her philters exorcismes and charmes Thy presence hath repaired in one day What many yeeres and sorrowes did decay And made fresh beauties fairest branches spring From wrinkled furrowes of times ruining Euen as the hungry winter-starued earth When she by nature labours towards her birth Still as the day vpon the darke world creepes One blossome forth after another peepes Till the small flower whose roote is now vnbound Gets from the frostie prison of the ground Spreading the leaues vnto the powerfull noone Deck'd in fresh colours smiles vpon the sunne Neuer vnquiet care lodg'd in that breast Where but one thought of Rosamond did rest Nor thirst nor trauaile which on warre attend E're brought the long day to desired end Nor yet did pale Feare or leane Famine liue Where hope of thee did any comfort giue Ah what iniustice then is this of thee That thus the guiltlesse doost condemne for me When onely she by meanes of my offence Redeemes thy purenesse and thy innocence When to our wills perforce obey they must That iust in them what e're in vs vniust Of what we doe not them account we make The fault craues pardon for th' offenders sake And what to worke a Princes will may merit Hath deepst impression in the gentlest spirite I ft be my name that dooth thee so offend No more my selfe shall be mine owne names friend And â—ft be that which thou doost onely hate That name in my name lastly hath his date Say t is accuâ—st and fatall and dispraise it If written blot it if engrauen raze it Say that of all names t is a name of woe Once a Kings name but now t is not so And when all this is done I know â—vvill grieue thee And therfore svveet whie should I now belieue thee Nor shouldst thou thinke those eies with enuie lower Which passing by thee gaze vp to thy tower But rather praise thine owne which be so cleere Which from the Turret like tvvo staires appeare Aboue the sunne dooth shine beneath thine eie Mocking the heauen to make another skie The little streame which by thy tovver dooth glide Where oft thou spendst the wearie euening tide To view thee vvell his course would gladly stay As loath from thee to part so soone away And with salutes thy selfe would gladly greete And offer vp those small drops at thy feete But finding that the enuious banks restraine it T' excuse it selfe doth in this sort complaine it And therefore this sad bubling murmure keepes And in this sort within the channell weepes And as thou doost into the water looke The fish which see thy shadow in the brooke Forget to feede and all amazed lie So daunted with the lustre of thine eie And that sweet name which thou so much dost wrong In time shal be some famous Poets song And with the very sweetnes of that name Lions and tygers men shall learne to tame The carefull mother from her pensiue breast With Rosamond shall bring her babe to rest The little birds by mens continuall sound Shall learne to speake and pr 〈…〉 le Rosamond And when in Aprill they beginne to sing Wiâ—h Rosamond shall welcome in the spring And she in whom all raâ—ities are found Shall still be said to be a Rosamond The little flowers which dropping honied dew Which as thou writst doe weepe vpon thy shue Not for thy fault sweet Rosamond doe moane But weepe for griefe that thou so soone art gone For if thy foote â—uch Hemlocke as it goes That Hemlocke's made more sweeter than the Rose Of Ioue or Neptune how they did betray Nor speake of Iâ—o or Amimone when she for whome Ioue once became a Bull Comparde with thee had beene a tawny trull He a white Bull and she a whiter Cow Yet he nor she neere halfe so white as thou Long since thou knowst my care prouided for To lodge thee safe from iealous Ellenor The labyrinths conueyance guides thee so Which only Vaghan thou and I doe know If she doe guard thee with a hundred eies I haue an hundred subâ—ile Mercuries To watch that Argus which my loue doth keepe Vntill eie after eie fall all to sleepe Those starres looke in by night looke in to see Wondring what starre heere on the earth should be As oft the Moone amidst the silent night Hath come to ioy vs with her friendly light And by the curtaine helpt mine eie to see What 〈◊〉 night and darkenes hid from mee When I haue wisht that she might euer staâ— And other worl 〈…〉 might still enioy the day What should I say words â—eares and sighs be spent And want of 〈◊〉 doth further helps preuent My campe râ—sounds with fearefull shockes of warre Yet in my breast the worser conflicts are Yet is my signall to the battels sound The blessed name of beauteous Rosamond Accursed be that heart that tongue that breath Should thinke should speake or whisper of thy death For in one smile or lower from thy sweete eie Consists my life my hope my victorie Sweet Woodstocke where my Rosamond doth rest Blessed in her in whom thy King is blest For though in France a while my body be Sweete Paradice my heart remaines in thee Notes of the Chronicle Historie Am I at home pursued with priuate hate And warre comes raging to my Pallace gate RObert erle of Leicester who took part with yong king Henry entred into England with an armie of 3000. Flemmings and spoild the countries of Norsfolk and Susfolke being succored by many of the Kings priuate enimies And am I branded with the curse of Rome King Henry the second the first Plantaginet accused for the death of Tho. Becket archbishop of Canterbury staine in the cathedrall church was accursed by Pope Alexander although hee vrgde sufficient proofe of his innocencie in the same and offered to take vpon him any penance so he might escape the curse and interdiction of the Realme And by the pride of my rebellious sonne Rich Normandie with armies ouer-runne Henry the yong K. whom king Henry had caused to be crowned in his life as he hoped both for his owne good and the good of his Subiects which indeed turned to his owne sorow and the trouble of the Realme for he rebelled against him and raising a power by the meanes of Lewes king of France and William K of Scots who tooke part with him inuaded Normandie Vnkinde my children most vnkinde my wise Neuer king more vnfortunate then K Henry in the disobedience of his children first Henry then Gâ—ssrey then Richard then Iohn all at one time or other first or last vnnaturally rebelled against him then the iealousie of Elinor his Qu. who suspected his loue to Rosamond which grieuous troubles the deuout of those times attributed to happen to him iustly for refusin to take on him the gouernment of Ierusalem offred to him by the patriarke there which country was mightily afflicted by the Souldane Which onely Vaghan thou and I doe know This Vaghan was a Knight
answering tells me Woe is there And when mine armes would gladly thee enfold I clip the pillow and the place is cold Which when my waking eyes precisely view T is a true token that it is too true As many minutes as in the howres there be So many howres each minute seemes to me Each howre a day morne noone-tide and a set Each day a yeare with miseries complet A winter spring-time summer and a fall All seasons varying but vnseasoned all In endelesse woe my thrid of life thus weares By minutes howres daies months lingring yeares They praise the summer that enioy the South Pomfret is closed in the Norths cold mouth There pleasant summer dwelleth all the yeere Frost-starued-winter dooth inhabite heere A place wherein dispaire may fitly dwell Sorrow best suting with a cloudy Cell When Herford had his iudgement of exile Saw I the peoples murmuring the while Th' vncertaine Commons toucht with inward care As though his sorrowes mutually they bare Fond women and scarse speaking children mourne Bewaile his parting wishing his returne Then being forcde t' abridge his banisht yeeres When they bedewd his footsteps with their teares Yet by example could not learne to know To what his greatnes by this loue might grow Whilst Henry boasts of our atchiuements done Bearing the trophies our great fathers wonne And all the storie of our famous warre Now grace the Annales of great Lancaster Seauen goodly siens in their spring did flourish Which one selfe root brought forth one stock did noâ—ish Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Nature in him her vtmost power did see Who from the bud still blossomed so faire As all might iudge what fruite it meant to beare But I his graft of eu'ry weede ore-growne And from the kind as refuse forth am throwne From our braue Grandsire both in one degree Yet after Edward Iohn the yongst of three Might Princely Wales beget an impe so base That to Gaunts issue should giue soueraigne place That leading Kings from France returned home As those great Caesars brought their spoiles to Rome Whose name obtained by his fatall hand Was euer fearefull to that conquered land His fame increasing purchasde in those warres Can scarcely now be bounded with the starres With him is valour quite to heauen fled Or else in me is it extinguished Who for his vertue and his conquests sake Posteritie a demy god shall make And iudge this vile abiect spirit of mine Could not proceede from temper so diuine What earthly humor or what vulgar eie Can looke so lowe as on our misery When Bullingbrooke is mounted to our throne And makes that his which we but calld our owne Into our counsells he himselfe intrudes And who but Henry with the multitudes His power disgrades his dreadfull frowne disgraceth He throwes them downe whome our aduancement placeth As my disable and vnworthy hand Neuer had power belonging to command He treades our sacred tables in the dust And proues our acts of Parlament vniust As though he hated that it should be saide That such a law by Richard once was made Whilst I deprest before his greatnes lie Vnder the weight of hate and infamie My backe a footstoole Bullingbrooke to raise My loosenes mockt and hatefull by his praise Out-liu'd mine honour buried my estate And nothing left me but the peoples hate Sweet Queene I le take all counsell thou canst giue So that thou bidst me neither hope nor liue Succour that comes when ill hath done his worst But sharpens griefe to make vs more accurst Comfort is now vnpleasing to mine eare Past cure past care my Bed become my Beere Since now misfortune humbleth vs so long Till heauen be growne vnmindfull of our wrong Yet they forbid my wrongs shall euer die But still remembred to posteritie And let the crowne be fatall that he weares And euer wet with woefull mothers teares Thy curse on Percie angry heauens preuent Who haue not one curse left on him vnspent To scourge the world now borrowing of my store As rich of woe as I a King am poore Then cease deere Queene my sorrowes to bewaile My wounds too great for pittie now to heale Age stealeth on whilst thou complainest thus My griefes be mortall and infectious Yet better fortunes thy faire youth may trie That follow thee which still from me doth flie ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Thiâ— tongue which first denounc'd my regall state RIchard the second at the resignation of the crowne to the duke of Herford in the Tower of London deliuering the same with his owne hand there confessed his disabilitie to gouerne vtterly denouncing all kingly authoritie And left'st great Burbon for thy love to me Before the Princesse Isabell was maried to the king Lewes duke of Burbon sued to have had her in marriage which was thought he had obtained if this motion had not fallen out in the meane time This Duke of Burbon sued againe to have received her at her comming into France after the imprisonment of king Richard but King Charles her Father then crost him as before and gave her to Charles sonne to the Duke of Orleans When Herford had his judgement of exile When the combate should have beene at Couentrie betwixt Henrie Duke of Herford and Thomas Duke of Norfolke where Herford was adiudged to banishment for ten yeares the commons exceedingly lamented so greatly was he ever favored of the people Then being forc'd t' abridge his banisht yeeres When the Duke came to take his leave of the King beeing then at Eltham the King to please the Commons rather then for any love he bare to Herford repleaded foure yeares of his banishment Whilest Henry boasts of our atchieuements done Henry the eldest Sonne to Iohn Duke of Lancaster at the first Earle of Darby then created Duke of Herford after the death of the Duke Iohn his father was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford Earle of Darby Leicester and Lincolne and after he had obtained the Crowne was called by the name of Bullingbrooke which is a towne in Lincolneshire as vsually all the Kings of England bare the name of the places where they were borne Seauen goodly syens in their spring did flourish Edward the third had seuen sonnes Edward Prince of Wales after called the blacke Prince William of Hatfield the second Lionell Duke of Clarence the third Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth Edmund of Langley Duke of York the fifth Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Gloster the sixth William of Winsore the seuenth Edward the top-branch of that golden tree Truly boasting himselfe to be the eldest Sonne of Edward the blacke Prince Yet after Edward Iohn the yongst of three As disabling Henry Bullingbrooke being but the son of the fourth brother William and Lionell being both before Iohn of Gaunt That leading Kings from France returned home Edward the blacke Prince taking Iohn king of France prisoner at the battel of Poicters brought him into England where at the Sauoy he died
late duke Humfries old alies With banisht Elnors base complices Attending their reuenge grow wondrous crouse And threaten death and vengeance to our house And I lone the wofull remnant am T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham I pray thee Poole haue care how thou doost passe Neuer the Sea yet halfe so dangerous was And one foretolde by Water thou shouldst die Ah! foule befall that foule tongues prophecie And euery night am troubled in my dreames That I doe see thee tosst in dangerous streames And oft-times shipwrackt cast vpon the land And lying breathlesse on the queachy sand And oft in visions see thee in the night Where thou at Sea maintainst a dangerous fight And with thy proued target and thy sword Beatst backe the pyrate which would come aboord Yet be not angry that I warne thee thus The truest loue is most suspitious Sorrow doth vtter what vs still doth grieue But hope forbids vs sorrovve to belieue And in my counsell yet this comfort is It can not hurt although I thinke amisse Then liue in hope in triumph to returne When cleerer dayes shall leaue in cloudes to mourne But so hath sorrow girt my soule about That that word Hope me thinks comes slowly out The reason is I know it heere vvould rest Where it vvould still behold thee in my breast Farewell sweete Pole faine more I would indite But that my teares doe blot as I do write ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Or brings in Burgoyne to ayde Lancaster PHillip Duke of Burgoyne and his sonne were alwaies great fauorites of the house of Lancaster howbeit they often dissembled both with Lancaster and Yorke Who in the North our lawfull claime commends To win vs credite with our valiant friends The chiefe Lords of the North parts in the time of Henry the fixt withstood the Duke of Yorke at his rising giuing him two great ouerthrowes To that allegeance Yorke was bound by oth To Henries heires and safety of vs both No longer now he meanes Records shall beare it He will dispence with heauen and will vnsweare it The Duke of Yorke at the death of Henry the fift and at this Kings coronation tooke his oth to be true subiect to him and his heires for euer but afterward dispensing therewith claimed the crowne as his rightfull and proper inheritance If three sonnes faile shee 'le make the fourth a King The Duke of Yorke had foure sonnes Edward Earle of March that afterward was Duke of Yorke and King of England when he had deposed Henry the sixt and Edmund Earle of Rutland slaine by the Lord Clifford at the battel at Wakefield and George Duke of Clarence that was murthered in the Tower and Richard Duke of Gloster who was after he had murthered his brothers sonnes King by the name of Richard the third He that 's so like his Dam her yongest Dicke That fowle illfauored crookeback'd Stigmaticke c. Till this verse As though begot an age c. This Richard whom ironically she heere calls Dicke that by treason after his Nephewes murthered obtained the crowne was a man low of stature crooke-back'd the left shoulder much higher then the right and of a very crabbed and sower countenance his mother could not be deliuered of him hee was borne toothd with his feet forward contrary to the course of nature To ouershadow our vermilian Rose The red Rose was the badge of the house of Lancaster and the white Rose of Yorke which by the marriage of Henry the seauenth with Elizabeth indubitate heire of the house of Yorke was happily vnited Or who will muzzell that vnruly beare The Earle of Warwicke the setter vp and puller downe of Kings gaue for his Armes the white Beare rampant and the ragged staffe My Daisie flower which erst perfumde the ayre Which for my fauour Princes once did weare c. The Daisie in French is called Margaret which was Queene Margarets badge where-withall the Nobilitie and chiualrie of the Land at the first arriuall were so delighted that they wore it in their hats in token of honour And who be starres but Warwikes bearded staues The ragged or bearded staffe was a part of the Armes belonging to the Earledome of Warwicke Slandring Duke Rayner with base beggery Rayner Duke of Aniou called himselfe King of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem hauing neither inheritance nor tribute from those parts and was not able at the marriage of the Queene of his owne charges to send her into England though he gaue no dower with her which by the Dutchesse of Glocester was often in disgrace cast in her teeth A Kentish rebell a base vpslart groome This was Iacke Cade which caused the Kentish-men to rebell in the 28. yeere of King Henry the fixth And this is he the white Rose must prefer By Clarence daughter match'd to Mortimer This Iacke Cade instructed by the Duke of Yorke pretended to be descended from Mortimer which married Lady Phillip daughter to the Duke of Clarence And makes vs weake by strengthning Ireland The Duke of Yorke being made Deputy of Ireland first there began to practise his long pretended purpose strengthning himselfe by all meanes possible that hee might at his returne into England by open warre claime that which so long he had priuily gone about to obtaine Great Winchester vntimely is deceasde Henry Benford Bishop and Cardinall of Winchester sonne to Iohn of Gaunt begot in his age was a prowd and ambitious Prelate fauouring mightily the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke continually heaping vp innumerable treasure in hope to haue beene Pope as himselfe on his death-bed confessed With France t' vpbraide the valiant Somerset Edmund Duke of Somerset in the 24. of Henry the sixth was made Regent of France and sent into Normandie to desend the English territories against the French inuasions but in short time he lost all that King Henry the fifth won for which cause the Nobles and Commons euer after hated him T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham Humfrey Duke of Buckingham was a great fauorite of the Queenes faction in the time of Henry the sixt And one sore-told by water thou shouldst die The Witch of Eye receiued answer from her spirit that the Duke of Suffolke should take heede of water which the Queene forwarnes him of as remembring the Witches prophecie which afterwards came to passe Finis To the Right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Munson Knight SIR amongst many which most deseruedly loue you though I the least yet am loth to be the last whose endeuours may make knowne how highly they esteeme of your noble and kinde disposition Let this Epistle Sir I beseech you which vnworthily weares the badge of your worthy name acknowledge my zeale with the rest though much lesse deseruing which for your sake doe honour the house of the Mounsons I know true generositie accepteth what is zealously offred though not euer deseruingly excellent yet for loue of the Art from whence it receiueth resemblance The light Phrigian harmony
POEMS By Michaell Draiton Esquire N L LONDON Printed for N. Ling. 1605. The Arguments THe Barrons warres Englands Heroicall Epistles Idea The Legend of Robert Duke of Normandie The Legend of Matilda The Legend of Pierce Gaueston To Sir Walter Aston Knight of the honourable order of the Bath and my most worthy Patron I Will not striue m' invention to inforce With needlesse words your eyes to entertaine T' obserue the formall ordinarie course That euerie one so vulgarly doth faine Our interchanged and deliberate choise Is with more firme and true election sorted Then stands in censure of the common voice That with light humor fondly is transported Nor take I patterne of an others praise Then what my pen may constantly avow Nor walke more publique nor obscurer waies Then vertue bids and iudgement will allow So shall my loue and best endeuours serue you And still shall studie still so to deserue you Michaell Drayton To the Reader The Quadrin doth neuer double or to vâ—e a word of He raldrie neuer bringeth forth Gemells The Quiazain too soone The Sostin hath Twinnes in the base but they detaine not the Musicke nor the Cloze as Musitians terme it long enough for an Epicke Poeme The stanza of seauen is touched before This of eight both holds the tune cleane through to the base of the columne which is the couplet the foote or bottome and closeth not but with a full satisfaction to the care for so long detention Briefely this sort of stanza hath in it maiestie perfection and soliditie resembling the pillar which in Architecture is called the Tuscan whose shaft is of six diameters and bases of two The other reasons this place will not beare but generally all stanzas are in my opinion but tyrants and torturers when they make inuention they their number which sometime would otherwise scantle it selfe A fault that great Maisters in this Art striue to auoide Concerning the diuision which I vse in this Poeme I am not ignorant that antiquitie hath vsed to distinguish workes into Bookes and euery one to beare the number of their order Homers â—liads and Vlysiads indeede are distinguished by seuerall letters of the Greeke Alphabet as all the world knâ—wes and not by the numerall letters onely which to lotâ— are digit and afterward compound the Alpha being our vnite for the Greeks had no figures nor ciphers in their Arithmeticke Virgils Aeneis Statius Thebaâ—s Silius worke of the Carthaginian warre Illyricus Argonauticks Vidas Christeis are all diuided into books The Italians vse Cantos and so our first late great Reformer Master Spenser that I assume another name for the sections in this volume cannot be disgratious nor vnauowable Lastly if I haue not already exceeded the length of an Epistle I am to intreats that he who will as any man may that will make himselfe a partie to this of ours would be pleased to remember that Spartan Prince who being found by certaine Ambassadors playing among his children requested them to forbeare to censure till also they had some of their owne To such I giue as ample power and priuiledge as euer Ius libâ—rorum coulain Rome crauing backe againe at their hands by a regrant the like of that which I impart for great reason there is that they should vndergoe the licence which themselues challenge and suffer that in their fames which they would wrongly put vpon others according to the most indifferent law of the Talio Fare you well To M. Michaell Drayton WHat ornament might I deuise to fit Th' aspiring height of thy admired spirit Or what faire Garland worthy is to sit On thy blest browes that compasse in all merit Thou shalt not crowned be with common Bayes Because for thee it is a crowne too low Apolloes tree can yeeld thee simple praise It is too dull a vesture for thy brow But with a wreathe of starres shalt thou be crown'd VVhich when thy working temples do sustaine VVill like the Spheares be euer moouing round After the royall musicke of thy braine Thy skill doth equall Phoebus not thy birth He to heauen giues musicke thou to earth Thomas Greene. To M. Michaell Drayton THose painefull wits which natures depth admire And view the causes of vnconstant strife Doe tremble least the Vniuerse expire Through lasting iarres the enemies of life On earthly signes let not such Sages looke Nor on the cleere aspects of hopefull starres But learne the worlds continuance from thy booke which frames past natures force eternall warres wherein the Mases shewing perfect glory Adorne it so with gracefull harmonie That all the acts of this lamented story Seeme not perform'd for peoples libertie Nor through the awe of an imperious King But that thy verses their deepe wounds might sing Iohn Beaumont THE FIRST BOOKE of the Barrons warres The Argument The grieuous plagues and the prodigious signes That this great warre and slaughter doe foreshow Th' especiall cause the Baronage combines The Queenes strong griefe whence many troubles grow The time by course vnto our fallinclines And how each country doth to battell goe What cause to yeeld the Mortimers pretend And their commitment perfecting the end 1 THe bloodiefactions and rebellious pride Of a strong nation whose vnmanag'd might Them from their naturall Soueraigne did diuide Their due subiection and his lawfull right Whom their light error loosely doth misguide Vrg'd by lewd Minions tyrannous despight Me from soft layes and tender loues doth bring Of dreadfull fights and horred warres to sing 2 What hellish furie poysned your hie blood Or should bewitch you with accursed charmes That by pretending of the generall good Rashly extrudes you to tumultuous armes And from the safetie wherein late you stood Reâ—t of all taste and feeling of your harmes That France and Belgia with affrighted eyes Were sad beholders of your miseries 3 T 〈…〉 ueterate ranckor in their bosoms bred Who for their charter wag'd a former war Or through your veines this raging venom spred Whose next-succeeding Nephewes now you are Or that hote gore your bowes in conquest shed Hauing enlarg'd your Countries bounds so far Ensigne to ensigne furiously oppose With blades of Bilbo dealing English blowes 4 O thou the great director of my Muse On whose free bountie all my powers depend Into my breast a sacred fire infuse Rauish my spirit this great worke to attend Let the still night my laboured lines peruse That when my Poems gaine their wished end They whose sad eyes shall reade this tragique story In my weake hand shall see thy might and glory 5 What Care would plot Dissentions quickely crosse Which like an earthquake rends the tottering state By which abroade we beare a publique losse Betrayd at home by meanes of priuate hate Whilst vs those strange calamities doe tosse The daily nurse of mutinous debate Confusion still our countries peace confounds No helpe at hand and mortall all our wounds 6 Thou Church then swelling in thy mightinesse Tending the care and safetie of the soule
illusions so in the honour of so rare a Gentleman as this Earle and therewithall so noble a Poet a quality by which his other titles receiue their greatest lustre inuention may make somewhat more bold with Agrippa aboue the barren truth That Lion set in our bright siluer bend The blazon of the Howards honorable armour was Gules betweene six crosselets Fitches abend Argent to which afterwards was added by atchieuement In the Canton point of the bend an escutcheon or within the Scottish tressure a Demi-lion rampant Gules c. as Maister Camden now Clerenceaulx from authoritie noteth Neuer shall time nor bitter enuie be able to obscure the brightnesse of so great a victory as that for which this addition was obtained The Historian of Scotland George Bucchanan reporteth that the Earle of Surrey gaue for his badge a Siluer Lion which from antiquitie belonged to that name tearing in peeces A Lion prostrate Gules and withall that this which he termes insolencie was punished in him and his posteritie as if it were fatall to the Conquerour to doe his Soueraigne such loyall seruice as a thousand such seuere censurers were neuer able to performe Since Scottish blood discoloured Floden field The batttle was fought at Bramstone neere Floden hill being a part of the Cheuiot a mountaine that exceedeth all the mountaines in the North of England for bignesse in which the wilfull periurie of Iames the fifth was punished from heauen by the Earle of Surrey being left by King Henry the eight then in France before Turwin for the defence of his Realme Nor beauteous Stanhope whom all tongues report To be the glory c. Of the beautie of that Lady he himselfe testifies in an Elegie which he writ of her refusing to daunce with him which hee seemeth to alegorize vnder a Lion and a Wolfe And of himselfe he saith A Lion saw I late as white as any snow And of her I might perceiue a Wolfe as white as Whales bone A fairer beast of fresher hue beheld I neuer none But that her lookes were coy and froward was her grace And famous Wyat who in numbers sings Sir Thomas Wyat the elder a most excellent Poet as his Poems extant doe witnesse besides certaine Encomions written by the Earle of Surrey vppon some of Dauids Psalmes by him translated What holy graue what worthy Sepulchre To Wyats Psalmes shall Christians purchase then And afterward vpon his death the said Earle writeth thus What vertues rare were tempred in thy breast Honour that England such a iewell bred And kisse the ground whereas thy corpes did rest At Honsdon where those sweete cel-stiall eyne It is manifest by a Sonnet written by this noble Earle that the first time he beheld his Lady was at Hunsdon Hunsdon did first present her to mine eyne Which Sonnet being altogether a description of his loue I do alleadge in diuers places of this glosse as proofes of what I write Of Hampton Court and Windsor where abound All pleasures c. That he enioyed the presence of his faire and vertuous Mistris in those two places by reason of Queene Katherines vsuall aboad there on whom this Lady Geraldine was attending I proue by these verses of his Hampton me tanght to wish her first for mine Windsor alas doth chase me from her sight And in another Sonnet following When Winsor walls sustainde my wearied arme My hand my chin to ease my restlesse head And that his delight might draw him to compare Winsor to Paradice an Elegy may proue where he remembreth his passed pleasures in that place With a Kings sonne my childish yeeres I pass'd In greater feast then Priams sonne of Troy And againe in the same Elegie Those large greene Courts where we were wont to roue With eyes cast vp vnto the maidens Tower With easie sighs such as men draw in loue And againe in the same The stately seates the Ladies bright of hue The dances short long tales of sweete delight And for the pleasantnesse of the place these verses of his may testifie in the same Elegie before recited The secret groues which we haue made resound With siluer drops the meads yet spread for ruth As goodly flowers from Thamisis doe growe c. I had thought in this place not to haue spoken of Thames being so oft remembred by mee before in sundry other places on this occasion but thinking of that excellent Epigram which as I iudge either to bee done by the said Earle or Sir Frauncis Brian for the worthinesse thereof I will heere insert which as it seemes to me was compiled at the Authors being in Spaine Tagus farewell which Westward with thy streames Turn'st vp the graines of gold already tride For I withspur and saile go seeke the Thames Against the Sunne that shewes her wealthy pride And to the towne that Brutus sought by dreames Like bended Moone that leanes her lusty side To seeke my Country now for whom I liue O mighty Ioue for this the windes me giue FINIS Geraldine to Henry Howard Earle of Surrey SVch greeting as the noble Surrey sends The same to thee thy Geraldine commends A maidens thoughts do checke my trembling hand On other termes or complements to stand Which might my speech be as my heart affords Should come attired in farre richer vvords But all is one my faith as firme shall proue As hers that makes the greatest shevv of loue In Cupids Schoole I neuer read those bookes vvhose lectures oftvve practise in our lookes Nor euer did suspitions riuall eye Yet lie in vvaite my fauours to espie My virgine thoughts are innocent and meeke As the chaste blushes sitting on my cheeke As in a feuer I do shiuer yet Since first my pen was to the paper set If I do erre you know my sexe is weake Feare proues a fault where maids are forc'd to speake Do I not ill ah sooth me not heerein O if I doe reproue me of my sin Chide me infaith or if my fault you hide My tongue will teach my selfe my selfe to chide Nay noble Surrey blot it if thou wilt Then too much boldnesse should returne my guilt For that should be euen from our selues concealde Which is disclosde if to our thoughts reuealde For the least motion more the smallest breath That may impeach our modestie is death The page that brought thy letters to my hand Me thinks should meruaile at my strange demand For till he blush'd I did not yet espie The nakednesse of my immodestie Which in my face he greater might haue seene But that my sanne I quickly put betweene Yet scarcely that my inward guilt could hide Feare seeing all feares it of all espide Like to a taper lately burning bright Now wanting matter to maintaine his light The blaze ascending forced by the smoke Liuing by that which seekes the same to choke The flame still hanging in the ayre doth burne Vntill drawne downe it backe againe returne Then cleere then dim then spreadeth then closeth Now getteth
father with the Norman sword On fruitfull England prosprous entrance made I cast the proiect that this youthfull Lord In the meane time should Normandie inuade And with as prou'd and powerfull a blade Him I perswaded constantly by this To make his owne yet doubtfull to be his That Robert daily in disgrace might runne As still the Conqueror towards his end did grow who well in yeeres thus vexed by his sonne which now his will so openly did show His state deuised wisely to bestow For his owne safety that his daies to close He might himselfe more quietly repose And that lest time might coole his weakned blood This lucklesse warre by lingring I supplide That whilst Duke Robert iustly censured stood Vnder the weight of his vnnaturall pride In heate of all this Conqueror William dide Setting young Rufus on th'vnrightfull throne Leauing h 〈…〉 strugling for his owne Which in small time so many mischiefes bred As sundry plagues on Williams of-springs sent Attaining to so violent a head which pollicie not after could preuent when to destruction all things head-long went And in the end as consumating all Was Roberts irrecouerable fall When none could prosprous Nonmandie disswade From sending ensignes to the English field Brother opposde the brother to inuade Sword against sword shield menaced to shield whose equall worth to other scorne to yield One arme a front the others furious stroke Scepter with septer violently broke These sundry soiles in both of which was sowne By so approu'd and fortunate a hand The seede to both might prosprously haue growne By their 〈◊〉 in a mutuall band Now when these Princes opposite do stand what them should foster greater wounds them lent Then the prowd'st powre that Europe could haue sent Hauing my selfe wonne William in his life This conquered Realme to Rufus that did giue Getting by strength what he did leaue in strife Those to molest that after him should liue In this aduantage cunningly I driue T' afflict his issue with a generall ill Yet th' extreame in Robert to fulfill As when stowt Odo that with William held Daily prickt forward by prowd Lanfrancks spight Both powerfull Prelates rigorously compeld Rufus to leaue abetting Roberts right Drawing both Mortaines and Mongomeries might Mangling the I le with many a greeuous scarre Scarcely yet cured of the former warre That being set in so direct a way Strong friends at hand his enterprize to becke Ready before him when his entrance lay Of all supplide that he did lately lacke Him I perswade the remedy to slacke Stopping the course which he did lately runne All to vndoe that he had euer done Thus did I stirre vp that vnkindely rage That did so farre preuaile vpon his blood And at my pleasure did againe asswage When now this heate in sted might him haue stood Thus with his humour altred I my mood That first by Armes his vigor he might lose Which then laid down gaue strength vnto his foes That by concluding this vntimely peace I might thereby a lingring warre beginne That whil'st these tumults did a little cease Craft more aduantage cunningly might winne Thus let I treason secretly in Giuing deceitfull Pollicie the kay To the faire closet where his councells lay Thus reconciling outwardly a friend I drew an inward and a dangerous foe That all his wit ambitiously did lend To clothe his treasons in a vertuous show Which were contriued â—so currantly to goe That secret mallice strengthned more and more Lastly should proue more dangerous then before And now poore Fame my power to thee addrest And thee mine onely instrument I made That whilst these brothers at this passe do rest Him to the warres I wonne thee to perswade With those that now were going to inuade With great Duke Godfrey pressing for his bands From Pagans power t'regaine the holy lands His youthfull humour finely thus I feed The meane most fit to draw him forth abroad When now at home his presence most should neede In forraine lands to fasten his aboad Him in this order onely I bestow'd That William dying Robert being gone Henry might seate him on his brothers throne So sweete the sounds of these aduent'rous Armes And euery sence so strougly they do binde That he hath now no feeling of his harmes So farre away transported is his minde Declaring well the greatnesse of his kinde That him so high and forcibly doth beare As when most cause he least his ill doth feare Him hauing throwne into eternall thrall Wisely fore-casting how the same should bee When euery thing made fit vnto his fall Which none could hinder though the most fore-see For which I made an instrument of thee For where destruction sadly I pretend Mischiefe like lines all to their centre bend He gone and William yeelded vp the breath The younger Henry couetous of raigne Offered so fairely by his brothers death whilst Robert doth in Palestine remaine And now a Kingdome easily might gaine what by his power and science to perswade Himselfe a Monarch absolutely made Whilst this great Duke imbraced is by thee which thou as thine doost absolutely claime Finding meere shadowes onely missing mee And idle Castles in the ayre doth frame Lot such a mighty Monarchesse is Fame That what she giues so easie is to beare As none therefore needes violence to feare Vntill returning from those holy warres So highly honored with the Pagans flight From forraigne battells vnto ciuill â—arres And getting others for his owne to fight Inforc'd to vse the vtmost of his might with that rich sword in Pagan blood imbru'd Himselfe to saue by his owne friends pursu'd When wanting summes the sinewes of his force which his great courage quickly comes to finde Euen in the high speede of his forward course So skilfully I mannaged his minde That I a way out readily did finde To his destruction Henry to supply His future safetie happily to buy Him by all waies to amity to winne Not fully yet establish'd as he would Hauing thus farre already gotten in Setting himselfe substantially to hold By the francke offers of bewitching gold The yearely tribute from his Crowne to rise Which might all former iniuries suffice Which entertaind by confident beleefe By which to passe his purposes were brought Not yet suspitious of this secret theefe By which he soone and cunningly was caught Of which the least when princely Robert thought Euen in a moment did annoy him more Then all their powre could euer do before Which to this great Lord vtterly vnknowne Not vnderstanding easily could not flie Into his way that subtilly was throwne which to auoide Duke Robert look'd too hie Into good minds fraud doth the soonest prie whose pliant nature I securely chose To worke vvhat forme it pleasde me to dispose This fatall tribute cutting off the claime A lawfull Prince to Englands Empire laid His former right doth altogether maime As they agreed yeerely to be paid Thereon relying after being staid As from a fountaine plenteously did spring The
course eftsoone to bring about That which long since the wiser sort did doubt For whilst the King doth seriously attend His long-hop'd voyage to the Holy-land For which his subiects mighty summes did leud Euen whilst this buisnes onely was in hand All on the suddaine happily doth fall The death of Edward quickely altred all Should I assay his vertues to report To do the honor due vnto his name My meane endeuours should come farre too short And I thereby should greatly wrong the same But leaue it to some sacred Muse to tell Vpon whose life a Poets pen might dwell His princely body scarsly wrapt in lead Before his mournefull obsequies were done But that the Crowne was set on Edwards head With whom too soone my happy daies begunne After blacke night like brightnesse of the day All former sorrowes vanished away When now Carnaruan calls within a while Whom Edward Long-shanks hated to the death He whom the father lately did exile Is to the sonne as precious as his breath What th' old inscrib'd the yonger forth did blot Kings wils perform'd and dead mens words forgot When the winde wafts me to that happy place And soone did set me safely on that shore From whence I seemde but banish'd for a space That my returne might honored be the more Vnto this new King happily to leaue me Whose princely armes were ready to receiue me Who would haue seene how that kinde Roman dame Oâ—e-come with ioy did yeelde her latest breath Hersonne returning laden with such fame When thankfull Rome had mourned for his death Might heere behold her personated right When I approached to the Princes sight My Ioue now Lord of the Ascendant is In an aspect that promisde happy speede Whilst in that luckie influence of his Some praisde the course wherein I did proceede Yet it to some prodigiously appeares Telling the troubles of ensuing yeares When like to Midas all I touch'd was gold Powr'd as t' was once downe into Danaes lap For I obtained any thing I would Fortune had yet so lotted out my hap The chests of great men like to Oceans are To whom all floods by course do still repare The Isle of Man he first vnto me gaue To shew how high I in his grace did stand But fearing me sufficient not to haue I next receiued from his bounteous hand Faire Wallingford that antiently had beene The wealthy dower of many an English Queene The summes his father had beene leuying long By impositions for the warre abroad Other his princely benefits among At once on me he bounteously bestow'd When those which saw how much on me he cast Soone found his wealth sufficed not his waste He giues me then chiefe Secretaries place Thereby to traine me in affaires of state And those high roomes that I did hold to grace Me Earle of Cornwall franckly did create And that in Court he freely might pertake me Of England Lord high Chamberlaine did make me And that he would more strongly me alie To backe me gainst their insolent ambition Doth his faire Cosen vnto me affie A Lady of right vertuous condition which his deare sister prosperously bare To the Earle of Gloster blood-ennobled Clare O sacred bounty mother of content Fautresse and happy nourisher of Arts That giu'st successe to euery high intent The Conquerour of the most noblest harts High grace into mortalitie infused Pitty it is that e're thou wast abused When those that did my banishment procure Still in my bosome hated did abide And they before that could me not endure Are now much more impatient of my pride For emulation euer did attend Vpon the great and shall vnto th' end And into fauour closly working those That from meane places lifted vp by me And factious spirits being fittest to oppose Them that perhaps too powerfull else might be That euen gainst enuie raised by my hand Me must vphold to make themselues to stand And since the frame by fortune so contriu'd To giue protect to my ambitious waies Vrging thereby their hate to me deriu'd From those hie honours 〈◊〉 vpon me layes Drawing the King my courses to pertake Still to maintaine what he himselfe did make Thus doth my youth still exercise extreames My heed fond rashnes to forerunne my fall My wit meere folly and my hopes but dreames My councell serues my selfe but to inthrall That me abused with a vaine illusion When all I did intending my confusion And now the King to hasten his repaire Himselfe by marriage highly to aduance With Isabel a Princesse yong and faire As was her father Philip king of France When now the more to perfect my command Leaues vnto me protection of the land My power confirm'd so absolute withall That I dranke pleasure in a plenteous cup vvhen there was none me to account to call All to my hands so freely rendred vp That earth to me no greater blisse could bring Except to make me greater than a King When being now got as high as I could clime That the vaine world thus bountifully blest Franckly imbrace the benefite of time Fully t' enioy that freely I possest Strongly maintaining he was worse than mad Fondly to spare a Princes wealth that had Their counsells when continually I crosst As scorning their authoritie and blood And in those things concernd their honor 's most In those against them euer most I stoode And things most publique priuately extend To feede my riot that had neuer end When lastly Fortune like a treacherous foe That had so long attended on my fall In the plaine path wherein I was to goe Layes many a baite to traine me on withall Till by her skill she cunningly had brought me Vnto the place where at her will she caught me The mighty busines falling then in hand Triumphs ordain'd to welcome his returne Before the French in honour of the land vvith all my power I labourd to adiourne Till all their charge was lastly ouer throwne vvho likde t' haue seene no glory but mine owne Thus euery thing me forward still doth set Euen as an engine forcing by the slight One mischiefe thus a second doth beget And that doth leade th' other but to right Yet euery one himselfe employing wholy In their iust course to prosecute my folly Which when they found how still I did retaine Th' ambitious course wherein I first beganne And lastly felt that vnder my disdaine Into contempt continually they ranne Take armes at once to remedy their wrong vvhich their cold spirits had suffred but too long Me boldely charging to abuse the King A wastefull spender of his needefull treasure A secret thiefe of many a sacred thing And that I led him to vnlawfull pleasure That neuer did in any thing delight But what might please my sensuall appetite That as a scourge vpon the land was sent Whose hatefull life the cause had onely beene The State so vniuersally was rent Whose ill increasing euery day was seene I was reproached openly of many Who pitti'd