frō me What lets since none may loue thee more vnles perhaps this Cell Too strict a place wherein thy selfe euē Beauties selfe shouldst dwell Let nature hide her barren formes and imperfections thus And in such Puritanes as thou commend her skill to vs. Thou wrongest Nature molding thee to molde by thee as faer Thou wrōgest mē that would beget the fruit which thou sholdst baer Thou wrong'st thy Countrie of increase thou wrōg'st me in like sort Thou wrong'st thy Kin of kindred thou wrong'st thy selfe of sport Shouldst thou but dreame what marriage were thou would'st not liue a maid One heart of two two Soules to one by wedlock is cōuaid An husbands open kissings and his secret coyings nay The very Soule of Loue more sweet then thou or I can say The ioy of babes which thou should'st beare the Seruice at thy becke The sweet consorted common weale of houshold at thy checke Would make thee seeme a Goddesse who because thou art not such Offendest God in hiding of thy Tallent Too too much Thou dotest on Virginitie permitted not impos'd On any saue on such as for no such thy selfe thou knoest Els what should meane this penning vp such vowing these Vailes Since Vessels onely are of worth that beare in stormes their sailes The Scedsters of thine Essence had they been as thou would'st be Thou hadst not been Then gratifie the same thy selfe and me And leaue these superstitious walles Thou profitst not hereby Nor are we male and female borne that fruitlesse we should dye Then loue me for beleeue me so will proue a Iubilie Her red disperst in shadowed white did adde to either more To her of beautie and to him Loue greater than before She claimes the places priuiledge and faintly cites a Tex She pleades her birth too bace and playes the No-I of her Sex And fighteth as she would be foyld But prized Durstone makes It Sacrilege and for to wife the Recluse Edgar takes In twelue yeeres would be not annoynt or crowne him King more Enioynes him seuen yeeres pennance and to edifie and store Great Monasteries fortie ere Indulgence could be got Thus Edgar for his Cloyster cheere did pay this costly shot CHAP. XXV IOhns murther bred such murmure But third Henry Iohn his sonne Assisted chiefly by the Pope his fathers Scepter wonne Who interdited Lewis till hee curst him into France And left to Henry prosperous raigne till hapned this mischance A Parliament at Oxenford did derogate so much From his prerogatiue as that the Quarrell grew to such That ciuill warres betwixt the King and Barronage began Not ending but with tragicke ends of many a worthy man Brother to brother sire to sonne and friend to friend was foe Al labouring which they should vphold their Countries ouerthrow Now was the King a Captiue and the Barrons by and by His Conquest and the ciuill strife too fast begot supply My heart vnapts mine hand to write the troth of it too trew Euen warres Idea more then tongue or eye can say or view But to conclude which still concludes the King he did subdue And shewes himselfe a gentle foe thus hauing wonne his peace And after liu'd in honour and did happily decease Whose death then warring with renowme in Syria being knowne To Edward he resailed and possest his fathers Throne THe hansell of his Scepter was the Welchmen did rebell Of whom to Edward though with losse the Victorie befell Then on the French he warred and a Winner did resayle And for that Baltoll whom he made the King of Scots did faile His Homage thence from Albanacke to England due and done Against the Scots he grieuous but a glorious warre begun Not Barwicke though for number bold vntill it flowed blood Nor any Scottish armes or hold though infinite and good Might stay his awing prowesse till he had their King his thrall And in that Land by Conquest made himselfe the Lord of all Then taking Scottish othes which they did breake and he reuenge With those Exploits he French attempts as gloriously did menge Yea Paganes French Cambries Scots remembring but his name Cannot forget their skarres he made though enuious of his Fame Matchles for Chiualrie and yeat his Iustice matcht the same Not partiall for the Prince his Sonne a rash vnbridled youth Whom he imprison'd hearing of his outrages the truth And vnto whom he dying spake words worth report and ruth My life quoth he a warfare right in body and in soule Resignes my robed carkasse to be rotted in the moule If well I did well shall I doe if ill as ill and worse And therefore Ned worke as I will vpon my blesse or curse When thou becom'st an earthly God mens liues to ouersee Forget not that Eternall God that ouerlooketh thee The least part of a King is his all owing him and none Lesse priuate than a Prince the weale or woe of euery one He and his People make but one a bodie weake or strong As doth the head the lims or lims the head assist or wrong Deriue thy lawes from wisest heads to be vpholden still Not adding or abstracting as conceited Tier-braines will Be cheerefull and in worke nor word be neither proud nor hot No sincere loue but seruile feare or neither so is got Encourage good Men by thy loue reforme the bad by lawe Reserue an care for either Plea and borrow least of awe Oppresse not rich men seeking so to please the poore for neither Is to be doomed but as right or wrong is found in either To loyter well deserued gifts is not to giue but sell When to requite ingratitude were to doe euill well And which saue for the ill-mist ill might els haue bene forgot Be choyce but chuse for wiuelesse haue each stranger place shot Their heire their home cost which saue the last indeed are not Reforme thee euen to day vnapt to day lesse apt to morrow Youth aptly offers vertues such as yeares vnaptly borrowe For he that plies the lappes and lippes of Ladies all his prime And falles to Armes when age failes Armes then also looseth time As if a Beare in Moone-shine should attempt the Moone to clime Well haue I driuen out my date and well thy dayes shall runne If thou proue not my Glories graue nor I plange in my Sonne The ouer-weening of thy wits doth make thy Foes to smile Thy Friends to weepe and Clawbacks thee with soothings to beguile Yea those thy Purses Parasites vnworthie thine Estate Doe loue thee for themselues nor will they leaue thee but too late I blesse thee if thou banish them and curse thee if they bide My blisse and curse be at thy choyce And so he shortly dide FOrth with a second Edward sonne to Edward wore the Crowne He to promote his Flatterers did put his Nobles downe So Robert Bruze then King of Scots found ingresse for his Armes Recouering Scottish forces and did spoyle our men by swarmes Barwicke in fine and all
Vpstarts and all Were ouercome So Spencers both from heauen to hell did fal Put to a fowle and shamefull death with others that misled The King in Out-rages more great than earst in England bred Prolers Blood-thirstie Parasites Make-shifts Bawdes did thriue Nor was an ancient English Peere vnbanisht or aliue For forraine and domesticke Swords Plague Famine and Exile Did more than tythe yea tythe the Tythe of men within this I le Of Baldricks Hoodes Tabrides and Furres from Knights disgraded tore Attaintures of Nobilitie and Armes reuersed store So many Spurres hewen off the heeles and Swords broke ouer head Were through a King so light and lewd a Councell neuer read The King in prison and depos'd tyrannised he dide By Trecheries of Mortimer that ruld the Roste that tide Whilst Edward in Minoritie his Fathers throne supplide CHAP. XXVIII THIS third of that same Name as yet in Nonage for a time Although a King was vnder-kept by some that ouer-clime Queene mother proude Mortimer familiar more than should Did and vndid more than they might not lesse than as they would Till Edward better counselled hong Mortimer the death Of many a Peere who Earle of March and haughtie for his birth Was Lord of nine skore dubbed Knights his other traynes except For greater pompe than did his Prince this Lord of VVigmore kept But more he had bene happie though lesse hautie in his Halls More honour in humilitie than safetie in walls Proud Climers proue not monuments saue onely in their falls The senselesse pride of Fooles therefore whome reuerently we ride Should lessen at the least because that earth their earth shall hide The Countrie purg'd of Fleecers and of Flatterers the Court The King became a Mars for Armes a Iupiter for Port Th Olympâ—ds the Pythea and the prowesse of the Earth Did seeme euen now and not but now to haue in him their birth East South and North gaue ayme farrc off admiring so the West As if that Mars discarding them had set our Realme his Rest. Philip Valois Dauid Bruz of power and courage more Than any French or Scottish Kings since or of long before Confedrate with three other Kings and Princes farre and neere Warre all at once on Edward but did buy their warring deere Dauid debelled left his land but lastly did returne And whilst our King did war in France much did he spoyle burne And proud of mightie Troopes of men of vnresisted prayes And Edwards absence prosperously he on aduantage playes Vntill not sending hence for helpe the Queene did muster Knights And with the Foe though tripled-wise victoriously she fights The Scots for most did perish and their King was Prisner taine And Scotland wholly for a pray to England did remaine Meane while was Paris scarcely left to rescue Philips Goale Whom Edward ferrits so from hold to hold as Fox from hoale That Melancholie he deceast and valiant Iohn his sonne Was crowned King of France and then the wars afresh begonne But after many fieldes vnto the Foes continuall wracke The French King captiuated to the English Monarke backe His Victor sayles the Prince of VVales Edward surnamed blacke The flower of Chiualrie the feare of France and scourge of Spaine Wheare Peter dispossest of Crowne was crownde by him againe Fower yeeres the French eleuen yeres was the Scotch K. prisners heere Whose the Dolphines ransomes were as great as good their cheere PRince Edw. Iohn of Gaunt all their Fathers sonnes might boaste Of famous Sier and he of sonnes matchlesse in any Coaste Howbeit King and Prince at last misled by counsell ill Through Taxes lost a many hearts that bore them earst good will Thence finding Fortune contrary to that she was before Yeat either dying seaz'd of French and Scottish Conquests store Yea Callice late and Barwick yet of their Exployts is lest Though Sonne before the Sier and both of liues long since bereft When Barwick was besieged and stood brauely at defence Sir Alexander Seiton theare chiefe Captaine had pretence To linger forth the Siege till Scots should draw the English thence In rescue of Northumberland and therefore sent his sonne A Pledge of treated Truce and when the guile-got Truce was done And Barwick not releeued nor resigned as it ought Two sonnes of Seiton were before the walls besieged brought They ready for the Iybbet and their Father for his Graue For eyther he must yeeld the Towne or them he might not saue In griefe he then his Countries cause and Childrens case reuolues But partiall vnto either he on neither Choyce resolues To be a loyall Subiect and a louing Father too Behooued him but both to bee was not in him to doo Nature and honour wrought at once but Nature ouer-wrought And but his Ladie it preuents to yeeld the Towne he thought O what pretend you Sir quoth she is Barwick woorth no more Than error of such loue I ioy that I such Children bore Whom cruell Edward honoureth with such a cause of death For that especiall cause for which we all receaue our breath Euen for their Countries cause they dye whose liues for it be dewe Why see their faces constantly she did their faces viewe The same my Seiton seeme so farre from dreading any woe As if they skornde that Barwicke should redeeme them from the Foe Full deere they were to me vnborne at birth and borne and now And Mother like I moane their death and yet their death allow Moe Sonnes and such you may beget your honour if you staine Defected honour neuer more is to be got againe Preuent not then your selfe your Sonnes and me so great a blis Adiew dye sweet Sonnes your soules in heauen shall liue for this With such perswasions did she win her husband from the walls And Edward executes their Sonnes and to assault he falls So long that Barwicke yeelds at length and still vs master calls THese were the dayes when English armes had eu'rie where request And Edw. knights throughout the world had prick praise for best Not Knights alone but Prelates too Queenes whereof were twain The quondam in esse Queenes by Armour honour gain By Warre the Queene that was did cease her husbands tragicke Rayn And by the Queene then being was the Scotch King Prisnet tayne It followes then that as the Pawnce doth circkle with the Sonne So to the vice or vertue of the Prince are people wonne O that our Muse might euermore on such a Subiect ronne But Vulcan forgeth other Tooles and sharpneth deadlier swords For little els then ciuill warres our following Penne affords French Expeditions badly thriue whereof we cease to speake Not forraine but Domestick warres grew strong to make vs weake Melpomen here might racke her wits Sylla Marius hate Pharsalian Fields were gentle Frayes regarding this debate The second Richard sonne vnto the blacke Prince Edward dead Was crownde an Infant and from him the Stratagem was bread The bace attempts of Ball
was of him And that his armor layd a-part in silke he courts it trim The daughter of th'Aetolian King did little lesse then raue And can the churle quoth she preferre in loue a captiue Slaue Before his wife whome late he faynd inferiour vnto none Ah Hercules thou art a man thy manhood thus is knowne Fye may a forren Strumpets armes so fasten on his necke As he the Rector of the Earth must bowe if she doth becke Oh how vnlike to Hercules is Hercules in this But leauing men to natures fault in her the lewdnes is No man so chaste but such as she may worke to doe amis Thus whilst her ouerplus of loue to Ielousie did growe She simply minds the spightfull gift that Nessus did bestowe And for he dying spake the words she held it as her Creede That it could winne him to her selfe of which now hauing neede She vseth part and sent a Shirt so boyled as she bad To Hercules and Hercules was of the Present glad Confessing her his onely Wife And whilst he did repent His breach of Loue on Oeta Mount to sacrifice he went Philoctes Paeans valiant Sonne and Lychas he that brought The poysned Shirt were present theare but of no treason thought Not Deianiras selfe good Soule till tryall made it playne When as his body and the fire gaue moysture to the bayne His stoutnes hid such torments long as els could none abyde Yea till the baine his Bowels and his very Marrow fryde But when his torments had no meane the Altar downe he throes And from his martred body rents the gory smoking cloathes And striuing to strip off the Shirt he teareth flesh from bone And left his breaking Synoees bare his Intrailes euery one Did boyle and burst shew themselues wheare lumps of flesh did lack And still the murdrous Shirt did cleue vnto his mangled backe Espying Deianiras Squire that quaking stoode he sayde And art thou wretch the Instrument of my destruction mayde Whome swinging then about his head he slinged downe the hill And so did silly Lychas dye that purposed no il Then running downe from hill to Playne from Playne to hill againe He rents vp Rockes and mightie Hils in error of his paine Till sadly leaning on his Club he sighing vowes that none Should be the death of Hercules but Hercules alone And to his friend Philoctes tooke his Arrowes and his Bow And gladly to the hallowed fyer as to his bed did go Wheare lying downe and taking leaue with reared hands to skye The Earths Protector so in peace amidst the flames did dye Philoctes neere o'rgone with greefe his Ashes did conuaye To Italy inshrined in his Temple there to stay And wofull Deianira heares of Hercules decay His Ghoste she voucheth and the Gods to witnes that her minde Was giltles of a traitrous thought nor thinke me so vnkinde Sweet Husband as to haue the will to ouerliue thee heer But that my Ghoste before thy Ghoste it selfe of guile shall cleer And now I come ah now I come forgiue ye gods the deed She sayd eâ—and pearsing so her breast a breathles Corse did bleed AS Greekes lament their Champions losse so did the Phrygians ioy And Priamus did fortifie his stately Cittie Troy Twise Hercules had rased it and thirdly was it reard By Pryam strong in wealth and walles through Asia lou'd and feard He cald to mynde Laomedon whome Hercules had slayne His Sister too Hesione that Captiue did remayne In Salamis with Telamon and well he was apayde In that the Doer of the same liu'd not the Greekes to ayde His Sister therefore not restorde his Legates asking it By stealing of the Spartane Queene did Paris crye them quit Twelue hundred fiftie fiue war-Shippes with meÌ„ Armor frought By seauentie Kings kingly Peeres froÌ„ Greece to Troy were brought To winne her thence King Priamus besides his Empire greate Had ayders Princes thirtie three lesse Lords I not repeate Not Sagitar that in this Warre did many a valiant feate Tenne yeres tenne monthes twise sixe daies the siege they did abide Eight hundred sixtie thousand Greekes by Troian weapons dyde Sixe hundred fiftie sixe thousands of Troians fighting men Besides the slaughtred at the sacke by Grecians perisht then And if that Hector Troilus and Paris so we name Fell fortie Kings omitting more of little lesser fame Mislike and ciuill quarrels when the Grecians homewards drewe Did well neere waste the remnant Kings that Phrigia did subdewe Thus secure Troy was ouer-set when Troy was ouer stoute And ouer rich was ouer-runne and tardie lookt about The Greekish Ships with Phrigian Spoyles through Xant and Simoes roe For now Antenor had betrayde Palladium to the foe And with Palladium Priamus Aeneas sought to hide From Pyrrhus Polyxena she for whom Achilles dyde Wherefore vpon Achilles Tombe her selfe was after slayne What tyme old Hecuba discryde yong Polydor his bayne For which Aeneas banished did hoyst his sayles to winde And after many perils rule in Italie did finde AENeas dead Ascanius raign'd Ascanius dead his brother Posthumus Syluius did succeede Lauinia was his mother Her Syer Latinus Faunus his and Picus him begot And Saturne him From mother thus Posthumus lacked not The noblest bloud On Fathers side his petigree was thus Ioue had Dardanus and the same begot Erictheus He Troys Troys Assaracus he Capys and the same Anchises he Aeneas had of him Posthumus came And he was Father vnto Brute and thus the Brutons bring Their petigree from Iupiter of Pagane Gods the King And adde they may that Brute his Syer of Venus sonne did spring Thrise fiue degrees from Noe was Brute and fower times sixe was he From Adam and from Iaphets house doth fetch his petigree Posthumus Syluius perishing in Chace amongst the brakes Mistooke for Game by Brute his Sonne Brute Italie forsakes And to associate his Exile a many Troyans mo At all aduentures put to Seas vncertein where to go To whom did Fortune Fortune-like become a friend and foe Till Brute with no lesse payne and praise then had his Grandsier late Achiued Latium landâ—ng here suppressed so the state Of all the Fiend-breed Albinests huge Gyants fearce and strong Or race of Albion Neptuns Sonne els some deriue them wrong That of this Isle vn-Scotted yet he Empire had ere long THE THIRD BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XIIII NOw of the Conquerour this Isle had Brutaine vnto name And with his Troians Brute began manurage of the same For rased Troy to reare a Troy fit place hee searched then And viewes the mounting Northerne partes These fit quoth he for men That trust asmuch to flight as fight our Bulwarks are our brests The next Arriuals heere perchaunce will gladlier build their nests A Troians courage is to him a Fortres of defence And leauing so wheare Scottes be now he South-ward maketh thence Whereas the earth more plentie gaue and ayre more temprature And nothing wanted that by wealth or pleasure might allure And more the
by grieuous Draught as Beasts to plough their Land Of whom the English as of Gods or Feends in terror stand The Husband durst not vse his Wife if liked of a Dane Nor House nor Goods nor ought he had for who resists was slaine That frankes and feedeth daintily This pines and fareth ill And of his sweat that hath the sweete and is imperious still Each house maintained such a Dane that so they might preuent Conspiracies if any were and grope how mindes were bent Lord Dane the same was called then to them a pleasing name Now odiously Lur-dane say we when idle Mates we blame When Swaine the DaciaÌ„ King did hear his Danes were murther dso With bitter vowes he shipt his men for Englands ouerthroe And landing spar'd no shrine nor Saint nor Sex nor any State Not wanting Aiders English-men that held their King in hate Especially false Edricus the Admirall deceiues His King and Countrey oftentimes and Bribes of Swaine receiues And Egelred his cowardisse incouraged the Foe Till Swaine at length for Masses great was bribed hence to goe But making short returne the Peeres of England that disdaine Th'indignities of such a King that did so feebly raigne Submit them Subiects vnto Swaine and Egelred did flie Vnto the Father of his Queene the Duke of Normandie And Swaine possessed of the land did shortly after die His sonne Canutus present here had Seazon of the Crowne Till Egelred returning back by Armor puts him downe Who scarcely giueth breathing time but that he back resailes From Denmarke and by force by friends and fortune here preuailes For in this Warre King Egelred did sicken and decease And then the broiles Canutus king did for a time decrease Till Edmund sonne of Egelred did interrupt that peace COnferring Armes to Edmonds age when Egelred did lie On death-bed to his sonne he said not quite forlorne am I Whose life hath had so much of griefe thus gratiously to dye Ad more thy vertues glad my death yeat two things greeue among To leaue my Kingdom so in Warres and thee for Warres too young So may these troubles weare to none as thou doest waxe I pray And so possesse thy Fathers Seate that all approoue thy sway Not to be made a King my Sonne is so to make thee proude For Mildenes fitteth maiestie high mindes are disaloude See me thy Father now a King and by and by but earth Nor thinke that euerie King hath hap to die a happie death Let nature for perfection molde a Paragon each way Yeat death at last on finest lumps of liuing flesh will pray For nature neuer framed it that neuer shall decay The brauest are as blossomes and the longest Liuer dies And dead the louelest Creature as the lothsom'st Carrion lies Then thinke not but that kings are men and as the rest miscarrie Saue that their fame or infamie continually doth tarry Deeme past Examples Sentences and which did fayle in me Make vse of those not now in vse for now will cease to be Attempt not things beyond thy reach ioyne fortune to thy will Least Phoebus Chaire doe else surcharge rash Phaeton his skill If Fortune helpe whom thou would'st hurt fret not at it the more When Aiax stormed then from him the Prize Vlysses bore Try friends by touch a feeble friend may prooue thy stroÌ„gest Foe Great Pompeâ—s head to Caesars hand it was betrayed so Admit thou hadst Pactolion waues to land thee Golde at will Know Craesus did to â—yrus kneele and thou maist speed as ill Abandon lust if not for sinne yeat to auoyd the shame So Hogges of Ithacus his men the Latian Witch did frame Be not too moody in thy wrath but pause though fist be bent Oft Philips Sonne did rashly strike and leisurely repent Content thee with vnthreatned Meane and play not Aesops Dogge The Golde that gentle Bacchus gaue did greedy Mydas clogge Be valiant not too venterous but fight to sight againe Euen Hercules did hold it ods for one to striue with twaine Be not ambitiously a King nor grudgingly decline One God did root out Cis his stock and rayse vp Iesses line Iest nor with edge tooles suffer Saints let mightie Fooles be mad Note Seneca by Neroes doome for Precepts pennance had Haue care to whom of whoÌ„ what to speak though speech be trew That Misse made Poeâ—â—us contrary his Rauens Swan-like hew He frameth torments to himselfe that feeds a Tyrants vaine Perillus was by Phalaris adiudg'd to self-taught paine Prayse not the beautie of thy Wife though she of forme be sped For Gyges moued so did graft on Candaules his head Shunne Ielousie that heart-breake loue if Cat will goe to kind Be sure that Io hath a meanes that Argus shall be blind Commit not Treasure with thy Child to greedy minded men Thou leauest Polidor a spoyle to Polymnestor then Occurrants giue occasions still of like in which be sure To serue thy God to saue thy selfe and well to all procure Be vertuous and assure thy selfe thou canst not then but thriue In onely vertue it is sayd that men themselues suruiue As for the vicious such they are as is the heedlesse Flye That killes it selfe and hurts his sight that hath her in his eye Farewell my Sonne England farewell thy neuer happy Prince Doth take his leaue an happy leaue if taken so long since And Edmond burying not with me thy vertues nor my speech I blesse thee in his blessed Name whome I of blesse beseech Said Egelred and shortly gaue a quiet gaspe or twaine And being dead his noble Sonne succeeded him in Raigne THis like himselfe euen Knight-like and an English-man indeede Did quickeÌ„ Englands quailing Prowes Mars-like did proceed A brauer Captaine than was he not any band might haue And yeat a Mars did match this Mars Canutus was as braue These wonders of that age for Armes and Dirii of those dayes Did often battell equally to eithers losse and praies Now after many bloody Fieldes when none might estimate The better or the worser part a Knight that saw the state Then present and by likelyhoods presaged what might fall Said hearing it the differing Kings and Souldiers almost all We euer warre and neuer winne Edmund hath Fortitude Canutus Fortune neither thus of other is subdude Death feares not vs nor for their liues our Contraries doe care It followes then that all must die wheare all so despret are If all be slayne then who shall serue our Princes that suruiue Or fence out Forrens better one then none of both should thriue To thriue therefore were not a-misse that seeing one of twaine Will Owner all that onely they the quarrell doe maintaine Or if Combattensie not please the Land is rich and large And they Copernicers may liue and vs of death discharge If Combat nor Partition be then will his Warre reuiue Till one suruiuing all of vs wants one with whome to striue This sayd the Kings did marke and make a profit of the same And did
conclude by Combacy to winne or loose the Game Within a little Island neare round which the Armies stand The Kingly Champions trie their Force by fighting hand to hand They spur their Horses breake their Speares beat at Barriars long And then dismounting did renew a Battell braue and strong Whil'st eyther King thus Martially defends and did offend They breathing King Canutus said we both I see shall end Eâ—e Empire shall begin to one then be it at thy choyce To fight or part With it their Knights crie out with common voyce Deuide most valiant Kings deuide enough ye haue of Fight And so the Champions did embrace forgetting malice quite Partition equally was made betwixt these Princes twaine And Brother-like they liue and loue till by a deu'lish traine Earle Edricus a Traytor to the Father and the Sonne Did murther Edmund and his head supposing to haue wonne The fauour of Canutus so presenting sayd O King For loue of thee I thus haue done Amazed at the thing Canutus sayd and for that thou hast headed him for me Thy head aboue all English heads exalted it shall be The Earle was headed and his head poold vp for all to see Of England Danske Norway then Canut was perfect Lord And in this triple Regiment all with vertue did accord Harold Hardi-knought his sonnes each th' other did succeede Of either which small certaine Fame of well or ill we reede Saue by their Raigns to Englâ—sh-men did grieuous thraldoÌ„ breede But after Hardt-knought his death the Danes were chased hence Not intermedling with the state of England euersince CHAP. XXII OF foresaid Egelred his Sonnes Alured and his brother Was Edward King for Goodwins guile had made away that other Religious chaste wise fortunate stout francke and milde was hee And from all Taxes wrongs and Foes did set his Kingdome free By ouer-ruling of his Lords intreating long the same Least dying Issuelesse he leaue succession out of frame He tooke to Queene a Damsell faire howbeit by consent In vowes of secret chastitie their louing liues they spent The Father of this maiden-wife he sitting by the King And seeing one that stumbled but not falling vp to spring Did laughing say the brother theare the brother well hath eas'd His meaning was the Stumblers feete And haddest thou so pleas'd So had my Brother quoth the King bin easing vnto me The traitrous Earle tooke bread and sayd so this digested be As I am guiltlesse of his death these words he scarcely spoke But that in presence of the King the bread did Goodwyn choke His sonne Harold by Hardi-knoghts late daughter him suruiues He crossed by contrary winds in Normandie ariues Where Goodwins sonne did take an oth Duke VVilliam vrging so To keepe vnto the Duke his vse when Edward hence should go The Crowne of England claimed by Adoption and by blood But Harold after Edwards death not to his promise stood And for he was in wealth in friends in blood and Armor strong And title had his Mothers right he forced not the wrong But arming him against the Duke so vrged vnto wroth Did seaze the Crowne vnto himselfe contrary to his oth Whil'st VVilliam therfore works for war King Harold had not rest For Harold Hare-foote King of Danes and Norwaies much opprest The English with his puissant Bands But Harold him assailes And after fearce and doubtfull fight most valiantly preuailes And with the Norgaine Prince he slew his people almost all When for deuision of the spoyle did much contention fall Betwixt the King and English-men and many a noble Knight Not onely murmur and maligne but did forsake him quight Such malice growing VVilliam with his Normanes taking land Found hot hot spur Harold prest in Armes his puissance to withstand And either Battell Marshalled as either Captaine wild The King of England eagerly the Normane Oste behild And with his cheerefull speeches thus his men with courage fild See valiant War-friends yonder be the first the last and all The Agentes of our Enemies they hencefoorth cannot call Supplies for weedes at Normandie by this in Porches groe Then Conquer these would Conquer you and dread no further Foe They are no stouter than the Brutes whom we did hence exile Nor stronger than the sturdy Danes or victory er while Not Saxoâ—â—e could once containe or scarce the world beside Our Fathers who did sway by sword where listed them to bide Then doe not ye degenerate take courage by discent And by their burialles not abode their force and flight preuent Ye haue in hand your Countries cause a Conquest they pretend Which were ye not the same ye be euen Cowards would defend I graunt that part of vs are fled and linked to the Foe And glad I am our Armie is of Traytours cleered so Yea pardon hath he to depart that stayeth Mal-content I prize the minde aboue the man like zeale hath like euent Yeat troth it is no well or ill this Iland euer had But through the well or ill Support of Subiects good or bad Not Caesar Hengest Swayn or now which neretheles shall fayle The Normane Bastard Albion true did could or can preuaile But to be selfe-false in this Isle a selfe-Foe euer is Yeat wot I neuer Traytour did his Treasons Sâ—ipend mis. Shrinke who wil shrinke let Armor's wayte presse downe the burdned earth My Foes with wondring eyes shal see I ouer prize my death But since ye all for all I hope a like affected bee Your Wiues your Children liues and Land from sâ—â—uitude to free Are Armed both in shew and zeale then gloriously contend To winne and weare the home brought Spoyles of Victorie the end Let not the Skinners daughters Sonne possesse what he pretends He liues to die a noble death that life for freedome spendes As Harold hartned thus his men so did the Normane his And looking wishly on the earth Duke William speaketh this To liue vpon or lie within this is my Ground or Graue My louing Souldiers one of twaine your Duke resolues to haue Nor be ye Normanes now to seeke in what you should be stout Ye come amidst the English Pikes to hewe your honors out Ye come to winne the same by Launce that is your owne by law Ye come I say in righteous warre reuenging swords to draw Howbeit of more hardie Foes no passed Fight hath spead ye Since Rollo to your now-Abode with Bands victorious lead ye Or Turchus Sonne of Troylus in Scythian Fazo bread ye Then worthy your Progenitors ye Seede of Pryams sonne Exployt this businesse Rollons do that which ye wish be done Three People haue as many times got and forgone this shore It resteth now ye Conquer it not to be Conqured more Fot Normane and the Saxon Blood conioyning as it may From that consorted Seede the Crowne shall neuer passe away â—efore vs are our armed Foes behind vs are the Seas On either side the Foe hath Holdes of succour and for ease But that Aduantage
of Straw of Lyster tag and rag Of Villains Of-skoms Clownes knaues that checkmate durst to brag With Richards self to their deaths his chiefest Princes drag Till VVal 〈…〉 ths girdle-Armor made the Armes of London more Because his courage chiefly gaue an end to that vprore And what-so-els Occurrants much may interrupt our Vayne Digesting Yorke Lancaster acquiring eithers Rayne Our Penne shall not endenizen Now drops it sacred blood Of Men-Gods English Potentates that in this Faction stood Richard begun that ciuill warre that till the Seauenth from him Did last though often fields with blood of Citizens did swim Against the Nobles the vphild innoble and his Peeres And Commons went alike to wracke nor God nor man he feares In fewe Ambition Auarice and Counsell lewd had wrought In him a nature worser than into the world he brought Whereby and thus himselfe and house at length a down-fal cought Twixt Mowbray D. of Norffolke and the D. of Hertford sonne To Iohn of Gaunt close Conference of better dayes begun The King sayd Henry Hertford more remisse than doth beseeme Leaues France to French Scotland to Scots and vs to woes extreeme His Flatterers doe fleece the Crowne and Commons not a State Doth or dares counsell ancient Coats that on the Crowne should wate Giue aime to bastard Armorie what resteth then but this Plucke downe those grating Harpies that seduce our King amis If worthles still set vp a King worthier than he that is The other saying little then immediatly reueales The secrete and before the King his Foe-made frend appeales Whose Gauntlet raysed by the Duke defendant at the last It grew to single Combate when the King his Warder cast And to the Duke of Norffolke iudg'd for euermore exile And selfe same law Duke Henry had saue for a lesser while Thus That did This but This and That their Iudge did thus begile And to his Coffers did escheate a world of wealth a Pray Vnto his Parasites which thriu'd by other mens decay Meane while whose actious life had lawd did Iohn of Gaunt decease So to the banisht Duke his Sonne fiue Cronets did increase But with his kindly aire the King withheld him all the same Till entring ayded by his friends he wonne beyond his clame For Richard was imprison'd and by Parlament put downe And Henry Duke of Lancaster elected to the Crovvne The Lyne Lancastrian frollicke but the house of Yorke did frowne For to those Hydra-kinded warres that after did ensue Those Families gaue name though first the Diadem was due Vnto the house of Clarence till to Yorke that interest gre we By marriage here omitted for we onely giue a viewe How Yorke mis-raigning Lancaster did enter then how This Was dispossest That repossest and how their Vnion is THE SIXT BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XXIX HEnry the fourth so named hild the King deposed strate In Pomfret Castell howebeit in honourable State And got an Act that who so wrought the Prisner to restore That Richards selfe to voyd their hope should dye the first therefore Whose birth brought Nature gentle Lord returning whence it straid Now altred him erst altring it and Richard mildly said I must not say I am and would I might not say I was Of great the greatest lesse they grieue from whom doth little passe Nor more it grieues to contrarie the same I haue been then To haue deserued not to be vnmaliced of men Thus humbled and full penitent liues he lesse mal-content Than was the Duke of Exeter his brother whose intent Was as at a lusts to haue destroyd King Henrie but descryed Himselfe fower such and many Knights the death of Traytors dyed And by these primer Yorkests thus King Richards date grew out But whether brayned famisht or exiled rests a doubt For often Vprores did ensue for him as vndeceast How beit solemnely inter'd himselfe or Signe at least Twise by confedrate Chiualrie the Pâ—ercies and their frends Did fight and fall for either warre to Henries honor ends He neuer had but warre and was victorious euermore Aswell at home as also of his Foes on forraine Shore Till lastly Armor ouercame all Enuie and he liues Of all beloued and his death a common sorrow giues HOt spur his Sonne Henry the fifth hung at his Fathers eyes To watch his Ghoste and catch his Crowne and that or ere he dyes And where the Father doubted if he got it well or noe The Sonne did sweare how so it came he would it not forgoe His bad did blisse the Bad the Good dispaire all good But neither Did aime aright for sodainly his chaunge deceiued either Of good becomming best that was of ill the baddest and The true perfection of a King was not but in this Land He lead good fortune in a line and did but warre and winne Fraunce was his Conquest Scots but brag and he did beate them in A friend vnto weldoings and an Enemie to sinne Yeat of the Yorkests neuer lackt he Princes that rebell Nor other than confusion to their still coniuring fell In fewe if any Homer should of this Achilles sing As of that Greeke Myâ—midon the Macedonian King Once noted would I note both Prince and Poet happiest men That for deseruing prayse and This for well imployed pen For well this Subiect might increase the Worthies vnto ten He aged thirtie sixe deceast and left his infant Sonne His Kingdome Conquests and his Queene whose Fathers Realme he wonne To graue protection Regents and so royall for the port As that his Orphants Cradle seem'd an Alexanders Court Queene Katherin Daughter of the French King Henryes wife of late The fayrest Ladye in the West hild with her sonne Estate She oft behild and hild her peace a braue Esquier of VVailes That tyde her fancie to his forme till fancied forme preuailes All liking was reuersed Loue saue Owen Tuder all Saue him that durst not dreame such good to her was lesse than small She formally by quaint degrees attracting him to fauor Did nourish burnings in her selfe by noting his behauor She pitched Tewe he masshed She vncompaned To flie He bids her solitary moodes She askes the remedie Disclosed pangues sometimes quoth he in Phisicke Phisick is Which sometimes to obserue quoth she doth Patients patience mis Cureles to Aesculapius and Apellos selfe am I The latter felt my languor and immortall wisht to die And yeat saue one no one disease lay hidden to his Art For you were bootlesse then to gesse how to vngreeue my smart Had Daphne to Apollo beene Apollo Tuder said His might haue beene and so may be your Graces humor staid He other Gods and Goddesses found more contented Loue Beloe in diffring bosomes than in equall beddes aboue I aime at Loue for thereto your Aenigma doth incline And aime to him a Deity for whome I so deuine But gladly doubt I of the Man for if I doubted not I should but massacer my lacke in enuy of his lot Yeat are vnworthie
of the Moone Endymions lippes I wot But for I will disperse the mistes of further Mysteries And toogh the Pinuesse of my thoughts to kenning of your Eyes If Geâ—try Madame might conuay so great a good to me From auncient King Cadwallader I haue my pettigree If wealth be sayd my want I say your Grace doth want no wealth And my suppliment shall be loue imployed to your health It hath beene when as heartie Loue did treate and tie the knot Though now if gold but lacke in graines the wedding fadgeth not The goodly Queene in bashfull signes blusht out a dumbe Replie Which he did constur as she meant and kist her reuerently Tuder quoth she I greater am than would I were for thee But can as little maister Loue as Lessers in degree My Father was a King a King my Husband was my Brother He is a King a King my Sonne and I thy Soueraignes mother Yeat Fathers Husbands Brothers Sonnes all their Stiles together Are lesser valewed than to liue beloued of my Tuder Should England France and thou thy selfe gainesay thy selfe for mine Thy selfe France England nor what els ' should barre me to be thine Yea let them take me wilfull or mistake me wanton so My selfe in loue do please my selfe let all the world say no Let Pesants matte their marriages and thriue at peraduenture I loue for loue no gentle heart should fancy by Indenture But tell me Owen am I not more forward then behooues I am sweet-Heart but blame me not the same that speaketh loues And long may liue quoth he to loue nor longer liue may I Than while I loue your Grace and when I leaue disgraced die But Ladie if I doe deserue I then desire dispatch For manie are the iealous Eies that on your beautie watch Good hap is like to hit me well to hit so well is rare And rarenesse doth commence my sute let sute conclude my care Should Caesar kisse he kissed her it were but such a kisse And he and I here or elsewhere in other sport or this Doe act alike no bettring but as your belouing is You may experience when you please what difference in the men And if King Henry pleased more blame Owen Tuder then But am I not yes Sweete I am more sawsie than behooues Yeat for my heart forgiue my tongue This speaketh and That loues How he imprison'd did escape and else what else-wheare reede The Queene and this braue Gentleman did marry and their Seede Began that royall Race that did doth and may still succeede In happie Empire of our Throne a famous line in deede Once when this Match was at a point they merrily disposed Did descant what from vulgar tongues thereof would be supposed They will beleeue me amorous or thee so wiued as Vulcan the Smith of Lemnos that to Venus married was The Queene did say And Tuder said I hope of hansell better In Venus and in Vulcans names more lieth than the letter For he was as I would not be She as you should be neuer Either so apt to giue and take as pittie them to seuer I pray thee Owen quoth the queene how met they canst thou tell I can he said and more then so then marke the processe well When Vulcan was a Batcheler and Venus was vnwed Thus wowde he her thus wonne he her thus wowde won he sped CHAP. XXX VEnus the fairest Goddesse and as amorous as faire Belou'd of Mars and louing Mars made oftentimes repaire To Vulcans forge as to see wrought for Iupiter his Fire And thunders Mars his Armors and the Sunwaines curious tire When they indeede of merriments in Loue did theare conspire And lastly did conlude the Smith a Stale vnto their sport Wherein did Venus play her part preuayling in this sort Vulcan quoth she no God there is I thinke but needeth thee For Thunders Ioue Ceres for Sieths for Armors Mars I see Bacchus for prewning Kniues and Pan for Sheep-hookes Phoebus hee For Cart-tiers Dis for shakling chaines Neptune for Ankers and No God but lackes thee sauing I that aske not at thy hand My Swans do draw in silken Geeres my wheeles be shod with downe No hardines is in beauties Coach But thou by birth no Clowne But Ioue his Son a God as wee art made a drudge too much When if that Venus might be heard thou shouldest not be such How apt are all in those same toyles that tende to their behoofe To let thee beare till backe doth breake but common is the proofe That cunning is not cunning if it standeth not aloofe By this had Vulcan hammered his heate and bad to stay The Bellowes and he lymping from the Anfeeld thus did say My busines Venus is ydoe now may I tend to play What woudst thou for I member scarce thy arging by my fay Wodst that I leaue the forge and thrt I god it with the Gods If so thou meanst thy meaning and my meaning be at ods Sweeter my Bellowes blowing and my hammers beating is To me then trimmest fidling on the trickest kit ywis Aske whatso-else I haue to giue thous maunde it for a kis As if quoth she my kisses were so currant vnto all No not at all to Vulcan if his kindnesse be so small I aske thy proper ease then earne thy proper ease and aske More than a kisse at least wise doe thy selfe from Mars vntaske He is my Foe frend thou not him nor forge him Armes but let Him luske at home vnhonored no good by him we get What lets but that we may become superlatiues Of vs All stand in neede we neede not them Then gaue shee him a â—us And saist me so quoth Vulcan and vnto the trough he hies And skowres his coly fists and face and with his apron dries Them badly mended and vnto the Queene of Dalliance sayes That Mars should lusk at home for him Then guilefull Venus playes Her part so well that on her lappe his head the Dotardlayes And whilst vpon her pressed Thies no Hauen for such Hulke He â—olls and loades her with the weight of his vnwealdy bulke And whilst she coyes his sooty Cheekes or curles his sweaty top The Groshead now and then as hapt a thred-bare terme le ts drop Then laughes he like a horse as who would say trow said I well But soone his wits were Non plus for his wooing could but spell This fitted her for so before twixt Mars and her was ment Though not that she so cunningly should Mars of Armes preueÌ„t But him to stawle in store not els employde was her intent Her Lubber now was snorting ripe and she meane while was glad That for to serue her turne else-wheare so good a Staile she had What passe I thinketh Venus on his forme or fashions rude For letting forme and fashion passe one fashion is pursude In getting Children at the least who so the Child shall git It shall suffice that Vulcan is the same shall father it Now Mars in
remoued So did I loue and so I left so many a skorne and skoffe Care cost disgrace and losse of time were and may be cut off And women so lesse stand aloofe when men can so be wise So lesser sute hath lucklier speede than to be too precise Not women but our wilfulnesse doth worke our owne vnrest Though Beautie Loue and they lacke fault we may abuse the best SO helpe me Iupiter quoth Mars in Loue so may Ispeede As Mercurie and Pan doe erre in poynts of Loue indeede Precisians and plaine Plodders such is This and so is That In Loue doe swallow Cammels whilest they nicely straine a Gnat. Why what be Women Women geld the latter sillabell Then are they nothing more then Woe their names remaine doth tell Their yea or no euen when they sweare they loue or loue vs not Beleeue who list soone be they gone as sodainly are got What neede we creepe the Crosse to giue vnto a begging Saint Tush tush a Flye for booke-Loue none be fortunate that faint Not paper pursse or kerchiefe Plea lets Fancie sooner loase Then at the Shrine to watch the Saint She is not coy but cloase Pollitians know to cheapen what to offer when to skoase The Clowne no doubt that potted Pan lackt Art to glose and flatter And yeat nor Pan nor Mercurie went roundlier to the Matter He found right Methode for there is a Methode time and place Which Fooles obseruing do cōmence ere Wisemē haue their grace Though dastard Hawkes doe sore aloft and dare not seaze vpon Or Bussards-like doe sit aloofe vntill the game be gon Kinde killing Hawkes but wag the wing and worke tolsowse anon Once Loue surreuerence made my selfe vale Bonnet So submis My ceremoniall wooing was as common wooing is With rufull lookes sighes sweete Pigs-nye and Fooleries more than few I courted her so much more stout by how much more I sew Till aptly singled as it hapt I say not what did hap But Loue that late did load my Head did load her willing Lap. Nor this Lad Loue of that same Loue is guiltie any whit For why nine Moones did wexe and waine betweene his birth it Alas poore Boy before he was Loue was a common game The first-made Man the Rib-reft Man in Eden shewd the same For when his sudden eyes admir'd the boan-flesht faire Conuart Deriued from his Side his tongue directed by his hart Foorthwith pronounced Woman but a moment earst vnknoen So deare as flesh of his owne flesh and bone of his owne boen Quit then ye Gods this Lad and let your search of Loue alone Who will in power be felt of all in person found of none Or rather is not reall but some Fansie if not then Fantasticall in Women but essentially in Men. If Loue be such in Women But mistake me not for whie I note them but fantasticall in fault of Destinie Deferre were then to erre When all is done that doe we may Labor we sorrowing all the night and sewing all the day The female faultie Custome yeelds lesse merit greatest pay And ventrous more then vertuous meanes doth beare the bell away Now touching Venus worthie such a Pheere not such a Foe Vulcan me thinkes obserueth well slight proofe in yea and noe The Court therefore is well aduis'd to Sentence not to groe The Gods that did ere while but aime at Vulcans wiues sonnes Father Saw Venus blush and held that aime autentical the rather End Gods and Goddesses quoth Ioue to argue to and fro Like good and bad is either Sex Nay more behold than so I viewd erewhile the Destenies and thence I thus did know Zimois when Troy must perish shall send downe her Floods a Fleete And world it were our Father ruld when Create thought him vnmeet But long time hence farre Starres thence that World shall world an I le Enuyrond with the Ocean waues then famous in short while Through often Triumphes ouer Foes and Traffike euery wheare Howbeit thrice orerunne and once a Conquest shall be theare * Those Changes notwithstanding they a People shall remaine Vnchased thence and of that Streene shall Fiue at length re-raigne Dread terrene Gods the Fift of those a terrene God desse She Euen at the firie Trigon shall your chiefe Ascendant be Right Phoebe-like Phoebe may like a Compeere like to her Retriue her named Name to time the tryall we refer This sayd he bids adiorne the Court and willed Mercurie Thencefoorth not to conuent the Gods for such a Foolerie As Loue the idle Bodies worke and Surfet of the Eie And thus the Queene and Tuder chat But thought of nothing lesse Then that from them Ioues noted fiue fated to such successe Should spring as sprong and part springs yet But cease we to digresse And shew we how her Sonne did long and lucklesse Raigne possesse CHAP. XXXII IT rests fifth Henries Sonne that made the Henries more by one Did in his Infancie possesse his Conquering Fathers Throne And happely was rulde a Child rulde an happie man Till with his Parrasites his Peeres and hee with them began A bloodie quarrell offering so vnto the Yorkests spright For to reclaime in bold attempts their discontinued right Richard Plantagenet the Duke of Yorke by VVarwicks ayde Did get the Gaole not long enioy'd for he in Armes decayde Subdued by King Henries Queene when as by frends and force He had in Parlament obtaynde in euery clause his corse For mounted thear the Kingly Throne that Yorkish Heros sayd Here should I speake and shall I hope and so his Claime conuayd From Clarence his Progenitor with reasons such among As he Protector of the Realme King Henries heires were wrung From all Reuersion hearts and eares did so applaud his tung Edward his Sonne then Earle of March the Duke his Father slaine Wonne by the Earle of VVarwicks ayde in double battell Raigne King Henry fled to Scotland and the Queene and Prince their Sonne From France sollicet Succors which vnto their losse they wonne Henry was taken they and their Confedrates were subdu'd Yeat still the Queene escaped and she armour still pursu'd But VVarwicke pleased all attempts did faile to Edwards Foes Displeased Edward fayled and declined Henry rose He crowned Either and the same discrowned them againe Admyrd of all belou'd of all howbeit lastly slaine By Edward whilst he did vphold vnchancie Henries Raigne So VVarwicke perisht Henry so refalne from Kings estate Was reimprison'd and his Queene did land her aydes too late But landing when of Barnet field she heard the luckles fate Albeit Knights Lancastrians store did flocke in her defence She stoode a second Niobe bereft of speech and sence And whilst the Duke of Somerset an ouer-hardie Knight Did brauely marshall out her force to ouer-matched fight Hers and King Henries Sonne the Prince of VVales a proper Lad In comforting his mother did continue her more sad Ah Sonne quoth she through oft mishaps mishaps I can disgest I feare for thee
we commend Well wotring Acts heroick and great Accidents not few Occurre this happie Raigne here-hence of purpose blanched vew Nor Perpetuitie my Muse can hope vnlesse in this That thy sweet Name Elizabeth herein remembred is And this hope I doth bode me good that very day wherein Was finish't This did of thy Raigne yeare Thirtith nine begin May Muse arte-graced more than mine in Numbers like supply What in thine Highnes Praise my Pen too poore hath passed-by A larger Field a Subiect more illustrious None can aske That with thy Scepter and thy selfe his Poesie to taske Thy Peoples Prolocutor be my Prayer and I pray That vs thy blessed Life and Raigne long blesse as at this day An Addition in Proese to the second Booke of ALBIONS ENGLAND contayning a Breuiate of the true Historie of Aeneas ACcept him friendly Reader where he is not where he ought and as he speaketh not as he should Misapplied he is not for Matter precedent howsoeuer the penning or misplacing may like or mislike for the English or Order Rather hath my Remisnes borrowed of Decorum and your Patience than that a Patriarke of our Brutons should be abruptly estranged Of Aeneas therefore it thus followeth Aeneidos WHen the reuengefull Flames of Trâ—y properly called Ilion then the principall Citie of all Asia had perfected the more than Teâ—ne yeares Siege of the Grecians expugning of the same then Aeneas howsoeuer by some authorities noted of disloyaltie towards Priam in this not vnworthily surnamed vertuous burthening his armed shoulders with his feeble and most aged Father Anchises that laboured also vnder his loade of the Troian Gods and sacred Reliques Aeneas as I say with such his Burthen leading by the hand his Sonne Ascanius of the age of twelue yeres followed not only of the beautifull Creusa his wife the Daughter of King Priam but also of a many Troians participating that common calamitie brake through the wastfull Flames mauger the wrathful Foes into the fields of Phrigia Theare the Aire emptied of down-burnt Turrets and filled with smoake of fired Buildings assured froÌ„ their hearts more teares to their eyes than the benefit of their present Escape could promise them comfort Trâ—y therefore not to be rescued or Creusa in this businesse lost and perishing to be recouered Aeneas and his Followers imbarking themselues in Simois after long weary Sea-faring arriued in a part of Thrace called Cressa bounding on Mygdonia Here Aeneas purposing an end of his tedious Saylings and not meanly furnished of Treasure conuayed from Troy laied Foundation of a Citie after the Founder called Aenea This Citie going forward lesse effectually than was expected Aeneas supposing the Gods to bee yet opposite to the Troians knocking downe a milke-white Bull pitched an Altar to doe Sacrifice Neere at hand were growing diuers shrubbed Trees the Boughes whereof for the greater reuerence and exornation of the present Solemnitie he cutting and sliuing downe perceiued blood in great abundance issuing from the broken Branches whereat long admiring and with great terror and deuotion intercessing the Gods to reueale the meaning of that miraculous Accident at the length he heard a pitiful feeble voice for diuessly in those daies did the Diuels answere and giue Oracles thus answering Reason were it Aeneas that the Graues of the dead shuld priuiledge their bodies from the tyrannie of the liuing but by so much the lesse doe I esteeme my preiudice by how much the more I know thee vnwittingly iniurious Thou Aeneas in these Braunches thou tearest the bodie of thy vnfortunate Brother-in-law Polydor Sonne to the likestarred Priamus Troy as yet was only threatned not besieged when my Father as thou knowest deliuered me with a world of Treasure to Polymnâ—stor the barbarous King of this Countrie here daungerles as he pretended to abide as the Conseruor and Restauration of his House and Empyre whatsoeuer should betide of him his other Issue or the Warres then beginning but the Greekes preuailing Auarice and the declining State of Phrigia imboldned my Gardein fearles of Reuengers to the murthering of me which he traytrously accomplishing on this Shore secretly raked me vp in these Sands without honor of better Sepulcher and of my body so hath it pleased the Gods and Nature are sprong these Branches in tearing of which thou tormeÌ„test me Howbeit in respect of my desire to profit thee by foretelling of thy Destinie I account mee happily harmed For know Aeneas that in vaine thou doest build where the Gods deny thine abode leaue therefore these defamed Coasts and prosperously plant the Remaine of Troy and thy Posteritie in the fertill Italian Clime The voyce thus ceased to speake and Aeneas without further touch of the forbidden Shrubs continuing his feare finished the Sacrifice after the Phrigian fashion solemnlie held an Obit to the Ghost of his murthered Kinsman THen by this admonishment he and his Troians leauing the new reared Citie disanker from Thrace in quest of behighted Italie But no sooner had they put to Sea theÌ„ that the windes and the waues sollicited a Poeticall fiction by the wife of Iupiter so tossed and turmoyled the disparkled Nauie that the horror of the circuÌ„stances coÌ„tinually threatning their liues left onely hoped-for death as the remaine of all comfort At length these instruments of their long wandrings and the causes of Anchises of many noble personages there perishing couÌ„terpleaded as is fabled by Venus tossed their distackled Fleet to the Shore of Libya Neere to the place of their arriual stood the beautifull Citie of Carthage which Elisa whom the Phaenicians for her magnanimious dying did afterwards name Dido had newly builded Aeneas by safe-coÌ„duct receiued froÌ„ her repayring thether found such royal entertainemeÌ„t that in respect of the present solace he had forgotteÌ„ al passed sorrowes his hart-spent Troians found bountifull supplies to all their late endured scarsities In the meane while Aeneas for personage the Iouilist for wel-spokeÌ„ the Mercuxilist no lesse fortunate vnder Venus her constellatioÌ„ with his comelines so intised the eyes with his speeches so inchaunted the eares and with his vertues so enflamed the heart of the amorous Cathagenian Queene that hardly modesty discented that her tongue affirmed not the loue which her eyes outwardly blabbed and her heart inwardly nourished In the end not able longer to containe such extraordinary Passions in this order she vented the same to the Lady Anna her Sister My trusty Sister quoth she then sighing out a pause how many great Princes since the decease of my late husband Sichaeus and our departure from Tyrus haue in vaine laboured a marriage with me hath been vnto thee no lesse apparant than of me hitherto vnapproued but now haled on I know not by what destinie our new-come Guest Aeneas the Troian whose matchlesse personage and knightly prowesse I partially commend not all confirming of him no lesse than I can affirme the same euen the same hath supplanted my chast determinations of continual
Lady Flood of Floods the Ryuer Thamis it Did seeme to Brute against the foe and with himselfe to fit Vpon whose fruitful bancks therefore whose bounds are chiefly said The want-les Counties Essex Kent Surrie and wealthie Glayde Of Hartfordshire for Citties store participating ayde Did Brute build vp his Troy-nouant inclosing it with wall Which Lud did after beautifie and Luds-towne it did call That now is London euermore to rightfull Princes trewe Yea Prince and people still to it as to their Storehouse drewe For plentie and for populous the like we no wheare vewe Howbe-it many neighbour townes as much ere now could say But place for people people place and all for sinne decay When Brute should dye thus to his Sonnes hee did the Isle conuay To Camber Wales to Albnact he Albanie did leaue To Locrine Brutaine whom his Queene of life did thus bereaue THe furious Hun that drowning theare to Humber left his name The King did vanquish and for spoyle vnto his Nauie came Where Humbars Daughter Parragon for beautie such a Dame As Loue himselfe could not but loue did Locrine so inflame That Guendoleyne the Cornish Duke his daughter Locrins Queene Grewe in contempt and Coryn dead his Change of Choyse was seene To Cornwall goes the wrothfull Queene to seaze her Fathers Land Frō whence she brought to worke reuenge of warriours stout a band And bids her husband battell and in battell is he slaine And for their Sonne in Nonage was she to his vse did raine The Lady Estrild Locrins Loue and Sabrin wondrous faire Her husbands and his Leimans impe she meaning not to spare Did bring vnto the water that the wenches name doth beare There binding both and bobbing them then trembling at her yre She sayd if Scythia could haue hild the wandring King thy Syre Then Brittish waters had not been to him deserued bayne But Estrild snout-fayre Estrild she was sparde forsooth to traine With whorish tricks a vicious King But neither of you twaine Thou stately Drab nor this thy Brat a bastard as thy selfe Shall liue in triumph of my wrong first mother and her Elfe Shall fish in Flood for Humbars soule and bring him newes to hell That Locrins wife on Locrins whore reuenged her so well They lifting vp their lillie hands from out their louely eyes Powre teares like Pearles wash those Cheekes where naught saue beautie lyes And seeking to excuse themselues mercie to obtaine With speeches good and praiers faire they speake and pray in vaine Queene Guendoleyne so bids and they into the Flood are cast Whereas amongst the drenching waues the Ladies breath their last As this his Grandame such appear'd Mempricius Madans sonne Whose brother Manlius traytrously by him to death was donne And since of noble Brute his line prodigious things I tell I skipping to the Tenth from him will shewe what then befell ABout a thirtie yeares and fiue did Leir rule this Land When doting on his Daughters three with them he fell in hand To tell how much they loued him The Eldest did esteeme Her life inferior to her loue so did the second deeme The yongest sayd her loue was such as did a childe behoue And that how much himselfe was worth so much she him did loue The formost two did please him well the yongest did not so Vpon the Prince of Albanie the First he did bestoe The Middle on the Cornish Prince their Dowrie was his Throne At his decease Cordellas part was very small or none Yeat for her forme and vertuous life a noble Gallian King Did her vn-dowed for his Queene into his Countrie bring Her Sisters sicke of Fathers health their husbands by consent Did ioyne in Armes from Leir so by force the Scepter went Yeat for they promise pentious large he rather was content In Albanie the quondam King at eldest Daughters Court Was setled scarce when she repines and lessens still his Port. His secōd Daughter thē he thought would shewe her selfe more kind To whom he going for a while did franke allowance finde Ere long abridging almost all she keepeth him so loe That of two bads for betters choyse he backe againe did goe But Gonorill at his returne not onely did attempt Her fathers death but openly did hold him in contempt His aged eyes powre out their teares when holding vp his hands He sayd O God who so thou art that my good hap withstands Prolong not life deferre not death my selfe I ouer-liue When those that owe to me their liues to me my death would giue Thou Towne whose walles rose of my welth stand euermore to tell Thy Founders fall and warne that none do fall as Leir fell Bid none affie in Friends for say his Children wrought his wracke Yea those that were to him most deare did lothe and let him lacke Cordella well Cordella sayd she loued as a Child But sweeter words we seeke than sooth and so are men beguild She onely rests vntryed yet but what may I expect From her to whom I nothing gaue when these doe me reiect Then dye nay trye the rule maye fayle and nature may ascend Nor are they euer surest friends on whom we most doe spend He ships himselfe to Gallia then but maketh knowne before Vnto Cordella his estate who rueth him so poore And kept his theare ariuall close till she prouided had To furnish him in euery want Of him her King was glad And nobly entertayned him the Queene with teares among Her duetie done conferreth with her father of his wrong Such duetie bountie kindnes and increasing loue he found In that his Daughter and her Lord that sorrowes more abound For his vnkindly vsing her then for the others crime And King-like thus in Agamps Court did Leir dwell till time The noble King his Sonne-in-lawe transports an Armie greate Of forcie Gawles possessing him of dispossessed Seate To whom Cordella did succeede not raigning long in queate Not how her Nephewes warre on her and one of thē slew th' other Shall followe but I will disclose a most tyrannous mother CHAP. XV. GOrbodugs double Issue now when eighteene Kings were past Hild ioyntly Empyre in this land till Porrex at the last Not tyed so by brotherhood but that he did disdaine A fellowe King for neuer can one Kingdome brooke of twaine Did leuie secrete bands for dread whereof did Ferrex flye And out of Gallia bringeth Warre in which himselfe did dye Then Porrex only raigned heere and ruled all in peace Till Iden mother Queene to both her furie did increase So fearcely as she seekes reuenge euen in the highest degree Why liueth this quoth she a King in graue why lyeth he Dye Iden dye nay dye thou wretch that me a wretch hast made His ghost whose life stood in thy light commaundeth me of ayde Nor want I Ferrex will to ayde for why the Gods I see Deferre reuenge nor with a Deuill the Deuils disagree The heauens me thinks with thūderbolts should presse his soule to hell
perish fewe disperse and all were out of harte Yea Brenn himselfe discouraged did change in euery parte He looking after and vpon the scattered and the slayne Did seeme a second Cadmus saue lesse patient of his payne And shaming to be seene to weepe deuoured sightles teares And in these words his heartie greefes did number to their Eares Sweet Soldiours leaue me to my selfe it likes me that ye leaue me More takes your tarriance frō my health than can these plagues bereaue me Each of these Masse of Corpses dead hath bin a death to me Deliuer then mine Eyes of you too many deathes I see Suruiue and tell the Westerne World what we exployted haue How that to Rome amidst her Roofe the mayden Sacke we gaue Tell of our Battels Booties and our Buildings lastly tell An honor to our Ouerthrowe that we at Delphos fell By wounds deuine no humane Armes But God who so thou be Lesse is thy courage than Commaund els would'st thou cope with me As Pluto with Alcides did and Mars sometimes with men Do me like honor and these Graues shall lightly greeue me then But thou full little darest so Nay I doe dare too much That with my so vnhallowed tongue thy Deitie dare touch Ah see these Slaughters and reserue aliue this small Remayne Let lastly me and only me eike number to the slayne But bootlesse on a ruthles God I see my prayers spent As haughtely doest thou reuenge as humbly I repent Well God of Delphos since our teares this Incense nor these Graues Appease thine yre persist to plague this flesh that henceforth craues No pitie to the Hebrewe God of power exceeding thyne Men say appeale I and bequeath the Soules of me and myne Accept my simple Legacie O Godhood most deuyne Sayd Brenn. And with a selfe-wrought wound did perish and his men Departing wonne and left the name to Gallo-Grecia then The righteous Gorboman might add fresh Subiect to our Muse But skipping to his Fathers Sonnes of them it thus ensewes FIue yeeres had Archigallo raign'd when hated doing wrong He was depriued of his Realme and liued vagrant long And fearing all that frended none kept close the Woods among Theare Elidurus hunting found his wretched Brother and They gasing each in others face with sighes and weepings stand A King as Elidurus is once was I thinkes his Brother A wretch as Archigallo is I may be thinkes the other The lowlie King alights anon and when they had imbrac'd Then Archigallo secretly in Ebranks Towne was plac'd In which the King commaunding so the Nobles did conuent To whom did Elidurus thus informe of his intent If Fortune had bin crosse my Lords to me or any feare Of Armor were approching vs I should perchaunce appeare Faint and false-hearted in my charge but euer lackt the one Nor hath the other likelihood for quietler ruleth none Yeat Kings may thinke their heads too weake their Dyademes to sustaine For endles cares concurre with Crownes a bitter sweete is Raine Howbeit Subiects falsely iudge their Princes blessed are When both of peace and perils they containe the common care And yeat for this they grudgingly from Pounds a Penny spare Not these my Lords make me disclaime in it which all pursue But Iustice bidds my Brothers right I should commend to you This one Request includes I knowe exceeding dangers twaine To me if for a priuate life I change a publique Rayne To you if whom ye haue depriu'd ye shall restore againe But for I haue done right no wrong though Iustice wants not foes And though vnto a Magistrate disgrading bringeth woes Yeat gainst the bad a conscience good may safe it selfe oppoes Nor be ye fearefull of reuenge that did no more than right Euen Archigallo will confesse his sinne and cleare your spight Whose restitution were he wrongd at least shall you acquite You hassard lesse re-kinging him then I vn-king'd to bee And Danger ouer-dares if it from Iustice disagree Then good my Lords doe right his wrong at least-wise doe him right Whose smarte no doubt hath wrought in him a reconciled spright Iust Gorboman his brotherhood succeeding in their Line Then Archigallo should be King to him let me resine So much the King did vrge this Text that Archigallo rayn'd And Elidurus willingly in priuate life remaynde The one restored for his late depriuing nothing mou'd The other wonders tell I now dis-crowned yeat belou'd Tenne yeares did Archigallo raigne beloued well and dyed And Elidurus once againe the Kingly Throne supplyed Vntill his Brothers secondly depose him of his raine But they deceasing thirdly he was crowned King againe And so vntill his Dying day with honor did remaine A many Kings whose good or bad no Wrighter hath displaide Did follow Lud and Hely for their stately buildings made Rest chiefly famous Nor forget King Bledgrabed I shall Whom Brutons did their Glee-god for his skill in Musicke call The next whose dayes gaue famous deedes Cassiuelan is sayde Whom Caius Iulius Caesar did with Armour thus inuade CHAP. XVII THis Conquerour of Gallia found his Victorie prolong'd By Brittish Succours and for it pretending to bee wrong'd Did send for Tribute threatning els to bring the Brutons Warre The latter going forward first the Albinests to barre A common foe concurre as friends and now was come the Spring When Caesar out of War-wonne France victorious Trowpes did bring But easlier wonne the Grecians land at Pargama by much Than got the Latines footing heere their Contraries were such Yee might haue seene of Hectors race then thousand Hectors heere With pollicie on either part the Romanes buying deere The bloodie Shore the water yeat lesse deerer than the land To them whom valiantlie to proofe the Ilanders withstand Ofte battell they the Brutons still victorious and in vaine Their foes were valiant onelie heere was Caesars force in waine And as our men vnto his men were as tempesteous Thunder So did his ankred Shippes on Seas by Tempest dash in sunder But twice quoth Caesar Fortune thou wert opposite to mine But thirdlie heere to Caesars selfe thou wontles dost decline Conuaying then his wearie men into his wasted Shippes To Gallia there to Winter them he miscontented slippes Of this same Victorie did spring securitie and strife The Scottes and Pichtes did sunder hence the Brutons ouer-rise In Largesse making frollike Cheere a quarrell then aroes Betwixt the King and Luds false Sonne and they dis-ioyne as foes That Caesar slippes Aduantage such were error to suppoes Euen of the Brutons some there were recalling backe the Foe And Winter past with doubled power he backe againe did roe The Romaines more the Brutons they farre fewer than before Offend defend fight for fence from to winne and warde the Shore But Caesar landed and ensew'd continuall cruell fight Thrice put the fierce Cassiuelanes the Caesarines to flight And still the King incouraging in euerie wing appeares So giuing needlesse spurres to fight his Souldiours brooke not feares Nor little did the Cornish
for thee the hope that to our House doth rest Now all are tryed we can trust if now we faile we fall Thy death is in the same request as is thy Fathers thrall And which I would it were the worst the Foe doth thirst my life To end his Triumph in the deaths of Husband Sonne and Wife Though thy great-Grandsier Grandsier thy Father wonne wore The King-ring which thy Father hild yeares thirtie eight and more Though by the cappitall Remote of Lancaster withstood Yeat fayle prescription and discents now lacke they but our blood Then learne against thou proue a man ah hardly hope I so The Line Lancastrian naturally doth labour of that Foe The Queene concluding thus in teares did then to Armor goe Fierce was the Field and either part did valiantly offend But Edward ouercomming when the Battell was at end The Queene was carried Captiue thence And Edwards men did bring Her Sonne the Prince sole sonne and heire vnto the captiue King Before the Victor whose demaunds receiuing answers stout He thrusts the manly Boy from him whom Glocester about The King Churle that he was did stab So tragicke was the spight Betwixt those Linages that oft each others so requite His death was more than death vnto his Parents but not long His Father moned vndispatcht alike for death and wrong By foresaid Duke of Glocester of whom succeedes our song THus won the Yorkestes ancient Raigne sixe bloodie Fields did seate Edward the Fourth in Englands Throne possest a while in queate He wonne his Subiects loue and loue was debt to his desarts But as must ours so lastly his vn-bodied Soule departs He left his Kingdome to his Sonne his Sonne to be protected By Richard Duke of Glocester Who pietie reiected Grew treble-wise tyrannicall malicious to the blood Of his deceased brothers Queene And what so Yorkest stood Betwixt the Scepter and himselfe aliue he pricked dead A Foe to all Lancastrians as the same by nature bread This common Deaths-man of those Kinnes and euery Nobles fall Whom he but gest Coriuall or might crosse him near so small This stoope-Frog Aesops Storke alike tyrannous vnto all To giltie giltlesse friend or foe was not secure one day But Either dyes as eithers death might fit him any way Yea euen whilst his Brother rulde when all Lancastrians and His Brothers twaine his Nephewes twaine Neeces three did stand Betwixt himselfe and home euen then by blood he hunted Raine For when his owne and ruthles hands King Henries heire had â—â—ayue Then Henries selfe Henrie the sixt a giltles King in bands He stabd his brother Clarence dide through him by other hands But now Protector as doe Wolues the Lambes protected he And fared as if fearing that one wickedder might be Queene mother and her kindred hild the Orphant King a while Her Kinne hee murdred and from her he got the King by gile Whom though vncrowned tituled fist Edward rest his mother He made be murdred with the Duke of Yorke the yonger brother When neither Yorkest his Allies and of Lancastrians none Were left to let it who should let but he might leape the Throne He wore indeede the wrested Palme But yeat to better bad By murder of his wife he sought new marriage to be had With that Elizabeth that was the Eldest daughter to Edward the fourth But all in vaine the King his Neece did wowe For Henrie Earle of Richmonds friends such doings did vndoe Which Henry and Elizabeth by secrete Agents were Contracted he of Lancaster and she of Yorke the heire Of which letigious Famelies heer mapped be the Lines Euen till the Heire of these two Heires both Stockes in one combines CHAP. XXXIII HEnrie as if by myracle preseru'd by Forraines long From hence-ment Treasons did arriue to right his Natiues wrong And chiefly to Lord Stanlie and some other Succors as Did wish and worke for better dayes thâ— Riuall welcome was Now Richard heard that Richmond was assisted and a shore And like vnkenneld Cerberus the crooked Tyrant swore And all complexions act at once confusedly in him He studieth striketh threates intreates and looketh mildly grim Mistrustfully he trusteth and he dreadingly did dare And fortie passions in a trice in him consort and square But when by his conuented force his foes increased more He hastned Battell finding his Coriuall apt therefore When Richmond orderly in all had battelled his ayde Inringed by his Complices their chearefull Leader sayde Now is the time and place sweete Frends and we the Persons be That must giue England breath or els vnbreath for her must we No Tyrannie is fabled and no Tyrant was in deede Worse thaÌ„ our Foe whose workes wil act my words if wel he speede For ill to ills Superlatiue are easely intist But intertaine amendment as the Gergesites did Christ. Be valiant then he biddeth so that would not be out-bid For courage yeat shall honor him though bace that better did I am right heire Lancastrian he in Yorkes destroyed right Vsurpeth But through Either ours for neither Claime I fight But for our Countries long-lackt weale for Englands peace I warre Wherein he speed vs vnto whom I all Euents refarre Meane while had furious Richard set his Armies in array And then with lookes euen like himselfe this or the like did say Why Lads shall yonder Welshman with his Straglers ouer-match Disdaine ye not such Riualles and deferre yee their dispatch Shall Tuder from Plantagenet the Crowne by craking snatch Know Richards very thoughts he toucht the Diademe he wore Be mettall of this mettall Then beleeue I loue it more Than that for other law than Life to super sead my Clame And lesser must not be his Plea that counter-pleads the same The weapons ouer-tooke his words blowes they brauely change When like a Lion thirsting bloud did moody Richard range And made large slaughters where he went till Richmond he espied Whom singling after doubtfull Swords the valerous Tyrant died THus ended Englands warre and woe vsurping Richard dead When Henry and Elizabeth vniting titles wed Of which two Heires th' vndoubted Heire of either Line did cum The Epilogue vnto these wounds digested in this sum Fourth Henry first Lancastrian King put second Richard downe Fourth Edward of the House of Yorke re-seazd sixt Henries Crowne Lad-Princes twaine were stabd in Field of either Linage one Foure Kings did perish Sundry times now-Kings anon were none Sixe three of either faction helde successiuely the Throne But from the second Richard to seuenth Henry we pretend Eight Kings this Faction to begin continue and to end The Princes Earles Barons and Knights this quarrell did deuour Exceede the tale of Gentry best and bacest at this houre So plagueth ciuill Warre so from Robe to Ragge dooth scoure Then luckiest of the Planets weare Predominants say we When by this Bedmatch either Heire that Bloud-mart did agree When Seuenth begot the Eight and Eight the First and Last for like Our now Pandora
nor till her our humbled sailes we strike For should we at her Grandsier reare our Colome yet too poore We could not write as Hercules on his Beyond no more For he lackt search our Muse hath Kend an Ocean is in store Euen matter that importeth worth coparing all before THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XXXIV NOw let vs poste-alone to Mars and Mercury repaâ—r At least so farforth as wee maye without controwlment daer Richard the third Henry the Seauenth last subiects of our pen Was slaine was crownde with hate with loue as worste as best of men So not with Yorke and Lancaster doth wonted enuie raigne Nor can Aeneas Off-springs now of Orphansie complaine But that Cadwalladers Fore-doomes in Tuders should effect Was vnexpected saue that God doth destinies direct Els Owen Tuder had not wiu'd Fift Henries noble Queene Nor had they of their bodies Earles Penbrooke and Richmon seene Nor Margret Somersets sole heire to Richmon had beene weade Nor they the heire of Lancaster Henry the Seuenth had bread Nor he of Yorks Inheritrix Elizabeth had sped Nor they vnited either house all other titles dead Yeat eare this vnion Either so ariued to their right As Psiches on an errant sent to Hell by Venus spight Worse Ferrymen than Charon Hoods contagious more than Styx Worse Porters than fowle Cerberus were pleas'd past stood betwix How therefore Either dangerously their Labyrinth did passe Shall not be ouerpassed Thus their seuerall fortune was Henries the fourth the fifte and sixt successiuely did raigne Vntill fourth Edwards sword to him did lawfull Empier gaine Lancastrians droupe the Yorkests had their long expected day Sixt Henry and the Prince his sonne by stabbes were made away The foresaid Margaret sole heire of Somerset earst wife Of Tuder Earle of Richmond had by him a Sonne in life To whom from her the Crowne-right of LancastriaÌ„s did accrewe He from his English foes himselfe by secrete stealth withdrewe To little Brutaine wheare he found the Duke a frendfull trewe This Henry Earle of Richmond now poore Lancasters Remaine Was by fourth Edward practis'd home by many a subtell traine Whome once the gentle Duke beguilde with promises vnment Deliuered to the English-men with whome he homewards went Forsaken Ladd for yet he was a Ladd what did remaine But certaine death so to assure his foes vncertaine raine Which to establish many a Prince of his Allies weare slaine But him eare broughta-boorde the Duke aduised better stayd And him as if by câ—â—â—nce escapte to Sanctuarie conuaid The Lambe so rescued from the Wolfe that priuiledged place Assured him till Edwards death and then he hoped grace But he that was Protector of his murthered Nephewes than Vsurped England and became a Monsture not a man Richard the third omitting all his tyrannies beside To be possessed of the Earle by many a message tride Great wealth was sent greater assum'de but nothing might preuail The gracious Duke abhord to set his guiltles frend to sayle But furnished with money men and armor shipt him thence To winne his right yeat churlish Seas did lett such kind pretence Full hardly Richmonds threatned Ship escapt our armed Shoore For Richard of the Riuall got intelligence before Return'de the Duke did sicken and Landoise did beare the sway And he for Masses great was brib'de Earle Henry to betray Yeat through wise Bishop Murtons meanes by stealth he scap'te away In trauell then from Brutaine to his Grome himselfe was Grome By interchaunged rayment till to Anger 's they weare come The French King pittying his distresse pretended asked aide And secrete platformes for his weale his English friends had laide Henry in France at home his Friends bester them and the Foe Meane time with hope with fraud with feare imployde his witts also Now of the Earles conspiracy the totall drift was this Elizabeth the daughter of fourth Edward vow'd he his And she was vow'd to him if God with victory him blisse Our wounded Englands healing balme for thus thereof ensew'de The factious Families vnite the Tyrant was subdew'de And thence the surname Tuder doth Plantagenet include AS hardly as her husband did Elizabeth escape For why like Stratageme for both did bloody Richard shape Whilste that her Father liued now a King and now exilde Her Crosses then did happen from such victors as weare milde But now the same that murthered her Brothers to be King That did withfraud begin and then with bloud conclude ech thing That flattred friends to serue his turne and then destroyde the same That was her Vncle yeat did hate her Mothers very name That thought he liued not because his Neeces weare vndead Theis now and blame her not in her a world of terror bread But of vnpriuiledged bloud yet had he store to spill Yet sanctuaries weare not forc'te yet but expecting ill Theareofte the Queene her Mother Shee and Sisters would reporte Their happie and vnhappie daâ—es the fewer of first sorte Happy was I the olde Queene said when as a Maide vnweade Nor Husbands weale nor Childrens woe mistempered my head Yeat I beloued loued and so left that free estate And thought me happyer than before for louely was my Mate Iohn Gray a sweet Esquier for his prowysse dubbed Knight Was as behoued all my ioy who slaine in factious fight Your Father Daughters late my Lord and Husband now in earth From me had many a secrete curse as motyue of his death Lancastrian was my husband and that faction had the wourste So to releeue my Widdowhood I kneel'd to whom I curste Edward for Henry was depoes'de and Edward seaz'd the Crowne I wot not for what forme of mine did raise me kneeled downe And gaue me chearefull wordes and tooke me curteously aside And playd the ciuell Wanton and me amoroufâ—y he eide His plea was loue my sute was Land I plie him he plies me Too baece to be his Queene too good his Concubine to be I did conclude and on that point a while we disagree But when I was his Queene sweete King not for I was his Queene But for himselfe and for the loue that passed vs betweene I held me happiest vnderheauen yea when his aduerse Line Discrowned him I had inough that I was his he mine Then after fortunes often change he died and I suruiue A life exceeding death for griefe and greefes Superlatiue My heart ah Sonnes my heart deare Hearts was dead eare yee did die Too yong weare yee to censure of your vncles tyranny Then wept shee and her daughters wept their onely talke alwaies Was passed ioyes or present woes nor hope they better daies But in Earle Richmonds good successe that now a power did raise Too soone had Richard notice that Earle Henry would ariue By precontract his eldest Neece Elizabeth to wiue And well he knew in Yorks descent she was immediate heire And Henry like in Lancaster a Match for him to feare Which to preuent he flattered his Neeces from their mother Who fearefull Ladies
lingring Torments who Fault to their Inquisition oâ— their Damned Rytes must doe Then better Bodies perish than should soules miscarrie too Of neither which hath Rome or Spaine remorse but thristing Sway Regard not whome by whom or how they treacherously berray How oft haue they the rest ore past subborn'd our Queenes decay By wars wiles witchcrafts daggers dags Pope poyson what not To her haue they attempted death for liewe the Traytors lot Vouchsafe O God those loues of thine be neuermore forgot Was neuer any thryued yet that threatned her amis For of anoynted Princes God sole Iudge and Rector is And if Examples might preuaile then Traytors might perceaue They perish in their purpose or but Spyders webbes doe weaue And heere occasion apteth that we catalogue awhile And vnto English Dukes from first to last addresse our Style Though numbers greater as great of power did pryde begyle Yeat in this one degree obserue what headding and exile Yf then such Mighties felt Gods frowne shal Meaners hope his smile CHAP. XLV EDward surnam'd the blacke Prince and third Edwards eldest sonne Third Thomas Duke of Norffolke This did ende and That begonne From Normaine VVilliams Conqueste heere of Dukes the Title hie Of fortie seuen but twentie two a naturall death did die Edward y e Duke of Yorke that lead fifth Henries Vaward Knightly Then slaine at Agencourt with fame we ouerpasse him lightly Nor Humfrey Duke of Glocester heere catalogue we rightly Nor VVilliam Duke of Suffolke who exilde on seas was met And hated headded howbeit sixt Henries Fauoret Nor Edmund Duke of Somerset that Henries loued Peere Nor Humfrey Duke of Buckingham to that same King as deere Nor sweet yong Richard Duke of Yorke of Glosters kyn too neere We also two Plantagenets both Dukes of Clarence cleere Of which was Thomas slaine in France George drownd in Malmsie heere For though these Eight remembred Dukes deceast not in their beads Yeat none of these had traytrous hearts that forfetted their heads Howbeit otherwise of these weare some that erred so That stomack't for such Errors did their ends vntimely groe Nor was the Duke of Ireland Vere in second Richards time A Traytor but a Parasite which proude no lesse a crime He as ambitious as he was enuious and enuied Was banisht by the Nobles and in banishment he died Mowbreie of Norffolke right or wrong by foresaid Richard was Exiled and in Italie did hence to nature pas When second Richard was deposde and Henrie wore the Crowne Two Hollands to restore the one and put the other downe Conspiring weare detected and at Cercester they both Of Excester and Surrey Dukes found death in Vulgar wroth Richard Plantagenet the Duke of Yorke fourth Edwards father Sought to depose fixt Henrie and was heard therein the rather For that to him by law-Descents the Scepter did acrew But they compound howbeit warres were reard and him they slew Iohn Holland Duke of Excester fourth Edwards sentence fleade And was long after in the sea suspuicusly found dead Then Henry Duke of Somerset rebelling lost his heade Of Edmund Duke of Somerset the like is also reade So Henrie Duke of Buckingham third Richards friend-foe speade And that tyrannous Richard Duke of Glocester his Raigne Vsurped was suppressed he for blood payd blood againe Iohn Duke of Norffolk fought and fell at Bosworth field His sonne Duke Thomas in Eight Henries daies did heading hardly shonne Adiudg'd perpetuall Durance in Queene Maries raigne vn-donne VVolsey that slye officious and too Lordly Cardnall wrought Who could would effect his wil that to the blocke was brought Eight Henrie raigning Edward Duke of Buckingham whose end That Prelate ioyde the people moend because his foe their friend Seimer the Duke of Somerset enuied more than reason By one that came the next to Blocke though mightie at that season Sixt Edward in Minoritie dide quit although of treason No sooner Marie got the crowne more liklie to be gon But Iohn Duke of Northumberland beheaded was anone Who wrought to set the Diedeme Iane Dudlies heade vpon Her Father Henrie Gray the Duke of Suffolke was also A friend vnto that Faction the Spanish Wowers foe But by that act he lost his heade as did too many moe In blessed Queene Elizabeth her happie Raigne of peace The Tragedies and Tytles too of English Dukes did cease Which Thomas Duke of Norffolke laste Tragedian did increase All theis weare mightie in their times yeat being Male-contents Both they and hundreds powerfull Peeres for like found like Euents Howbeit of the common wealth none worser did desarue Than such as flattred Princes faults who faulting all did swarue Which in their Pollicie the States of Hell did then fore-see When as they ioyned others Aydes vnto the Furies three Narcissus Shadowe and the Voice of Eccho than which twaine How fabulous so-ere it seeme nought hath or more doth baine Wherefore to such as know them not we either thus explaine CHAP. XLVI WHeare Cadmus old Agenors sonne did reste and plant his Raigne Narcissus of his Of spring theare for beautie fame did gaine His Mother was Lyriope faire Thetis fairer Daughter Whome cheefest as the choisest wowde and braue Cephisus caught her Boeotia was the fertile Realme Parnassus Plaine the place Whear this admired Youth was borne this Lass-Lad forme and face No Nymph so faire but wisht him hers howbeit all in vayne His selfe-loue wrought his selfe-losse his beauty prou'd his baine Who proud of Natures plentie hild all others in disdaine Till God who had created Man the fairest Creature Howbeit but a shadow of his proper Feature More differing far than Sun-shine froÌ„ the Suns selfe-substance pure Narcissus ouer-scornfull pride not longer would indure But froÌ„ his forme that pleas'd him most his plague did thus procure As this same fond selfe-pleasing Youth stood at a Fountaynes brym And proudly sees his shadow theare admiring euery lym Eccho an amiable Nymph long amorous of hym But louing vnbeloued now at least to please her Eye Conuaies her selfe vnseene into a Thicket ioyning by And thear as much ore-gone with loue as he ore-gone with pride She hears and sees and would haue pleas'd three Senses more beside And nothing more than euery part thus stealth-seene liked her And nothing lesse than hidden with vnhidden to conferre For well it had contented then in more then sight to erre Although not meanely did his scorne gainst it her stomacke sterre Meane while the Lad such power hath pride mens Senses to subdue Doats on his Shadow now suppos'd to be a Substance tâ—ue And lastly wowes so formally in words and gestures sweete That Eccho found his error and he saying Let vs meete Let 's meete quoth Eccho mockingly which hearing he with speed Beleeuing that his shadow was a Nymph and spake in deed Did leape into the Fountaine whear that Gallant drowning thus Hath left example how like pride may cause like plague to vs. How smooth-tongu'd Eccho that for him
Vnwilling though by what Presage I wot not Dauid seem'd Of Ammens going but what Fate ordain'd hath none redeem'd Go did he wheare full merily he frollicked that tyde When by his Ostes Attendants there of sudden Wounds he dyde Which after Bar quet did their Lord for onely him prouide More skar'd than hurt the other Sonnes of Dauid flead with speede Yeat eare their home-returne the King had notice of the deede And feared much their safetie till them he saw and then Was such confused sorrow more was neuer seene among'st Men. To Geshur Absolom escapes three yeares an Exile thear Till Dauids kinde relenting heart to Ioah did appeare By meanes of whome recalled home he lastly purchast Grace Yea well-appay'd was Dauid if weare Absolom in place Lou'd neuer Father more a Sonne than him his Father lon'd Prou'd neuer Sonne vngratefull more than he vngratfull prou'd For hauing stolne the Peoples hearts by affable Pretexts He faines his vowes at Hebren but the Diadem affects And by collected Forces theare distressed Dauid more Than S 〈…〉 le the Cananites or all hap't after or before Enforcing him to flie the Land But dwell we not of this God neuer fauor'd such Attempts or euer sayled His. When Dauid seem'd in common Sence already on the hip Was Absolom himselfe ore-throne whom God made ouer-slip What wisely false Achitophel had counseld him to doe Whose Counsell not receau'd he hong himselfe and worthie too Ambitious Absolom now foyl'd as on his Mule he flead Was carried vnderneath an Oke wheare caught-vp by the head EueÌ„ by those bewtious Locks of which him such praise is read He sighte and cause he had and said or say he might that All Which so vniustly seeke to clime most iustly so doe fall But whatsoeare he thought or spake this holds autenticall We thinke no greater blisse than such to be as be we would When blessed none but such as be the same that be they should Had one Man all that all Men haue he nothing had vulesse He also had a Soule that All as nothing did possesse Natures Mynion Eyes Admier and now in-ayred Earth For hanging Ioabs ruthles speare had vented vitall breath Although the King his counter-maunde should haue contraried so Effected had his Fathers heart no Substance else but woe So kinde and ouer-kinde was he in mouing such a Foe But thus of this and thus to him this following Crosse did groe CHAP. LX. TO epilogue our Tragedie now Adoniah acts With whome olde Dauid to depose euen â—oabs-selfe compacts Yeadiuers Captaines did reuolt and with the Sonne rebell Which not a little greeu'd the King that lou'd the young-man well Who next his brother did for forme and soly now excell Remayn'd but Salomon and he and he the elder Sonne Too forward yeat to practise Rule eare Dauids Raigne was donne But what God meaneth is Amen The Scepter was behight To Salomon and Nathan mou'd the King to doâ— him right Who aged caus'd his Diadem to roâ—alize the head Of Salomon annoynted now which heard the Rebel flead So haue we seene not yeares farre-past long-Plottings ouerthrone Euen in a trise to day a Queene to morrow lesse than none Such was her Fate but not her Fault that stoode for Maries Throne Nor cite I this A Noueltie like Pul-backs many an one Repentant Adâ—niâ—â— now vnto the Altar flies 〈…〉 thereof which one that it espies 〈◊〉 vnto Salomon that sent to fetch him Thence Which wâ—uld not be till swore the King to pardon his offence Whom◠〈◊〉 we now so pardoned or rather in suspence â—or though a Kings Competitor in one same Land may liue â—eat take he heed the sleightest cause a cause of death doth giue Which hapned him eare hapned this inserted by the way Dauid decea'ste in Salomon was sole and sou'raigne Sway When 〈◊〉 to prolong his life did at the Altar stay Euen he that in so many Brunts for Dauid did preuaile That saue for Adoniah now Allegiance neare did faile That saue for sheaded blood of twaine could none impeach of wrong Euen this grand Captaine of the Hosts a luckie Knight so long Hand-fasting now the Altar clames that Priuiledge in vaine For thence he would not and the King commaunds he thâ—are be slaine Which Warrant did Banaiah serue And so this Worthie died For Abner and Amasas blood like-Worthies and as-tried With Adoniah now remaines we act and ende our Sceanes To whoÌ„ might seeme small good was meant what il soere he meanes Wheare crowned Might crossed Right so neere together dwel Behooues that Forrest-flying Feare whereof the Fox did tell Our factious Lancaster and Yorke thereof could witnes well Abisag Dauids Hebe that in comfort of his Age Attended him at Bed and Boarde when naturall heate did swage Howbeit still a Virgin and the goodliest Wench aliue Enamours Adoniah at the least with her to Wiue He drifteth not detayned but for Salomons consent Of which he moued Bethsabe for which she Sutor went To Salomon that thearewithall was onely not content But also tooke occasion hence of more perhaps than meant â—â—naâ—ah by the Kings Commaund did Adontah slea For Cryme perhaps perhaps because a Crowne might come in Plea For Salâ—mon diuinely wise could Subtellizings sound That much the Maâ—d knew Dauids mind that Many she had bound Whilst gratious earst with Benefits her Kinred strong he found That â—oaâ— and Abiatâ—ar weare on his Brothers side That his aspiring sleepes nor must be slept the King espide Or else-what Adoniah was dispatched out of hand So sped his Suâ—e so was confirm'd to Salomon the Land If Others otherwise not I as others vnderstand Nor better Meede for Merits could these Dauidists alleadge Yeat did their Father eate the Grapes that set their Teeth on edge Then charitable godly-wise and continent weare fit Should Parents be So prosper they Theirs and whom Theirs begiâ— Of Scotland quieted by our Queene and France by her kept French Is toucht Of Belgike long selfe-vaind rests how the blood doth steÌ„ch CHAP. LXI THe Inquisition threatned wrought in â—etherlanders feare And Signes of altring Regment in their ancient State appeare As ful-fead Children with their Foode by Peace this People play Till in world-matchles Wealth did them Securitie betray They hearing what King Philip meant against their State did minde What in the Fables Morall of the Stock and Storke we finde For in the Ladie Regent and her Brother Philips Corse Their hearts presaÌ„g'd like diffâ—ence 〈◊〉 twixt Rigor and Remorse Arm'd was the Duke of Alâ—â— who by warres by wiles by 〈◊〉 Shuld coÌ„quer circuÌ„uent coÌ„sume those Lands their Lords the Good These to haue his sufficed not the Spanish King vnlesse He Monarchize their Land their Lawes and Liberties depresse The other Part their Consciences and Priuiledges pleades Nor other cause than only thus to Armor Either leades For There else-Where and euer Spayne when Spayne wold Scepters lurch Concludes for Spayne though euer Spayne begins for holy-Church No Armie was as yet