen Mary sends to thee Brandon how long mak'st thou excuse to stay And know'st how ill we women brooke delay If one poore Channell thus can part vs two Tell me vnkind what would an Ocean do Leander had an Hellespont to swim Yet this from Hero could not hinder him His barke poore soule his breast his armes his oares But thou a ship to land thee on our shores And opposite to famous Kent doth lie The pleasant fields of flowry Picardie vvhere our faire Callice walled in her sands In kenning of the clifie Douer stands Heere is no Beldame Nurse to pout or lower vvhen wantoning we reuell in my Tower Nor neede I top my Turret with a light To guide thee to me as thou swim'st by night Compar'd with me wert thou but halfe so kind Thy sighs should stuffe thy sailes though wanting wind But thy breast is becalm'd thy sighs be slacke And mine too stiffe and blow thy broad sailes backe But thou wilt say that I should blame the stood Because the wind so full against thee stood Nay blame it not it did so roughly blow For it did chide thee for thou wast so slow For it came not to keepe thee in the Bay But came from me to bid thee come away But that thou vainely lett'st occasion slide Thou might'st haue wafted hether with the tide If when thou com'st I knit mine angrie brow Blame me not Brandon thou hast broke thy vow Yet if I meant to frowne I might be dombe For this may make thee stand in doubt to come Nay come sweet Charles haue care thy ship to guide Come my sweet hart in faith I will not chide VVhen as my brother and his louely Queene In sad attire for my depart were seene The vtmost date expired of my stay vvhen I from Douer did depart away Thou know'st what woe I suffered for thy sake How oft I fain'd of thee my leaue to take God and thou know'st with what a heauie hart I tooke my farewell when I should depart And being ship'd gaue signall with my hand Vp to the Cliffe where I did see thee stand Nor could refraine in all the peoples view But cried to thee sweet Charles adiew adiew Looke how a little infant that hath lost The things where-with it was delighted most vveary with seeking to some corner creepes And there poore soule it sits it downe and weepes And when the Nurse would faine content the mind Yet still it mournes for that it cannot find Thus in my carefull Cabin did I lie vvhen as the ship out of the Road did slie Think'st thou my loue was faithfull vnto thee vvhen young Castile to England su'd for mee Be judge thy selfe if it were not of power vvhen I refus'd an Empire for my dower To Englands Court when once report did bring◠How thou in Fraunce didst reuell with the King vvhen he in triumph of his victory Vnder a rich imbrodered Canapy Entred proud Tournay which did trembling stand To beg for mercy at his conquering hand To heare of his enderements how I ioy'd But see this calme was sodainly destroy'd VVhen Charles of Castile there to banquet came vvith him his sister that ambitious Dame Sauoys proud Dutches knowing how long she By her loue sought to win my loue from me Fearing my absence might thy vowes acquite To change thy Mary for a Margarite vvhen in King Henries Tent of cloth of gold Shee often did thee in her armes enfold vvhere you were feasted more deliciously Then Cleopatra did Marke-Anthony vvhere sports all day did entertaine your sight And then in maskes you pass'd away the night But thou wilt say t is proper vnto vs That we by nature all are iealous I must confesse t is oft found in our sexe But who not loue not any thing suspects True loue doth looke with pale suspicious eye Take
euer Michaell Drayton Henry Howard Earle of Surrey to Geraldine The Argument Henry Howard that true noble Earle of Surrey and excellent Poet falling in loue with Geraldine descended of the noble family of the Fitzgeralds of Ireland a faire modest Lady and one of the honourable maids to Quene Katherine Dowager eternizeth her prayses in many excellent Poems of rare and sundrie inuentions and after some few yeares beeing determined to see that famous Italy the source and Helicon of all excellent Arts first visiteth that renowned Florence from whence the Geralds challence their descent from the ancient familie of the Geraldi there in honour of his mistresse be aduanceth her picture and challengeth to maintaine her beauty by deeds of Armes against all that durst appeare in the lists where after the proofe of his braue and incomparable valour whose arme crowned her beauty with eternall memorie he writeth this Epistle to his deerest Mistres FRom learned Florence long time rich in same From whence thy race thy noble Grandsires came To famous England that kind nurse of mine Thy Surrey sends to heauenly Geraldine Yet let not Thuscan thinke I doe her wrong That I from thence write in my natiue tongue That in these harsh-tun'd cadences I sing Sitting so neere the Muses sacred spring But rather thinke her selfe adorn'd thereby That England reads the praise of Italy Though to the Thuscans I the smoothnes grant Our dialect no maiestie doth want To set thy prayses in as hie a key As Fraunce or Spaine or Germany or they That day I quit the Fore-land of faire Kent And that my ship her course for Flandersbent Yet thinke I with how many a heauy looke My leaue of England and of thee I tooke And did intreat the tide if it might be But to conuey me one sigh backe to thee Vp to the decke a billow lightly skips Taking my sigh and downe againe it slips Into the gulfe it selfe it headlong throwes And as a Post to England-ward it goes As I sit wondring how the rough seas stird I might far off perceiue a little bird vvhich as she faine from shore to shore would flie Hath lost her selfe in the broad vastie skie Her feeble wing beginning to deceiue her The seas of life still gaping to bereaue her Vnto the ship she makes which she discouers And there poore foole a while for refuge houers And when at length her flagging pineon failes Panting she hangs vpon the ratling failes And being forc'd to loose her hold with paine Yet beaten off she straight lights on againe And tost with flawes with stormes with wind with wether Yet still departing thence still turneth thether Now with the Poope now with the Prow doth beare Now on this side now that now heerâ— now there Me thinks these stormes should be my sad depart The silly helpelesse bird is my poore bart The ship to which for succour it repaires That is your selfe regardlesse of my cares Of euery surge doth fall or waue doth rise To some one thing I sit and moralize VVhen for thy loue I left the Belgick shore Diuine Erasmus and our famous Moore vvhose happy presence gaue me such delight As made a minute of a winters night vvith whom a while I stai'd at Roterdame Now so renowned by Erasmus name Yet euery houre did seeme a world of time Till I had seene that soule-reuiuing clime And thought the foggy Netherlands vnfit A watry soyle to clog a fiery wit And as that wealthy Germany I past Comming vnto the Emperors Court at last Great learn'd Agrippa so profound in Art vvho the infernall secrets doth impart vvhen of thy health I did desire to know Me in a glasse my Geraldine did shew Sicke in thy bed and for thou couldst net sleepe By a watch Taper set thy light to keepe I doe remember thou didst read that Ode Sent backe whilst I in Thanet made abode vvhere as thou cam'st vnto the word of loue Euen in thine eyes I saw how passion stroue That snowy Lawne which couered thy bed Me thought look'd white to see thy cheeke so red Thy rosie cheeke oft changing in my sight Yet still was red to see the Lawne so white The little Taper which should giue thee light Me thought wax'd dim to see thy eye so bright Thine eye againe supplies the Tapers turne And with his beames doth make the Taper burne The shrugging ayre about thy Temple hurles And wraps thy breath in little clouded curles And as it doth ascend it straight doth ceaze it And as it sinks it presently doth raise it Canst thou by sicknes banish beauty so VVhich if put from thee knowes not where to goe To make her shift and for her succour seeke To euery riueld face each bankrupt cheeke If health preseru'd thou beauty still doost cherish If that neglected beauty soone doth perish Care drawes on care woe comforts woe againe Sorrow breeds sorrow one griefe brings forth twaine If liue or die as thou doost so doe I If liue I liue and if thou die I die One hart one loue one ioy one griefe one troth One good one ill one life one death to both If Howards blood thou hold'st as but too vile Or not esteem'st of Norfolks Princely stile If Scotlands coate no marke of fame can lend That Lion plac'd in our bright siluer bend vvhich as a Trophy beautifies our shield Since Scottish blood discoloured Floden field VVhen the proud Cheuiot our braue Ensigne beare As a rich iewel in a Ladies haire And did faire Bramstons neighbouring valies choke vvith clouds of Canons fire disgorged smoke Or Surreys Earldome insufficient be And not a dower so well contenting thee Yet am I one of great Apollos heires The sacred Muses challenge me for theirs By Princes my immortall lines are sung My flowing verses grac'd with euery tung The little children when they learne to goe By painefull mothers daded to and fro Are taught my sugred numbers to rehearse And haue their sweet lips season'd with my verse vvhen heauen would striue to doe the best it can And put an Angels spirit into a man The vtmost power in that great worke doth spend vvhen to the world a Poet it doth intend That little difference twixt the Gods and vs By them confirm'd distinguish'd onely thus vvhom they in birth ordaine to happie daies The Gods commit their glory to our praise To eternall life when they dissolue that breath vve likewise share a second power by death VVhen time shall turne those Amber curles to gray My verse againe shall guild and make them gay And trick them vp in knotted curles anew And in the autumne giue a sommers hue That sacred power that in my Inke remaines Shall put fresh blood into thy wither'd vaines And on thy red decay'd thy whitenes dead Shall set a white more white a red more red VVhen thy dim sight thy glasse cannot discry Thy crazed mirrhor cannot see thine eye My verse to tell what eye what mirrhor was Glasse to
combine And Yorks sweet branch with Lancasters entwine And in one stalke did happily vnite The pure vermilion Rose with purer white I the vntimely slip of that rich stem vvhose golden bud brings forth a Diadem But oh forgiue me Lord it is not I Nor doe I boast of this but learne to die vvhilst we were as our selues conioyned then Nature to nature now an alien The purest blood polluted is in blood Neerenes contemn'd if soueraignty withstood A Diadem once dazeling the eye The day too darke to see affinitie And where the arme is stretch'd to reach a Crowne Friendship is broke the deerest things throwne downe For what great Henry most stroue to auoyde The heauens haue built where earth would haue destroyd And seating Edward on his regall throne He giues to Mary all that was his owne By death assuring what by life is theyrs The lawfull claime of Henries lawfull heyres By mortall lawes the bound may be diuorc'd But heauens decree by no meanes can be forc'd That rules the case when men haue all decreed vvho tooke him hence foresaw who should succeede In vaine be counsels statutes humaine lawes vvhen chiefe of counsailes pleades the iustest cause Thus rule the heauens in theyr continuall course That yeelds to fate that doth not yeeld to force Mans wit doth build for time but to deuoure But vertu's free from time and fortunes power Then my kinde Lord sweet Gilford be not grieu'd The soule is heauenly and from heauen relieu'd And as we once haue plighted troth together Now let vs make exchange of mindes to eyther To thy faire breast take my resolued minde Arm'd against blacke dispayre and all her kinde And to my bosome breathe that soule of thine There to be made as perfect as is mine So shall our faith as firmely be approued As I of thee or thou of me beloued This life no life wert thou not deere to mee Nor this no death were I not woe for thee Thou my deere husband and my Lord before But truly learne to die thou shalt be more Now liue by prayer on heauen fixe all thy thought And surely finde what ere by zeale is sought For each good motion that the soule awakes A heauenly figure sees from whence it takes That sweet resemblance which by power of kinde Formes like it selfe an Image in the minde And in our faith the operations bee Of that diuinenes which by fayth we see vvhich neuer errs but accidentally By our fraile fleshes imbecillitie By each temptation ouer-apt to slide Except our spirit becomes our bodies guide For as our bodies prisons be these towers So to our soules these bodies be of ours vvhose fleshly walls hinder that heauenly light As these of stone depriue our wished sight Death is the key which vnlocks miserie And lets them out to blessed libertie Then draw thy forces all vnto thy hart The strongest fortresse of this earthly part And on these three let thy assurance lie On fayth repentance and humilitie Humilitie to heauen the step the staire Is for deuotion sacrifice and Prayer The next place doth to true repentance fall A salue a comfort and a cordiall He that hath that the keyes of heauen hath That is the guide that is the port the path Faith is thy fort thy shield thy strongest ayde Neuer controld nere yeelded nere dismaid vvhich doth dilate vnfold fore-tell expresseth vvhich giues rewards inuesteth and possesseth Then thanke the heauen preparing vs this roome Crowning our heads with glorious martirdome Before the blacke and dismall dayes begin The dayes of all Idolatry and sin Not suffering vs to see that wicked age vvhen persecution vehemently shall rage vvhen tyrannie new tortures shall inuent Inflicting vengeance on the innocent Yet heauen forbids that Maries wombe shall bring Englands faire Sceptâ—r to a forraine King But vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it vvhich broken hurt and wounded shall receaue it And on her temples hauing plac'd the Crowne Roote out the dregs Idolatry hath sowne And Syons glory shall againe restore Layd ruine wast and desolate before And from black sinders and rude heapes of stones Shall gather vp the Martyrs scattred bones And shall extirpe the power of Rome againe And cast aside the heauy yoke of Spayne Farewell sweet Gilford know our end is neere Heauen is our home we are but strangers heere Let vs make hast to goe vnto the blest vvhich from these weary worldly labours rest And with these lines my deerest Lord I greete thee Vntill in heauen thy Iane againe shall meete thee Notes of the Chronicle Historie They which begot vs did beget this sin SHewing the ambition of the two Dukes their Fathers whose pride was the cause of the vtter ouerthrow of theyr chyldren At Durham Pallace where sweet Hymen sang The buildings c. The Lord Gilford Dudley fourth sonne to Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland married the Lady Iane Gray daughter to the duke of Suffolke at Durham house in the Strand When first mine eares were persed with the fame Of Iane proclaimed by a Princesse name Presently vpon the death of King Edward the Lady Iane was taken as Queene conueyed by water to the Tower of London for her safetie and after proclaimed in diuers parts of the Realme as so ordained by King Edwards Letters-pattents and his will My Grandsire Brandon did our house aduaunce By princely Mary dowager of Fraunce Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk married Frauncis the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk by the French queene by which Frauncis he had this Lady Iane this Mary the French Queene vvas daughter to king Henry the seauenth by Elizabeth his Queene which happy mariage coÌ„ioyned the two noble families of Lancaster York For what great Henrie most stroue to auoyde Noting the distrust that King Henry the eyght euer had in the Princesse Mary his daughter â—earing she should alter the state of Religion in the Land by matching with a stranger confessing the right that King Henries issue had to the Crowne And vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it A prophecy of queene Maries barrenâ—es of the happy glorious raigne of Queene Elizabeth her restoring of Religion the abolishing of the Romish seruitude casting aside the yoke of Spayne The Lord Gilford Dudley to the Lady Iane Gray AS Swan-like singing at thy dying howre Such my reply returning from this tower O if there were such power but in my verse As in these woes my wounded hart doe pierce Stones taking sence th' obdurate flint that heares Should at my plaints dissolue it selfe to teares Lend me a teare I le pay thee with a teare And interest to if thou the stocke forbeare vvoe for a woe and for thy interest lone I will returne thee frankly two for one And if thou thinke too soone one sorrow ends Another twice so long shall make amends Perhaps thow'lt iudge in such extreames as these That words of comfort might far better please But such strange power in thy perfection